Rubie Pfannerstill

Not everyone fancies teeth cleaning appointments. Between the strange noises, the poking, prodding and jaw discomfort, it is easy to relate the ‘dreadful’ treatment with the apprehension. Just like an annual physical exam is vital for your overall well being, regular dental cleaning is ideal for your smile’s health. According to Dr. Wendy, a dental hygienist in Mesa, routine cleaning entails removing calculus and plaque from above and within your teeth and gum line to enhance your oral health and the appearance of your pearly whites. The treatment also allows your dentist to look for other oral health concerns like tooth decay and oral cancer.  

What should you expect from a hygienist during a dental cleaning session?

Knowing what to expect during your dental appointment helps calm you down. For instance, a dental cleaning appointment entails the following:

Physical exam

The dental expert will assess your entire mouth before beginning the actual cleaning process. During the physical examination, your dental hygienist will use a relatively small mirror to evaluate your teeth and gum line for signs of gum inflammation (gingivitis) and other dental concerns. If the medical professional detects a complex issue, he might proceed with the treatment. 

Removing plaque

Thanks to the mirror guide, the dental hygienist rids your gum line of plaque and tartar between your teeth using a scaler. You might hear scraping, though it is normal. The more tartar your teeth have, the more time the medical professional will scrape the spot. Though your dentist can help remove tartar,  regular brushing and flossing might help prevent plaque from hardening. Healthy dental habits will save you the cleaning process, especially if removing plaque is not your favorite part.

Toothpaste cleaning

After your dental hygienist ensures that your teeth are tartar-free, he will clean them with an electric brush. Though the grinding noise might sound scary, the high-powered brushing is an effective deep clean to remove tartar left behind with the scaler. Professional cleaning entails using toothpaste that tastes like ordinary toothpaste though you can choose a different flavor. However, the toothpaste has a characteristic gritty consistency that brushes your teeth gently. If done professionally, your dentist might suggest cleaning at least twice a year. However, the dental expert might not recommend home treatment to prevent wearing down your enamel.

Expert flossing

Whether you floss or not, professional flossing is the ultimate cleaning process. The medical expert gets deep inside your teeth to locate potential spots where gum bleeding might happen. Though expert flossing might appear pointless, especially if you floss at home, process flossing removes leftover plaque and toothpaste from toothpaste cleaning.

Rinsing

The cleaning process entails rinsing your mouth to rid it of debris. The medical professional might rinse your mouth using liquid fluoride.

Fluoride treatment

This is the last step in the cleaning process that your doctor uses as a protectant for your pearly whites to help fight cavities for many months. The medical expert may ask you about your favorite taste before applying the foamy and sticky gel in a fitting mouthpiece that your hygienist fits on your teeth and leaves it for at least a minute.

Contact your dentist to know how you uphold the cleaning processes to enhance your oral health. 

A pregnant woman is a happy woman. Pregnancy brings about feelings of excitement, joy, and hope for the future. Women are eager to start their families and have children that will carry on their names. However, with so many things to worry about during pregnancy – morning sickness, labor pains, preparing for the baby – it can be hard to know what you need or where you should go to make sure your pregnancy goes as smoothly as possible. That’s why visiting an obstetrics center guarantees safe pregnancy. Schedule an appointment with Dr Torres OBGYN. Let’s look at some of the different ways that this type of medical facility can help you out during your time carrying a child inside of you.

• Labor Induction and Pain Management

Labor pains are a part of being pregnant, but no woman looks forward to them. Sometimes labor can be difficult and prolonged, especially if your baby is not positioned correctly for delivery. Labor induction medications are available through an obstetrics center that can help you reduce your discomfort during this time by helping to speed up the delivery process potentially. An obstetrician will point you in the right direction if necessary to begin this course of treatment.

• Pregnancy-Related High Blood Pressure

During pregnancy, high blood pressure can become dangerous, but an obstetrics center provides safe treatments for prehypertension and high blood pressure. Physicians at these medical facilities are trained to administer intravenous medication to reduce blood pressure to a safe level for mother and baby. Additionally, this medical facility will take the necessary steps if high blood pressure occurs during pregnancy.

• Postpartum Care

An obstetrics center can provide postpartum care tailored to your unique condition. If you are recovering from high blood pressure or pregnancy-related diabetes during your pregnancy, a clinic that specializes in obstetrics can help you control these conditions during and after gestation.

