The Structure of the Tooth
Teeth are an important organ in the human body. Apart from tearing and chewing food, it also plays vital role in speech and helps building the facial structure. The dentists advise to take proper care of the teeth to maintain all its functions. The number and type of teeth had already been discussed here.
Let’s have a look at its structure closely.
The tooth comprises of two major parts, namely, the crown and the root. The crown is the visible part present uproot from the gums. The root is the embedded part in the jaw. It is not the visible part and anchors the tooth in the socket.
If we look closely, anatomically the following are the parts of a tooth-
Enamel- It is the hard, white color portion that forms the outer layer of the teeth. It is made up of calcium phosphate, which makes it the hardest element of the body.
Dentin- It is made up of live cells that underlies the layer of enamel. The dentin secretes hard mineral substance that fills the bulk of tooth. Without the enamel, it can suffer serious erosion.
Pulp- It is the soft living tissue in the inner structure of the tooth. The pulp has blood vessels and nerves running through them. It extends from the root tip to the crown of the tooth.
Cementum- It is a layer of connective tissue which helps the roots of teeth to bind with the gums and jawbone. It plays an important role to maintain the teeth stability.
Periodontal ligament – It is the tissue which keeps the teeth firm against the jaw. It comprises of thousands of fibers. These fibers hold the cementum tight to the bony socket. It also acts as a shock absorbent during heavy chewing.
Apart from the structure of the teeth, the followings are the structure around the teeth-
Oral mucosa- It is the moist soft tissue that lines the mouth.
Gingiva- Most commonly known as the gums, it is the soft tissue, which lies immediately around the teeth and bone. It protects the teeth and bone.
Bone- It is the solid structure that surrounds and supports the teeth, especially the root.
Nerves and blood supply- Each of the tooth and the periodontal ligament has a nerve to supply blood, which is vital for its function.
All of these must work together for effectual functioning of your teeth. Any deviation from the same must be consulted and corrected with the help of a well-qualified dentist.
5 Most Common Outpatient Surgery Procedures
In several accounts of treatment, the patient needs a surgical assistance rather than a medicinal one. At first, due to several medical reasons, most of the surgeries were executed on inpatient basis only. These days, however, several hospitals in Kolkata execute numerous outpatient surgical procedures as well.
Let’s have a glimpse of the most common outpatient surgical procedures that are being carried out in hospitals of Kolkata-
1. Cataract Surgery
Cataract is a condition of eye when the natural lens of the eye gets cloudy and needs replacement with an artificial one. It is one of the most common surgical procedures performed in hospitals. The success rate is flying high and with very less room for error and other discomfort.
2. Minor Joint Repairs
Bone breakage can be an inpatient procedure as well, depending on the severity. Though most of the minor surgical procedure including tendon replacement and meniscus surgical correction are done on an outpatient basis, most of these treatments are availed by sports persons.
3. Cholecystectomy
More commonly known as gallbladder removal, it is a surgical procedure for removal of gallbladder. This procedure is executed in case of gallbladder stones and any other severe condition of the gallbladder. This procedure is outpatient mainly when executed through laparoscopic approach.
4. Skin Therapy and Grafting
Skin surgical procedures such as correction of wrinkles, sagging skin, acne scars and many other similar aesthetic procedures are often done on an outpatient basis.
5. Abdominal Hernia Correction
Hernia is a condition in which a portion of the internal fat or tissue pushes out through the outer skin. This needs surgical correction to fix the problem permanently. Earlier, these were carried out through open surgery, thus the patient needed to stay for a couple of days in the hospital. These procedures are mostly done on outpatient basis.
Even though almost in each of these, the patient is allowed to go home from the hospital on the same day as the procedure, it is subjected to the overall health condition of the individual and as per the recommendation of the doctor. In case the doctor finds it best for the patient to stay overnight, it must be carried out without any protest.
Also, an outpatient and his family members are advised to take proper care and to watch out for any discrepancies. In case any trouble arises, the concerned medical staff must be consulted and if necessary, the patient must be taken back to the healthcare facility for help.
Why Every Child Needs the ‘Child Checkup Package’?
As Benjamin Franklin had rightly said, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” The standard procedure of treatment that onsets after the symptoms begin to persist, and home remedies don’t work. After a series of discussions and screenings in the hospitals, a particular disease is recognized and suitable medications begin accordingly. This situation is far more delicate for the children.
To mitigate such long procedure and to ensure that children stays in good health, the hospitals are taking initiatives regarding the same. Meanwhile, we have introduced one of the best screening for children. It is called the ‘child checkup package’ and it comprises of the following tests-
- Complete hemoglobin with ESR profile
- ABO and Rh blood grouping
- Fasting blood sugar
- Urine test and
- Stool test
Each of these tests has its own significance. For instance, knowing the exact blood group will help greatly to deal with any serious medical emergency that need blood transfusion. Precious minutes can be spent to collect the suitable blood group, instead of doing a blood test and awaiting its result.
