Health A to Z

Dental Disorders

Dental Cavities

Tooth decay is a common disorder. Tooth decay is a common cause of tooth loss. Bacteria found in mouth convert food particles into acids. Bacteria, acid, food pieces, and saliva combine to form a sticky substance called plaque. Plaque sticks to the teeth. It is most common on the back molars, just above the gum line on all teeth. Plaque begins to build up on teeth within fifteen minutes after eating. If it is not removed, the process of tooth decay will begin. Plaque that is not removed from the teeth turns into tartar. Plaque and tartar irritate the gums, resulting in gingivitis and periodontitis.


The acids in plaque damage the enamel covering teeth, and create holes called cavities. Cavities usually do not hurt, unless they grow big and affect nerves or cause a tooth fracture. An untreated cavity can lead to a tooth abscess. Untreated tooth decay also destroys the pulp of tooth & ultimately leads to tooth loss.


Carbohydrates increase the risk of tooth decay. Sticky food is more harmful than non-sticky food because it remains on the teeth. Frequent snacking increases the time that acids are in contact with the surface of the tooth. Dental x-rays may show some cavities before they are visible to the eye.


Treatment can help prevent tooth damage from leading to cavities. Treatment may involve fillings, root canal, crowns etc. Dentists fill teeth by removing the decayed tooth material with a drill and replacing it with a material such as silver alloy, gold, porcelain, or composite resin. Porcelain and composite resin more closely match the natural tooth appearance, and may be preferred for front teeth.


A root canal is recommended if the nerve in a tooth dies from decay. The center of the tooth, including the nerve and pulp, is removed along with decayed portions of the tooth. The roots are filled with a sealing material. The tooth is filled, and a crown is usually needed.


Crowns or "caps" are used if tooth decay is extensive and there is limited tooth structure, which may cause weakened teeth. Large fillings and weak teeth increase the risk of the tooth breaking. The decayed or weakened area is removed and repaired. A crown is fitted over the remainder of the tooth. Crowns are often made of gold, porcelain, or porcelain attached to metal.


Treatment often saves the tooth. Early treatment is less painful and less expensive than treatment of extensive decay.


Sensitivity

Tooth sensitivity affects a number of people. It is caused by eating or drinking something hot, cold, sweet or acidic. It is usually caused by dentin on root areas exposed due to receded gums or periodontal disease. Receded gums are very common and up to four fifths of people have gum recession.


When the root of a tooth becomes exposed it does not have a layer of enamel like the crowns of your teeth. Instead the roots have a very soft covering called cementum, which once lost leaves the dentin of the root exposed. Overzealous brushing or using a very abrasive toothpaste can also cause abrasion of the tooth's enamel surface and expose dentin.


A very acidic diet – for example a diet with a lot of citrus food, pickles or sodapop — can cause tooth erosion and dissolve the tooth surface, exposing the dentin. Bulimia and GERD can also result in dental erosion and sensitivity due to acid in the mouth.


Depending on the circumstances, dentists might recommend following plan of treatment:


Desensitizing toothpaste: After several applications, desensitizing toothpaste can help block pain linked with sensitive teeth.


Root canal: Sensitive teeth cause severe pain and other treatments aren't effective, your dentist might recommend a root canal — a procedure used to treat problems in the tooth's soft pulp.


Fluoride: Dentists might apply fluoride to the sensitive areas of your teeth to strengthen tooth enamel and reduce pain.


Covering exposed root surfaces:If receding gums are the cause of sensitive teeth, dentists might apply a sealant to cover the exposed tooth roots.


To prevent sensitive teeth from recurring, dentists might offer suggestions to help maintain oral health. Twice a day, brush teeth with a soft-bristled toothbrush and fluoride toothpaste. Floss daily. Avoid vigorous or harsh scrubbing, highly abrasive toothpaste, and excessive brushing and flossing. Tooth grinding (bruxism) can fracture teeth and cause sensitivity.

Depression

Depression - Overview

Depression is a medical illness that causes a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest. It can cause physical symptoms, too. The term clinical depression is usually used to distinguish the illness of depression from less difficult feelings of sadness, gloom, or the blues.


Clinical depression is not just grief. It is an illness that can challenge a person’s ability to perform even routine daily activities. At its worst, depression may lead to contemplate or attempt suicide. Sometimes that burden can seem overwhelming.


There are several different types of clinical depression (mood disorders that include depressive symptoms):


Major depression is an episode of change in mood that lasts for weeks or months. It is one of the most severe types of depression. It typically involves a low or irritable mood and/or a loss of interest in usual activities. It interferes with one's normal functioning and often includes physical symptoms. A person may experience only one episode of major depressive disorder, but often there are repeated episodes over an individual's lifetime.


