Determining the average weight and height of a 15-year-old is not an exact science. Since teens are still growing, especially in regards to their weight, it can be difficult to assign an average number. That's why body mass index is often when looking at the health status of a teenager.
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The best treatment to ease the gum swelling is specific to the cause, so talk to your orthodontist if you have swelling that persists more than a few days.
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For thousands of years, people have used hot springs for relaxation and pain relief. In the 1940s, Candido Jacuzzi developed a submersible pump to provide hydrotherapy treatments for his son, who had rheumatoid arthritis. This development grew from a therapeutic treatment to the luxury item known as the hot tub.
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Vicks VapoRub is one of the oldest and best selling cold remedies on the market. Consumer marketing company Nielsen reports that the ointment is the number one cold treatment for children by overall sales in 2009.
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Approximately 3 million teenagers wear braces, according to research by toothpaste manufacturer Colgate. These orthodontic devices are used to correct tooth and jaw alignment, including overbites, underbites, crossbites and crowding. Metal brackets connected to a wire are mounted to the rear molars.
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Fiberglass is a multipurpose material used in the construction of buildings, automobiles, fabric and sporting goods. According to its material safety data sheet (MSDS), fiberglass is actually plastic wrapped in glass composed of plastic. The fibers are strung together into a mesh, much like woven wool.
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Isopropyl alcohol is more commonly known as rubbing alcohol. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, it is a simple, synthetically produced alcohol, comprising three carbon, eight hydrogen and one oxygen atom, with numerous industrial, medical and household uses.
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Items that break down over time naturally, like food scraps or paper, are biodegradable. According to the World Wildlife Foundation, most biodegradable items are made from animals or plants, but some artificial materials designed to mimic these organic substances can also degrade over time.
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Americans spend billions of dollars each year on cleansers, toners and scrubs to improve their complexions. These chemical-based products often contain harsh alcohols and soaps. Bentonite clay is an alternative facial treatment.
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The topical cream Retin-A, also known by its generic name tretinoin, is used for a variety of skin conditions. According to the Mayo Clinic, Retin-A is manufactured by Ortho-McNeil Pharmaceuticals and prescribed as a treatment for severe acne, skin discoloration and as a wrinkle reducer.
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Home septic systems use a tank, organic bacteria and ground soil to filter waste water and return it to the ecosystem. The soil acts as the final filter, cleaning pathogens and bacteria and returning water to the ground. The result is a slow but environmentally safe waste disposal method.
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The Rhode Island Medical Association invented Gold Bond Medicated Powder in 1882. For almost 100 years, it was distributed through the Northeastern United States as an anti-itch powder.
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Vaseline traces its roots to the 19th century, when Brooklyn chemist Robert Augustus Cheeseborough first developed it as a natural remedy for skin abrasions in 1869. Petroleum jelly is a mixture of paraffin, microcrystalline wax and mineral oil.
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Just like in humans, a sheep's skin has pores that produce oils to hydrate the surface of the body. These oils, called lanolin, have a deep moisturizing effect on human skin and hair. Lanolin is found in cosmetics, skin creams and some moisturizing shampoos.
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Created by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1935 as one of his "New Deal" programs, Social Security is one of the most important government programs in American history. This social insurance program was established to provide pensions to retired workers age 65 and older that might otherwise have no source of income.
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The aging process of beef improves its flavor and tenderness. According to "Fine Cooking" magazine, most beef sold in supermarkets is vacuum-packed or shrink-wrapped to a styrofoam tray. This is known wet-aging. Dry-aged beef undergoes a much more time-consuming process.
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London broil is not a cut of meat, but a type of beef preparation that involves marinating then slowly cooking a thick cut of meat. According to a 2011 article in "The New York Times," London broils can come from the round, flank, shoulder or sirloin of the cow.
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Tri-tip steaks are a coveted cut of beef due to their rarity and flavor. In a July 2010 article for "The New York Times," Mark Bittman writes that there are only two tri-tips in an entire cow. Cut from the bottom of the sirloin region, the tri-tip's thickness and marbling produce a richly flavored steak.
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Order moo goo gai pan or another vegetable dish from your local Chinese restaurant and you will find small circular discs with a surprising crunch. Water chestnuts are popular in Asian cuisine. Not true chestnuts, they are tubers, or root plants, that grow in slow-moving or still bodies of water throughout Asia.
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Steak tartare is a dish most commonly associated with French cuisine, but according to food historian Arlyn Hackett, its history is much more ambiguous. Mongolian warrior Genghis Khan is credited with inventing the raw beef dish while in the field of battle. Hackett, writing for "The San Diego Union-Tribune,"
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