I forgot about it once and came to regret it. Tried soaking it in vinegar, baking soda, mouthwash, toothpaste water, salt water and the stains doesn't come off. The only thing that works is repeated brushing of it with toothpaste but the colour doesn't come off immediately, it gradually fades away and becomes less yellowish.

Eating hard things like nuts, cereal, apples and other food might make you uncomfortable in the beginning as your teeth are slightly shaky.

Apple: I can't eat it as a whole but have to cut it into smaller pieces because the aligners are not sharp enough to bite.

What to expect
First, get your teeth checked and x-rayed and they will also explain the payment terms to you. I paid around $150 for my first consultation and x-ray, and this amount is not included into the $7500 package.

Stage 1: Verbal confirmation that you will go ahead with invisalign/bracers. Explanation of the whole procedure and how this works.

Stage 2: Once you have decided to move forward with invisalign, they will do a 'foam test' to get your teeth mold. It is a soft thing that will set in 3 minutes so you will need to clamp your mouth in 3 minutes for both upper and lower side. Just breathe, relax and the mold will be done.

Stage 3: They will then give you a run through of how your teeth will align over time, with a simulation and a take home video. With your final approval, they will order the retainers from USA, which will arrive in 2 months.

Payment
At each stages stated above, I paid $1000 after every session which occur once a month. Subsequently, I paid the remaining amount at $350 every month when I go to collect the new set of aligners. Overall, it's $1000 x 3 stages + Remaining $300 before start of program + ($350 x 12 months)  = $7500.

My first day putting it on
I was pretty afraid that it's going to hurt terribly. I put it on at night before I sleep on a Friday to prepare myself of the pain for the very first day. Heard that it will be the most painful so I made sure that I will be staying home on the Saturday. I did not have a good sleep to be honest, I kept dreaming that all my teeth turned wobbly and came off or felt conscious of something in my mouth. When I woke up, no pain at all. Woohoo! I thought I pulled through.

Can I have teeth like Julia Roberts please? (Source: 22860 at flickr)

I took it out to brush and ate my breakfast. Then I put it on again. Then the pain kicks in with 'turbo' mode. Actually it was just on a single teeth on my left side and the pain was just like a sore ulcer. I chewed on a 'chewy' that they provided to chew to lessen the pain and after 15 minutes, the pain was gone. After lunch, I took it out to clean it and the pain monster came back. Chewed it again and back to normal. I guess I should not keep taking it out as it brings out the pain. The dentist already mentioned that the first few days would be pretty uncomfortable and tight but will definitely become easier as the time goes by.

And then my speech was slightly affected. It's like my tongue does not dare to go near the retainers and feel it strange so when I speak, it's like I have a shorter tongue. Luckily, I have the weekend to get used to this or else, how am I going to do sales like that?

The pain is all gone after the third day. The pain is like the tightness in your teeth and how your muscles ache after strenuous exercises. Slowly it eases away over time and I can speak normally after only 3 days! Do check out my next post on the disadvantages of invisalign before you decide.

Disclaimer
How I wish I have a sponsor but I paid $7500 on my own. 

Should I  spend $300 on a better hairstyle?

My hair has always been long and slightly wavy. I did perms for my prom and rebonding when I started work. On and off, dyeing my hair is quite common as Liese shampoo dye is cheap and fuss free.
Now it has become slightly more unruly and dull.

Nice wavy hair to signify feminity (Source: Brent Gambrell from flickr)

You can eat lesser and lesser (like 2 salads 1 fruit), lower than what your body needs in a day which is around 2300 kCal. Initially you will see some weight loss definitely. After a while, your body recognizes that you do not need so high metabolic rate and will start to work less and . When you eat more than 2 salads and 1 fruit (not so drastic but you get the point), you will be eating more than what your metabolic rate can handle.. and that is when you gain weight.

Life is so unfair for you to eat so little of the good food and yet gain weight.

What I propose is to EXERCISE! Calories out > Calories in = Lose weight

Of course, saying is easier than doing it. Everyone knows but being so lazy in nature, they rather take diet pills, drink those nutrition package and go for surgery then try out exercise, which will help you to lose weight, be happier, fight off menstrual cramps, look fabulous, gives you a sharper mind.... I can go on and on but you already know and those that don't care, will probably keep tuning off these reasons.

This is my theory and I found this article and also several others to support it.

Not for you!

To be honest, I am just greedy for sumptuous food and am unable to go on diet. I tried to eat lesser previously but I feel dreadful and hungry and grumpy and just want to be a bitch (Not PMS hor!) Exercise gives you the rush of adrenaline, the post exercise feeling of contentment, the satisfied feeling that you have worked out and head into shower... shiok!

Actually, this is a good correlation to savings (don't you feel cheated by the title haha):

Money in - Money out = Money saved

To get higher savings, you need to either increase your salary or decrease your money out, which is expenses. We cannot increase our salary easily, that is not something we can control besides working harder (also no guarantee =S). The best we can make out of this is to control our expenses.

We need savings in order to invest! In this case, it is Money in > Money out = Savings

(Source: Saluda Programa de Salud at flickr)

Pimples are small skin lesions or inflammations of the skin. They are commonly caused by clogged or infected pores. Pimples usually develop after blackheads or whiteheads have become infected. When breakouts of pimples occur often, it is considered acne. There are many causes of acne, including bacterial folliculitis, keratosis pilatis and other skin conditions. It is highly recommended that if these conditions exist, that they are treated immediately. Often, if not treated, these conditions can lead to severe acne. Most times, when acne is ignored, it can leave visible scars on your skin. Many teenagers experience pimple outbreaks. It is at this time that the skin attempts to adjust to hormonal changes that occur during puberty. However, many adults suffer from acne as well. Women typically develop pimple outbreaks during their menstrual cycle. This happens because hormones surge before or during menstrual cycles causing excess oil to clog pores.

Why Do Pimples Arise?

Our skin consists of millions of tiny pores. These pores are connected to oil glands. Once these oil glands are blocked by dirt or other factors, the oily substance, (called sedum) clogs our pores causing pimple outbreaks. A major contributor to the outbreak of pimples is the elevation of hormones, usually occurring during puberty or menstrual cycles in women. This results in the hormone by-product called DHT. This hormone by-product overstimulates the oil gland resulting in clogging of the pores, which then results in acne production. To address and help treat this problem, there are creams and ointments available over the counter. These ointments can easily be applied topically to the blemish. However, if the condition seems to worsen, it is recommended that you see a dermatologist or skin expert immediately.

Thanks to my friend's introduction and from the results I see on her, I went to try Niks Maple clinic. There was a whole regimen of around 5 to 8 small samples to try which cost around $100. You can actually feel that your skin becomes better after only a week!