Dysthymia, is less severe than major depression but usually goes on for a long period. There are usually times of feeling fairly normal between episodes of low mood. The symptoms usually do not completely disturb one's normal activities.


Psychotic depressionrefers to the situation when depression and hallucinations are experienced at the same time .This may be the result of depression that becomes so severe that it results in the sufferer losing touch with truth. Individuals who primarily suffer from a loss of touch with reality are thought to suffer from an inequity in the brain and to be at risk of consequently becoming depressed.


Bipolar disorder involves episodes of depression, usually severe, alternating with episodes of extreme elation called mania. The depression that is associated with bipolar disorder is often referred to as bipolar depression. When depression is not associated with bipolar disorder, it is called unipolar depression


Seasonal depression, which medical professionals call seasonal affective disorder, is depression that occurs only at a certain time of the year.


Adjustment disorder is a state of distress that occurs in relation to a stressful life event. It is usually an isolated reaction that resolves when the stress passes. Although it may be accompanied by a depressed mood, it is not considered a depressive disorder.


Some people believe that depression is "normal" in people who are elderly, have other health problems, have setbacks or other tragedies, or have bad life situations. On the contrary, clinical depression is always abnormal and always requires attention from a medical or mental-health professional. The good news is that depression can be diagnosed and treated effectively in most people. The biggest barriers to overcoming depression are recognition of the condition and seeking appropriate treatment.


More than just a bout of the blues, depression isn't a weakness, nor is it something that you can simply "snap out" of. Depression is a chronic illness that usually requires long-term treatment, like diabetes or high blood pressure. Most people with depression feel better with medication, psychological counseling or other treatment.

Diabetes

Common Symptoms

Poor wound healing: High blood sugar levels prevent white blood cells, which are important in defending the body against bacteria and also in cleaning up dead tissue and cells, from functioning normally. When these cells do not function properly, wounds take much longer to heal and become infected more frequently.


Infections: Certain infections, such as frequent yeast infections of the genitals, skin infections, and frequent urinary tract infections, may result from suppression of the immune system by diabetes and by the presence of glucose in the tissues, which allow bacteria to grow.


Fatigue: In diabetes, the body is inefficient and sometimes unable to use glucose for fuel. The body switches over to metabolizing fat, partially or completely, as a fuel source. This process requires the body to use more energy. The end result is feeling fatigued or constantly tired.


Unexplained weight loss: People with diabetes are unable to process many of the calories in the foods they eat. Thus, they may lose weight even though they eat an apparently appropriate or even an excessive amount of food. Losing sugar and water in the urine and the accompanying dehydration also contributes to weight loss.


Excessive thirst: A person with diabetes develops high blood sugar levels, which overwhelms the kidney's ability to reabsorb the sugar as the blood is filtered to make urine. Excessive urine is made as the kidney spills the excess sugar. The body tries to counteract this by sending a signal to the brain to dilute the blood, which translates into thirst. The body encourages more water consumption to dilute the high blood sugar back to normal levels and to compensate for the water lost by excessive urination.


Excessive urination: Another way the body tries to rid the body of the extra sugar in the blood is to excrete it in the urine. This can also lead to dehydration because a large amount of water is necessary to excrete the sugar.


Excessive eating: If the body is able, it will secrete more insulin in order to try to manage the excessive blood sugar levels. Moreover, the body is resistant to the action of insulin in type 2 diabetes. One of the functions of insulin is to stimulate hunger. Therefore, higher insulin levels lead to increased hunger. Despite increased caloric intake, the person may gain very little weight and may even lose weight.


Altered mental status: Agitation, unexplained irritability, inattention, extreme lethargy, or confusion can all be signs of very high blood sugar, ketoacidosis, hyperosmolar hyperglycemia nonketotic syndrome, or hypoglycemia (low sugar).


Blurry vision: Blurry vision is not specific for diabetes but is frequently present with high blood sugar levels.


Diabetes Overview

Diabetes is a disease in which the body cannot regulate the amount of sugar (specifically, glucose) in the blood. The blood delivers glucose to provide the body with energy to perform all of a person's daily activities. The liver converts the food a person eats into glucose. The glucose is then released into the bloodstream.


In a healthy person, the blood glucose level is regulated by several hormones, primarily insulin. Insulin is produced by the pancreas, a small organ between the stomach and liver. The pancreas also makes other important enzymes released directly into the gut that helps digest food.


Insulin allows glucose to move out of the blood into cells throughout the body where it is used for fuel. People with diabetes either do not produce enough insulin (type 1 diabetes) or cannot use insulin properly (type 2 diabetes), or both (which occurs with several forms of diabetes).