While it is natural for women to be concerned about their health and their children’s health during pregnancy, going to an obstetrics center will ensure a safe pregnancy. The medical professionals at these facilities are trained in providing prenatal care and labor induction treatments. Additionally, they are available if something goes awry during your pregnancy.

• Ultrasounds and Other Diagnostics

Another reason why an obstetrics center is a safe place to give birth is that it can perform ultrasounds to check on your baby’s health. These medical professionals use ultrasounds to check how your baby grows and develops. At the same time, you are pregnant, and if anything looks out of the ordinary, they will let you know before it becomes a problem.

• Prenatal and Postnatal Checkups

Due to technological advances, obstetricians have a better idea of how your baby develops. These medical professionals can provide you with more information during prenatal checkups and postnatal check ups to get the best care possible for yourself and your child. In addition, they can answer any questions or concerns that arise while carrying a child in your womb.

An obstetrics center can provide you with all of this information and more to make sure that no stone is left unturned during your pregnancy. Even if you are perfectly healthy, these medical professionals will help ensure that everything goes smoothly for the duration of your gestation period.

Braces are an excellent option that your orthodontist would recommend for aligning or straightening your teeth. They also help you with other dental problems like bridging a gap or treating an overbite or underbite. Getting braces can drastically improve your teeth, but you should know how to properly take care of them during your entire orthodontic treatment so that you don’t damage them.

What is an orthodontist?

An orthodontist is a dental specialist who prevents, diagnoses, and treats dental and facial irregularities with the help of:

• Dental braces
• Retainers
• Headgears and facemasks

Orthodontist in San Diego

While looking for the best orthodontist Rancho Bernardo, visit Hekmat Dental Care which aims to provide you with the most advanced and best orthodontic care in San Diego, California. The luxurious, comfortable, and spa-like office of Dr. Hekmat and along with his skilled dental professionals offers the best care. They are dedicated to providing the best family and cosmetic dental care available in San Diego.

The dental clinic helps you to accomplish and maintain a healthy, long-lasting beautiful smile by offering services like:

• Dental cleanings and check-ups
• Root Canal Treatment
• Porcelain Veneers and Crowns
• Dentures and Partials
• Teeth Whitening
• Tooth-Colored Fillings
• Dental Emergency
• Additional Services

Dr. Hekmat has years of experience as being the most reliable orthodontist offering the best care that is combined with the latest technological equipment like:

• Clarity ceramic braces
• Self-ligating braces
• Invisalign

Soreness due to braces

You may notice soreness or tenderness in your mouth and teeth when you first get your braces. This is perfectly normal and it goes away within a few days or a week. Follow these few tips to get relief from pain:

• Take a glass of warm water of a teaspoon of salt
• Gargle for a few minutes
• Do not swallow the water
• If the pain is unbearable then take a pain killer.

You might also experience some irritation in your lips, cheeks, and tongue for a week or two as they gradually get used to braces. Apply some wax that can be put over the braces to reduce the tenderness. The dental clinic from where you are getting the treatment done will provide you with some wax for this purpose.

Foods to eat and avoid with braces

Getting braces won’t hurt, but you can expect some sensations around the mouth and teeth that will improve in a few days or a week. However, eating hard food items immediately after getting braces could cause pain. Your orthodontist 4S Ranch will recommend you on eating only soft food items for the initial days.

Foods you can eat with braces:

• Dairy products- pudding, soft cheese, milk-based drinks
• Grains- soft-cooked rice, pasta
• Bread- pancakes, muffins without nuts
• Meats- soft meatballs and cooked chicken
• Vegetables- mashed potatoes, beans, steamed spinach
• Seafood- salmon, tuna, crab cakes
• Fruits- Bananas, applesauce, fruit juice
• Desserts- ice cream without nuts, milkshakes, soft cake

Foods to avoid with braces:

• Chewy foods- licorice, bagels
• Hard crunchy foods- chips, wafers, popcorns, ice, nuts, hard candies
• Sticky foods- chewing gum, caramel candies
• Foods that need biting- apples, carrots, corn-cob

Loose wires or bands

Your braces 4S Ranch will include periodic appointments with your orthodontist during the treatment. You might also face other issues between regular adjustments like a broken or loose wire or band.

