A good article from Oral B about the anatmony of gingivitis!

Anatomy of Gingivitis

Knowing how gingivitis affects tooth anatomy can be helpful in better understanding how flossing–and good oral care in general–can remove plaque, which helps stop gingivitis before it starts.

If you looked at a cutaway picture of a healthy tooth, the main components include the gums (also known as gingiva) and the main parts of the tooth, as follows:

•Root: The root is the multi-pronged bottom of the tooth that extends into the gums and jaw. Gingivitis is an early stage of periodontitis (periodontal or gum disease). In severe cases of gum disease, very infected gums can cause the roots to loosen and allow the tooth to fall out.

•Pulp: The pulp is the nerve-filled center of the tooth. The pulp is not directly infected in cases of gingivitis, but gum pain may radiate into the nerves in your teeth. Periodiontal or gum disease, however, may impact the pulp, if the pocket extends to the end of the root, known as the apex.

•Crown: The crown is the top part of the tooth that you see and brush. The crown is covered with tooth enamel, which helps protect teeth above the gum line. However, it’s at and around the gum line that plaque can build up. That’s why daily flossing is essential to maintaining healthy gums — it clears away plaque-causing bacteria before buildup occurs.
A picture of gingivitis shows how the gums pull away from the teeth and appear swollen and red. In addition, you would see hard, whitish deposits of tartar along the gum line. A dental hygienist’s or dentist’s skill is needed to remove the tartar, but you can keep it from accumulating by flossing regularly. If your gums are sensitive, try a product designed for sensitive gums, such as Oral-B® Ultra Floss®, which has a spongy texture that may be easier on tender gums.

It all began with a coffee pot.

As I did during Thanksgiving, I find myself comparing my current life situation to my life last year at this time.  I’ve mostly been thinking about how my winter vacation this year differs from winter break at Bates.  To start- it’s a lot shorter.  But I don’t have thesis hanging over my head.

I drove Jordan to the airport yesterday so he could catch a massively crowded flight to Chicago to begin his holiday break.  As for me?  I’m still at the apartment because I have to work until the 24^th before heading home for Christmas.  Being in the apartment alone, I am faced with the prospect and making sure everything is situated in the apartment before heading home for 4 days.

At Bates they tell you to make sure your windows are closed before leaving on break.  If you were really good you’d remember to dump out your tiny garbage before leaving.  However, as a post graduate I’ve got to do a lot more than make sure my one window is closed before heading home for the holidays.  I have a whole list of things to take care of before I leave, one being to turn off the coffee pot.

When Jordan and I took our trip to Chicago for Thanksgiving, our flight was non-eventful and we arrived on time, ready to relax.  However, when going over all we did before leaving (because we bring out the paranoia and anal retentiveness in each other), we realized that we had forgotten about the coffee pot.  Because I didn’t turn it off and because he knew he didn’t turn it off- it was still on.  We both minorly freaked.

Now, this situation was frustrating for two reasons.  Firstly, I had been diligent about preparing the apartment for our departure.  I did a bunch of ridiculous things that definitely were not needed.  I unplugged everything (I mean pretty much everything) and made sure everything was locked and turned off.  Except the coffee pot apparently.  We had tried so hard and failed miserably. 

Secondly, after we realized that we had left it on, we began to have images of our apartment slowly burning to the ground in our head.  What could we do?  We had an extra key but we had left it inside the apartment (dumb I know) so none of our friends could stop by and check on things.  We could have called our landlord to ask him to go shut it off but then he would know how dumb and reckless we were (you can tell we’re not big risk takers when I define leaving the coffee pot on accidentally as reckless) so we nixed that. 

Then, we realized that many coffee pots these days have automatic shutoffs as a safety feature.  For times just like these!  Our old coffee pot certainly did not, but fortunately for us, we had upgraded earlier that summer.   However, we couldn’t be sure.  So what did we do?  We googled.

Both of us tried to remember the brand of the coffee maker: I said Braun and he said Cuisinart.  “It’s Braun, I’m pretty sure,” I said.  “You’re confusing it with my electric toothbrush,” Jordan said accusingly.  “It is a Cuisinart.”  Eventually, I agreed with him (which rarely happens) because I realized I was stuck in the past- my old beloved coffee maker had been Braun.  His electric toothbrush is Oral-B so I don’t know where that came from.

