What Not To Eat For Healthy Teeth

Let not these gummy worms tempt you. Everything in moderation is good but the problem starts when you don’t know the truth. Here are some facts about what not to eat for healthy teeth:

• Sweet: It’s a universally known fact that anything that contains sugar is really bad for our teeth. These sugars act as a perfect food material for the bacteria that thrive in our mouth and are converted into acids as by-products. Thus, the pH of our mouth falls down (becomes acidic). This acidity is the main reason why the hardest substance in human body, which is the Enamel, starts getting softer and eventually pitting occurs. If this is not checked at the right time, dental caries or cavities develop.
• Sour: Pretty much anything that’s acidic is sour. So, in a way, consuming something sour is nothing but a step closer to getting near the tooth cavity stage. Sour gummy worms might appear to be a tempting munch in between meals, but they are one of the worst items for your teeth. This is simply because they are sweet, sour and, above all, sticky – clinging onto teeth for a long time.
• Carbonated drinks (soda), sport drinks, red wine and fruit juices: It has been estimated that a single serving of soda can have up to 11 teaspoons of sugar along with certain acids. Diet drinks such as diet sodas or diet beers might save you from sugars but the artificial sweeteners are rich in acids. In a similar way, sport drinks can be high in sugars to give you that instant boost of energy. Why not substitute them with a calorie and sugar free bottle of plain water? Red wine leaves stains on the teeth that are hard to fix and bad in appearance. Avoid them or switch some water in your mouth after consumption. Fruits are naturally sweet, so look for juice that has no added sugar. You can also reduce the sugar content by diluting juice with some water or ice.
• Extreme temperature changes: Drinking or eating things that are too hot or too cold can lead to extreme temperatures in the teeth. At first, it can lead to a shock in the form of sharp pricking pain and eventually an irreparable condition that will involve a dentist intervention. Similarly, opening bottles with teeth and cracking ice between teeth can lead to microfractures and abfractions on tooth surface.
• Lack of oral protection: During contact sports like American football, Rugby, Boxing, Wrestling etc, not using a mouthguard (modeled plastic to protect teeth) can cause chipping and cracking of teeth. These can be bought from any drug store or can be custom fitted by a dentist. Oftentimes, this small investment towards healthy teeth can be very helpful.
• Tongue or lip piercings: These might look hip, but biting down on the metal stud can crack a tooth. If the metal rubs against the gums, it can cause gum damage that may lead to tooth loss. The mouth is also a haven for bacteria, so piercings raise the risk of infections and sores.
• Grinding teeth: Bruxism is a teeth grinding condition that can wear teeth down over time. It is most often caused by stress and sleeping habits. Wearing a mouth guard at night can prevent the damage caused by grinding while sleeping. If you have this condition, consult your dentist today.
• Constant snacking, binge eating and purging: Frequent snacking leads to a low pH (acidity) in the mouth due to a constant supply of sugars for the bacteria to feed upon. Our saliva acts as a buffer and neutralizes this acidity so that tooth decay is ultimately prevented but if we constantly keep on munching something, this effect is prevented. Grab some sugar free chewing gums next time you are at the supermarket or drug store. This will keep your teeth brushed, stimulate salivary flow and provide for healthy exercise for the jaw muscles without lowering the pH. Anorexia nervosa or vomiting after eating to prevent weight gain can lead to tooth erosion. The vomit is rich in gastric juices that have pH as low as 2.
• Smoking: Tobacco causes tooth staining, leads to unhealthy gums and hence tooth loss. What can be worse than this? If you are thinking about cancer, you are right. Smoking is the leading cause of oral cancers.

There are many things that may look and feel good at first glance. They may even seem to satisfying our thirst and hunger. But ultimately, the choice is ours. Let’s help each other make the healthy choice!

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Pertussis: the 100 Day Cough

The arrival of colder season (in areas where applicable) is often accompanied by coughing and sneezing. While colds and flus are often deemed as the culprit, did you know that pertussis may share similar symptoms as a common cold?

Sufferers of pertussis, or whooping cough, lament the frustrating and slow recovery (hence the name “100 day cough”). Teenagers and adults whose immunity to the pertussis vaccine have waned may be affected. The group most susceptible, however, are infants under 6 months who have not received full courses of pertussis vaccine. In many cases, babies often get pertussis from their parents and caregivers–half of which require hospital care as they are more serious and can be fatal.

