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Archive for the ‘Diseases & Conditions’ Category

Misconceptions about cardiovascular diseases — heart attacks, stroke and high blood pressure — have existed for many years and have in effect become myths. Most of them stem from factual observations during the early phase of the current global epidemic and have become deeply rooted in the minds of policymakers, health professionals and the public alike. Since these misconceptions adversely influence the allocation of resources and undermine actions to prevent and control cardiovascular diseases, they need to be firmly squashed.

Myth 1: Heart disease is a problem of developed countries

Every year, cardiovascular diseases cause around 15 million deaths in the world (30% of all deaths), and of these about two-thirds occur in developing countries. So the absolute number of deaths from these causes is twice as high in developing countries as in the industrialized world. Over twice as many deaths from stroke occur in developing countries as in industrialized countries; and the numbers of deaths due to heart attacks are equal in poor and rich countries. It is estimated that in China and India combined, which account for half the population of the developing world, between five and six million deaths are caused each year by cardiovascular diseases.

Myth 2: Heart disease is a problem of the rich

All societies include “early adopters” and “late adopters” of lifestyle changes. Early in the heart disease epidemic, affluent people in developing countries had the means and the opportunity to adopt new lifestyles, involving behaviour such as choosing foods rich in fat and calories, buying cars and using tobacco. Since these goods have become affordable for mass consumption “unhealthy” behaviour of this kind has become common across all social classes. Today, affluent people, especially the urban rich, have better access to health information concerning risk factors in the media and they also possess the means to modify their behaviour in favour of a healthier lifestyle (healthy diets, leisure-time physical activity, abstinence from tobacco). They constitute the “early adopters”, while the urban poor and rural communities — with limited access to information and little time or money for “healthy foods” and “fitness clubs” — lag behind. As a result, risky behaviour develops, and risk factors increase.

Recent studies from Latin America and South-East Asia, where coronary heart disease is particularly common, indicate that many coronary risk factors are more prevalent among those with lower socioeconomic standing and that the poor are, indeed, at higher risk of heart attacks.

In industrialized countries too, where the epidemic began among the urban rich, though some decades earlier than in the developing world, cardiovascular diseases are now more common in the relatively poor. When the worldwide heart disease epidemic fully develops, the poorest countries and the poorest people within society will be the worst affected.

Myth 3: Heart disease is mostly a man’s disease

While coronary heart disease is, in general, less common in pre-menopausal women than in men, in many parts of the world it is the most common cause of death in women, even those aged under 65. Heart disease, as well as its risk factors, varies to a surprising degree between populations. For example, women aged 35-64 years in Glasgow, Scotland, and in Belfast, Northern Ireland, have higher heart attack rates than men in some parts of southern Europe, according to a recent WHO study on trends in cardiovascular diseases (the WHO MONICA Project).

Hypertension and stroke are also major problems that affect women. Given the longer life expectancy of women, they contribute increasingly to cardiovascular deaths and disability after the sixth decade. The result is that, over their entire lifespan, women and men are equally affected by heart attacks and stroke — a fact that has long been neglected by doctors and health professionals, and by women themselves. Furthermore, pregnancy-associated hypertension is an important health problem in the developing world, where it is the major cause of premature birth and perinatal death, and is also responsible for up to one-third of all maternal deaths.

Myth 4: Heart disease is a problem of old age

Atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases (coronary heart disease and stroke) and hypertension increase with age. But research in industrialized countries shows that about one-third of heart attacks and one-quarter of strokes occur in people below the age of 65. Many of the deaths due to cardiovascular diseases also occur early, one-quarter of them below the age of 70. In the developing world, the situation is even more marked: up to half of all deaths attributable to heart diseases occur in persons younger than 70; and a great number of working-age adults suffer from these diseases. This has an enormous impact on the economic situation of individuals and families as well as on society as a whole, and hampers efforts to alleviate poverty.

Myth 5: Heart disease is not susceptible to community action

The predominant factors contributing to the risk of cardiovascular diseases appear to be acquired, and to be lifestyle-related rather than genetic. Risk factors can be modified within a “healthy environment” that supports appropriate lifestyle practices, and most cardiovascular diseases are preventable. The prevention of heart diseases in individuals calls for the active promotion of health in populations.