So we began frantically looking up Cuisinart coffee makers online to try and find our model to see if it included an automatic shut off.  We got close, we got very close, but every model had more buttons than ours, no matter how similar it looked.  We had a picture of me by the stove from Halloween in which you could see a portion of the coffee pot- I used this as a guide.  But alas, we couldn’t find our model.  Finally after speaking to his parents and my parents and his aunt and uncle- we decided that it probably had an automatic shut off and if it didn’t, the worst that would happen would be that the pot would crack from the heat.  It took me about two days to forget about that coffee pot.  When we got home the first thing I did was look at its brand.  “Gevalia!” I cried.  I then called my mom.

So after that little debacle- I’m going to be extra cautious about leaving the apartment this break.  Why?  Because if something goes wrong it is very obviously my fault.  And I don’t like when things are clearly my fault.  So I am making a list of everything I need to do before I leave and I will follow it to the “t.”  I’m going to clean everything, take out the trash, unplug everything, clear out the fridge, lock everything, and make sure the heat is off.  That’s a lot more than I had to do at Bates where it was: Close the window, is there a sandwich in the trash?  No?  Well then forget about the trash. 

I do have to mention that when leaving for a Bates break I had to make sure I brought home all the proper books or else I’d be googling not a coffee maker but an author.  Instead my grade would be at stake, not all my personal possessions and potentially the lives of the neighborhood families and pets.  One could argue which is worse.

But now, I feel prepared to tackle the new responsibilities that leaving for the holidays as a post-grad requires.  And in case I doubt myself, I’m only 2 ½ hours away in CT.  And now I know the brand is Gevalia.

Shhhh,

Steph

Braun 788195 zahnpflege Shop

Wer jemals Probleme mit dem Zahnfleisch hatte, wird keine Kosten und Mühen scheuen um von dieser Plage erlöst zu werden. Als mir mein Zahnarzt zum Kauf einer elektrischen Zahnbürste und Munddusche geraten hat, habe ich daher nicht lange gezögert. Seit ich sie verwende und regelmäßig ein paar Sekunden nach dem regulären Zähne putzen zusätzlich mein Zahnfleisch mit einer Zanbürste massiere und regelmäßig die Munddusche verwende, sind die Beschwerden so gut wie weg.
Der Vorteil liegt in der bequemen Handhabung verglichen zur Zahnseide. Ich muss gestehen, dass ich einfach zu faul bin um diese regelmäßig zu verwenden. Die Bedienung der Munddusche hingegen ist kein großer Aufwand und wird daher deutlich öfter angewendet.

Die Braun Munddusche verfügt über einen stufenlos verstellbaren Wasserdruckregler. Es gibt einen Betriebsmodus zum Reinigen der Zwischenräume und einen zum Massieren des Zahnfleisches. Die Aufsätze können ausgetauscht werden, sodass jedes Familienmitglied einen eigenen verwenden kann.

Wer an die Anschaffung einer elektrischen Zahnbürste denkt, sollte ein kombiniertes Zahncenter kaufen. Es steht dann nur ein Gerät im Bad herum und im Paket sind die beiden Teile auch billiger.

• Besonders effektiv mit Micro-Luftblasen-Technologie

Braun Oral-B OxyJet ist die weltweit erste Munddusche mit innovativer Micro-Luftblasen-Technologie. Das Wasser wird mit Luft angereichert und es entstehen Millionen von Micro-Luftblasen. Diese greifen Plaque-Bakterien an, die im Wesentlichen die Ursache von Zahnfleischentzündungen sind. Klinische Studien beweisen: In Verbindung mit einer Zahnbürste wirkt Braun Oral-B OxyJet der Entstehung von Zahnfleischentzündung besser entgegen als eine herkömmliche Munddusche.

Wahlweise Mono- oder Rotationsstrahl. Einfach umschaltbar. Der einzigartige Rotationsstrahl lässt die Micro-Luftblasen tief in die Zahnzwischenräume und bis unter den Zahnfleischrand eindringen. Der sanfte, pulsierende Monostrahl dient zur Entfernung von Speiseresten oder der gezielten Reinigung einzelner Zahnzwischenräume. Einfache Bedienung zur Regulierung des Wasserstrahls. Großer mundwassergeeigneter Wasserbehälter (600 ml). 4 verschiedenfarbige Aufsteckdüsen.

Versandfertig in 1 – 2 Werktagen

Bei Amazon erhältlich Check Price Now!

*** Product Information and Prices Stored: Dec 04, 2009 08:13:53

Braun 751007 zahnpflege Shop

Seit vielen Jahren putze ich mit Oral B-Zahnbürsten (den einfachen Bürsten). Nun habe ich zum ersten Male diese Sorte der Zahnbürsten gekauft und bin sehr zufrieden damit. Sehr angenehme Reinigung, kein Zahnfleischbluten, alles Bestens. Ich würde jeden zum Kauf dieser Bürsten raten, vorausgesetzt, dass er schon immer mit elektr. Zahnbürsten geputzt hat.

