The excess of dentists in Kerala state of India, has led to the fact that Dental Association of India (Indian Dental Association, IDA) decided to launch the campaign “No more dental colleges» (‘No more dental colleges’).
The state currently has 20 private colleges of dentistry, with 1180 seats, and three state colleges. Every year they release 1300 specialists. Thus most of the college regularly apply for an increase in the number of seats for students. Dr. Shibu Rajagopal (Shibu Rajagopal), Secretary of the IDA offices in Kerala, said that despite the ban President Dental Council of India (Indian Dental Council), the state government has issued a state certificate of seven private dental colleges, thesis statement examples.
In Kerala alone, with a population of 33 million people has more than 10,000 dentists. At present, the ratio of dentists to patients in India is 1:3,500 – is much higher than the recommended WHO ratio 1:7500. However, if a petition to increase college enrollments are met, the annual number of graduates will increase to 2,500, reducing the ratio to 1:1000.
According to Dr. Paul George (George Paul), former president of the Association of Maxillofacial Surgeons of India, many young dentists invited to work in the insurance sector and the business of medicine at Bangalore and Hyderabad. Some graduates go to Canada, Australia and other countries, or go into other specialties. The dentist, who works at the present time, a graphic designer, said that 11 years ago, dentistry was a prestigious job with high salary, but in excess they become more profitable professionals to work in agriculture or textiles.
It is interesting to note that in a part of the world with such large amounts of poverty, there are an exceeding amount of dentists. I thought it was also interesting that dentistry was once considered a prestigious job, but it is now less profitable than some other jobs that we would consider blue collar. I am sure that it is different from state to state, or even city to city in India, but it will be interesting to see what Coimbatore is like.
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Learning Journal 19
This past week in class we talked about the IRB and some examples in history about what sparked its creation. I thought the topic that we discussed as a group was interesting. My guess is that it is a pretty debated topic and pretty personal. I would think that those who had the strongest feelings toward it would be those actually knew someone who was involved in one of the studies. What we discussed was whether it was justified for medical research to withhold information from its subjects to develop a better understanding of what they were looking into. Or very simply, the idea of progressing the development and understanding of something by abusing or misinforming a few for the benefit of everyone else. For most, the answer is no. Most people view the sanctity of the individual as more important than the progression of understanding. Defenders of this topic would argue that you win some and lose some, but when you win it is a big benefit to the rest of society that can be seen as worth the risk. These people are known as 'The Common Gooders'. An example of this in the animal kingdom is:
In a striking example of the evolutionary benefits of altruism, researchers have found a species of ants that sends a few workers out each evening on a suicide mission to ensure the continued survival of the colony. The tiny ant Forelius pusillus, which makes its home in sugar cane fields in Brazil, makes a nightly ritual of covering the entrance to its nest with sand. To be sure that the entrance is sealed shut tightly, a few ants remain outside each evening to finish kicking sand over the hole. Those ants, stuck outside in the cold and the wind, die during the night.
This is the idea of sacrificing for the betterment of everyone else.
I guess the big difference and problem between this and the study we learned about is that those in the study were misinformed of what they had and not told that there were alternatives. In the case of the ants, I am guessing that those who left the nest to cover the hole volunteered...maybe, or they could have possibly been chosen by the rest of the colony.
Whatever the reason, is the loss of a few worth the benefit of many? It is a hard topic to debate. Its also hard to comprehend until you are chosen as a test subject. I know that many people today are grateful for the drugs and cures that have been developed. What some do not know is how these drugs were obtained or how much more was learned about them because of the studies. Those who would see the mistakes of the past as beneficial and worth it the most are those who are in current need of a drug that was obtained through not so legitimate means. This group of people would probably be more happy that their own life was being saved because of the research and understanding from the mistakes of others than they would be to undue the past and fix those wrongs.
All that this comes down to is..... thank goodness there is an IRB that gets to determine what is ethical and not ethical now a days. Leave the questions up to them and things will progress in a way that everyone can agree with, even if new drugs or research could be uncovered through unethical means. This is the group through whom each of our prospective projects will pass through, in hopes of being able to study our desired topic. I don't think that most of us will have any trouble with our projects because we will not be withholding information from our subjects or misinforming them!
In a striking example of the evolutionary benefits of altruism, researchers have found a species of ants that sends a few workers out each evening on a suicide mission to ensure the continued survival of the colony. The tiny ant Forelius pusillus, which makes its home in sugar cane fields in Brazil, makes a nightly ritual of covering the entrance to its nest with sand. To be sure that the entrance is sealed shut tightly, a few ants remain outside each evening to finish kicking sand over the hole. Those ants, stuck outside in the cold and the wind, die during the night.
This is the idea of sacrificing for the betterment of everyone else.
I guess the big difference and problem between this and the study we learned about is that those in the study were misinformed of what they had and not told that there were alternatives. In the case of the ants, I am guessing that those who left the nest to cover the hole volunteered...maybe, or they could have possibly been chosen by the rest of the colony.
Whatever the reason, is the loss of a few worth the benefit of many? It is a hard topic to debate. Its also hard to comprehend until you are chosen as a test subject. I know that many people today are grateful for the drugs and cures that have been developed. What some do not know is how these drugs were obtained or how much more was learned about them because of the studies. Those who would see the mistakes of the past as beneficial and worth it the most are those who are in current need of a drug that was obtained through not so legitimate means. This group of people would probably be more happy that their own life was being saved because of the research and understanding from the mistakes of others than they would be to undue the past and fix those wrongs.
All that this comes down to is..... thank goodness there is an IRB that gets to determine what is ethical and not ethical now a days. Leave the questions up to them and things will progress in a way that everyone can agree with, even if new drugs or research could be uncovered through unethical means. This is the group through whom each of our prospective projects will pass through, in hopes of being able to study our desired topic. I don't think that most of us will have any trouble with our projects because we will not be withholding information from our subjects or misinforming them!
Monday, February 27, 2012
Source 20
Transport in the Republic of India is an important part of the nation's economy. Since the economic liberalisation of the 1990s, development of infrastructure within the country has progressed at a rapid pace, and today there is a wide variety of modes of transport by land, water and air. However, India's relatively low GDP per capita has meant that access to these modes of transport has not been uniform.
Motor vehicle penetration is low by international standards, with only 13 million cars on the nation's roads. In addition, only around 10% of Indian households own a motorcycle. At the same time, the automobile industry in India is rapidly growing with an annual production of over 2.6 million vehicles, and vehicle volume is expected to rise greatly in the future.
In the interim however, public transport still remains the primary mode of transport for most of the population, and India's public transport systems are among the most heavily used in the world.India's rail network is the 4th longest and the most heavily used system in the world, transporting over 6 billion passengers and over 350 million tons of freight annually.
