The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

in si de ha lto n. co m O ak vi lle B ea ve r | T hu rs da y, F eb ru ar y 17 ,2 02 2 | 20 ADVERTORIAL NICE TO MEET YOU Bhandari dental 2525 Old Bronte Rd. Suite 470, Oakville 289-813-8239 | www.bhandaridental.com *Statistics shared were correct at the time of writing and serve to emphasize the many considerations related to optimal dental practices. By Dr. Vineet Bhandari Healthy teeth … healthy life DIAMOND WINNER 2021 Teeth Whitening Call for a Free WhiteninG COnSUltatiOn help yourself to a healthy mouth Having healthy teeth and gums contributes to our overall health, according to Dr. Vineet Bhandari, Bhandari Dental in Oakville. "What that means is taking care of teeth should be a priority for everyone," he says. He recommends these six ways to help keep your teeth -- and your body -- as healthy as possible. healthy lifestyle: Stay physically active and make healthy food choices. The vitamins and minerals that come from eating a healthy, varied diet help fight oral diseases. Avoid too much added sugar because sugar can cause cavities. "And don't smoke or chew tobacco." Practice good oral hygiene: Every morning, noon and night you have an opportunity to take good care of your teeth. Brush them two to three times a day, and floss teeth as least once a day. address oral health problems: Pain or problems in your mouth should be diagnosed and treated in order to prevent progression and further infection. Typically, acute infections cause pain, bleeding, pus and swelling but even mild symptoms should not be ignored. Oral disease is associated with many health conditions including diabetes and heart disease. Signs of cancer: Early diagnosis of oral cancer is critical, says Dr. Bhandari. The signs are sores that do not heal within two weeks, white or red patches, numbness or tingling, and small lumps and thickening of the tongue, the mouth, the inside of cheeks or the gums. Find the right dentist: It is important that patients feel comfortable with their dentist and the dental care they receive. The dentist should always explain oral health recommendations and procedures. The dental office itself should be friendly and efficient and provide the best and latest care for patients. Schedule regular checkups. Your dentist will recommend a checkup schedule based on your oral health history and habits. Bhandari Dental offers a full range of family dental services from regular preventive care and treatments such as fillings, bonding and porcelain veneers to providing implants, whitening services and specialty care such as laser treatment for cold sores. "It is always about wanting only the best for your smile and your health," says Dr. Bhandari Walking into Anu Rai- na's downtown Oakville shop, also called Anu Rai- na, one is struck by the lev- el focus of the shop. Much like in an art gallery, the spotlight is very much on the works themselves, a collection of chic expres- sions of the artist that made them. She says that going to Sheridan College in 2008 was the "happiest time" for her because "I realized that I was a designer and an artist." To get to this point, though, Raina's journey began far from Oakville. The path of her life could easily have gone else- where, and Oakvillians might not have had a high fashion shop at 174D Lake- shore Rd. E. Raina was born in Indi- an-Administered Kash- mir. She remembers being very creative in her child- hood, often losing herself in her drawings and other artistic pursuits. Her fa- ther showed great interest in her creations. But her life in Kashmir came to an abrupt end in the begin- ning of the 1990s. Raina does not like to talk about it much, but her family had to escape Kash- mir "in the middle of the night" to get away from the ethnic violence of the area. Her father was placed on a hit list. The family moved to Delhi, where Raina would attend university. Here, Raina's life could have gone in a completely different direction and her path may not have led to Oakville. At Delhi Univer- sity, she was studying biol- ogy. But even then, she kept her creative pursuits going. She recalls entering a flower arranging competi- tion last minute, leaving her at a loss for materials. "So I just went out and col- lected a whole bunch of thorns from the bushes on the school grounds and made an arrangement out A LONG, HARD JOURNEY FOR LOCAL FASHION DESIGNER MANSOOR TANWEER Anu Raina shows one of her fashion shop's designs. Mansoor Tanweer/Metroland NEWS LIFELONG CREATIVITY LEADS RAINA TO OPEN DOWNTOWN SHOP See - page 21