The stool and especially urine test in this season is very helpful to keep a track on the excretory system of children. During winters, children tend to drink a very limited amount of liquid and often this habit clings on to them even when summer arrives, which causes a higher concentration of salts in urine. A timely screening would disclose the exact condition and thus, the child can be guided to be more careful.
The best feature about this checkup package is that it comes with a complimentary session with a pediatrician. Thus, instead of simply handing over a bunch of paper with numbers and ranges on it, this package gives parents some quality time with a doctor for consultation. This way, the parents become aware which aspects of their child to be more careful for.
The child checkup package offered by ILS Hospital is very economical and affordable. It is best to keep these mentioned vitals in check and take preventive measures on time, rather than let them bloom over time and then take corrective measures for the same.
Thus, the child checkup package is recommended for every child to ensure a healthy childhood, growth and development.
10 Period Myths You Need To Bust Right Now
Our lives are all surrounded by myths and opinions. And sadly, the menstrual cycles are not any exception. Sometimes it appears as if common people have more facts regarding periods as compared to the gynecologists in Kolkata.
But, now it’s time to get rid of these myths and know the facts-
#1. Menstrual cycle is of 28 days
It is the average length of the cycle. However, it varies from woman to woman. Only your body can tell your cycle length, not your friends or internet apps.
#2. It is dangerous to wash your head during the cycle
Thank the almighty, it is a myth. Washing your body or hair has neither effect on your flow or length of the period, nor on your health otherwise.
#3. PMS is a myth
If you feel irritated and have mood swing, particularly before having your periods, and resolves soon after it onsets. Chances are that you are suffering from PMS and not bipolar disorder.
#4. You need to take bed rest during periods
It is true that you need rest if you lose a large amount of blood, during periods, though, you lose only a small amount. Though you can take a day off and relax in case of severe cramps, it is not a must-do.
#5. No exercise
Exercise is always good, even during periods. Sometimes, it even helps to soothe the cramps and uplifts the mood.
#6. You can’t get pregnant during the cycle
No gynecologists in Kolkata would give such a non-scientific advice. The chances of pregnancy are related to the ovulation cycle, not the menstrual cycle and thus, conceiving during periods it is quite possible.
#7. Swimming in the ocean is dangerous because it can attract sharks
No, never. Under no circumstances, you are likely to be a potential/favored target for shark biting, if you are swimming while menstruating. It is applicable for bear attack as well.
#8. Proper age of menarche
There is no right age of on-setting the menstrual cycle. Most girls get their periods somewhere between 9 years to 15 years. Often, your cycle begins close to other women’s in your family. But, in case, it does not, even when you or your ward reaches 15, it is better to get a consultation from a gynecologist in Kolkata.
#9. Missing period means you are pregnant for sure.
Just because you are missing your period for a few days or even weeks, sometimes, does not imply you are free to announce the good news. You can skip your cycles even for 2-3 months without a pregnancy. So, be extra sure before celebrating or panicking!
#10. Menstrual blood is not normal blood
Bleeding means loss of blood, no matter the biological location. And there is only one type of blood, the normal blood that rushes through veins.
So, don’t get drift away from facts and stay updated!
The Importance of Pathology in Modern Day Healthcare Industry
The term pathology is something we all have heard all our lives, but how many of us know its importance? Almost every one of us have been to at least one pathology lab at least once in our lifetime.
So let’s understand, what is Pathology? The word “pathology” comes from two words “pathos” meaning suffering and “logos” meaning study of suffering respectively. It is a major field in the modern diagnosis and thus for overall treatment. In simple words, it can be referred as study of disease.
Almost all the hospitals, in India and the world depend upon accurate pathological reports. It basically acts as a junction between medicine and science, using the cutting edge technology of genetics for better diagnosis, screening and treatment. It is done primarily for the benefit of the patient and also to make the treatment procedure much smoother for doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals as well.
Several people actually believe that pathology is restricted to autopsy or more commonly known as post mortem and thus applicable for only the ones present in the morgue. However this notion is absolutely wrong, pathological screenings are carried out for disease which include, cough, blood, urine tests to biopsy for Cancer detection.
Pathology is a very wide branch and over 19 types of specializations coexist and all obviously pathologists doesn’t have the same work. Depending on their articular specializations, skill and interest, they work either in laboratories, hospitals, clinics or pathology centers. Often they provide valuable advice to the doctor and alongside decide for the best possible treatment in case of complicated diseases.
Out of the several specializations, the most significant are chemical pathology, hematology (diseases related to blood and its components), histopathology, medical microbiology (study of infections), toxicology, molecular genetics, Immunogenetics and histocompatibility. Apart from these, there are several more which has its own importance.