Despite ongoing improvements in the sector, several aspects of the transport sector are still riddled with problems due to outdated infrastructure and lack of investment in less economically active parts of the country. The demand for transport infrastructure and services has been rising by around 10% a year with the current infrastructure being unable to meet these growing demands. According to recent estimates by Goldman Sachs, India will need to spend US$1.7 trillion on infrastructure projects over the next decade to boost economic growth, of which US$500 billion is budgeted to be spent during the Eleventh Five-Year Plan.
Bicycles are a common mode of travel in much of India. More people can now afford to own a cycle than ever before. In 2005, more than 40% of Indian households owned a bicycle, with ownership rates ranging from around 30% to 70% at the state level. Along with walking, cycling accounts for 50 to 75 % of the commuter trips for those in the informal sector in urban areas.
Even though India is the second largest producer of bicycles in the world, a significant prejudice against bicycle riding for transport exists in some segments of the population, generally stemming from the status symbol aspect of the motor vehicle. In India, the word "bike" generally refers to motorcycle, and "cycle" refers to bicycle.
Pune was the first city in India to have dedicated lanes for cycles. It was built for the 2008 Commonwealth Youth Games.
However, recent developments in Delhi suggest that bicycle riding is fast becoming popular in the metro cities of India. The Delhi government has decided to construct separate bicycle lanes on all major roads to combat pollution and ease traffic congestion.
Private vehicles account for 30% of the total transport demand in urban areas of India. An average of 963 new private vehicles are registered every day in Delhi alone. The number of automobiles produced in India rose from 63 lakh (6.3 million) in 2002-03 to 1.1 crore (11.2 million) in 2008-09. However, India still has a very low rate of car ownership. When comparing car ownership between BRIC developing countries, it is on a par with China,and exceeded by Brazil and Russia.
Compact cars, especially hatchbacks predominate due to affordability, fuel efficiency, congestion, and lack of parking space in most cities. Maruti, Hyundai and Tata Motors are the most popular brands in the order of their market share.
Motorised two-wheelers like scooters, small capacity motorcycles and mopeds are very popular a mode of transport due to their fuel efficiency and ease of use in congested traffic. The number of two-wheelers sold is several times that of cars. There were 4.75 crore (47.5 million) powered two-wheelers in India in 2003 compared with just 86 lakh (8.6 million) cars. Yamaha, Harley Davidson, Hero Honda, Honda, TVS Motors, Bajaj Auto and Mahindra 2wheeler are the largest two-wheeler companies in terms of market-share. Royal Enfield, an iconic brand name in the country, manufactures different variants of the British Bullet motorcycle which is a classic motorcycle that is still in production.
Buses
The oldest Indian state transport undertaking is North Bengal State Transport Corporation. It is still vibrant and running providing service to hundreds of commuters of North Bengal region of West Bengal. Buses take up over 90% of public transport in Indian cities, and serve as a cheap and convenient mode of transport for all classes of society. Services are mostly run by state government owned transport corporations. However, after the economic liberalisation, many state transport corporations have introduced various facilities like low-floor buses for the disabled and air-conditioned buses to attract private car owners to help decongest roads.
New initiatives like Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) systems and air conditioned buses have been taken by the various state government to improve the bus public transport systems in cities. Bus Rapid High Capacity buses can be found in cities like Mumbai, Bengaluru, Nagpur and Chennai. Bengaluru is the first Indian city to have an air-conditioned bus stop, located near Cubbon Park. The city of Chennai houses Asia's largest bus terminus, the Chennai Mofussil Bus Terminus.
Taxi
Most of the traditional taxicabs in India are either Premier Padmini or Hindustan Ambassador cars. In recent years, cars such as Chevrolet Tavera, Maruti Esteem, Maruti Omni, Mahindra Logan, Tata Indica, Toyota Innova, Hyundai Santro and Tata Indigo have become fairly popular among taxi operators. The livery of the taxis in India varies from state-to-state. In Delhi and Maharashtra, most taxicabs have yellow-black livery while in West Bengal, taxis have yellow livery. Private taxi operators are not required to have a specific livery. However, they are required by law to be registered as commercial vehicles.
Depending on the city/state, taxis can either be hailed or hired from taxi-stands. In cities such as Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Hyderabad,taxis need to be hired over phone, whereas in cities like Kolkata and Mumbai, taxis can be hailed on the street. According to government of India regulations, all taxis are required to have a fare-meter installed. There are additional surcharges for luggage, late-night rides and toll taxes are to be paid by the passenger. Since 2006, radio taxis have become increasingly popular with the public due to reasons of safety and convenience.
In cities and localities where taxis are expensive or do not ply as per the government or municipal regulated fares, people use share taxis. These are normal taxis which carry one or more passengers travelling to destinations either en route to the final destination, or near the final destination. The passengers are charged according to the number of people with different destinations. A similar system exists for autorickshaws, known as share autos.
The city of Mumbai will soon be the first city in India, to have an "in-taxi" magazine, titled MumBaee, which will be issued to taxis which are part of the Mumbai Taximen's Union. The magazine debuted on 13 July 2009.
Motor vehicle penetration is low by international standards, with only 13 million cars on the nation's roads. In addition, only around 10% of Indian households own a motorcycle. At the same time, the automobile industry in India is rapidly growing with an annual production of over 2.6 million vehicles, and vehicle volume is expected to rise greatly in the future.
In the interim however, public transport still remains the primary mode of transport for most of the population, and India's public transport systems are among the most heavily used in the world.India's rail network is the 4th longest and the most heavily used system in the world, transporting over 6 billion passengers and over 350 million tons of freight annually.
Despite ongoing improvements in the sector, several aspects of the transport sector are still riddled with problems due to outdated infrastructure and lack of investment in less economically active parts of the country. The demand for transport infrastructure and services has been rising by around 10% a year with the current infrastructure being unable to meet these growing demands. According to recent estimates by Goldman Sachs, India will need to spend US$1.7 trillion on infrastructure projects over the next decade to boost economic growth, of which US$500 billion is budgeted to be spent during the Eleventh Five-Year Plan.
Bicycles are a common mode of travel in much of India. More people can now afford to own a cycle than ever before. In 2005, more than 40% of Indian households owned a bicycle, with ownership rates ranging from around 30% to 70% at the state level. Along with walking, cycling accounts for 50 to 75 % of the commuter trips for those in the informal sector in urban areas.
Even though India is the second largest producer of bicycles in the world, a significant prejudice against bicycle riding for transport exists in some segments of the population, generally stemming from the status symbol aspect of the motor vehicle. In India, the word "bike" generally refers to motorcycle, and "cycle" refers to bicycle.