In diabetes, glucose in the blood cannot move efficiently into cells, so blood glucose levels remain high. This not only starves all the cells that need the glucose for fuel, but also harms certain organs and tissues exposed to the high glucose levels.


Different types of Diabetes:

Type 1 diabetes (T1D): The body stops producing insulin or produces too little insulin to regulate blood glucose level.


Type 2 diabetes (T2D): Although the pancreas still secretes insulin, the body of someone with type 2 diabetes is partially or completely unable to use this insulin. This is sometimes referred to as insulin resistance.


Gestational diabetes (GDM):is a form of diabetes that occurs during the second half of pregnancy.


Prediabetesis a common condition related to diabetes. In people with prediabetes, the blood sugar level is higher than normal but not yet high enough to be considered diagnostic of diabetes.

Digestion

Apendicitis

Appendicitis is a painful swelling of the appendix located in the lower right-hand side of the abdomen, a finger-like pouch connected to the large intestine. It starts as a pain in the centre of the abdomen. It then travels to the lower right-hand side and gradually gets worse.


Appendicitis is a medical emergency that usually requires urgent surgery to remove the appendix. If left untreated, the appendix can burst and cause potentially life-threatening infections. The abdominal pain usually occurs suddenly, often causing a person to wake up at night. Other symptoms begin near the navel and then move lower right. The pain can get worse in a matter of hours.


Other symptoms of appendicitis may include loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, constipation or diarrhea, inability to pass gas, a low-grade fever that follows other symptoms, abdominal swelling etc.


The best treatment for appendicitis is laparoscopic surgery to remove the appendix (appendectomy) before the appendix ruptures. The appendix is removed with the assistance of a small camera guided by the surgeon. However, in some cases it may be necessary to do an open abdominal procedure to remove the appendix.


Constipation

Constipation is a common condition that affects people of all ages. It can mean that you are not passing stools regularly, or you are unable to completely empty your bowels. Constipation can also cause your stools to be hard, lumpy, large or small. The severity of constipation varies from person to person. Many people only experience constipation for a short time, but for others, constipation can be a chronic (long-term) condition that causes significant pain and discomfort and affects quality of life.


There are a number of things that increase the risk of constipation, including:


  • 1) Lack of fiber in food
  • 2) Sedimentary lifestyle
  • 3) Change in your eating habits
  • 4) Poor water intake
  • 5) Anxiety or depression
  • 6) Ignoring the urge to pass stools
  • 7) Side effects of certain medication

Generally oral laxatives are prescribed to treat constipation. Treatment for constipation is effective, although in some cases it can take several months before a regular bowel pattern is re-established. Constipation can be prevented with the help of following measures:


  • 1) Adequate water intake
  • 2) Active lifestyle
  • 3) Inclusion of dietary fiber
  • 4) Regular & balanced meals
  • 5) Consumption of stimulant laxatives as prescribed

Constipation requires an immediate assessment if it is accompanied by worrisome symptoms such as rectal bleeding, nausea and vomiting, abdominal pain and cramps, and loss of weight. In contrast, evaluation of chronic constipation may not be urgent if simple preventive measures bring relief.

Ulcerative Colitis

Ulcerative colitis is an inflammatory disease that inflames the lining of the colon and rectum. People with ulcerative colitis have tiny ulcers and small pustules in their large intestine and rectum that flare up periodically and result in bloody stools and diarrhea.


Inflammation usually begins in the rectum and then spreads to other segments of the colon. How much of the colon is affected varies from person to person. If it is limited to the rectum, the disease may be called ulcerative proctitis. Ulcerative colitis, unlike Crohn's disease, does not affect the esophagus, stomach, or small intestine.


The most common symptoms of are abdominal discomfort and blood or pus in diarrhea. Other symptoms include anemia, loss of weight, loss of appetite, rectal bleeding, fatigue, fever, nausea, loss of body fluids and nutrients, skin lesions & stunted growth in children


Most people diagnosed with ulcerative colitis have mild to moderate symptoms. Some patients experience severe symptoms such as frequent fevers, nausea, bloody diarrhea, and severe abdominal cramps, joint pain, liver disease, osteoporosis, eye irritation & kidney stones,


Causes of ulcerative colitis are unknown but it is deemed to be caused due to abdominal complications & inflammation triggered by the immune system.

Type 1 diabetes (T1D): The body stops producing insulin or produces too little insulin to regulate blood glucose level.


Type 2 diabetes (T2D): Although the pancreas still secretes insulin, the body of someone with type 2 diabetes is partially or completely unable to use this insulin. This is sometimes referred to as insulin resistance.