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Recent PostsNutrition and Diet Play a Major Role in Tooth Decay
By: Alison Aldridge
The Role of Sugar in Tooth Decay
Diet choices can play a huge role in helping to keep teeth free from disease. One of the major culprits of tooth decay is sugar. Modern diets contain a range of different sugars including sucrose, glucose, lactose, maltose and fructose. All these different sugars can be used by oral bacteria more or less equally, with the only exception being lactose or milk sugar. The World Health Organization has stated that these so-called free sugars should not contribute more than 10% of the daily energy intake, which equates to approximately 50 g. In the US soft drinks represent the largest source of sugar consumption, something that is a real problem.
Sugars in Healthy Foods and Sugar Substitutes
The sugars found in fruits and vegetables and whole-grain foods don't have such a major role to play in dental decay, and it is important to make the distinction between free sugars and sugars found in healthy foods. Sugar substitutes such as xylitol and sorbitol can be an important part of controlling tooth decay, and studies have found that chewing sugar-free gum containing xylitol after meals can help to stimulate saliva flow which in turn helps to protect against tooth decay.
Starchy Foods and Their Role in Tooth Decay
Some starchy foods can be highly refined, such as bananas, beans and peas, and can be consumed without cooking. These are broken down by enzymes in the saliva to release glucose and other simple sugars, which in turn will increase the acidity of the mouth, but these foods are not so unlikely to promote tooth decay as sugary foods. Cooked starchy foods such as rice, bread and potatoes will also release some sugars, but once again their potential for promoting tooth decay is far less than sugary foods. However this potential can increase quite considerably if sugars are added to starchy foods as in the case of cakes, cookies and breakfast cereals. In general the less refined starches are better for teeth, especially those that require a substantial amount of chewing as this will help stimulate saliva production.
Fruits and Tooth Decay
Although a lot of fresh fruit is quite sweet, there is little evidence that it can promote tooth decay unless it is consumed in excessive quantities. It's a bit of a different story for dried fruits, as the drying process tends to release free sugars, increasing the risk of tooth decay. While fresh fruit might not promote tooth decay, it can lead to acid erosion which is something slightly different.
The Role of Oral Hygiene in Preventing Tooth Decay
Oral hygiene has an important part to play in preventing tooth decay, especially after something sugary has been eaten. It is important to brush twice a day using fluoride toothpaste, as fluoride will help to protect the surfaces of the teeth.
In fact fluoride has a very important role to play in helping to protect the teeth from decay. Its main effect is topical, and when fluoride is applied to the tooth enamel it helps to make it more resistant against the acids produced by plaque bacteria feeding of the sugars left over in the mouth. People with a diet high in sugars will be at an increased risk of tooth decay if they don't incorporate fluoride into their oral hygiene routine. It may also help to use fluoride mouthwash.
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Tooth decay (“dental caries”) is a complex disease process, caused by bacteria, and controlled by other important factors. These factors include what you consume for beverage and food, how your habits for flossing and brushing are, and your own personal willingness to keep your teeth healthy. Some problems to look for which may indicate tooth decay include, bad breath, discolored teeth, pain, sensitivity, abscessed teeth, or difficulty eating. Surprisingly, there are only two primary factors that cause tooth decay. These two factors include the amount of fluoride your teeth receive and your diet. Now that you are aware of tooth decay and what it is and how it is primarily conceived, you can now begin to take steps to prevent your teeth from decaying.
How can you prevent tooth decay? One way to reduce your risk for getting more cavities in the future is to drastically reduce the amount of sugar you eat and how often you eat refined carbohydrates, also known as sugar, per day. Generally you would want to keep your sugar intake between one and two servings a day. A serving is defined as an eating occasion. Each eating occasion is separated by a minimum of 20 minutes. Basically, if you eat breakfast at 9 am and have a bowl of cereal followed by a cinnamon bun, that is considered one serving. On the other hand, if you eat breakfast at 9 am and have a cinnamon bun at 9:20 am, that is considered two servings. This is also a good reason why you may want to try not to sip one cup of coffee throughout the whole day and rather consume the cup within 10 minutes. The servings are separated by 20 minutes simply because each time you eat the bacteria in your mouth are eating as well; it generally takes at least 20 minutes for the acid made by the sugar to clear from your mouth. The more this acid is produced the more likely you are to suffer from tooth decay. Another way to reduce the risk of tooth decay is to know what foods actually contain high levels of refined carbohydrates. Some examples include, chips, fruit juice, pretzels, and dried fruit. Even gum with sugar in it is terrible for your teeth.
A few other tips that can help reduce your chances of tooth decay are the following:
Limit the number of in-between meal snacks and limit your refined carbohydrate intake to mealtimes.