Pune was the first city in India to have dedicated lanes for cycles. It was built for the 2008 Commonwealth Youth Games.
However, recent developments in Delhi suggest that bicycle riding is fast becoming popular in the metro cities of India. The Delhi government has decided to construct separate bicycle lanes on all major roads to combat pollution and ease traffic congestion.
Private vehicles account for 30% of the total transport demand in urban areas of India. An average of 963 new private vehicles are registered every day in Delhi alone. The number of automobiles produced in India rose from 63 lakh (6.3 million) in 2002-03 to 1.1 crore (11.2 million) in 2008-09. However, India still has a very low rate of car ownership. When comparing car ownership between BRIC developing countries, it is on a par with China,and exceeded by Brazil and Russia.
Compact cars, especially hatchbacks predominate due to affordability, fuel efficiency, congestion, and lack of parking space in most cities. Maruti, Hyundai and Tata Motors are the most popular brands in the order of their market share.
Motorised two-wheelers like scooters, small capacity motorcycles and mopeds are very popular a mode of transport due to their fuel efficiency and ease of use in congested traffic. The number of two-wheelers sold is several times that of cars. There were 4.75 crore (47.5 million) powered two-wheelers in India in 2003 compared with just 86 lakh (8.6 million) cars. Yamaha, Harley Davidson, Hero Honda, Honda, TVS Motors, Bajaj Auto and Mahindra 2wheeler are the largest two-wheeler companies in terms of market-share. Royal Enfield, an iconic brand name in the country, manufactures different variants of the British Bullet motorcycle which is a classic motorcycle that is still in production.
Buses
The oldest Indian state transport undertaking is North Bengal State Transport Corporation. It is still vibrant and running providing service to hundreds of commuters of North Bengal region of West Bengal. Buses take up over 90% of public transport in Indian cities, and serve as a cheap and convenient mode of transport for all classes of society. Services are mostly run by state government owned transport corporations. However, after the economic liberalisation, many state transport corporations have introduced various facilities like low-floor buses for the disabled and air-conditioned buses to attract private car owners to help decongest roads.
New initiatives like Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) systems and air conditioned buses have been taken by the various state government to improve the bus public transport systems in cities. Bus Rapid High Capacity buses can be found in cities like Mumbai, Bengaluru, Nagpur and Chennai. Bengaluru is the first Indian city to have an air-conditioned bus stop, located near Cubbon Park. The city of Chennai houses Asia's largest bus terminus, the Chennai Mofussil Bus Terminus.
Taxi
Most of the traditional taxicabs in India are either Premier Padmini or Hindustan Ambassador cars. In recent years, cars such as Chevrolet Tavera, Maruti Esteem, Maruti Omni, Mahindra Logan, Tata Indica, Toyota Innova, Hyundai Santro and Tata Indigo have become fairly popular among taxi operators. The livery of the taxis in India varies from state-to-state. In Delhi and Maharashtra, most taxicabs have yellow-black livery while in West Bengal, taxis have yellow livery. Private taxi operators are not required to have a specific livery. However, they are required by law to be registered as commercial vehicles.
Depending on the city/state, taxis can either be hailed or hired from taxi-stands. In cities such as Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Hyderabad,taxis need to be hired over phone, whereas in cities like Kolkata and Mumbai, taxis can be hailed on the street. According to government of India regulations, all taxis are required to have a fare-meter installed. There are additional surcharges for luggage, late-night rides and toll taxes are to be paid by the passenger. Since 2006, radio taxis have become increasingly popular with the public due to reasons of safety and convenience.
In cities and localities where taxis are expensive or do not ply as per the government or municipal regulated fares, people use share taxis. These are normal taxis which carry one or more passengers travelling to destinations either en route to the final destination, or near the final destination. The passengers are charged according to the number of people with different destinations. A similar system exists for autorickshaws, known as share autos.
The city of Mumbai will soon be the first city in India, to have an "in-taxi" magazine, titled MumBaee, which will be issued to taxis which are part of the Mumbai Taximen's Union. The magazine debuted on 13 July 2009.
Sunday, February 26, 2012
Learning Journal 18
In class this Friday we discussed course contracts and finding a field studies mentor. These are two big things I am still working on. Right now I am trying to work on my 6 credits that I will be taking while in India. I think that most of these will be internship credits. I will get a lot of experience in dental clinics so the hours will add up quickly. I also hope that interviewing or some of the other things that we do to gather information will count toward internship hours and I could come home with even more hours than expected. I would probably decide to take an advanced topics for research or mentored research under my primary mentor as well. I just know that I will be pretty busy with all that I have to do and accomplish, which I am excited about because I enjoy staying busy.
There were not any Oo-Ahh moments in class this past Friday because it was mainly informative. Something that I will need to focus on is my primary mentor. If I can have a good mentor it will help my project to turn out better and be more enjoyable. Someone that I can communicate with to help change and adapt my project once I land in India will be helpful.
There were not any Oo-Ahh moments in class this past Friday because it was mainly informative. Something that I will need to focus on is my primary mentor. If I can have a good mentor it will help my project to turn out better and be more enjoyable. Someone that I can communicate with to help change and adapt my project once I land in India will be helpful.
Friday, February 24, 2012
Learning Journal 17
Today I attended another conference of field study presentations. Something that stuck out to me in the first presentation was sampling. This presenter knew a lot about how to correctly sample a population. She was able to distinguish flaws in certain types of sampling and even realized flaws within her own project. That makes me think because I want to make sure that as I gather information it is done in an unbiased manner. This presenter had taken a class about sampling, so that gave her an edge above a lot of people. What do I need to do to understand sampling better? Are we going to talk about it in class? If my research is going to be counted as valid, I will need to sample right so that I can apply the results to more than just the individuals I am talking to, but apply it to a larger population. This will be important because my data will be much more quantitative and in order for it to be accepted, it must be gathered in a reasonable manner.
Some options: find this sampling class that this presenter attended and listen to some of the lectures, look online for correct ways to sample, talk with previous researchers about how to properly select individuals. For my project, I will most likely be able to talk with a lot of people and will either need to build quick rapport, if any at all. I am still determining the method of gathering my information but it might be a quick interview or a questionnaire. Either, way I need to learn about some alternative sampling methods. I may need to learn a few methods so that if my project isn't working as planned I can switch methods. Sounds like a new topic for me to start reviewing online to help the success of my research topic!
Some options: find this sampling class that this presenter attended and listen to some of the lectures, look online for correct ways to sample, talk with previous researchers about how to properly select individuals. For my project, I will most likely be able to talk with a lot of people and will either need to build quick rapport, if any at all. I am still determining the method of gathering my information but it might be a quick interview or a questionnaire. Either, way I need to learn about some alternative sampling methods. I may need to learn a few methods so that if my project isn't working as planned I can switch methods. Sounds like a new topic for me to start reviewing online to help the success of my research topic!
