Dear Dr. Khan,
This is Mahmood Alam, aged 29. I have bad breath but no caries or gum infection. I brush my teeth after every meal. Why is it still persisting? Is there any other cause?
Alam

Dear Mr. Alam,
There are several causes for bad breath. Among them more than 60 percent are from oral and dental origin while the rest is from other systemic causes such as liver diseases, intestinal problems, sinusitis, pharyngitis etc. Please visit your dental surgeon to exclude any oral and dental problems.

Dear Dr. Khan,
I am 52 years old and non-diabetic. Which paste/brush is good for this age group? How can we understand that its time for scaling?
Fazal Ali

Dear Mr. Ali,
You can use a medium, soft bristle toothbrush. Regarding toothpaste, it is better not to use the same brand for more than three months. We recommend doing dental scaling every six months. Gum bleeding, pain, food impaction and hypersensitivity are early signs of gum infection.

Dear Dr. Khan,
I have dental caries in the upper front tooth, which is visible. I also noticed a foul breath in the mornings. Can I use mouthwash in an empty stomach? What should I do for those black spots, although I do not have any other complaints?
Monir

Dear Mr. Monir,
Yes, you can use mouthwash in an empty stomach. Any black spot means you have dental caries, so please go for dental filling.

Dear Dr. Khan,
How can we prevent dental caries? I am not asking for myself, but for my kids. Thanks for your wonderful contribution in Dental Wise section.
Sara Zabeen, Gulshan

Dear Ms Zabeen,
Proper brushing, food habit and regular dental check up can prevent dental caries. Every children should do fissure sealant to prevent dental caries. This is a protective layer, which greatly prevents dental decay. If your children are 9-13 years old, then go to your dentist for fissure sealant.

The price ranges from TK 1090 to TK 4500 for shalwar kameez, panjabi from TK 680 to TK 3500, shirts from TK 430 to TK 950, fatua TK 490 to TK 790, cotton sari from TK 620 to TK 1650, Muslin sari from TK 4650 to TK 18000, Jamdani from TK 2400 to TK 3250 and children's panjabi from TK 680 to TK 3500.

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Journey to India with The Westin

The Westin Dhaka will be celebrating an Authentic Indian cuisine “A Journey to India” with Le Royal Meridien Chennai, India from 28th May to 5th June, 2008. This celebration is a part of The Westin Dhaka's initiative of 'Presenting Guest Chefs of Asia 2008'.

There is no one style of Indian cooking and The Westin Dhaka will take you to a journey to savour all the varieties. During the festival, the Executive Chef of Le Royal Meridien Swapan Kumar Baidya and Chef R. Chandrashekharwill will preside over the kitchen of the restaurant “Taste” as guest chef, bringing with them the expertise and passion of Indian cuisine.

Revitalize with mouth watering starters from Sprout Salad to Aloo Chaat, moving on to main dishs of the likes of Murg Anarkali, Butter Chicken, Mutton Chettinad, Diwani Handi, Goan Fish Curry, Murgh Dum Pukht Biryani and Ambur Biryani. And end it all with delightful sweet treats that include everything from Gulab Jamun to Shahi Tukda

The chefs will be also performing live cooking shows, while you are enjoying the delicacy of Indian food. Take pleasure in Goan Crab Cutlets, Ragda Pattice, Panir Tikka Perry Perry and South Indian items such as Uttahpam, different kinds of Dosas with Sambar and Chutneys.

You can choose from a range of Bridal packages best suited to your individual needs and budget. Your bridal party can also enjoy the benefits of the packages designed especially for them. Farzana Shakil's Makeover Salon also provides consultations on beauty care leading up to your Big Day.

Contact: 8812215 (Gulshan) or 9116057 (Dhanmondi) to book an appointment. Or visit at either of the following addresses:

Dhanmondi: House 3/A, Road 28 (old)/ Road 15 (new), Dhanmondi, Dhaka-1205.

Gulshan: House 1/B, Road 5 (opposite Pizza Hut), Gulshan-1, Dhaka-1212.

There's no answer to the accusation…only the pain of regret. 'Regret' that's the name of the pain that sears through your heart over and over. It's a hybrid creature half thought, half emotion. We look at our actions in cold judgment, we find them terribly lacking and keep on imagining a life that would have been better-if only we had strived to make it so

Sometimes, there is a lesser feeling of anguish called 'wishful' regret. Most of the time, I really wish I had done things differently. Usually, 'wishful regret' works when I think of things I didn't do. Right now, I'm spending my life with a lot of “If-Only's and What-ifs”!

Speaking to a few of the fellow “regretees” to check out how regret works, I found men and women have different ways of dealing with regret. Men focus on what they have done and women focus what they have not done. At the end of it all, I have come to realize like many people out there, I will never be able to get rid of this, “REGRET”. I won't be able to change my life. But this much I do know, as I think obsessively about a regret, it hurts and it hurts. So what can I do?

I have discovered that writing about it helps a little to relieve the pangs of regret somewhat. Even talking about it helps to ease the pain. My staunch friends have been my sounding board. They have provided a lot of support in my days of darkness. Without them, I could not have come out of the abyss of regret. But then, one must learn to figure out who your true friends are. Unconditional friendship can help the healing process somewhat.

So readers, it doesn't matter how vehemently you deny not having any regrets, you do have them. Some may be small and insignificant and some can be as big and momentous as mine. The best way to deal with it is to live with it and to learn from it. Because there is nothing else in the world that you can do about it. Life is a continuous learning process. You can learn not to make the same mistakes ever again. You can also just seize opportunities when they present themselves to you with more determination and courage without looking back.

Otherwise you will end up in a world of what ifs…just like me…..

What if...

Should we spend our

Days

Years

Breaths

Thoughts

And hearts

On wondering what if?

A life wasted with regret

Over what we never took the chance on?

An opportunity not seized?

What if we were to lose our lives tomorrow?

Would we live today differently?

Should we not throw caution to the wind?

And jump in with both feet?

But here we sit today

Letting fear and too much time

Hold us back

Words stuck on our tongues

A wide chasm of air between us

No signs of a gentle caress exchanged.

I want to live in truth,

Not in fear,

And if you ever decide

That you want to stop WONDERING

What if...

I will always be here…. waiting.

By Sangeeta