• Patentierte gelbe MicroPulse Borsten
• Passend für: Oral-B Elektrozahnbürsten mit rundem Bürstenkopf

4er Pack Aufsteckbürsten für Triumph-Serie

Versandfertig in 1 – 2 Werktagen

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*** Product Information and Prices Stored: Dec 04, 2009 08:09:33

Note: If you are disassembling your toothbrush, please note that the steps here are just documenting my own experience.  You are responsible for your own actions and consequences.

I have owned a number of Oral-B toothbrushes over the last 10 years, from the original version and nearly every version that came out.

My current model, the Oral-B Triumph after 3 years, has started to lose its power.  Even at full charge, the brushing speed is fairly weak.  I decided to throw it away, until it occurred to me… why waste a good chance to see what the internal looks like.

I searched around the web to find out how to open this gadget.  I found some postings here and there, but nothing really specific. So I decided to brave it (since I am going throw it away if I screw anything up anyway). 

The item I am about to disassemble is the Oral-B Triumph 9000 (Type- 3731).  Here is the product picture

Here are the steps to disassemble the product:

1. Take out the bottom portion of the toothbrush.  This should be done using the power adapter provided for the toothbrush.  If you look at your power adapter, you should see a tri-angle shape that pops up, this is like a screw driver.

Match this with the bottom indentation of your tooth brush set and start screwing loose the bottom portion.

Unscrew the bottom portion until it looks loose.  After it becomes loose, use a screw driver and push the side in and away from the body to unlatch.

2. We then need to take off the blue plastic ring (shown in the picture below circled in red).  The best way to take this out I found is to use pliers to loosen it, then use a screw driver to prop it loose.

3. After you have taken the bottom piece and the blue ring, you need to push out the internal by pushing the metal piece (where you normally attach the brush head).  I found that with my one, I  had to give it a good bang and it came out.  I could not push it out slowly.

4. After you gave it a good push, you should have the internal came out as shown below

5. After you have the internal out, to change the battery, we need  to take out the LCD screen.  This can be done by unscrewing the torx screw (shown below circled in red). 

6. You should then have an exposed PC Board shown below.  You will then need to use a soldering iron and a solder sucker to suck out the solders so that you take out the battery leads.  The location is shown in red circles.

Once the solders are mostly gone, use a screw driver to pry up the leads so it is loose.  Then you can take out the battery. 

The battery used for this model is a commercial battery size “A” with dimension: (D x H): 0.7″ (17mm) x 1.93″ (49 mm), 1.2V.  I went to search on the Internet and found several options.  I ended up choosing the Sanyo brand because it seems to have the highest amperage (2700 mAH) and its the same brand as the original.  I also went ahead and ordered a version that comes with tabs.

So now we wait until my battery arrives in the mail –> wait for part 2 (fingers crossed)

Braun Oral-B Precision Clean Toothbrush Head Refill 8 Pack Review

Watch out for fakes as sold to me by JE Futures.
They fall off the brush in your mouth!
It’s difficult to be sure you are getting the right thing, so check them immediately on receipt.
JE Futures would not reply to any of my emails and they have no other contact details except through Amazon.

Feature

• Fits all Oral-B rechargeable & battery toothbrushes with the exception of Vitality Sonic, Oral-B Sonic Complete and Cross Action Power
• Cleans and polishes your teeth
• Keeps teeth naturally white
• Flexisoft bristles
• Interdental tips
• Indicator bristles
• Self end rounded bristles
• Pack of 8

Overview

Specifications

Nov 21, 2009 06:00:12

In 1921 un inginer german, Max Braun punea bazele unui mic atelier de produse electronice in Frankfurt pe Main. Cum perioada respectiva a cunoscut o explozie a radioului, specializarea atelierului era in componente pentru aparate radio. Aproape 30 de ani mai tarziu, in 1950, un medic stomatolog din cealalta parte a lumii crea prima periuta de dinti sub marca Oral-B. Modelul creat se numea Oral-B 60 dupa numarul firelor de nylon incluse.

Afacerea medicului Robert Hutson din California s-a extins rapid, de la afacere de familie, derulata in casa si portbagajul masinii cu care ducea periutele la posta pentru a le expedia clientilor, la un business solid care pana la sfarsitul anilor 70 exporta produsele in Europa, America Latina si Asia. Mai mult, periutele Oral-B au fost primele care au ajuns pe luna odata cu misiunea Apollo 11.

