Health Wikipedia

Toothache is a very common symptom experienced by people of all ages. The painful condition usually occurs when a nerve in the tooth root is inflamed or irritated.

Various conditions may lead to toothache, among which tooth decay is the primary cause for most. Other common causes include dental abscess, gum disease, irritation of the tooth root, cracked tooth syndrome, temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders, impaction and eruption.

Often, toothache can be a sign of a much deeper condition. The severity of pain may vary, in terms of the sensitivity and pain intensity. No matter what type of toothache you suffer from, you should get it evaluated by a dentist.

During the condition you should avoid very hot and cold foods and drinks, as they worsen the problem. You can take recommended first dose of over the counter painkillers like Paracetamol to get instant relieve before you step into a dental clinic. However, before taking drug for longer period to get rid of pain, you should always consult a dentist.

Fortunately, these days, a toothache cure need not involve the extraction of the tooth always. Depending on the cause of your toothache, the dentist concerned will use different methods to treat it. If the pain is due to tooth decay, restoration by filling of different composition is done. If the pulp of the tooth is damaged, root canal therapy is usually needed. If the damage cannot be treated by these methods, or if the tooth is impacted, it may need to be extracted.

Consult a dentist when you have signs of infection, such as swelling, pain on bite, red gums or a foul-tasting discharge, pain longer than one or two days, pain with fever, trouble breathing or swallowing.

You can prevent toothache easily by maintaining good dental hygiene practices. Cut down the amount of sugar in your diet. Excessively sweet foods and drinks should be consumed only occasionally. Follow a twice-a-day brushing routine using fluoride-containing toothpaste. Remember to brush from above downwards; not side by side. Also brush your gums and tongue. Use dental floss to clean between your teeth. Avoid smoking as it worsens dental conditions. Get your teeth check regularly, and have them cleaned at least once a year by a dentist.

Dr Kazi Md Niazur Rahman

Acne occurs in the form of pimples that sometime brings along black and whiteheads on the face, neck, shoulders, and chest or even at the back of the body too. It is considered the most severe skin disease that last for a long period and strikes almost every teen or adult. They tend to get severe and can lead to permanent scarring of the face if precautionary measures are not taken.

Even though with the latest scientific technology, it is hard to find a single cure of acne that could prevent it from happening or could treat it quickly, without leaving any scar behind. On the contrary, one can see that acne treatments use age old herbal products to cure acne outbursts. We recommend that instead of using harsh over the counter chemical products, you practice basic home remedies that are not only cheap, but also very effective with no side effects at all.

The foremost thing to follow up as a regular routine is to exercise and make the habit of having water at least 8 – 10 glasses a day. You may not believe it but exercise and a good healthy diet is the first critical step to healing acne.  Certain people believe that apricot juice can help to defect acne to the great extent.  Honey is the natural substance that extremely harmful for bacteria in the shape of acne or pimples.  Raw papaya juice is quite soothing for the red pimples. The most widely known method is applying toothpaste to fight against the bacteria on skin. Rubbing with vinegar and salt then after sometime, wash with lukewarm water. It is advisable to use only medicated soap only. Lack of sleep also causes the acne to occur. By applying turmeric powder for some time and remove it after 30 minutes.  The most effecting way for getting rid of acne is by using home remedies for a consistent time period rather than just for a day or two.

About Author:

Alice has been an expert in skin health. Her work has been published on various websites and magazines and provides insightful advice for natural acne treatment and acne remedies skin regimes.

Paget’s disease of nipple is a special type of breast cancer, which is not very common. However, it is the one which can be misdiagnosed easily. It is frequently thought to be a skin inflammation or infection, leading to unfortunate delays in detection and care.

I have seen few patients who had their treatment as nipple eczema for certain length of time and eventually searched for help, as the treatment for eczema did not help at all, instead got worse. After doing punch biopsy of nipple, diagnosis was confirmed as Paget’s disease of nipple with underlying invasive breast cancer and had mastectomy(removal of whole breast)!

What is it?
It is an eczema-like change in the skin of the nipple, and 9 out of 10 women who have it have an underlying breast cancer. The underlying breast cancer may be an invasive breast cancer or ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS). In DCIS, the cancer cells are completely contained within the milk ducts. It is seen in 1-4% of cases of female breast cancer.

How does it present?
* Presents as chronic eczematous change of the nipple with iItching, erythema, scale formation, erosions, nipple discharge including bleeding

* Underlying palpable breast lump (usually indicates an invasive nature).

Investigations
* Punch Biopsy of nipple with immuno-histochemistry and special stains

* Investigation of breast lump if palpable

* Investigations looking for underlying malignancy if no lump palpable, e.g. mammography or MRI (may be more useful) and core biopsy.

Management
The treatment of Paget’s disease of the breast will depend on:

* whether or not there is an underlying breast cancer

* whether it is DCIS or an invasive tumour

* how much of the breast is affected.