Source 19
This article discusses the use of charcoal as a form of toothpaste. This is just from a natural holistic health website, so it would be interesting to see what research has been done and said about this.
Did you know about these benefits of activated charcoal?
It can adsorb lead acetate, strychnine, DDT, many drugs (including cocaine, iodine, penicillin, aspirin, phenobarbital), and inorganic substances (chlorine, lead, and mercury).
Activated charcoal powder can adsorb thousands of times its own weight in gases, heavy metals, poisons, and other chemicals; thus it renders them ineffective and harmless. As this absorption ability is one of the major benefits of activated charcoal, this substance is routinely used in hospitals and by physicians.
It can adsorb intestinal gas and deodorizes foul-smelling gases of various kinds.
Why are there so many benefits of activated charcoal?
Activated charcoal can do these various things because of its ability to attract other substances to its surface and hold them there. This is called “adsorption” (not absorption). Another one of the benefits of activated charcoal is that it can adsorb thousands of times its own weight in harmful substances. One teaspoonful of it has a surface area of more than 10,000 square feet.
The British medical journal, Lancet, discusses the amazing ability of the human skin to allow transfer of liquids, gases, and even micro-particles through its permeable membrane and pores, by the application of a moist, activated charcoal poultice and compress which actually draw bacteria and poisons through the skin and into the poultice or compress! The article describes the use of activated charcoal compresses to speed the healing of wounds and eliminate their odors. But the activated charcoal poultices must be kept moist and warm for this healing process to occur.
The History on the Benefits of Activated Charcoal:
Ancient Egyptian doctors, as well as Hippocrates (the Greek physician), recommended the use of charcoal for medicinal purposes due to the many benefits of activated charcoal. North American Indians used it for gas pains and skin infections. It eases inflammation and bruises.
Even more benefits of activated charcoal include:
A 1981 research study found that activated charcoal reduces the amount of gas produced by eating beans and other gas-forming foods. It adsorbs the excess gas, along with the bacteria which form the gas.
Another of the benefits of activated charcoal is that it helps eliminate bad breath, because it cleanses both the mouth and the digestive tract. It also helps to purify the blood.
It relieves symptoms of nervous diarrhea, traveler’s diarrhea (turista), spastic colon, indigestion, and peptic ulcers. For such problems, take between 1-1 1/2 tablespoons of powdered activated charcoal up to 3 times a day. Because food will reduce the effectiveness and benefits of activated charcoal, take it between meals. Swirl the charcoal in a glass of water and then drink it down; or mix it with olive oil and spoon it into your mouth.
Activated charcoal powder was placed in gas masks during World War I; and it effectively counteracted poison gas.
Bad odors, caused by skin ulcers, have been eliminated by placing charcoal-filled cloth over plastic casts. It has been used externally to effectively adsorb wound secretions, bacteria, and toxins. And, in an activated charcoal poultice and pack, it treats infections of the face, eyelids, skin, or extremities.
It is one of the best substances in poultices for mushroom poisoning, insect stings, brown recluse spider bites, black widow bites, and various types of snake bites. And we’re still not done listing the benefits of activated charcoal!
It is used in water purification, air purification, and for removing undesirable odors and impurities in food.
Charcoal is the most-used remedy when many different types of poisons may have been swallowed. Another of the benefits of activated charcoal is that it is also used for diarrhea and indigestion.
Another one of the benefits of activated charcoal powder is its use for jaundice of the newborn, poison oak and ivy reactions, and many other illnesses.
All research studies show activated charcoal powder to be harmless when it is accidentally inhaled, swallowed, or in contact with the skin. (But if enough is swallowed, it can cause a mild constipation.) No allergies to it have been reported. But it is best not to take activated charcoal longer than 12 weeks without stopping. Do not take it regularly for long periods of time.
No home, especially one with children, should be without Activated Charcoal Powder. You can purchase high-quality and effective Activated Charcoal Powder here and enjoy the many benefits of activated charcoal.
Charcoal from burned toast should never be used; since substances are present which are carcinogenic. Do not eat burned food. Charcoal briquettes are especially dangerous, because petro-chemicals have been added to them.
The most effective type of charcoal is the activated form. This process renders it 2 to 3 times as effective as regular charcoal. First, the charcoal is ground very fine; and then it is placed in a steam chamber. This opens up the charcoal and exposes more of its surfaces, so it can adsorb much more.
Modern medical science recognizes the many benefits of activated charcoal and uses Activated Charcoal USP, a pure, naturally produced wood charcoal carbon that has no carcinogenic properties.
Activated charcoal powder must be stored in a tightly sealed container, because it readily adsorbs impurities from the atmosphere. (Leaving the top off a container of charcoal will partially purify the room it is in, to the degree that the air in the room comes in contact with the charcoal.)
Simply place some in water, stir, and swallow. Or apply it to the skin’s surface. It is odorless and tasteless. Powdered, activated charcoal achieves maximum adsorption within a minute or so after absorption.
Charcoal can also be placed in empty gelatin capsules and swallowed. (Gelatin is usually processed from animals.) But they will act more slowly than swallowing the powder mixed with water. Activated charcoal powder can also be mixed with a little fruit juice before being swallowed; but, of course, it will adsorb that also. This should not be a problem if the juice is diluted or there is a sufficient amount of charcoal in it.
Activated charcoal is required by law to be part of the standard equipment on many ambulances, in case poisoning is encountered. Due to the many benefits of activated charcoal, is the first choice of the medical profession.
Scientific experiments, conducted over a period of many years, confirm the benefits of activated charcoal and attest to the effectiveness of charcoal as an antidote. In one experiment, 100 times the lethal dose of cobra venom was mixed with charcoal and injected into a laboratory animal. The animal was not harmed.
In other experiments, arsenic and strychnine were thoroughly mixed with charcoal and then swallowed by humans under laboratory conditions. The subjects survived, even though the poison dosages were 5 to 10 times the lethal dose.
Because medicinal drugs are chemical compounds, they are all poisons to a greater or lesser degree. Because of this, if charcoal is taken with them, or soon afterward, it will tend to adsorb and inactivate the drugs. Therefore, physicians recommend that you only take charcoal two hours before or two hours after taking a medicinal drug.
Physicians recognize the benefits of activated charcoal and primarily use activated charcoal powder for eight different purposes. Here they are:
1 – To treat poisonous bites from snakes, spiders, and insects (38).
2 – To treat poisonings in general, as well as overdoses of aspirin, Tylenol, and other drugs.
3 – To treat some forms of dysentery, diarrhea, dyspepsia, and foot-and-mouth disease.