Intre timp, Braun crease un prototip de periuta de dinti electrica, numita “Mayadent” (1963), care simula miscarile unei periute normale. Produsul a fost initial unul de nisa, avand o raspandire redusa in primii ani. Orizontul s-a schimbat in 1967 cand Gillette a cumparat Braun care ajunsese deja unul dintre producatorii de top de aparatura electrocasnica mica. Din acest moment Braun a beneficiat de motorul de marketing al Gillette care a promovat si acest tip de produs. Insa abia in 1978 nisa a fost dezvoltata suficient incat produsul sa ajunga la productie de masa.

In 1984 Gillette a cumparat si Oral-B punandu-si serios amprenta pe acest segment de produse prin investitii masive in tehnologie si marketing. Acesta din urma a propulsat Oral-B in topul vanzarilor din Statele Unite si nu numai lansand prima periuta pentru copii sub licenta Star Wars in 1984. In acelasi an Braun, divizie separata a Gillette creeaza prima periuta electrica cu miscari pe 3 axe.

Ceea ce era de asteptat s-a intamplat in 1987 cand a fost lansata prima periuta in colaborare Braun si Oral-B, marcand un nou inceput de business. De aici marketingul si-a spus cuvantul ducand plasand Oral-B ca sub-brand al Braun si cucerind efectiv lumea cu produsele lor. Din 2001, capetele periutelor de dinti ii au pe Mickey Mouse, Winnie-the-Pooh si pe Buzz Lightyear prin semnarea unui nou acord cu Disney. Restul e business modern.

Two minutes twice a day……if I say that once in a day at my office, I must say it at least ten times.  I’m sure that I  sound like a nag or, at the very least, a broken record.  You’d think in this day of ever improving technology, we’d be able to spice up or change that same old song…. two minutes twice a day.  And, if you’ve been to the dentist, you know that I am referring to how long and how often we should brush our teeth. 

There is no question that brushing twice a day for TWO entire minutes is a bit of a pain.  There are so many more important things that we could be doing… like sleep for instance.  The suggested time to brush our teeth is first thing in the morning and last thing before we go to bed so, if we didn’t take the time to brush our teeth, we’d have a full four extra minutes of sleep each day.  Speaking for myself, four extra minutes of sleep is very compelling.  Fortunately, the arguement as to why we SHOULD brush our teeth twice a day for two minutes  is even MORE compelling. 

Simply put, we need to remove the plaque that accumulates on our teeth and we need to remove it thoroughly.  Plaque is that sticky transparent layer of bacteria that coats our teeth and can cause decay and gum disease.  And if THAT doesn’t motivate you, if plaque isn’t removed completely, it turns into tartar (calculus) which is hardened and more damaging to your gums and more difficult to remove. 

So, now that maybe you are a little more convinced that brushing your teeth twice a day for two minutes is a good thing, let me throw some criteria your way.  Yes, it’s true…….putting a glop of toothpaste on your toothbrush and putting it in your mouth haphazardly for two minutes does NOT count.  There is actually technique and method involved in this process.   

• ALWAYS use a soft toothbrush
• Hold the brush at a 45 degree angle to your tooth at the gumline
• Use small and gentle circular motions to “massage” the tooth and gums
• Focus on one tooth at a time
• Make sure to brush all surfaces of each tooth – front, back and chewing
• Use a timer – like an egg timer – set for two minutes

Now, the above recommendations are if you are using a manual toothbrush.  Here’s some fun news.  There are electric toothbrushes out there that have a built in two minute timer, sensors to warn you if you are brushing too hard, and the technology to provide the proper massaging and cleaning movements.  My personal favorite is the Oral B Triumph with Smart Guide (see our website for promotions – www.familydentalcareparkridge.com ) It takes a lot of the guess work out of brushing – you just need to place the brush on each tooth on all sides and the Triumph toothbrush does the rest of the work.  Makes your teeth feel unbelievably clean – like you’ve just been to the dentist

So, I guess we in the dental world  won’t be changing our tune – two minutes twice a day – any time soon.  But with compelling reasons and some fun technology, maybe it won’t be such a dreaded chore. 

And don’t even get me started on FLOSSING

Being in dental school has it’s perks (as well as many many non-perks). One of them is what I like to call “Dental Swag.” We’ve got Oral B and Colgate among other dental companies chewing at the bit to get us to start using their products in order to have us recommend it to our future patients. I commend these companies for providing us with their products, but it makes me think, if we are given these things as just dental students, star football athletes in football crazy schools MUST be getting ridiculous swag.