• Do not pull or bend a broken wire or bracket as it would cause more damage
• Visit your orthodontist immediately for getting your appliance checked and repaired.
• Be sure to save any part of the appliance if it comes off and take it to the dental clinic.
• Meanwhile, you can fix the loose wire temporarily by using the end of a pencil or the back of a spoon and pushing the wire back to place very carefully and gently.

If the loose wire causes irritation or pain to your lips or cheeks, apply wax or a wet cotton ball to the broken wire so that you get relief from the pain.

Taking care of your dental appliances

Damaged braces and appliances can increase the duration of your treatment process.

• Ensure to take care of all your dental appliances.
• Consistently wear the rubber bands, retainer, headgear, or any other dental appliances prescribed by your dentist.
• It is only then your teeth and jaw can move to their correct position

Maintaining dental health with braces

One of the good ways to avoid damage to your braces is by maintaining good dental habits.

• Brush your teeth at least three times a day, preferably after every meal with a soft-bristle toothbrush
• Ensure there are no traces of food in and around the area of your braces
• Use floss and floss threader to clean between the teeth, to remove food particles from wires and braces
• Visit your dentist for regular check-up and dental cleaning
• Avoid any plaque buildup so that there are no cavities and gum problems
• Therefore, go for regular dental cleaning
• Visit your orthodontist regularly to ensure that your braces remain in the proper position

Getting braces is sure to improve your dental structure. Maintain it properly from getting damaged by eating the right kind of food and maintaining dental hygiene as recommended by your orthodontist.

 

Food supplements such as SNAC nutritions for example, also known as dietary supplements, complement your general nutrition, a concentration of nutrients, or other substances that have a physiological or nutritional effect. Supplements are available in pill, capsule, powder, or other forms.

What Kind Of Supplements Are There?

There are many different types of dietary supplements on the market, and they can be divided into the following categories:

Vitamins and provitamins: 

folic acid, vitamin C, vitamin E, B vitamins

Macro elements and trace elements:  calcium, magnesium, iron, chromium

• Carbohydrates: Compounds of fructose and glucose
• Flavonoids
• polyphenols, carotene, lycopene
• Vegetable extracts: pomegranate extract, cranberry extract

Enzymes: enzymatic hydrolysis of proteins and sugars, such as lactase

• Vitaminoids: substances with an action similar to vitamins such as flavonoids, coenzyme Q10
• Amino acids and derivatives: L-arginine, L-carnitine, taurine
• Mineral supplements: silica, dolomite
• Other food supplements: probiotic cultures, yeast extract

Do I Need Food Supplements?

If you follow a balanced diet, you probably do not need dietary supplements. Still, there are times in life (such as growth, pregnancy, lactation, or old age) when many people need more vitamins, minerals, trace elements, and the like. These are some of the times when supplements should be taken. Some diseases, restrictive diets (such as vegan), food sensitivities (such as lactose intolerance), or heavy alcohol or tobacco use can lead to nutritional deficiencies. Supplements can have a positive effect on the symptoms of many diseases.

That is good to know

Before taking dietary supplements, you should take a blood test and discuss the results with your doctor. If you already get enough nutrients through your diet, you don’t need to take supplements. Do you have nutritional deficiencies? Depending on the degree of deficiency, your doctor may recommend that you include certain foods in your diet or may prescribe supplements.

How Much Should I Take?

Supplements contain substances with a transformative function in the body: they influence metabolism, cell division, and cell growth. Because of this, an overdose can be dangerous.

Multivitamin overdose can damage your organs. Too much vitamin A can cause skin and liver problems; too much vitamin C can negatively affect your digestion or cause kidney stones; too much vitamin K can decrease the effect of anticoagulants.

Where Can/Should I Buy The Supplements?

Today, in supermarkets, Para pharmacies, or pharmacies, you can buy food supplements everywhere. But here’s the danger: many of these substances are poor quality or contain the wrong dosage. We should be cautious with plant extracts because they can have a negative effect on essential processes in the body. You should only buy supplements recommended by professionals, such as at the pharmacy.

What Does The Science Say About Taking Supplements?

The results of several studies have shown that taking dietary supplements preventively does not provide any health benefits, nor does it guarantee that you will live longer. It’s the other way around: as discussed above, taking too many supplements or when you don’t need them can cause health problems.