4 – To disinfect and deodorize wounds.
5 – To eliminate toxic by-products that cause anemia in cancer patients.
6 – To filter toxins from the blood in liver and kidney diseases.
7 – To purify blood in transfusions.
Although activated charcoal can be used as an antidote in poisoning from most drugs and chemicals, it will not be effective against the following: cyanide, alcohol, caustic alkalies (such as lye), mineral acids, or boric acids. Strong alkaline and acid poisons need to be treated with solutions with the opposite pH.
For example, until the ambulance arrives, calcium powder in water will help offset acids and vinegar will help offset alkalies. Consult a Poison Control Center (phone numbers are in the front of your phone book) or a doctor immediately, for instructions and information in any poisoning emergency.
When mixed with water and swallowed to counteract poisoning, activated charcoal powder adsorbs the poison or drug, inactivating it. It then carries it inert through the entire length of the digestive tract and out of the body. One of the benefits of activated charcoal is that it is not absorbed, adsorbed, neutralized, nor metabolized by the body.
No home, especially one with children, should be without Activated Charcoal Powder. You can purchase high-quality and effective Activated Charcoal Powder here and enjoy the many benefits of activated charcoal.
In a poisoning emergency, if the victim is conscious, first induce vomiting (unless he has swallowed an acid) if it can be done quickly. Ipecac is a commonly used emetic. The dosage is 1/2 oz. for children and 1 oz. for adults. Induced vomiting will bring up about 30% of the poison from the stomach.
Then give the activated charcoal to help inactivate the remaining 70%. The usual dose is 5-50 grams of charcoal, depending on age and body size. Adults should be given at least 30 grams (about half a cup of lightly packed powder), depending on the amount of poison ingested. Larger doses will be needed if the person has eaten a meal recently.
A dose of 200 grams is not excessive in cases of severe poisoning. The activated charcoal will reach its maximum rate of adsorption within one minute. The sooner it is given, the more complete will be the adsorption of the poison. Always keep a large jar of activated charcoal in your kitchen! The dose can be repeated every four hours or until charcoal appears in the stool.
Never give activated charcoal, or anything else, to an unconscious person to swallow. Contact a physician or ambulance immediately.
Do not give charcoal before giving an emetic (to get him to vomit), because the charcoal will neutralize the emetic. Remember that activated charcoal will not work in cases of poisoning by strong acids or alkalies.
More Benefits of Activated Charcoal – Here is a sampling of over 100 substances which are adsorbed by activated charcoal powder:
Acetaminophen / Aconitine / Amitriptyline / hydrochloride / Amphetamine / Antimony / Antipyrine / Arsenic / Aspirin / Atropine / Barbital, Barbiturates / Ben-Gay / Benzodiazepines / Cantharides / Camphor / Chlordane / Chloroquine / Chlorpheniramine / Chlorpromazine / Cocaine / Colchicine / Congesprin / Contact / Dalmane / Darvon / Delphinium / Diazepam / 2-, 4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid / Digitalis (Foxglove) / Dilantin / Diphenylhydantoin / Diphenoxylates / Doriden / Doxepin / Elaterin / Elavil / Equanil / Ergotamine / Ethchlorvynol / Gasoline / Glutethimide / Golden chain / Hemlock / Hexachlorophene / Imipramine / Iodine / Ipecac / Isoniazid / Kerosene / Lead acetate / Malathion / Mefenamic acid / Meprobamate / Mercuric chloride / Mercury / Methylene blue / Methyl salicylate / Miltown / Morphine / Multivitamins and minerals / Muscarine / Narcotics / Neguvon / Nicotine / Nortriptyline / Nytol / Opium / Oxazepam / Parathion / Penicillin / Pentazocine / Pentobarbital / Pesticides / Phenobarbital / Phenolphthalein / Phenol / Phenothiazines / Phenylpropanolamine / Placidyl / Potassium permanganate / Primaquine / Propantheline / Propoxyphene / Quinacrine / Quinidine / Quinine / Radioactive substances / Salicylamide / Salicylates / secobarbital / Selenium / Serax / Silver / Sinequan / Sodium Salicylate / Sominex / Stramonium / Strychnine / Sulfonamides / Talwin / Tofranil / Tree tobacco / Yew / Valium / Veratrine / Some silver and antimony salts / Many herbicides
Therapeutic Action: Activated Charcoal Powder works by ADSORPTION, which is an Electrical Action, rather than Absorption, which is a Mechanical Action. Activated Charcoal Powder ADSORBS MOST Organic and Inorganic Chemicals, that do NOT belong in the Body, but it does NOT ADSORB Nutrients! The benefits of activated charcoal, as you can see, seem nearly limitless!
Did you know about these benefits of activated charcoal?
It can adsorb lead acetate, strychnine, DDT, many drugs (including cocaine, iodine, penicillin, aspirin, phenobarbital), and inorganic substances (chlorine, lead, and mercury).
Activated charcoal powder can adsorb thousands of times its own weight in gases, heavy metals, poisons, and other chemicals; thus it renders them ineffective and harmless. As this absorption ability is one of the major benefits of activated charcoal, this substance is routinely used in hospitals and by physicians.
It can adsorb intestinal gas and deodorizes foul-smelling gases of various kinds.
Why are there so many benefits of activated charcoal?
Activated charcoal can do these various things because of its ability to attract other substances to its surface and hold them there. This is called “adsorption” (not absorption). Another one of the benefits of activated charcoal is that it can adsorb thousands of times its own weight in harmful substances. One teaspoonful of it has a surface area of more than 10,000 square feet.
The British medical journal, Lancet, discusses the amazing ability of the human skin to allow transfer of liquids, gases, and even micro-particles through its permeable membrane and pores, by the application of a moist, activated charcoal poultice and compress which actually draw bacteria and poisons through the skin and into the poultice or compress! The article describes the use of activated charcoal compresses to speed the healing of wounds and eliminate their odors. But the activated charcoal poultices must be kept moist and warm for this healing process to occur.
The History on the Benefits of Activated Charcoal:
Ancient Egyptian doctors, as well as Hippocrates (the Greek physician), recommended the use of charcoal for medicinal purposes due to the many benefits of activated charcoal. North American Indians used it for gas pains and skin infections. It eases inflammation and bruises.
Even more benefits of activated charcoal include:
A 1981 research study found that activated charcoal reduces the amount of gas produced by eating beans and other gas-forming foods. It adsorbs the excess gas, along with the bacteria which form the gas.
Another of the benefits of activated charcoal is that it helps eliminate bad breath, because it cleanses both the mouth and the digestive tract. It also helps to purify the blood.