Those severely impacted by the disease have coughing fits followed by a classic whoop, much like the sounds of many “hold-your-breath” contests in the summer month pools.

What is it?
Pertussis is caused by a highly infectious bacterium called Bordetella pertussis. Under the microscope, B. pertussis is immotile and somewhat round (range from rod-shaped, oval, to round), and has a protective capsule. It is a strict human pathogen.
Transmission occurs through inhalation of infected droplets. From there, B. pertussis colonize the ciliated cells in the respiratory mucosal tract. Cilia are little microscopic hairs (not to be confused with giant nostril hairs) responsible for moistening and protecting your airways by filtering unwanted particles to your throat to be swallowed.
Subsequently, B. pertussis secrete a variety of toxins, drawing inflammation and damage in the host airways. In addition, damaged airways compromise the immunity of the host and further increase host sensitivities to other offending air particles such as dust and fumes. The most susceptible populations include infants 6 months and under, especially in unvaccinated and developing areas.

Symptoms
Symptoms usually appear within 5 to 10 days post exposure, extending to as long as 3 weeks. During stage one, pertussis may be mistaken with a common cold, as they usually begin with runny nose, sneezing, and cough or fever. In babies, coughing may not be present and are likely to be replaced by apnea (pause in breathing). To distinguish between a cold, flu, and pertussis, please visit here.
In stage two, coughing fits followed by “whooping” occur in conjunction with vomiting and exhaustion. The “whooping” occurs due to the exhausting nature of the coughs–which deplete air from the lungs, causing the need to “whoop” and inhale loudly for oxygen. These coughing fits can last for 10 weeks or longer.
In the recovery phase, the cough slowly lessens in intensity, but may return due to other respiratory infections.

What You Can Do
Prevention is key. Babies and children should receive the complete series of the DTaP (diptheria, tetanus, acellular pertussis) vaccine, which includes the 4 doses at 2, 4, 6, and 15-18 months, and subsequent booster shots at 4 to 6 years old. Immunity is compromised when the full series of vaccines is not completed.
Instances where children under 7 years old shouldn’t be vaccinated or should wait include:

• when children are suffering from moderate to severe sickness (ask your doctor)
• allergies to previous doses of DTaP (ask your doctor)
• prior history of brain or nervous system impact within 7 days after DTaP dose (ask your doctor)

In addition, consult the doctor if the child experiences the following after DTaP dose:

• seizures
• nonstop crying for 3 hours or more
• fever over 105℉

For babies under 2 months of age, parents and other caregivers aged 11 to 64 should follow the CDC recommendation of getting the Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria, acellular pertussis) vaccine to prevent transmission to infants. Consult the doctor if you have severe allergic reactions to Tdap.
Much research is being done for greater vaccine efficacies. For additional information on DTaP vaccines, please visit here.

For those who are affected, antibiotics are prescribed to lessen the duration of the illness. In this case, follow the doctor’s advice on finishing the antibiotic course if treated at home. In addition, lowering the irritant levels in the air (dust, fumes, etc) can help to not trigger as many coughing fits. Use of vaporizers will also help. Cough medicine is not useful unless prescribed by the doctor. Practice good hygiene and good coughing “etiquette” to prevent further transmission to other members (this is proper etiquette).
If hospitalization is required, various procedures will be done to ensure clear breathing (mucus suctioning) and proper feeding and hydration (IV fluids).

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Freckles and Tans: Skin Cancer and Melanoma Prevention

Three-day weekends, the ultimate time to enjoy the summer weather while the sun’s out, the breeze is blowing, and there’s no worry of hurrying back to work on Monday. But while you’re out at your Memorial Day BBQs this weekend, don’t forget your sunscreen!

Even though those UV rays from the sun – or tanning beds – give you that nice bronzed, tan look you’ve been missing all winter, they can also cause sun damage to your skin leading to skin cancer or melanoma (a rarer, more dangerous type of skin cancer).

Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer in both in the US, UK, Australia, and New Zealand. Melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, accounts for roughly 2% of all skin cancer cases but the 5 year survival rate is quite high at 91%. Let’s talk about melanoma prevention.