It is necessary to define where Phytotherapy can help in maintaining health. As a complementary therapy, it cannot be seen as an adversary, substitute, or even alternative to traditional medicine, but rather as an ally that complements enhances, or helps its conventional therapies. There are many examples in medicine where traditional therapies can benefit either through prevention or the effectiveness of treatments, or improving the patient’s well-being. In this way, complementary therapies tend to be an option, and with them, the area of ​​Phytotherapy.

As already noted, modern herbal medicine combines traditional herbal medicine with the most advanced research in medicinal plants and is open to innovation.

The increase in the consumption of herbal products can also be associated with the dangers of the abusive and irrational use of synthetic pharmaceutical products that can have very serious side effects are increasingly being questioned, and they seek to replace them with medicinal plants. The evidence of therapeutic action also favors this dynamic.

Quality Assurance

Today, Phytotherapy is no longer based on its traditional use, contrary to what happened before. Studies increasingly support it as rigorous as conventional medicine with the same quality, efficacy, and security criteria. There is a set of requirements that a product must fulfill to be approved for sale on the market, with the primary objective of guaranteeing the well-being and safety of the consumer.

The prerequisites for ensuring quality in herbal medicine go through the standardization process, which begins during the cultivation of the fresh plant, continuing through validated production processes to result in a product that contains the constituents of the fresh plant in a stable composition. Nowadays, legislation regulates the production of different herbal health products.

What Is Natural? Is It Bad?

The use of plants for therapeutic purposes without proper guidance is a concern that must be considered by health professionals, as well as by all those involved in health education, given the incidence of species with a record of toxicity and contraindications in its use. Thus, the risk of intoxication caused by its misuse must always be considered. Care in the prescribed dosages and care in the precise identification of the material used can avoid accidents.

The false idea that everything that is “natural is good” or, as it is so often said, that “plants are not harmful to health” must be clarified by health professionals in the community. From the crossing of information obtained with bibliographic data, it can be concluded that a large part of the plants mentioned as being of therapeutic use in different populations presents some type of toxicity or contraindication for use in specific population groups.

The absence of information about some plants does not necessarily mean the absence of toxicity or contraindication, but it may be associated with the lack of studies in this regard.

Herbal preparations, despite being “natural,” are not harmless. Its possible negative effects are generally due to its active constituents’ pharmacological characteristics and dosages. Herbal medicines or preparations can be potentially toxic if misused and as a substitute for conventional medicines. In this way, both users and doctors or other health professionals must be able to make the best risk-benefit assessment before using or advising any drug or herbal product.

The use of health products such as PaylessKratom kratom capsules for instance derived from plants is complex because it results from an interaction between numerous components creating the global effect of a single extract. In this way, the rational and thoughtful choice and use is a huge advantage in maintaining health and preventing a series of health problems, leading to a lower incidence of minor pathologies that greatly impact global health and the economy.

Arterial disease is a condition in which fatty deposits – known as plaque – build-up on the inner walls of arteries. This condition leaves narrowed, hardened arterial walls that can be difficult for blood to flow through. Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) refers to peripheral artery diseases affecting smaller vessels outside the heart or brain, such as those leading to the arms, legs, and pelvis. PAD is a serious concern because peripheral arteries carry oxygen-rich blood from the heart through the body’s network of arteries and veins to organs and tissues like muscle, skin, and bone. As such, you need to treat it seriously and visit a Davenport peripheral arterial disease specialist as soon as you develop any symptoms.

Causes

PAD is caused by the accumulation of plaque that narrows arteries over time. The causes are usually multifactorial, involving a complex interplay between heredity, lifestyle, and environmental factors such as smoking and high blood pressure. Some people develop PAD in their 30’s and 40’s without having any recognized risk factors for atherosclerosis, such as diabetes or high blood pressure.