It relieves symptoms of nervous diarrhea, traveler’s diarrhea (turista), spastic colon, indigestion, and peptic ulcers. For such problems, take between 1-1 1/2 tablespoons of powdered activated charcoal up to 3 times a day. Because food will reduce the effectiveness and benefits of activated charcoal, take it between meals. Swirl the charcoal in a glass of water and then drink it down; or mix it with olive oil and spoon it into your mouth.
Activated charcoal powder was placed in gas masks during World War I; and it effectively counteracted poison gas.
Bad odors, caused by skin ulcers, have been eliminated by placing charcoal-filled cloth over plastic casts. It has been used externally to effectively adsorb wound secretions, bacteria, and toxins. And, in an activated charcoal poultice and pack, it treats infections of the face, eyelids, skin, or extremities.
It is one of the best substances in poultices for mushroom poisoning, insect stings, brown recluse spider bites, black widow bites, and various types of snake bites. And we’re still not done listing the benefits of activated charcoal!
It is used in water purification, air purification, and for removing undesirable odors and impurities in food.
Charcoal is the most-used remedy when many different types of poisons may have been swallowed. Another of the benefits of activated charcoal is that it is also used for diarrhea and indigestion.
Another one of the benefits of activated charcoal powder is its use for jaundice of the newborn, poison oak and ivy reactions, and many other illnesses.
All research studies show activated charcoal powder to be harmless when it is accidentally inhaled, swallowed, or in contact with the skin. (But if enough is swallowed, it can cause a mild constipation.) No allergies to it have been reported. But it is best not to take activated charcoal longer than 12 weeks without stopping. Do not take it regularly for long periods of time.
No home, especially one with children, should be without Activated Charcoal Powder. You can purchase high-quality and effective Activated Charcoal Powder here and enjoy the many benefits of activated charcoal.
Charcoal from burned toast should never be used; since substances are present which are carcinogenic. Do not eat burned food. Charcoal briquettes are especially dangerous, because petro-chemicals have been added to them.
The most effective type of charcoal is the activated form. This process renders it 2 to 3 times as effective as regular charcoal. First, the charcoal is ground very fine; and then it is placed in a steam chamber. This opens up the charcoal and exposes more of its surfaces, so it can adsorb much more.
Modern medical science recognizes the many benefits of activated charcoal and uses Activated Charcoal USP, a pure, naturally produced wood charcoal carbon that has no carcinogenic properties.
Activated charcoal powder must be stored in a tightly sealed container, because it readily adsorbs impurities from the atmosphere. (Leaving the top off a container of charcoal will partially purify the room it is in, to the degree that the air in the room comes in contact with the charcoal.)
Simply place some in water, stir, and swallow. Or apply it to the skin’s surface. It is odorless and tasteless. Powdered, activated charcoal achieves maximum adsorption within a minute or so after absorption.
Charcoal can also be placed in empty gelatin capsules and swallowed. (Gelatin is usually processed from animals.) But they will act more slowly than swallowing the powder mixed with water. Activated charcoal powder can also be mixed with a little fruit juice before being swallowed; but, of course, it will adsorb that also. This should not be a problem if the juice is diluted or there is a sufficient amount of charcoal in it.
Activated charcoal is required by law to be part of the standard equipment on many ambulances, in case poisoning is encountered. Due to the many benefits of activated charcoal, is the first choice of the medical profession.
Scientific experiments, conducted over a period of many years, confirm the benefits of activated charcoal and attest to the effectiveness of charcoal as an antidote. In one experiment, 100 times the lethal dose of cobra venom was mixed with charcoal and injected into a laboratory animal. The animal was not harmed.
In other experiments, arsenic and strychnine were thoroughly mixed with charcoal and then swallowed by humans under laboratory conditions. The subjects survived, even though the poison dosages were 5 to 10 times the lethal dose.
Because medicinal drugs are chemical compounds, they are all poisons to a greater or lesser degree. Because of this, if charcoal is taken with them, or soon afterward, it will tend to adsorb and inactivate the drugs. Therefore, physicians recommend that you only take charcoal two hours before or two hours after taking a medicinal drug.
Physicians recognize the benefits of activated charcoal and primarily use activated charcoal powder for eight different purposes. Here they are:
1 – To treat poisonous bites from snakes, spiders, and insects (38).
2 – To treat poisonings in general, as well as overdoses of aspirin, Tylenol, and other drugs.
3 – To treat some forms of dysentery, diarrhea, dyspepsia, and foot-and-mouth disease.
4 – To disinfect and deodorize wounds.
5 – To eliminate toxic by-products that cause anemia in cancer patients.
6 – To filter toxins from the blood in liver and kidney diseases.
7 – To purify blood in transfusions.
Although activated charcoal can be used as an antidote in poisoning from most drugs and chemicals, it will not be effective against the following: cyanide, alcohol, caustic alkalies (such as lye), mineral acids, or boric acids. Strong alkaline and acid poisons need to be treated with solutions with the opposite pH.
For example, until the ambulance arrives, calcium powder in water will help offset acids and vinegar will help offset alkalies. Consult a Poison Control Center (phone numbers are in the front of your phone book) or a doctor immediately, for instructions and information in any poisoning emergency.
When mixed with water and swallowed to counteract poisoning, activated charcoal powder adsorbs the poison or drug, inactivating it. It then carries it inert through the entire length of the digestive tract and out of the body. One of the benefits of activated charcoal is that it is not absorbed, adsorbed, neutralized, nor metabolized by the body.
No home, especially one with children, should be without Activated Charcoal Powder. You can purchase high-quality and effective Activated Charcoal Powder here and enjoy the many benefits of activated charcoal.
In a poisoning emergency, if the victim is conscious, first induce vomiting (unless he has swallowed an acid) if it can be done quickly. Ipecac is a commonly used emetic. The dosage is 1/2 oz. for children and 1 oz. for adults. Induced vomiting will bring up about 30% of the poison from the stomach.
Then give the activated charcoal to help inactivate the remaining 70%. The usual dose is 5-50 grams of charcoal, depending on age and body size. Adults should be given at least 30 grams (about half a cup of lightly packed powder), depending on the amount of poison ingested. Larger doses will be needed if the person has eaten a meal recently.
A dose of 200 grams is not excessive in cases of severe poisoning. The activated charcoal will reach its maximum rate of adsorption within one minute. The sooner it is given, the more complete will be the adsorption of the poison. Always keep a large jar of activated charcoal in your kitchen! The dose can be repeated every four hours or until charcoal appears in the stool.
Never give activated charcoal, or anything else, to an unconscious person to swallow. Contact a physician or ambulance immediately.
Do not give charcoal before giving an emetic (to get him to vomit), because the charcoal will neutralize the emetic. Remember that activated charcoal will not work in cases of poisoning by strong acids or alkalies.
