Three weeks ago, I wrote a review of  the new Pro-Health Clinical Plaque Control line of products, which I received for review from Mom Central Consulting.  I’ve always been a twice-day-day brusher, but I badly neglect flossing and hadn’t been much of a mouthwash user prior to the review.  There’s something about having a whole line of products that all work together though,  something the skincare industry has been doing forever.  Just like you cleanse, treat trouble spots, and moisturize, with this Pro-Health Clinical line, you brush, floss, and rinse.

Used together, I did find that my teeth felt smoother on the surfaces. I have this one spot right between and at the bottom of my two front teeth where tartar always accumulates. It might just be that I’m brushing more mindfully, or because I’m flossing if not every day (okay, never every day, to be honest), but at least 3 times a week, or because the mouthwash is removing the last traces of plaque, but that spot there does feel less…tartar-y.

Which makes sense, since when used together, the Crest Pro-Health products significantly reduce plaque and are clinically proven to help keep plaque from coming back. Plaque is what hardens into tartar, that stuff your dental hygienist has to scrape off of your teeth. I HATE that part of going to the dentist. You’d better bet I’m going to keep using Pro-Health Clinical Plaque Control if it shortens the amount of scraping time!

The  Crest and Oral-B Pro-Health Clinical Plaque Control website has more info on the products, and a link to enter for a chance to win a trip for you and a friend to the London 2012 Olympic Games courtesy of Crest and Oral-B.

I wrote this review while participating in a test drive campaign by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Crest and Oral-B and received product samples to facilitate my candid review. Mom Central Consulting sent me a promotional gift to thank me for taking the time to participate.

I’m 45, which means I’m likely in the beginning stages of hormone imbalance, called perimenopause. It could be anywhere from 10 to 15 years before my periods stop completely, and during those years, I get to experience the symptoms of it, which most commonly include hot flashes, irregular periods, heavy bleeding, sleep disruption, headaches, weight gain, loss of libido and emotional distress.

Not yet, not yet, yes, yes, yes, no, sometimes, and YES.  And also, yikes.

Amberen contains an anti-oxidant, calcium, two amino acids, magnesium, zinc, and vitamin E. I’m simplifying the actual names of the ingredients, but if you’re interested, I recommend reading this page – www.amberen.com/ingredients/.  I’ve read through all the FAQs as well as looked at the clinical trial information, because if this could actually work, I want to ask my doctor about taking it before my symptoms get any worse!

What it boils down to is that Amberen works on the part of the brain that controls hormones, the hypothalmus.  It took decades for Amberen to be ready for the market! In 1971,  researchers reversed menopause in aging rats by restoring their hypothalmic function with what became the prototype for Amberen.  In 2006, they did randomized, double blind, placebo controlled, cross over clinical trials on humans,  and found that “Amberen-based monotherapy significantly lowered most characteristics of menopausal symptoms, including hot flushes, headaches, and anxiety. No adverse side effects registered.”

Amberen is produced by Lunada Biomedical, a Better Business Bureau -registered accredited business.

The best part is, you don’t even have to take Amberen every day for ever.  You take two capsules a day for 90 days, and that gives you up to another 90 days of relief! This is NOT one of those programs where you get signed up and have product delivered every month whether you need it or not. In fact,  recurring automatic billing is against Amberen’s policy. They know that only YOU (and your doctor)  can decide when you need your next course of Amberen. Most women require only two courses a year.

I know this sounds like a commercial, but please talk to your doctor before buying Amberen, because it could interfere with other medications you take. I know I’m going to ask mine, because not being able to sleep is hard on me and my family, and I’d prefer to have the symptoms of peri- or actual menopause be as mild as possible. So glad I got this opportunity to learn about Amberen!

p.s. I was compensated for writing this post. Everything else is all me.