Programmes that combine community mobilization with governmental regulation through taxation, legislation and pricing policies have proved to be effective in controlling tobacco and encouraging healthier diets in numerous industrialized countries. From these experiences, it is clear that community, national and even global action are key elements in combating the advancing epidemic of cardiovascular diseases in the developing world. Community mobilization can best be attained through educating the public, patients, professionals and policymakers, based on the advice of health professionals.

Myth 6: Heart disease is no longer a public health issue

There is a widespread mistaken belief that the total burden of cardiovascular diseases is diminishing. Despite declining mortality, heart disease remains the dominant public health problem in industrialized countries. Eastern European countries are at present experiencing the highest mortality rates due to cardiovascular diseases. A major cause for concern is the projected rise of these diseases in developing countries in the next century. It is predicted that by 2020 the number of deaths due to heart attacks and stroke in the developing world will have doubled as compared with 1990.

The reasons for this anticipated acceleration of the epidemic are increasing life expectancy related to a decline in infant mortality, unhealthy lifestyle changes related to industrialization and urbanization, and longer periods of exposure to the risk factors of heart disease because of improved socioeconomic conditions.

The public health consequences of an uncontrolled epidemic of cardiovascular diseases in the developing world would be disastrous. Not only would millions of productive years of life be lost, but the high costs of technology-intensive management of these diseases would impose a heavy financial burden on affected individuals, their families and society as a whole. The global epidemic needs a global response now, in the form of an international effort to create awareness and stimulate action in all countries and all sectors of society.

Gum Disease

Gum or periodontal disease (also known as periodontitis) is an inflammatory condition affecting the tissues surrounding a tooth, and is the leading cause of tooth loss. Gingivitis is a bacterial infection of the tissues in the mouth and potential precursor of gum disease.

Once gum disease sets in, the toxins produced by the bacteria damage the teeth’s connective tissue and bone, effectively destroying them and fostering tooth loss.

The Signs of Gum Disease

As a gum infection progresses, the bone tends to recede; the gums may or may not recede. In some cases, the root of the tooth becomes exposed, occasionally causing tooth sensitivity. Furthermore, pus may be produced, and pockets may form between the gum and tooth.

Since bone recession is not visible to the naked eye, and if left undetected, may contribute to tooth loss, it is important to visit your dentist for professional examinations and dental cleanings to identify gum disease.

Here are some common signs of gum disease you and your dentist can look for:

 

Bleeding gums during tooth brushing or otherwise. Sensitive, red or swollen gums. Bad breath Teeth that are loose or appear to have shifted.

Causes of Gum Disease

There are a number of causes of gum disease, each of which can be corrected and controlled. The causes of gum disease include:

Improper Dental Hygiene: If plaque is not removed through daily dental hygiene practices and regular professional dental cleanings, bacteria may set in and cause gingivitis, which may eventually result in gum disease.

Organic Changes in the Mouth: Changes that occur in metabolism and hormone levels during pregnancy, puberty and menopause may affect the organic balance in the mouth, and make teeth more susceptible to gum disease.

Medical Conditions: Serious conditions that affect the body’s ability to produce sugar (such as diabetes or kidney disease) may contribute to periodontal disease. Furthermore, the Center for Disease Control has found an association between certain illnesses (including diabetes, stroke and heart attack) and gum disease. Finally, medications used to treat medical conditions may produce the overgrowth of gums. Overgrown gums are more susceptible to bacteria, and therefore gum disease.

Saliva Flow Inhibitors: Certain medications that produce oral side effects or dry mouth syndrome (xerostomia) may contribute to a reduction of protective saliva flow, and potentially to gum disease. Seniors may be more susceptible to dry mouth syndrome because of the natural reduction of salivary flow associated with age.

Poor Functional Habits: Teeth grinding or clenching may impair the surrounding tissue and is a possible contributor to gum disease.

There are a number of treatments available for gum disease sufferers, each of which varies depending on the severity of the condition.