Apart from screening and identifying possible infection or severe diseases, pathology comes into play even during blood transfusion, blood storage, and organ storage. It is equally important during developing vaccines for several infections and diseases. Thus, any hospital with their own pathology lab is always a perk over the other who lack this feature.
A Brief Introduction of Osteoporosis
Our body is made up of bones, muscles, nerves and lots other. We all must have a healthy balanced meal in order to ensure that our body function properly. But several people discover their health, especially in terms of their bone strength, starts degrading with time. You can find several people dealing with bone diseases and discomfort in Orthopedics clinics.
And osteoporosis is one of the most common disease affecting numerous lives all across the world. The term osteoporosis, is self-explanatory as, it is derived from the Greek language, literally meaning ‘porous bones’. Thus, osteoporosis is a disorder in which, the bones of the individual lose its strength, becomes porous in nature and thereby the chances of broken bones increases significantly. Several orthopedic clinics specialize and focus on this particular disease to help people dealing with osteoporosis.
Osteoporosis is clinically defined as a condition of low value of peak bone mass and usually defined as less than 2.5 bone density. This is estimated with the help of a screening called dual energy X-ray absorptiometry of the hip.
Osteoporosis can affect individual of any age group, but usually the chances of occurrence of the same is greatly higher among people of the elderly age group. The calcium content of the bones drops beyond what is considered as safe or normal. Thus, leaving the bones highly susceptible to breakage or damage, up to a point where even a minor slippage can cause hairline fracture or more.
The bones that are more likely to suffer the consequences are usually the backbone, hip bones, and forearm. Recognizing osteoporosis is often too tricky, mainly because there are no early symptoms of the same. Most people only come to realize after a bone breaks and the individual is likely to suffer from chronic pain and lose the ability and agility to carry out routine work.
In order to mitigate or at least delay the entire event of osteoporosis, an individual must be careful since their mid age itself. Mostly because once the bone starts to lose bone density, its recovery becomes tricky. Apart from changing into better diet and exercise, one must also be careful and avoid slipping or falling. Also, making changes in lifestyle and habits such as to quit smoking and drinking is also recommended by several Orthopedics.
Types of Teeth and Their Functions
While brushing your teeth daily, do you ever consider, how helpful these little white dressed soldiers are for us? Toddlers often use these as defense and attack weapons as well, but ideally teeth are designed to chew food, assist in digestion and of course to support facial muscles. When any of these purpose gets obstructed, we need a visit to the Dentist.
Teeth are an important part of the human body. Based on the time of its onset, teeth are primary and permanent. The primary teeth are 20 in numbers, but, more importantly, are the permanent ones, these are 32 in numbers. Each tooth is unique in shape and function. Today, let’s explore the types of teeth and its function.
1. Incisors
These are eight in numbers and are in the central front of the mouth, four each, on upper and lower jaws. It erupts at the age of 6 months and then later between age 6 to 8, making it the first teeth to sprout. Apart from biting the food, it also helps to pronounce words and support the lips.
2. Canines
These are four in numbers and placed immediately next to each of the outermost incisors. These are the sharpest teeth and helps to tear the food along with supporting the lips. It sprouts between 16 to 20 months, primarily and then between 11 to 12 years later.
3. Premolars
Also known as bicuspids, these are eight in numbers, four in each jaw, two on each side. These are crucial for grinding and chewing the food, it also supports the cheeks. The first set shows up at age around ten and the second set follows about a year later
4. Molars
Just like the prior type, molars also help chewing and grinding of food, along with supporting cheeks. These are eight in number, four in each jaw, and two on each side. Out of these, the first molars erupt at the age of about 6 and the second molars first erupts between 11 and 13 and stay permanent.
5. Third molar
These are more commonly called as wisdom teeth and are four in numbers. These lay at the extreme end of the jaw. These are the last teeth to erupt around at the age of 20 to 25, however, some may never develop these their entire lives. Several times, these wisdom teeth get crowded because of molar and need surgical removal.
So, take good care of your teeth, and if needed take the help of Dentist, because remember what Mallory Hopkins said,
“Life is short. Smile while you still have teeth.”
How Satisfying It Is to Get A Plastic Surgery?
Change is inevitable. Change in weight and appearance can usually be achieved through proper diet, exercise and make over. However, sometimes the degree of change desired is so varied and specific that it calls out for the special medical intervention – plastic or cosmetic surgery.
To undergo a cosmetic surgery is often a much more delicate topic than anticipated earlier. Thus, any such decision should be taken with utmost care and sound mind. It should be sought solely for the enhancement and improvement of one’s personal life and under no circumstances, it should be done under the influence or due to fad.
For the past few decades, the plastic and cosmetic surgeries have become much more viable and accessible. Due to its excellent results and timely recovery, it has become more commercialized, accessible and affordable these days.