Use a toothpaste that has fluoride in it.
Use a fluoride mouth rinse at bedtime.
Check sugarless gum after meals.
Tooth decay is a very serious problem. Most people believe that as you get older it is quite normal to have tooth decay. This is untrue. Although it is not 100% inevitable, it is something you can educate yourself about in order to help slow down the process. There are many more tips to help you prevent tooth decay - knowledge is power!
If you would like more information about dental health and other related topics, please visit our blog at www.drjackschwartz.com.
Straight Talk on Shin Splints
Tibial stress syndrome—more commonly known as shin splints. If you are a recreational or avid runner, you may be familiar with the pain of shin splints. If not, you’re at least like to have heard the term before. What you may not know is that shin splints actually refer to a number of health problems, not just a single condition, that irritate the periosteum, or fibrous sheath, that surrounds the shin bone.
Signs and Symptoms
Shin splints account for almost 13 percent of all running injuries. The primary culprit in each of these cases is overuse, or repetitive running on a hard surface. Typically, shin splints occur after a running has increased the intensity of a workout or started running on a different type of terrain than normal.
The primary symptom of shin splints is a dull ache along the front of the shinbone. The area may be tender to the touch and may be accompanied by sore muscles. If you think you have shin splints, your physician will perform a physical examination and an X-ray if necessary to confirm the diagnosis.
Proper Pain Management
The best treatment for shin splints is rest. If you are diagnosed with the injury, you will need to take a break from your exercise routine. In the meantime, you can alleviate shin splint pain by:
Icing your shins. Apply ice to your shins for about 20 minutes two or three days a week to reduce swelling.
Taking anti-inflammatories. Over-the-counter medications, such as aspirin or ibuprofen, can provide pain relief for several hours. However, be sure to follow the directions accompanying these medications to ensure you don’t take too much in 24 hours.
Looking at your insoles. A closer look at your shoe could indicate the primary cause of your shin splint. Swapping out your insole could provide short-term pain relief, as well as prevent a recurrence of the painful condition.
Stopping Pain Before it Starts
Although they are painful, shin splints can be avoided by taking a few simple precautions before, during, and after exercise. The most important prevention pointers include:
Wear properly fitting shoes. Shoes that do not provide adequate arch support or lack sufficient padding can increase your chances of developing shin splints. To find appropriate shoes, visit a running store and have your feet sized professionally.
Warm up. Stretching prior to starting your run is absolutely essential. Start your workout by walking and be sure to take time to stretch the muscles in your legs.\
Avoid running on hard surfaces. Try to limit the amount of time you spend running on concrete. The repetitive impacts of running on cement are one of the most common causes of shin splints.
Know when to stop. Overexertion can also lead to shin splints. If you feel pain in your shins while running, stop. You could save yourself from valuable time spent on the sideline.
Rocky Mountain Pain Solutions is a leading center for pain management in Denver and offers a variety of methods for efficient pain diagnosis in Denver.
Treatment of spider veins may be necessary for a few reasons: they are causing pain, they are hazardous to your health or for cosmetic purposes. Regardless of the reason, treatment of varicose or spider veins have come a long way within the last decade. Among doctors within the medical field, there are various best practices that have been established in the treatment spider veins and varicose veins.
Very commonly, spider veins are detected shortly after their appearance. Once spider veins become an issue, a visit to a Vascular and Vein Specialist is the next step. Here, the doctor will conduct a venous screening exam and implement diagnostic testing to determine the causal factors that are contributing to the spider veins. Once this diagnostic is complete, your vein specialist will know how to best treat your particular condition.
The most common treatments of spider veins include the following methods:
Along with medical assistance, lifestyle adjustments can help in treatment and prevention of spider veins. Regular exercise, maintaining a healthy weight and regular movement throughout the day are a few ways to keep circulation at its best. Good circulation and low pressure to the veins are the most efficient ways to prevent spider veins from appearing.
Modern medicine, however, has minimally invasive as well as full surgical solutions for those who need a higher level of treatment for their spider veins.
***This article was written exclusively for the Live Well Market by The Longstreet Clinic in North Georgia, a fully-integrated multi-specialty medical group, providing quality services and healthcare for patients, families and the community. The Vascular & Vein Specialists at The Longstreet Clinic, are highly experienced and dedicated to deliver individualized care for all of our patients and their venous conditions.
Nicotine is dangerously addictive and can lead to various health conditions over time, including tuberculosis. Unfortunately, stopping the use of this substance is not as easy as how you started it. People who lack the support and mindset may find themselves addicted forever, regardless of their determination to stop the life-threatening habit. And if one does manage to stop his/her nicotine addiction, it may be only for a temporary period of time, as it often isn't long before the person finds a reason or two to smoke again. So, is there any way you can escape the chains of nicotine addiction forever? Below are surefire ways to break your smoking habit permanently.