Oh well…at least I’ve got electric brushes, toothbrushes and toothpaste covered for the rest of my life.

Thanks, Oral B for this awesome electric toothbrush. This is my first one.

A Crest/Oral B tote.

Mouthwash…haven’t tried it yet.

Would’ve liked some Glide with the rest of this Crest stuff.

I really liked this idea. Visit your dentist, get a $15 check mailed to you. Money is how you get people into the dental office.

Colgate tote. They need to step their game up if they wanna compete with Oral B.

2 Brushes.

2 toothpaste.

Not a lot of deals at the big 3 drug stores this week. In fact only one thing stood out to me. So I stopped by Rite Aid to pickup this freebie today:

• Oral B Crossaction Power Toothbrush: on sale for $5 – $2 SCR – $3 mc (11/1 P&G) = FREE

Oh good, I was beginning to wonder when we’d get another advert that said one thing out loud and another in the small print. This stupidly conceived toothpaste push is all about concealed language and using just the right turn of phrase to imply something that they deny at the end.

Line by line, if you please…

“Nothing matches that dentist level of clean” – notice it doesn’t say ‘clean feeling’ but rather ‘clean’. They’re talking about actual oral health here.

“But imagine if you could get a dentist clean feeling every time you brush at home” – right, so now we’re talking about feeling clean and not actually being clean. This doesn’t actually have anything to do with the previous sentence, you just think it does because they both mention the word ‘clean’.

“You can – with Oral B rechargeable toothbrushes” – still talking about the feeling here, not about the actual cleanliness of your mouth, but the implication is with the latter.

ONSCREEN DISCLAIMER: “does not provide professional results.”

“Their unique cupping action… etc etc etc…” – this is just product bumpf.

“The power of a dentist clean feeling everyday” – and now we’re back to talking about the feeling of clean teeth.

So basically the gist of the advert is this:

It’s great to have really clean teeth. We can’t do that for you but we can make it feel like it, if that helps?

No great revelations here, just a slightly underhanded association with genuine cleanliness and the implication that that is what the product does – when it actually doesn’t.

“Acordar trabalhar
se fuder se matar
sem descanso sem dinheiro
eu tenho que me virar...”
(Gordo-R.D.P)

Imagem Unica

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Por Richard Morita

O apelo da indústria farmacêutica em vender seus produtos através de excelentes campanhas publicitária faz com que os consumidores fiquem na dúvida de qual solução de enxague bucal é mais eficiente para ser utilizado durante a higienização bucal.

Eu particularmente não utilizo com frequência nenhum produto específico, apenas aqueles que eu ganho das promotoras das empresas que visitam meu consultório ou em congressos de odontologia.

Cientificamente está comprovado que o sucesso da higiene oral está relacionado a uma escovação dentária completa com complementação do uso correto do fio dental.  Aliado a isso recomendamos a profilaxia dentária (limpeza profissional) para remoção de tártaro e placa bacteriana pelo menos a cada 6 meses no consultório odontológico.

Pacientes com gengivite ou problemas periodontais (gengiva e osso ao redor do dente inflamados e acúmulo de tártaro) devem ser tratados no consultório e receber concomitantemente instruções quando a correta higienização bucal com complementação de uma solução para bochecho específico para esses casos e/ou uso de um creme dental especial também.

Os duas doenças de maior prevalência  na odontologia brasileira são a doença cárie e a doença periodontal e o principal responsável é o acúmulo de placa bacteriana ao redor dos dentes. Essa placa bacteriana pode calcificar com o auxílio de uma saliva rica em sais minerais originando o tártaro (cálculo dental) ou pode sofre ações das bactérias e de alimentos (carboidratos) dando origem a doença cárie ou desgastes no esmalte dos dentes.

Portando, recomendo uma constante visita de retorno ao cirurgião dentista, aliado a uma correta higienização oral com escova de cerdas super macias e fio dental, caso voce tenha dúvida na maneira correta de escovar os dentes não tenha vergonha de pedir uma orientação com o profissional de sua confiança, seu sorriso agradece.  Os bochechos tradicionais só terão efeito por um curto período de tempo e psicologicamente através da sensação de “hálito puro”.  Se for utiliza-los dê preferência àqueles sem álcool.