In order to determine the treatment modality that best meets your needs, your dentist will evaluate the extent of the damage caused by gum disease to develop a conservative initial plan. A dental hygiene evaluation will determine if plaque (soft deposits on the tooth) is being removed on a daily basis.

 

TREATMENT

Next, calculus (also known as tartar) must be removed through a professional cleaning, and sometimes through the additional procedures of deep scaling and root planning. A local anaesthetic may be administered during these procedures. Your dentist may also administer antibiotics to treat bacteria housed in the pocketed areas of the gum, and recommend a medicated mouthwash to be used as a regular part of your home regimen.

Advanced Gum Disease Treatments

Tissue Regeneration

If the bone has been destroyed, your dentist may employ a new technique called tissue regeneration, which involves grafting the bone to offer a better chance of bone re-growth. To strengthen thin gums, soft tissue grafts may also be used. Guided tissue regeneration involves the insertion of a membrane to help in the bone regeneration process. This is sometimes useful during periodontal surgery.

Pocket Elimination Surgery

In some cases, surgery may be part of the treatment plan to help prevent tooth loss resulting from gum disease. Here are some surgical options:

Periodontal flap surgery may be performed to reduce the pocket gap between the teeth and gums. If the jaw bone has craters housing bacteria and contributing to gum disease, the bone may be reshaped through bone surgery to eliminate the craters and help prevent future recolonization of bacteria growth.

Laser Therapy

Laser therapy may be used to reduce pocket size; however, no definitive evidence exists to support the idea that laser therapy helps to restore connective tissue damaged as a result of gum disease.

The Cost of Gum Disease Treatment

The cost of gum disease treatment depends on several factors. For example, additional routine tooth cleaning or scaling and root planning procedures at the gingivitis stage may be required in order to help prevent the onset of gum disease. This will further affect the cost of your treatment. At typical charge would be around £140 per 1 hour visit.

Health benefits of chewing gum? Who would have guessed? It true though. Actually there are 7 health benefits of chewing gum. This is great because gum is relatively cheap, can be chewed practically anywhere, and because of its sticky quality, can be discarded in more desecrate places that any other type of food or candy ever made. All kidding aside, the health benefits of chewing gum are real and shouldn’t be brushed off as silly. Read on and find out why.

1. It has been clinically proven that chewing a piece of sugar-free gum after eating a meal will help to significantly reduce the development of gingivitis and other gum diseases as well as tooth decay. Chewing gum stimulates the production of saliva. Saliva is the body’s natural defense against these unwanted oral conditions. Saliva neutralizes plaque acids, remineralizes tooth enamel which helps teeth stay strong and healthy, and washes away food particles left on the teeth and gums.

2. Research studies have link chewing gum with the ability to focus better, perform better and absorb and retain what you learn more easily, though how it works isn’t really known. A Study at the University of Northunbria in 2002 showed that a person’s cognitive abilities were dramatically increased when they chewed gum. Finding the link between chewing gum, and these heightened abilities, is still under investigation, but the results can’t be disputed.

3. If you want whiter teeth you might want to pop a piece of gum in your mouth rather than invest lots of money in a tooth whitening system or spend a mint to have your teeth whitened by a professional. There are numerous brands of gum that actually brighten the surface of your teeth while you chew them.

4. Chewing gum can help with digestive issues. As previously stated, chewing gum stimulates the production of saliva. Because saliva production causes you to swallow more frequently the chance of stomach acids travelling back up the throat, which can result in severe heartburn, are significantly reduced.

5. Many people don’t associate the act of chewing gum with weight loss. It’s true that chewing gum only burns about 11 calories, which doesn’t amount to much when it comes to the battle of the bulge, but it also helps to reduce your cravings for all those high-calorie snacks that pack on the pounds.

6. Chewing gum can help to relieve stress by releasing some of the energy that builds up in your body and causes stress. Stress is a real danger when it comes to good health. Many people underestimate the negative effects that stress has on the body. Be careful, though. Chewing gum in excess could lead to jaw troubles. Talk with your dentist to get some better insight regarding this.

7. It is thought that chewing gum contributes to a person’s overall good health. This makes sense when you take into consideration all the individual health benefits of chewing gum.

Maryellen Ward blogs about how to choose the masters in healthcare degree for you.