Look For Reasons
Why are you smoking? And why are you considering quitting? Identify your reasons to make the process easier. Each smoker is different, so keep in mind the reasons most vital to you, such as your family's health or a chronic illness later on in life. Having a clear objective or incentive for success in the long run makes quitting smoking more sensible and easy. It gives you a sense of purpose and direction rather than merely stopping. This leads your mind and body to combat yourself since they have no sufficient reason or purpose to stop the habit.
Slowly But Surely
Set a quitting date rather than stop instantly. Spontaneous withdrawal is a bad choice, as it tends to produce side effects. Depending on how long you have been addicted to nicotine, the symptoms may range in both type and intensity. You may suffer mild to severe fevers or nausea and vomiting after meals. This is because your body has already been accustomed to taking in the substance. Slowly decrease your intake of nicotine by at least 2 sticks per week. Your quit day won't feel so difficult if you take this tactic.
Share Your Goals
Tell people about your newly set goals and objectives. Your circle of friends, relatives, colleagues, and family members are an important part of the process. Since these people are almost always around you, their actions and opinions influence you in a strong way. Also, this will give your smoker friends a head's up, so they will be more considerate of not smoking when you're around. You can also encourage your friends to quit with you and beat the addiction together. A support partner drastically simplifies the process of quitting.
Keep Yourself Busy
Smokers commonly take their daily dose of nicotine during bathroom breaks at work or casual boring afternoons at home. By finding something else to do during your free time, you can lessen nicotine use and entirely eliminate it from your system in the long run. Play sports, read a book, adopt a pet, or apply for a part-time job to get yourself occupied.
Breaking the chains of nicotine addiction permanently not only benefit your health, but also your wallet. It also allows you to establish better relationships as people won't be avoiding you in fear of inhaling secondhand smoke.
Veronica Clayborne writes about addiction, health and more at the Bow Creek & Bella Vista Recovery Centers.
Prescription painkiller addiction is a common health issue today. It pertains to the physiological and psychological dependency of an individual to a certain type of narcotic drugs, also known as opiates. Many cases of painkiller addiction start when an individual takes the medication to cope with an injury or illness. After some time, the dependence on the medication develops without the patient realizing it. Being addicted to painkillers produces terrible symptoms that could affect your long-term health and well-being. Withdrawing from the addiction as soon as possible is crucial. To help you better understand this condition, below are some facts about painkiller addiction you should know.
Identify the Problem
Identifying the signs and symptoms of your painkiller addiction is an important part of the withdrawal and recovery process. To do so, be honest with yourself when approaching this matter. If you have been taking painkillers and think that you may have developed dependence on the drugs, you probably are addicted. Another way to identify your condition is to observe your behavior when a family member or close friend makes remarks or comments about your use of prescription painkillers. Being defensive is another strong sign of an addiction problem. Lastly, if you are faking pain to acquire prescription for painkillers or is borrowing prescription from your friends, you are definitely in an addicted phase.
Signs and Symptoms
Spontaneous withdrawal to painkillers is extremely dangerous as it causes seizures and heart conditions. Stopping the use of painkillers produces very discomforting effects including muscle spams, nausea and vomiting, and being frantic all the time. Painkillers can take a tremendous toll on your body since this type of drugs are extremely powerful and are not meant to be consumed in large quantities frequently. In some cases, addicts slip into comatose or even die when their heart fails.
Treatment
Treating painkiller addiction should be done with the help of a medical expert instead of going solo. This is to properly counteract the withdrawal symptoms. Painkiller withdrawal is merely as difficult as withdrawing from street drugs like LSD and cocaine. For this very reason, it is recommended that you enlist in an inpatient facility to help you in such harsh times. An inpatient detox facility will treat physical signs and symptoms of withdrawal including chills, muscle spasm, and fever. They will also help you understand why you began using the substance in the first place.
Synthetic Drugs
For patients experiencing withdrawal symptoms and addiction to opiates, synthetic painkillers can be prescribed by a physician to help cope with the ordeal. Researches show that synthetic opiates work for both addiction to painkillers and dependence.
Possible options include Naloxone and Methadone.
Painkiller addiction is on an alarming rise in the U.S. and countries around the globe. Making yourself aware as well as educating your family members and friends about this topic is a good way to help them avoid painkiller addiction in the future. For less serious injuries and conditions, always resort to more natural methods of coping with pain, such as proper posturing and deep breathing exercises.
Jeremiah Richter writes about addiction, counseling and health at http://gulfcoastdrugrehab.com
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