Por fim de faço um alerta,  prezado leitor:  nunca utilize receitas caseiras como água oxigenada para fazer bochecho, somente faça isso com orientação do profissional, em casos específicos e por curtíssimo período de tempo, 0 peróxido de hidrogênio nele contido é prejudicial aos tecidos ao redor do dente e pode causar reabsorção da raiz dentária.

I finally received the package my mother sent me one week ago, and I decided it might be nice to make a list of the things she sent me.

• 7 x 5.6 oz Knorr brand Rice Sides
• 10 x chewy chocolate chip granola bars
• 4 x ping pong balls
• 10 x single serving oatmeal
• 1 x 17.5 oz Frito Lay brand corn chips (1 week past use-by date {but still delicious})
• 10 x Create-A-Dino fruit flavored snacks
• 2 x 30 count cough drops
• 1 x Oral-B tooth brush (from Dental Associates)
• 1 x cork screw / bottle opener combo
• 1/3 x bottle of chili powder
• 1 x 50 m Oral-B dental floss
• 1 x 3 oz deodorant stick
• 1 x small screw (why??)
• 1 x beard trimmer (I’m in need of a trim)
• 6 x mechanical pencils
• 1 x green Sharpie
• 1 x container of pencil lead
• 1 x 1.75 liters Premium San Juan Liqueur made with Virgin Islands Rum (80 proof)

Thanks Mom!  (I wonder if she knows the difference between rum and rum-based liqueur…)

In other news, tonight I will be seeing Earth Died Screaming (while I lay dreaming of Tom) – a tribute to Tom Waits.  Hope and I failed to get our tickets ahead of time, so it will cost a bit extra.  But I’m still stoked to hear some Tom Waits songs live.  I sure hope this band doesn’t mess it up!

Earth Died Screaming (while I lay dreaming of Tom)

~a tribute to Tom Waits~

You are invited to a murky whiskey-evening where musicians from Trondheim’s metal, rock and jazz scene come together with a common denominator: Tom Waits. The band will create a dense atmosphere with their great interaction, great songs and wonderful drive. Vocalists Stian Leknes and Marita Rostad will be playing up to Tom’s dancing with good friends from Trondheim’s music scene. Stian is the lead singer of the Trondheim-based metal band Manifest, while Marita is best known from the city’s jazz scene, and with the album “Silent Sunday”.

Take your gutter humor and meet up!

That’s my rough translation of the description of the show.  For 150 NOK ($26.71), it had better be good.  The show starts at 9:30 PM at Grillen (“The Grill”).

Na korea a Oral-B, buscou inspiração no filme Twister de 1996.

A escova promete causar uma agitação como...

... a causada por um furacão, seria isso?

Siklus hidup harian dikelilingi merek ( Lifecycle with Brands )

Casio,Colgate,Oral-B,Gillette,Pepsodent,Nescafe,Kapal Api,Sariwangi,Sari Roti,Toyota,Transjakarta,Blue Bird Group,Pentium 4,Epson,Nokia,Bir Bintang,Miller,Heineken,Corona Extra,Guiness Beer,Durex,Kondom Sutra…..dll. apa merek harian kamu?

RED = item(s) free after coupon(s) &/or RR

*Emergen-C Booster
Sale Price: $3.49
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*Swiffer Wet Jet Starter Kit
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Use: $5/1 (9/27 PG) AND Free Solution Refill wyb Starter Kit (9/27 PG; up to $7)
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*Venus Embrace or Spa Breeze Razor
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*Gillette Fusion Shaving Gel
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Use: $1/1 (9/27 PG)
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*Dentek Dental Care (floss or picks)
Sale Price: $2
Earn: $2 RR
Final Price: Free after RR

*Pampers
Sale Price: 2/$20
Use: (2) $2/1 (8/30 PG)
Earn: $2.50 RR wyb 2
Final Price: $13.50, or $6.75 each after coupons and RR

*Halls Refresh Sugar Free Drops
Sale Price: $1
Use: $0.75/1 (9/27 SS)
Earn: $1 RR
Final Price: Free after RR

*TheraFlu
Sale Price: 2/$8
Use: (2) $2/1 PRINT IP
Earn: $4 RR wyb 2
Final Price: Free after coupon(s) and RR

*Accu Check Blood Glucose Monitor
Sale Price: $14.99
Use: $10/1 (8/23 SS)
Final Price: $4.99
OR
Final Price: Free  after MIR (Note: cannot use a coupon AND receive a rebate, you have to pick one or the other!)