More Benefits of Activated Charcoal – Here is a sampling of over 100 substances which are adsorbed by activated charcoal powder:
Acetaminophen / Aconitine / Amitriptyline / hydrochloride / Amphetamine / Antimony / Antipyrine / Arsenic / Aspirin / Atropine / Barbital, Barbiturates / Ben-Gay / Benzodiazepines / Cantharides / Camphor / Chlordane / Chloroquine / Chlorpheniramine / Chlorpromazine / Cocaine / Colchicine / Congesprin / Contact / Dalmane / Darvon / Delphinium / Diazepam / 2-, 4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid / Digitalis (Foxglove) / Dilantin / Diphenylhydantoin / Diphenoxylates / Doriden / Doxepin / Elaterin / Elavil / Equanil / Ergotamine / Ethchlorvynol / Gasoline / Glutethimide / Golden chain / Hemlock / Hexachlorophene / Imipramine / Iodine / Ipecac / Isoniazid / Kerosene / Lead acetate / Malathion / Mefenamic acid / Meprobamate / Mercuric chloride / Mercury / Methylene blue / Methyl salicylate / Miltown / Morphine / Multivitamins and minerals / Muscarine / Narcotics / Neguvon / Nicotine / Nortriptyline / Nytol / Opium / Oxazepam / Parathion / Penicillin / Pentazocine / Pentobarbital / Pesticides / Phenobarbital / Phenolphthalein / Phenol / Phenothiazines / Phenylpropanolamine / Placidyl / Potassium permanganate / Primaquine / Propantheline / Propoxyphene / Quinacrine / Quinidine / Quinine / Radioactive substances / Salicylamide / Salicylates / secobarbital / Selenium / Serax / Silver / Sinequan / Sodium Salicylate / Sominex / Stramonium / Strychnine / Sulfonamides / Talwin / Tofranil / Tree tobacco / Yew / Valium / Veratrine / Some silver and antimony salts / Many herbicides
Therapeutic Action: Activated Charcoal Powder works by ADSORPTION, which is an Electrical Action, rather than Absorption, which is a Mechanical Action. Activated Charcoal Powder ADSORBS MOST Organic and Inorganic Chemicals, that do NOT belong in the Body, but it does NOT ADSORB Nutrients! The benefits of activated charcoal, as you can see, seem nearly limitless!
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Source 18
National Consumer Attitudes Survey reveals neglect of oral health
-2 out of 3 consumers have never visited a dentist; only 3% visit a dentist regularly
-Only 47% of treatments are by dentists, the rest rely on advice from chemists, general practitioners or self-treatment
-Highest awareness is for toothache and tooth decay, yet only 50% are concerned
Almost one fifth suffer from tooth sensitivity, yet half of them do not do anything about it
Mumbai, August 20, 2009: A new national consumer usage and attitudes survey (CUAS) conducted across the four geographic zones in India, comprising a total of 11,324 interviews by IMRB and sponsored by Colgate-Palmolive (India) Limited has revealed that dental problems in India are reflected in the low awareness levels and poor oral hygiene habits. The survey showed that 49% associate dental problems with lifestyle related reasons such as ‘improper eating habits’ and ‘not leading a healthy lifestyle’. Almost half of the respondents relate dental problems to lack of a daily oral care regimen such as ‘regular brushing at least twice a day’.
According to the survey, 67% of Indians have never visited a dentist and around 87% of the Indian population does not believe in visiting dentists unless there is a problem. Only 3 out every 100 respondents said they visited dentists at least once a year. By contrast, the global average for people visiting dentists is 57%.
Because a majority of consumers tend to follow a remedial path where they seek professional dental care only at the time of painful toothaches, there is low awareness of the benefit of a low pain, preventive care approach to regular brushing twice a day and preventive care visits to the dentists at least twice a year. This is reflected in the CUAS findings which show that:
Only 47% of total treatments received are by dentists - the rest prefer to rely on advice from chemists, general practitioners or self-treatment using home remedies and brushing
Of 70% who suffer from cavities/ decay, only 58% visit the dentist
Of 53% who suffer from mouth odor, only 11% visit the dentist
Of 64% who suffer from gum bleeding, only 28% visit the dentist
Of 63% who suffer from mouth ulcers, only 21% visit the dentist
Dr. Ashok Dhoble, Hon. Secretary General, Indian Dental Association said, “Oral health is very important and critical for the overall health. Numerous studies over the years investigating the mouth-body connection have suggested an association between oral health and general health. Research has also shown that dental diseases can best be prevented through early detection and primary prevention. Children, right from the age of three should be made aware of basics like the importance of brushing teeth twice a day, cleaning teeth and gums properly and other oral care information. Starting early will make oral hygiene not a practice but a habit with them.”
The survey revealed that the low oral health awareness is reflected in the consumer’s daily habits:
Only 51% brush with a toothpaste and a toothbrush
Only 19% of respondents feel it is essential to brush at night
Only 28% of respondents brush teeth at least twice a day
According to the survey, the most important triggers to brush teeth are to keep breath fresh and remove the food particles.
According to India’s last National Oral Health Survey (2002-2003), a detailed nation-wide epidemiological study, dental caries (tooth decay) is prevalent among 63.1% of 15 year olds and as much as 80.2% among adults in the age group of 35-44 years. Periodontal diseases (gum diseases) are prevalent in 67.7% of 15 year olds and as much as 89.6% of 35-44 year olds. The mean DMFT (decayed, missing, filled teeth) score is 2.4 in 15 year olds and as high as 5.4 among 35-44 year olds.
http://www.colgate.co.in/app/Colgate/IN/Corp/PressRoom/CommunityArchives.cvsp?newsArticle=News_210809
This article is neat because it answers a lot of the questions that I will be asking while in India. I will be addressing more questions and identifying a specific age group which will be beneficial for further study.
-2 out of 3 consumers have never visited a dentist; only 3% visit a dentist regularly
-Only 47% of treatments are by dentists, the rest rely on advice from chemists, general practitioners or self-treatment
-Highest awareness is for toothache and tooth decay, yet only 50% are concerned
Almost one fifth suffer from tooth sensitivity, yet half of them do not do anything about it
Mumbai, August 20, 2009: A new national consumer usage and attitudes survey (CUAS) conducted across the four geographic zones in India, comprising a total of 11,324 interviews by IMRB and sponsored by Colgate-Palmolive (India) Limited has revealed that dental problems in India are reflected in the low awareness levels and poor oral hygiene habits. The survey showed that 49% associate dental problems with lifestyle related reasons such as ‘improper eating habits’ and ‘not leading a healthy lifestyle’. Almost half of the respondents relate dental problems to lack of a daily oral care regimen such as ‘regular brushing at least twice a day’.
