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Smile with caution if your dentures are more than five years old If you have been wearing the same dental prosthesis for more than five years without having it checked by your denturist, you are running unnecessary risk. Too many people believe that dentures are good for 20 years. Nothing could be further from the truth! The removable prosthesis is made of a hard, rigid material. Your face, mouth and jaw, on the other hand, change over the years. Because it cannot adapt to these changes and because artificial teeth wear down with time, a prosthesis cannot do its job effectively for more than about five years. This reality can have devastating consequences that are often invisible and imperceptible to the wearer of a worn-out denture. Here is a short list of the most harmful possible effects suffered by wearers of dentures more than five years old: · softening of the tissues · painful, irritated tissues · more laborious chewing and difficult digestion · headaches, ear aches, neck pain and joint problems · sagging mouth and premature wrinkles · accelerated resorption of the bone ...and this is only a partial list! Very few people maintain their prosthesis properly. Don't take chances with your health, see your denturist annually. And remember, it takes 17 muscles to smile... but only one denturist. -By Alex Trenton, denturist Figures has ways to help you lose those holiday pounds Wardrobe malfunction? We're not talking half-time at the Super Bowl now. With the holidays behind us yet again we struggle to shed those eggnogs and shortbreads that went straight to our hips making our jeans and skirts pop those buttons. We are told daily what to eat how often to work out and drink that water. Be it 10, 20 or 30 lbs. that are unwelcome we know to get rid of each one of them will take work, determination and perseverance. Any help is appreciated. Here are some trends which have proven to be true and may help work in your favour. If you work out with friends or relatives you're more likely to stay motivated and stay at it over the long run-- leading to success. At Figures, an exclusively women's club, the atmosphere is friendly and conducive to meeting other women working towards the same goal. It's even better when you bring a pal along. Another fact: if you work or live close to your gym (within a six-minute drive) you're more likely to continue working out over a longer period. Figures is conveniently located at 318 Guelph St., between the Honda dealership and Swiss Chalet. It is close to all of the local grocery stores, and parking is plentiful. If your session takes less that 45 minutes you're more likely to continue. Not all of us have 90-plus minutes to dedicate to our workouts. Figures offers a circuit system where one combines cardio-exercise with resistant exercise for a very efficient and effective workout. You burn fat with the cardio and tone muscle with the adjustable hydraulics, thereby raising your metabolism for hours after the workout. The treadmills, ellipticals and bike offer that extra variety we sometimes need. If you need a change of pace the personal trainers on staff will get you over the dreaded plateau. Figures has three certified personal trainers on staff to help guide you through exercises targeting those troubled areas. They offer nutritional tips and will develop programs to help you achieve your fitness and weight loss goals. They also offer private and small group training making it affordable to all. So what's stopping you now? This is not going to change overnight but consistent and persistent baby steps will get you there. P.S. Word has it on Saturday, Jan. 14 there is no initiation fee. Call 905-702-8701. --Helen Noble, Figures