*Herbal Essences Hair Care
Sale Price: $2.99
Use: $1/1 (8/23 or 9/13 RP)
Earn: $2 RR
Final Price: Free after coupon and RR

*Dawn Dish Liquid
Sale Price: $0.99
Use: In-Ad Wags Q AND $0.25/1 (8/30  or 9/27 PG)
Final Price: $0.74

Oral-B ProfessionalCare SmartSeries 5000: Estamos en el año 2009 ya es tiempo de que tu cepillo de dientes también le des su “upgrade.” Acuerdate que tu aliento tiene mucho que ver con tus interacciones con chicas o chicos si esa es tu onda…Con el Oral-B Oral-B ProfessionalCare SmartSeries 5000, podrás salir con la confianza de saber que tienes la boca mas limpia del bar. Con 5 maneras de lavarte los dientes y muchas otras funciones, pensamos que este cepillo es una buena inversión para el Caballero Moderno.

There hasn’t been any fashion to speak of this week. The WorkFam has been battling various colds and mild fevers, so I’ve been laying pretty low to avoid getting ill myself. So far, so good on that front. They say that the first year working with kids, you get every single virus and just pretty much spend the whole year with a minor cold of some sort, and then you have an immune system of steel. I don’t know about steel, but my immune system is at least coated in aluminum foil since I stopped coming down with every cold Schmoopette got after about six months with her, and I haven’t gotten anyone else’s germs in about the past year. When I do get sick, it seems to be random and not necessarily related to anything that the kids may or may not have.

Anyhow, I thought that this week I’d do something a tiny bit different and recommend some products. I love seeing the kinds of things that other people use, the internet being a great tool for fascinating daily minutiae voyeurism. It’s like looking into people’s medicine cabinets! Without being totally creepy!

#1: Matrix System Biolage Volumathérapie. It’s fancy pants. It’s French. It must be good. I hear all the time “Oh, don’t pay for the expensive salon shampoo! It’s no different than regular stuff!” Pffft. I’ll admit that I bought Biolage because I like the way that it smells. I’m now a firm convert into product loyalty since my baby-fine hair is silkier and thicker than it’s ever been. And it smells good. I can totally tell the difference between this and other shampoos I have used, since I have used many many products trying to get my hair to do anything other than lie on my head like a drowned rat. My hair still mostly lies there, but it’s got some body to it, which is a hell of a lot better than I can say for Pantene or Herbal Essences.

#2: Braun Oral B Vitality Toothbrush. Let’s not talk about how long it’s been since I went to a dentist. I haven’t had dental insurance in quite some time. I do finally have dental with my current insurance, and so I’ll be able to go and hear about exactly how neglected my teeth have been. Poor teeth. Incidentally, my employers are dentists. So, I asked about what I can do to clean things up on my own – in addition to flossing (which, ok, now that I do it regularly I can attest that it is indeed a good idea, but it is still the most disgusting activity known to man), they suggested this toothbrush. I wasn’t going to plunk down a lot of money for some sonic toothbrush just so that it could make a lot of noise in my mouth. I can say though that this is a great investment. My teeth do feel a hell of a lot cleaner, and it pleasantly feels like a tooth massage every time I brush.

#3: Pitt Artist Pen. I’ve tried Micron Pens. They were ok. I like fountain pens and used the Pilot Varsity pens for a while, except that they explode in airplanes and even when that’s not going on, they bleed through most papers. I tried the Pitt pens on a whim when I was in Utrecht and finally, there is a pen that I am now totally evangelical about. It’s the smoothest writing experience I’ve ever experienced and the ink is totally dark without bleeding through the paper. So, so much better than the Microns, which I thought dragged a little and really, weren’t very satisfying to write with. I like a good drawing pen that I can also use just as a writing pen, so I’ve bought a ton of these and keep them everywhere. There’s even one in my car, just in case. Oh yeah, and the brush pens are absolutely fantastically amazing for drawing/coloring.

#4: Sony clip-on headphones. The electromagnetism of my brain burns out headphones. I’ve never had a pair of headphones last more than six months of regular use, and it’s not that all of them have died from abuse – it’s that after a while, they just stop working entirely. I also burn out lightbulbs around me and in general, small electronics (and plants) die after extended periods of close proximity to me. Mostly anything with speakers, since speakers are really giant magnets. This has been confirmed by an electrical engineer that yes, this is my brain doing this. So any how, I don’t ever spend more than $30 on headphones since I know they will die. I also can’t wear earbuds for unrelated reasons. I’ve had two pairs of these on various occasions and they’re the best sound quality for $30 you can get. Also, the clip on is really comfortable and they’re nice and teeny for putting in my purse when I’m not wearing them.

