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Worms in kids

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Few of my friends are always  worried about their child's growth. Natasha always keeps me asking why her daughter is not gaining weight and why she falls sick again and again.  The worms are parasites which feed off the host’s body and eventually result in malnutrition, affecting the healthy growth of the child.  Worms may get entry into abdomen and create health problems .          Though all age groups can get worms, kids are more susceptible. Worms in abdomen can affect the appetite and ultimately growth of a child. When a child is not eating properly we assume he is showing tantrums or too busy in playing and ignore it but it can be worms those are troubling the stomach. When to suspect worms? Itchy bottom, which is usually worse at night Redness around the bottom area Restlessness due to itching Difficulty in falling asleep Visible worms – small, white and 8-13 mm long (often mistaken for bits of toilet paper!) ...
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Tooth decaying in kids

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Today we see lots of kids with dental problems.The eating habits have changed. Caries is a very common problem for children. Though caries can happen in any age group, children are more susceptible. The growing teeth of children contain less minerals , so they are not very strong and can easily fall prey to the bacterias.

 Role of teeth:


Eating

 Teeth are very important for chewing our food to make it smaller and easier to swallow. It helps the food to be easily digested before it reaches down to the stomach.

 

Makes you look better

Apart from eating, our teeth help us look good.  It’s one of the main features that can make us attractive.

 

Self-Confidence

Having a set of healthy teeth can also help you boost your self-confidence. People who often smile are often tagged as sociable and easy to get along with. 

Speech
Another reason why teeth are important is speech.  Your teeth can help you make a variety of sounds. It helps you hold your tongue and form different tongue positions to pronounce different words.
 
Retain Bone
Your teeth can also keep your face in shape. They are connected to your jaw. Once you lose some teeth, your cheeks would sink, and this would make you look old.  It is very important that you see a dentist once in a while to avoid tooth loss which can lead to other diseases caused by decay.

Makes your jaw strong
Your teeth will help you keep your jaw bone strong. Your teeth are connected to your gums as the gums are connected to your jawbone. Tooth loss can cause misalignment of the jaw. This can be a really painful experience.

Importance of dental health especially in kids:

When a baby tooth is lost too early, the permanent teeth can drift into the empty space and make it difficult for other adult teeth to find room when they come in. This can make teeth crooked or crowded. That’s why starting infants off with good oral care can help protect their teeth for decades to come.

Tooth decay: 

This is the damage that occurs to your teeth when germs in your mouth which produce acid eats away a tooth, making hole in it. If untreated , it is a very painful condition.
Tooth decay in infants and toddlers is often referred as "baby bottle tooth decay"
Plaque: It is a sticky film of bacteria, constantly forms on your teeth. When you eat or drink foods containing sugars, the bacteria in plaque produce acids that attack tooth enamel. The stickiness of the plaque keeps these acids in contact with your teeth and over time the enamel can break down. This is when cavities can form.

 A tooth has 3 layers.


  • Outer hard layer-Enamel.This is the hardest part of the body.It does not contain any blood vessels or nerves so it is not sensitive to pain.
  • Middle layer--Dentin, it forms most of the tooth.It can be sensitive to pain.
  • Center of tooth-Pulp. It contains nerves and blood vessels.


Factors that affect the dental health:
  1. Not maintaining the oral hygiene: Brushing the teeth regularly and flossing the interdental space is very important. Visiting dentist at a regular interval is also crucial to check on the healthy denture
  2. Not getting enough fluoride:Fluoride helps prevent decay by making teeth more resistant to acids produced by plaque.                                        Role of fluoride:Before teeth break through the gums, the fluoride taken in from foods, beverages and dietary supplements makes tooth enamel (the hard surface of the tooth) stronger, making it easier to resist tooth decay. This provides what is called a "systemic" benefit.
    After teeth erupt, fluoride helps rebuild (remineralize) weakened tooth enamel and reverses early signs of tooth decay. When you brush your teeth with fluoride toothpaste, or use other fluoride dental products, the fluoride is applied to the surface of your teeth. This provides what is called a "topical" benefit.
  3. Not having enough saliva:Saliva washes away the foods and sugar from mouth, preventing the decay. With some medicines or in some diseases there is less saliva production, if child breaths by mouth it leads to dry mouth
  4. Eating too much of sweets: The sweet and sticky foods stick to teeth so bacterias grow more leading to decaying.
Symptoms:

This is symptomless unless cavity is formed or the tooth is infected.
  1. Toothache- It is the most common symptom. The pain is severe.
  2. Swelling over the gum-This indicates infection in the gum.
  3. Bad breath
  4. White, grey, brown or black spots on teeth.
To prevent tooth decay:

  • Brush twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste.
  • Clean between your teeth daily with floss or interdental cleaner.
  • Eat nutritious and balanced meals.
  •  Limit snacking as they stick to teeth.
  • Check with your dentist about the use of supplemental fluoride, which strengthens your teeth, and about use of dental sealants (a plastic protective coating) applied to the chewing surfaces of the back teeth (where decay often starts) to protect them from decay.
  • Visit your dentist regularly for professional cleanings and oral examination. 
Cleaning your child's teeth:

  • Begin cleaning your baby’s mouth during the first few days after birth by wiping the gums with a clean, moist gauze pad or washcloth.  A baby’s front four teeth usually erupt at about 6 months of age, although some children don’t have their first tooth until 12 or 14 months.As the teeth appear start brushing. 
  • Until you’re comfortable that your child can brush on his or her own, continue to brush your child's teeth twice a day with a child-size  toothbrush .
  • Upto 3yrs of age toothpaste should be as the size of rice grain and for 3-6 yrs of age it should be a pea sized.


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Location: Mumbai, Maharashtra, India

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