One factor leading to a high survival rate is early detection. Know your skin and regularly check yourself for irregular spots. Freckles, birthmarks, and even moles are quite common and usually not irregular, but keep an eye on them to make sure they don’t change over time. This 12-minute video goes over how to check yourself for skin cancer.

A good rule of thumb to follow when trying to decide if that new freckle or spot looks irregular is the ABCDE rule:

A: Asymmetry – Does the left half look like the right half?

B: Border Irregularity – Are the edges blurred, notched, or ragged?

C: Color – Is it the same color throughout or are there different shades of colors?

D: Diameter – Is the spot bigger than 6 mm, or ¼”, wide? That’s roughly the size of a pencil eraser

E: Evolving – Does the spot change in size, shape, color, or sensation (itching, tenderness, etc.) over time?

If you see a worrisome spot, talk to your dermatologist.

While 10% of all melanoma cases are linked to a family history of the disease, it’s also linked to other factors too. The biggest factor is skin color.

The pigment Melanin, which gives your skin and hair color, also protect your skin from UV rays. This is why Caucasians are 24 times more likely than African-Americans develop skin cancer. Dermatologists may recommend those at particularly high risk to undergo yearly mole-mapping to more accurately keep track of how those are behaving over time.

Not all spots are bad though, and there’s one really easy way to keep those worrisome spots away: sunscreen. The American Academy of Dermatology recommends using 1 oz of greater than 30 SPF sunscreen (enough to fill a shot glass) to cover all exposed skin 15 minutes before going outside. Sunscreen should be applied every 2 hours, or after swimming or sweating.

If you find yourself without sunscreen, try to use hats or clothing to protect your skin. The suns’s rays are strongest between 10 am and 2 pm so if your shadow is shorter than you are, go find some shade!

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Listening to Your Gut: Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month

Over 140,000 Americans get diagnosed with colorectal cancer each year. Colorectal cancer is defined to be cancer of the colon (large intestine) and rectum and is the second leading cause of cancer death among men and women in the United States.

Luckily, if caught early, colorectal cancer is highly treatable with chemotherapy and surgery. Here are some symptoms, ways to get screened, and tips for prevention to keep your gut safe and healthy!

Symptoms

The beginning stages of colorectal cancer might not cause any symptoms, which is why having regular screening after age 50 is extremely important. However, some of the symptomsassociated with colorectal cancer include:

• Blood in or on stool during bowel movements
• Changes in bowel movements including diarrhea or constipation
• Stomach pains, such as stomachaches or cramps, that don’t go away
• Feeling like your bowels don’t empty completely
• Sudden, unexpected weight loss

Keep in mind though, all of these symptoms can be signs of other things going on in your body so make sure you talk to a doctor about any symptoms.

Screening Tests

Colorectal cancer risks increase with age – in fact, 90% of colorectal cancer cases occur in people 50 years or older. The Colon Cancer Alliance recommends everyone (both men AND women) get screened regularly. They estimate that with regular screening, almost 80% of colorectal cancer deaths can be caught early enough to be successfully treated.

The most commonly used screening is the colonoscopy. Doctors will use a long, flexible tube attached to a camera and monitor is used to see the inside of your colon. Unless you’re at high risk of colorectal cancer (due to genetic reasons or otherwise), this is usually done every 10 years starting at age 50.

In some special circumstances, your doctor might recommend a virtual colonoscopy. This is when multiple CT scans are taken of the colon and joined together to see details of the inside of the colon – usually done in place of a traditional colonoscopy.

Tips for Prevention

While there are some genetic factors that can’t be changed, there are also some lifestyle habitsthat can help you lower your risk of colorectal cancer:

• Maintaining a healthy weight
• Eating a low-fat diet
• Exercising regularly and staying active
• Not smoking
• Limiting alcohol consumption

There is preliminary research suggesting that taking probiotics regularly can lower the risk of colorectal cancer. While those results are still in the beginning stages and aren’t totally conclusive yet, there are other benefits to probiotics. As always, discuss any concerns and questions with your doctor for the best way to live a healthy lifestyle.

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Cancer Awareness: Spotlight on Prostate Cancer

The month of September represents a few different cancer awareness campaigns: childhood cancer, gynecological cancers, leukemia/lymphomas, prostate cancer, and thyroid cancer. Every single one of these deserves attention and will hopefully get to spread their message, but this week we’re focusing on prostate cancer.

Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in men, aside from skin cancer. The American Cancer Society estimates that there will be over 200,000 new cases in 2015 alone. As with all cancers, the key is early detection and early diagnosis.

Who’s at risk for prostate cancer?

The vast majority (97%) of prostate cancers occur in men over age 50, making age the biggest risk factor. For reasons that are unclear, men of African or Caribbean descent have higher incidence rates for prostate cancer. Genetics does play a role in prostate cancer so people with a family history of prostate cancer can have an elevated risk for it.

What are the signs of prostate cancer?

In the early stages, there are usually no symptoms and no signs that anything is wrong.

For advanced stages of prostate cancer, some of the symptoms may include:

• Weak or interrupted urine flow
• Inability or difficulty urinating
• Need to urinate frequently
• Blood in the urine
• Pain or burning sensation with urination

How do you screen for prostate cancer?

There are a few tests to screen for prostate cancer. The most common one is known as a digital rectal exam (DRE). This is when a doctor or nurse will insert a lubricated, gloved finger into the rectum to feel for lumps or anything unusual on the prostate.

Another option is the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test. This a blood test used to measure the amount of PSA, a substance produced mainly by the prostate, in the body. High levels of PSA can be a sign for prostate cancer, but can also be a sign of infection or inflammation. Since the PSA test can’t pinpoint prostate cancer for sure, a biopsy might be done at this point to examine the tissue and cells in the prostate.

What are the treatment options?

As with most diseases, treatment options can depend on many factors like disease state and age. For older patients with less aggressive tumors, the best treatment option is careful observation, or simply just waiting and watching. It might sound scary but these milder tumors grow slowly and aren’t as likely to metastasize, or spread, so keeping a careful eye on it could be the best course of action.

Prostate cancer treatments can often affect quality of life by causing side effects like erectile or urinary problems so unnecessary treatment should be avoided. For more advanced diseases or more aggressive tumors, treatment options include surgery, radiation treatment, and/or hormonal therapy.

The good news is that most (93%) of all prostate cancers are diagnosed in the early stage where the 5-year survival rate is nearly 100%. Along the same lines, the 10- and 15-year survival rates are 98% and 94%, respectively.

Ongoing research efforts

Cancer biologists and oncologists continue the search for ways to detect cancer earlier, treat it better and ultimately to find a cure for cancer. To do that, they look at biological markers on the surface of cancer cells and find new ways to target them. However, their work in the lab can only go so far.

As you read this there are currently clinical trials going on around the country for all cancer types (prostate, skin, breast, etc.) and for all areas like prevention, screening, and treatment. Clinical trials rely on volunteers who meet the eligibility criteria to gather results. Sometimes the new treatment might not do anything, but sometimes it just might help. This type of information is what the researchers, need to know in order to help more people in the future.

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The Blood Cancer That Is Myeloma

One way to learn about a disease is to understand the meaning behind the root words that make up the name of the disease. As part of the term Myeloma: Myelo is defined as spinal cord or bone marrow and Oma denotes tumors and other abnormal growths. Therefore, Myeloma is a type of cancerous growth that happens in the soft center of bones (bone marrow). It occurs in a specific kind of blood cells called plasma cells. Normal plasma cells form the infection fighters of the body called the “antibodies.” In Myeloma, these plasma cells become abnormal, multiply uncontrollably and release only one type of antibody that has no useful function, known as paraprotein. Paraprotein is often measured to diagnose and monitor Myeloma.

There are a number of Plasma Cell dyscrasias (disorders) and Myeloma is one of them.

Several forms of Myeloma:

• Multiple Myeloma (MM) is the most common: More than 90 percent of people with Myeloma suffer from MM. This affects several different areas of the body
• Plasmacytoma – a tumor made up of one type of plasma cells that can be found in one site. These sites can bone or soft tissue
• Localized Myeloma – a few neighboring sites evident
• Extramedullary myeloma – involvement of tissue other than bone marrow, such as skin, muscles or lungs.

Division according to progress:

• Slowly progressing: Asymptomatic that is it has no symptoms.
• Symptomatic myeloma has related symptoms such as anemia, kidney damage and bone disease.

Why does Myeloma happen?