But the most important question remains, whether getting a plastic surgery is a positive experience? Though people may have a different opinion regarding the same, the most widely accepted answer is a big yes. It is one thing to say or suggest an individual to live with deformities and accept as they are, and an entirely different thing to be that individual themselves.
Prior to surgery, several people often hide themselves, due to consciousness and lack of confidence. Having a plastic surgery transforms the deformities and improves the physical condition drastically. Along with it, the individual also experiences a significant positive change in terms of emotion as well; mainly due to higher self-esteem and confidence.
But before jumping on-board with any such procedure looking for and getting a well-qualified doctor is extremely important. Having an authentic and well experienced doctor is vital for the success of the procedure. Any experiment or inexperience can have catastrophic results on the body. However, there is one non-medical aspect everyone who is planning to undergo plastic surgery must keep in mind – having realistic expectations.
One must bear in mind that altering or beautifying a particular or even multiple physical entity can alter or improve their quality of life. However, it is not a magic solution and will not fix all their problems.
Thus, in a nutshell, it can be stated that a plastic surgery is a medical procedure that enhances the quality of life by altering and mainly improving the physical aspects of an individual.
Adopt These 5 Healthy Habit to Manage Your Type 2 Diabetes
Diabetes is becoming a major threat all over the world and India is no exception for the same. Today, even young people are becoming a target of this dreadful disease. Several clinics, independent doctors and hospitals provide diabetes treatment.
One interesting fact about diabetes is that it can be managed well with medication and dedication towards health.
Here are the following few healthy habits, which, if you practice regularly, can keep the ill effects of diabetes Type 2 at bay.
Consume a healthy diet
Include every nutrients like, carbohydrate, protein, fat, vitamins and minerals, in your diet, but in the correct proportions. Eat an ample amount of fibers in your diet as snacks. It is usual to have munchies several times a day being diabetic. Thus, go for healthier snack option.
Several doctors and clinics offers a diet chart as part of the diabetes treatment.
Exercise daily
Make out time every day for some exercise. Even if you are a busy person, try to dedicate at least 15-20 minutes each day, for at least five days in a week. If you are new to the whole concept, start with the free hand exercise before trying aerobics and other strenuous activities.
Eventually, increase the time and effort for the same.
Keep a track of sugar level
Also keep the blood sugar profile in check every 3- 4 months. Go for a preplanned fasting and PP, instead of a random sugar test for better evaluation. Start, an early screening, in case, any of your parents has diabetes as well. Similarly, ask your children to be more cautious as well, if you have it.
Have an adequate sleep
Sleep at least for 6 to 8 hours daily in order to give time to your body to recover and rejuvenate. For the same, make a sleep schedule and adhere to it for a week. Eventually, your body will adjust with this new sleeping ritual.
Lead a healthy lifestyle
Apart from the diabetic gene, your lifestyle contributes a lot for the same as well. It can delay or even mitigate your diabetes. Some of the healthy habits include Stop smoking and using other tobacco products, limiting the consumption of alcohol, and taking the medications as prescribed by the doctor.
How Too Much Salt Consumption Can Deteriorate Your Health?
Food without spices is somewhat difficult to imagine, especially in a country like India. However, excessive use of anything can have adverse effects on our health. And one of the most overused things in every kitchen is without doubt, salt. Over consumption of salt can cause severe problems to the heart and can ultimately cause cardiac emergency.
Salt is very important in terms of taste and its composition. Sodium and chlorine is essential for our body to function well. Moreover, the addition of the Iodine to the salt makes it even more vital for daily consumption. However, over-consumption can be drastic, especially for the heart and the blood vessels.
Too much salt can exert excessive pressure on the interior walls of the blood vessels, namely the arteries. The muscles of the arteries grow stronger in order to cope up with this extra strain. It works for a while, but eventually, the space left for blood flow becomes even more restricted and elevates the pressure even more.
This goes in a cyclic pattern, usually over a period of years, after which, the chances of having clogged arteries increase significantly. It can also cause the arteries to burst. The respective organ receiving blood from any of the particular artery gets cut off from its blood supply and gets damaged.
Now we have to narrow our topic to heart and its restricted artery. At the beginning, the heart receives a slightly lesser amount of blood. It triggers a condition called the angina, a sharp pain in the chest, especially while being active. Slowly, the cardiac cells lose their affectivity and functional ability, mainly due to lesser exposure to oxygen and other nutrients.
If the salt over-consumption continues, bursting or clogging of the artery becomes inevitable. This may lead to heart attack, this is one of the major clause which claims several lives every year.
The good news is, lowering blood pressure and eliminating a large portion of salt from diet can make a significant change in the overall health condition. Also, it is advised to take timely measures for the same.
In fact, mitigating the excess amount of salt from the diet is actually one of the easiest ways of keeping the heart healthy. Without a doubt, it is much easier than consuming a lot of medicines.