Surgery
Surgery is the main treatment for Paget’s disease. This may involve an operation to remove all of the breast (a mastectomy) or an operation to remove the affected area of breast, including the nipple and areola, and some surrounding normal breast tissue (breast-conserving surgery). Some of the lymph nodes in the underarm may also be removed.

A mastectomy may be recommended if the cancer is affecting a wide area. It may be possible to have breast reconstruction at the same time as a mastectomy or as a second operation some months later.

Some people don’t need any further treatment after surgery. Others may need radiotherapy, hormonal therapy or chemotherapy and or immuno-therapy. These treatments may be given separately or together.

Prognosis
Paget’s disease of the breast is associated with a poor prognosis, which is worse if the lesion is associated with an underlying palpable mass.

Dr Tasmia Tahmid

Water is life. As we get it easily, we take it for granted. But this is the most essential element, next to the air for our survival. We lose water every minute through sweating, breathing, urinating and with bowel movements. For our body to function properly, we must replace the water we lose by consuming beverages and foods that contain water.

For sedentary adults, drinking approximately two to two and a half liters of water a day, might be sufficient. For hardworking people, the amount of intake should be much more. Here are some notable health benefits of drinking adequate water.

* Drinking water helps us lose weight because it flushes down the by-products of fat breakdown. Drinking water reduces hunger; it is an effective appetite suppressant.

* Helps to relieve headache and back pains due to dehydration.

* Water helps to replenish skin tissues, moisturizes skin, increase skin elasticity and helps look younger.

* Our brain is mostly made up of water, thus drinking water helps us think better, be more alert and more concentrate.

* Drinking water regulates our body temperature.

* Drinking water raises our metabolism because it helps in digestion.

* Proper hydration helps keep our joints and muscles lubricated, so we will less likely get cramps and sprains.

* Drinking plenty of water helps fight against flu and other ailments like kidney stones and heart attack. Water added with lemon is used for ailments like respiratory disease, intestinal problems, rheumatic arthritis etc. One of the major benefits of drinking water can improve our immune system.

* Drinking a healthy amount of water also may reduce the risks of bladder cancer and colon cancer.

Dr Mir Atiqur Rahman

Breast cancer is the 2nd most cause of cancer death in women. Most of the deaths from the disease are due to late diagnosis, lack of screening and self examination.

The news of being diagnosed with cancer is not all bad. Most women who diagnosed at early stage are living like normal after surgical resection of breast tumor and other interventions to completely eradicate cancer cells from body.

In the month of October, which is observed as breast cancer awareness month, we need to tie up to spread the message that early diagnosis is the key to survival. Here are the key messages that need to be disseminated among mass population for early diagnosis, prevention and reduces large death toll.

Warning signs of breast cancer:

* New lump/swelling in the breast or underarm.

* Thickening or swelling of part of the breast

* Irritation or dimpling of breast skin.

* Redness or flaky skin in the nipple area or the breast

* Pulling in of the nipple or pain in the nipple area

* Nipple discharge (e.g. bloody) other than breast milk

* Any change in the size or the shape of the breast

* Pain in any area of the breast

Breast self-examination
Breast self-examination (BSE) is a method that involves the woman herself looking at and feeling each breast for possible lumps, distortions or swelling in front of a mirror. It should be done at regular interval.

So all women should check themselves or go to nearby centres for a screening examination in this month and should keep continue checking at regular interval.

The writer is Prof Dr Md Mizanur Rahman

Dental caries is the destruction of teeth by bacteria. It causes decay and cavities, and affect all ages especially children and young adults.

Dental caries/tooth decay requires the simultaneous presence of three factors to develop: Plaque bacteria, sugar or carbohydrate food and a vulnerable tooth surface.

Early caries may not have any symptoms. Later, when the decay has eaten through the enamel, the teeth may be sensitive to sweet foods or to hot and cold foods and drinks. There may be other complications like discomfort or pain, fractured tooth, inability to bite down on tooth.

Treatment can help prevent tooth damage from leading to cavities. Treatment may involve: Fillings, Crowns, Root canals.

Preventing dental caries can be relatively easy by eliminating the causes of tooth decay by reducing the amount of plaque and bacteria in the mouth, and strengthening the teeth’s defenses. The following tips might help your teeth from decaying.

* Reduce the number of times each day that you eat carbohydrates or drink sugary drinks. Eat a well-balanced diet that limits sugary foods.

* Fluoride is the best resource available for strengthening and protecting teeth from decay and healing early acid damage by replacing the lost minerals. Brushing with a fluoride toothpaste is the most easy way of delivering fluoride to the teeth.

* Brush regularly at least twice a day after meal and floss daily to remove plaque from between teeth and below the gum-line.

* Prescription mouthwashes can help prevent decay by reducing the number of bacteria in the mouth. Chewing sugarless gums can also help preventing cavities.

* In children, new molars can be protected from dental caries by dental sealants as soon as they emerge. Sealants can help adults too, but they are only effective against tooth decay on the biting surfaces of molars and premolars.

* Have dental checkups and professional teeth cleaning at regular interval. A dentist will detect minor problems before becoming major ones.