Myeloma happens because the cells that are responsible to cause myeloma get mutated. The blood cells form certain specific cells called B cells. These cells form plasma cells which in turn form the healthy proteins called “antibodies” that fight all infections. If these plasma cells get mutated, they multiply and outnumber all other important cells. If they are not treated they can:

• Crowd out functioning white cells, and the immune system can’t guard against infection effectively
• Secrete high levels of protein in the blood and urine, which can lead to kidney damage
• Build up in bone, causing it to weaken, which can lead to bone pain and fractures.

Who is more susceptible?

• Older individuals
• More common in men
• African Americans are 2 times more likely to develop the disease
• Some studies are showing a link between the development of myeloma and radiation or exposure to certain kinds of chemicals such as pesticides, fertilizers and certain other agents
• Overweight or obese individuals

Presentation

• Bone pain and fractures: the pain is usually constant and aggravates on movement. The myeloma cells secrete a specific kind of substance (Cytokines), which erodes bone through bone dissolving cells (osteoclasts). Bones can become frail enough to break or fracture in a minor fall or injury and even during normal activities, such as walking, lifting, sneezing or coughing.
• Anemia leading to fatigue and weakness: the cancerous cells can outnumber the RBCs.
• Frequent infections: since the plasma cells that are now formed are defective, they do not form antibodies adequately and hence the body loses the full capacity to fight infections.
• Numbness, tingling, burning or pain in the hands.
• Some patients have high levels of calcium, which can cause increased thirst and urination, constipation and, in extreme cases, decreased alertness and kidney failure.

Tests

• Blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and creatinine to check how well your kidneys work.
• Protein levels in the blood and urine.
• Complete blood count (CBC) to measure red and white blood cells.

Treatments

• Chemotherapy — drugs that kill cancer cells — can often slow the progress of the disease when they’re used together with other treatments.
• Steroid drugs
• Lenalidomide (Revlimid)
• Pomalidomide (Pomalyst)
• Thalidomide (Thalomid)
• Bortezomib (Velcade )
• Radiation therapy uses high-dose X-rays to destroy cancer cells.
• A stem cell transplant replaces the cancerous cells with healthy cells. People who can donate stem cells include the person with Myeloma, a close relative or a donor with closely matched cells.

What can I do to lead a better life?

• Eat a healthy well balanced diet.
• Exercise so that the mood gets elevated and you feel better.
• Relax
• Locate the various support groups in your area or online to meet people who are fighting the illness or are survivors.
• Keep your morale up: it might be possible that the disease comes back once it is cured. Get help as soon as possible and stay strong.

Through healthy choices and will power, you can face Myeloma in a bold way. Be strong and support those who have it. Seek medical help and be hopeful as a lot of research is in underway.

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Celebrating Life on National Cancer Survivors Day

Cancer is defined as a disease caused by an uncontrolled division of abnormal cells in a part of the body. A survivor is a person who copes well with difficulties in their life.

The National Cancer Survivors Day Foundation defines a Cancer Survivor as anyone living with a history of cancer – from the moment of diagnosis through the remainder of life. Therefore, a Cancer Survivor is somebody who has overcome his/her cancer or cancer diagnosis.

A new report by the American Cancer Society says that even though the rates of new cancer cases are decreasing, the number of cancer survivors is growing. This is due partly to improved treatments that help people with cancer live longer, and improvements in early detection that allow doctors to find cancer earlier when it is easier to treat.

National Cancer Survivors Day is a day that is celebrated all over the U.S. and, now, in some other countries as a day to acknowledge the strength and determination of cancer survivors. It is celebrated on the first Sunday in June. This day is celebrated with some specific aims in mind:

• It applauses the survivors and honors their courage
• It showcases the willpower to fight the disease to those who have been diagnosed with cancer
• It is a way for cancer patient families to meet similar families
• It creates awareness for the whole society

It is a very important day as all the former patients, recently diagnosed patients, family and care providers come together and celebrate life and spread the message of positivity. This emotional day reminds us the truth about life, that “time keeps on changing.” One moment may seem hopeless but the next moment might bring extreme joy and zest. Meeting up and learning about the life stories of cancer survivors is a very effective way of encouraging and cheering on those who are fighting the battle.

National Cancer Survivors Day is for over 14 million people to come together to spread awareness and, as a result, encourage health agencies to develop avenues for research. All of us can join the cause to help those in need and donate to secure better research and facilities.

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