How about you? What are your favorite products?

[NOTE: No one has paid me to whore these products. Not that I would mind if they did.]

Oral-B Sensitive (3 Extra-Soft Brush heads)

An easy, safe, effective way to brush

Dentists all over the country are recommending the Oral-B electric toothbrush. There are several reasons. It does the work for you, vibrating thousands of times a second, massaging your gums, it lets you clean your teeth without scraping your gums with a toothbrush, which can cause them to recede and bleed, and it reaches between your teeth to catch plaque and germs. This is a wonderful toothbrush, and I recommend it. However, if you want a review of a toothbrush, you’ll read the toothbrush page. This is a page for replacement heads.

There’s a lot of confusion about replacement heads for Oral B electric toothbrushes on Amazon, and I just want to give you all some facts. There are only three kinds of heads for ALL Oral-B electric toothbrushes. Flexisoft EB17, Extrasoft EB17, and Ortho OD17. I prefer Flexisoft EB17 (The Extrasoft is a little too soft, and the Ortho is overpriced)

What worries me about this listing is that it claims to be the Extrasoft EB17, but the picture of the item shows the Flexisoft EB17. Be warned, Amazon might be confused about this item and selling it incorrectly labeled. On the Extrasoft EB17, all the bristles around the outside edge are the same color. If you’re looking for Extrasoft, make sure you find an item where the picture matches the description.

Oral-B Pulsonic Sonic Rechargeable Electric Toothbrush

The Oral-B Pulsonic is a wonderful addition to the rechargeable electric/sonic toothbrush market. It is more slender, more quiet than the Philips Sonicare Flexcare Rechargeable Sonic Toothbrush I own, although it doesn’t have as many features. Both clean equally well; you’ll notice whiter teeth within a few days of use. Choosing between the two will be a matter of personal preference for most consumers.

The ultra-slender handle of the Pulsonic feels close to a regular toothbrush, particularly if you’re used to the heftier ones on the market, making it easy to maneuver the brush around the mouth. The fine vibrations barely travel down the handle –unlike all of other rechargeables I’ve used, including an older Oral-B model– and thus minimize annoyance. The included “Precision Tip” brush head is great for cleaning between teeth, although people with sensitive gums may find it too much. (Note: these sonic toothbrushes maintain and improve gum health, so what may be uncomfortable during the first two weeks may not be a problem later.)

This brush has two speeds: “clean” and “sensitive.” Although the instructions say that the sensitive speed is for tongue and gums, it’s also a great speed for gradually introducing sonic cleaning before you step up to full speed vibrations. Like the Sonicare, the vibrations briefly change tempo when it’s time to move to another area of the mouth. The brush pulses twice when two full minutes have passed since turning on the unit.

The Oral-B addresses some complaints I have about the Sonicare. One, it comes with a charger stand that can be mounted on the wall, allowing you to choose whether you want it on or off the counter. Two, the charger has a well for the body, making it difficult to knock it over by accident. The handle may not fit tightly into the well, but it definitely stays put. (The stand also has room for two brush heads.) Three, when you’ve finished all four quadrants, the toothbrush does not shut off automatically, making it much easier to brush your tongue or to spend a little extra time on a specific area after the two minutes is up.

That’s not to say that the Oral-B doesn’t have drawbacks. To get to the sensitive mode, you have to click through the regular mode, which means that either you’ll have a brief time with the faster vibrations or you’ll run the risk of splattering toothpaste. Likewise, if you are on the regular cleaning mode, you have to press the button twice to turn it off — once to get to sensitive mode and another to shut it off. The Sonicare allows you to choose the mode with a separate button, and the mode will “stick” time after time unless you change it. (Also, the Sonicare has five different modes, including a regimen that include gum massaging and one that allows for four-quadrant quick brushing.) The instructions for the Oral-B also suggest circular movement around the tooth, thus demanding more work from the user. It’s not clear whether this type of motion is really necessary or whether it’s simply Oral-B technique; I’m not even sure my hygienist will know. In any case, I followed the instructions, and while I did get teeth as clean as I do with the Sonicare, I disliked the extra movement. Also, Oral-B doesn’t offer different-size brush heads, although I wouldn’t be surprised if they offered them in the future.

All in all, I really like the Pulsonic Power, although right now I prefer the Sonicare because of its extra features and the way it fits into my hand. However, the Pulsonic Power beats the Sonicare hands down for quietness, small size, and its charger stand. This is truly a next-generation sonic toothbrush that, despite its lack of extra features, may set a new standard.