Untreated gum problems may lead to organ failure, cancer

dental-care

Considering the acute gum inflammation, which leads to profuse bleeding, bad breath and loosening of the teeth, health experts have cautioned against several health problems, as severe as cancer, if left untreated.

Do your parents nag you to brush your teeth before going to bed and after meals? If yes, then pay heed to their words as it can save you from the terrible consequences six-year-old Shivam Vatsayan had to face only because he skipped brushing his teeth.

It was two months ago when Shivam suffered a severe organ failure, caused by gingivitis (inflammation of gum tissues), which soon developed into periodontitis (a gum infection that damages the soft tissue and destroys the bone that supports teeth) due to lack of effective medication.

Considering the acute gum inflammation, which leads to profuse bleeding, bad breath and loosening of the teeth, health experts have cautioned against several health problems, as severe as cancer, if left untreated.

Smita Madan, a dental surgeon at Axis Dental, said signs like swollen red gums and bleeding should never be ignored.

“If avoided, the condition advances to periodontitis, which makes the gumline recede, exposing the roots of the teeth to bacteria attack,” Madan told IANS.

She added that untreated periodontal diseases can increase inflammation in the body.

”Such increased inflammation may aggravate the risk for developing severe health complications like cardiovascular diseases, organ failure, dementia and even cancer in some cases,” she said.

In periodontitis, gums pull away from the teeth and form infection-prone spaces or “pockets” which can even lead to breaking down of the teeth bone and connective tissues that hold the teeth in place.

If untreated, the bones, gums, and tissue that support the teeth are destroyed and the teeth may eventually loosen.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), over 70 per cent of Indian children under the age of 15 suffer from gum diseases due to poor oral hygiene and nourishment.

WHO added that such poor levels of hygiene cause several health hazards including cancer, organ failure, dementia and rheumatoid arthritis if left untreated.

Sageer, a consultant dental surgeon at the Gurgaon-based Paras Hospital, agreed and said there were various factors that link gum diseases to cardiac problems.

”The most common bacteria present in dental plaque can cause blood clots that induce heart attacks when they escape into the bloodstream,” Sageer told IANS.

He said extra caution needs to be taken by pregnant women suffering from periodontities as gum-related problems can also lead to premature births.

”A baby who is born before term is susceptible to a number of health ailments. Mothers who got themselves treated for periodontal disease were less likely to deliver before term than those who did not. Links have been found between chronic kidney diseases and gum problems too,” Sageer told IANS.

Saying periodontal disease was the leading causes of tooth loss among adults, Sageer stated that the condition was also frequently linked to diabetes.

Health experts also have a word of caution for alcoholics and chain smokers suffering from dental problems.

“They are more prone to such health hazards, as alcohol irritates the soft tissues in the mouth and also decreases the amount of saliva formation,” said Romsha Vashith, consultant dentist at Ghaziabad-based Columbia Asia hospital.

Quoting a 2000 survey, Vashith said the prevalence of dental diseases was the highest among Indian children at 65.5 percent, followed by Indonesia.

Suggesting preventive measures, she said periodic dental visits, screenings, referrals and supervised brushing programmes in schools were the need of the hour.

“Special measures need to be taken in rural areas, as dental disease is very prevalent there due to shortage of hospitals and dentists. Dental problems can be fought by maintaining proper oral hygiene and increasing awareness regarding them,” she said.

source: khaleej times


5 Great Home Remedies for Toothaches

Here are 5 great home remedies for getting rid of your toothache pain until you can make it to the dentist.
Tooth pain can be one of the most debilitating and horrible pains you will ever have, when you have a pain in the mouth, you really do not want to eat let alone talk, all you want is the pain to just be gone. One funny thing about toothaches is that they always seem to happen on a weekend or a holiday when the dentist offices are closed.

Tooth pain is usually caused by a breakdown in tooth enamel, which then creates a cavities and causes the tooth to begin decaying, thus causing the nerve endings to react which results in the toothache. Tooth pain can also be caused by a loose tooth brought on by gum disease gingivitis.

1. If you have a hole in your tooth, or even if you do not have any decay, getting an Orange flavored baby aspirin and putting it directly around the tooth or in the decayed area and let it dissolves naturally can help relieve the pain. The reason for using baby aspirin is the orange flavor has a better taste than plain aspirin.

2. Another great toothache remedies that works well for getting rid of the pain is cloves; this is a spice most people will have right in there kitchen. Ground cloves works much better. You will want to take a small amount of the ground clove and put it just right next to the tooth and just leave it there, you should start to feel some relief in just a few minutes.

3. Trying using a plain wet Lipton tea bag, the tannins in the tea help to reduce swelling along with giving you some pain relief. You will want to use a cold wet tea bag, I recommend putting the tea bag in some ice water for a few minutes before applying unless your tooth is sensitive to the cold.

4. One of the old tried and true home remedies for toothache pain is warm water with table salt. You will want to take some warm water, not to hot and add about a teaspoon of salt ,let dissolve and gently rinse your mouth and spit it , Use the whole glass of salt water this will help reduce swelling and help kill bacteria in your mouth giving you relief.

5. Whiskey or Brandy is another great homemade toothache pain remedy, simply take a Q tip swab or a cotton ball, and you will then dip this in brandy or whiskey, then place it around the area of the tooth pain and let it sit. Repeat as often as necessary till you can get to the dentist.

Source: Yahoo voices