Symptoms and Detection

While PAD can be symptom-free, patients may experience pain or cramping in the leg muscles during walking (claudication). Claudication is brought on by physical activity and is usually relieved by rest. But if left untreated, artery disease will progress, and symptoms may become more noticeable. If you are suffering from peripheral arterial disease, you may develop symptoms such as :

• leg cramping or pain when walking
• restlessness and tiredness in the calf muscles during exercise because of restricted blood flow
• skin that itches feels numb or looks pale or blue due to a lack of circulation
• ulcers that develop on the feet and legs if not treated properly

The best way to detect PAD is through a simple medical examination. Your doctor will perform a physical exam to look for PAD signs, check your pulse and blood pressure, and order more specialized tests such as an ankle-brachial index (ABI), which compares the blood pressure in your arms to that in your legs. A low ABI value indicates arterial disease.

Treatment

The treatment of PAD is dependent on how severe your symptoms are, your overall health, and your risk factors for atherosclerosis. For example, if you have diabetes or high cholesterol, it’s essential to keep these conditions under control to prevent further narrowing of the arteries. If you smoke, talk to your doctor about ways to quit.

In some cases, PAD can be treated with angioplasty and stenting in which narrowed or blocked arteries in the legs are widened by a balloon-tipped catheter inserted into an artery under local anesthesia. This procedure usually takes about two hours, and patients can go home after one to three days.

In summary, PAD is the narrowing of arteries, making it difficult to flow. If not treated properly, the symptoms can be leg pain while walking (claudication) and ulcers on the feet and legs. If you have PAD, you may treat the condition through angioplasty and stenting, a procedure used to widen narrowed or blocked arteries in the legs. Lifestyle changes can also help.

Neuromas are becoming more common in Colorado Springs, Colorado, like in many parts of the world. It’s a condition that affects the nerves and can cause pain, numbness, and tingling in the feet. It is often caused by compression of the nerve fibers and can be very painful. In most cases, Colorado Springs neuroma specialists will try conservative treatment first, such as physical therapy.

What Causes Neuroma?

A neuroma can be caused by several factors, including injury to the foot, hereditary conditions, tumors or other growths on the nerve, and certain health conditions. Some of the most common causes include:

• Compression – any pressure on the affected nerve can cause a neuroma. It often arises from too-tight shoes, bones in the toes, and nerve entrapment.
• Infection – certain bacteria can infect a nerve and cause a neuroma to develop.
• Ciguatoxin – this toxin comes from fish that have been contaminated with algae. It is most common in tropical waters where people eat raw or undercooked fish.
• Trauma – a severe injury can cause a neuroma to the foot.
• Hereditary neuropathy – certain inherited conditions make people more likely to develop a neuroma.

How is the Neuroma Treatment?

A neuroma is treated with surgery in most cases. The surgeon will remove the portion of the nerve that has become enlarged due to compression or other factors.

Several nonsurgical treatments can treat neuroma, including:

Medications 

Physicians may prescribe certain medications to help reduce swelling and inflammation around the nerve area affected by the neuroma. Some physicians may inject a corticosteroid (steroid) into the neuroma area to reduce inflammation.

Proper Footwear 

Wearing the appropriate shoes for your feet can significantly reduce the amount of pressure placed on them, thereby reducing neuroma symptoms. Find new footwear with a broader toe box. Try to wear footwear with a flexible sole whenever possible. 

Stretch the plantar fascia and calf muscles before exercising or playing sports. It may also be helpful to add arch supports, orthotics, and braces for any other conditions that may cause neuroma symptoms, such as hammertoe deformities or bunion fusion surgery.

Physical Therapy 

Exercising and stretching the foot muscles can help relieve stress on the nerve. Physical therapists are trained to help patients develop an exercise plan that will work for them.

Custom Orthotics

Orthotics are devices that are designed to fix foot function problems. They can be accommodating in relieving stress on the feet and preventing neuroma from developing. If you are experiencing any of the following symptoms, you may benefit from custom orthotics:

• Pain in the ball of the foot
• Numbness or tingling in the toes
• Swelling around the toes
• Reduced range of motion 

Can Neuroma Be Prevented?

There are several ways to prevent neuroma from developing or help keep neuroma from getting worse. It includes wearing the correct size shoes and avoiding standing or walking barefoot on cold surfaces. Remember to stretch and exercise your feet to keep them healthy regularly.

A neuroma is a condition that affects the nerves and can cause pain, numbness, and tingling in the feet. It is often caused by compression of the nerve fibers and can be very painful. However, there are a few nonsurgical treatments that may help to relieve symptoms. It’s crucial to learn several ways to prevent neuroma from developing or help keep neuroma from getting worse.