According to the survey, 67% of Indians have never visited a dentist and around 87% of the Indian population does not believe in visiting dentists unless there is a problem. Only 3 out every 100 respondents said they visited dentists at least once a year. By contrast, the global average for people visiting dentists is 57%.
Because a majority of consumers tend to follow a remedial path where they seek professional dental care only at the time of painful toothaches, there is low awareness of the benefit of a low pain, preventive care approach to regular brushing twice a day and preventive care visits to the dentists at least twice a year. This is reflected in the CUAS findings which show that:
Only 47% of total treatments received are by dentists - the rest prefer to rely on advice from chemists, general practitioners or self-treatment using home remedies and brushing
Of 70% who suffer from cavities/ decay, only 58% visit the dentist
Of 53% who suffer from mouth odor, only 11% visit the dentist
Of 64% who suffer from gum bleeding, only 28% visit the dentist
Of 63% who suffer from mouth ulcers, only 21% visit the dentist
Dr. Ashok Dhoble, Hon. Secretary General, Indian Dental Association said, “Oral health is very important and critical for the overall health. Numerous studies over the years investigating the mouth-body connection have suggested an association between oral health and general health. Research has also shown that dental diseases can best be prevented through early detection and primary prevention. Children, right from the age of three should be made aware of basics like the importance of brushing teeth twice a day, cleaning teeth and gums properly and other oral care information. Starting early will make oral hygiene not a practice but a habit with them.”
The survey revealed that the low oral health awareness is reflected in the consumer’s daily habits:
Only 51% brush with a toothpaste and a toothbrush
Only 19% of respondents feel it is essential to brush at night
Only 28% of respondents brush teeth at least twice a day
According to the survey, the most important triggers to brush teeth are to keep breath fresh and remove the food particles.
According to India’s last National Oral Health Survey (2002-2003), a detailed nation-wide epidemiological study, dental caries (tooth decay) is prevalent among 63.1% of 15 year olds and as much as 80.2% among adults in the age group of 35-44 years. Periodontal diseases (gum diseases) are prevalent in 67.7% of 15 year olds and as much as 89.6% of 35-44 year olds. The mean DMFT (decayed, missing, filled teeth) score is 2.4 in 15 year olds and as high as 5.4 among 35-44 year olds.
http://www.colgate.co.in/app/Colgate/IN/Corp/PressRoom/CommunityArchives.cvsp?newsArticle=News_210809
This article is neat because it answers a lot of the questions that I will be asking while in India. I will be addressing more questions and identifying a specific age group which will be beneficial for further study.
Learning Journal 16
I attended a conference meeting on Tuesday and was able to listen to three different speakers discuss their findings regarding physical activity. First off, this observation gave me a good idea of how presenting a field study project goes. Secondly, I learned a great amount just from hearing the type of projects that these three individuals did in their respective areas. The thing that I noticed across the board was how projects did not go the way that people intended them to. I think all of them referenced the word 'change' and how their projects required adjusting. I thought it was interesting because no matter how much we prepare and get ready in our prep class, there are still going to be changes that need to be made when we arrive. The idea is to accomplish as much as we can before we fly over there, but there will be some things that are done in person. One of the speakers mentioned how she has been on two field studies, the first time everything failed but the second time everything seemed to work. It seems that some times things just don't work out, but other times things seem to play out. I guess as a student preparing to go on a field study, I need to be prepared for both.
It was interesting to listen to some of the conclusions that each researcher came to. I guess I am used to hearing yes, true, valid, correct or no, false, invalid, incorrect conclusions from a research paper. The thing about these research topics is that there is no yes or no answer all the time. Oftentimes connections can be drawn that give you a better idea about a topic, but rarely is something observed where a final deduction can be made. Sometimes the presenters said, I don't know what conclusions I can draw but I enjoyed the learning experience.
I hope to be able to accomplish both. I know that my type of research will give results that will be quantifiable, so there will be some conclusions made. Other parts of my data will involve connecting the two topics and determining what ties them together.
I look forward to actually listening to more presents this Friday and hearing what sort of results they got while doing their research.
It was interesting to listen to some of the conclusions that each researcher came to. I guess I am used to hearing yes, true, valid, correct or no, false, invalid, incorrect conclusions from a research paper. The thing about these research topics is that there is no yes or no answer all the time. Oftentimes connections can be drawn that give you a better idea about a topic, but rarely is something observed where a final deduction can be made. Sometimes the presenters said, I don't know what conclusions I can draw but I enjoyed the learning experience.
I hope to be able to accomplish both. I know that my type of research will give results that will be quantifiable, so there will be some conclusions made. Other parts of my data will involve connecting the two topics and determining what ties them together.
I look forward to actually listening to more presents this Friday and hearing what sort of results they got while doing their research.
Saturday, February 18, 2012
Learning Journal 15
So today I decided I would talk about interviewing. I learned a lot from my experience. I haven't thought too much about what sort of questions I would ask people so it was good to be able to sit down and talk as if I were interviewing someone in India. I learned a lot about the kind of responses I will get. I think I will be looking for questions that can be answered fairly easily in a questionnaire style, but it was good to get an idea of the level of thinking that the individual does when answering them. Some of the questions were very straight forward and direct, while other questions took more time to respond and develop more of a thought. I need to decide if I want to incorporate both or stick with one style. I could gather a lot of data from a lot of people if I did a questionnaire, or gather more in depth and personal data from less people. I guess it just depends on what sort of paper I want to put together, feelings toward dentistry or a statistical analysis. I think I might do a statistical analysis with aspects of feelings. Most of my survey would include easy to answer questions and then I might ask one or two questions to the individual afterward and take jottings.
I enjoyed being able to ask as many questions as I could possibly think of that related to dental care. I look forward to building rapport like it mentioned in the reading we did. It is important for them to trust you so that they will give open and honest answers. Once they trust you then they will also start to open up more about and give you information that you might not have even asked for. I can't wait to build rapport with people, I think the mission has helped a lot with this. But I will be in a completely different country, so it could be interesting. My big focus will be college students so I am excited to try and build quick rapport with them as I ask them to fill out a survey or answer some questions. We may get blown off a lot since they will be busy, but us being white on campus could also spark curiosity. It will be cool to develop ways of getting people to stop and talk to us.
I enjoyed being able to ask as many questions as I could possibly think of that related to dental care. I look forward to building rapport like it mentioned in the reading we did. It is important for them to trust you so that they will give open and honest answers. Once they trust you then they will also start to open up more about and give you information that you might not have even asked for. I can't wait to build rapport with people, I think the mission has helped a lot with this. But I will be in a completely different country, so it could be interesting. My big focus will be college students so I am excited to try and build quick rapport with them as I ask them to fill out a survey or answer some questions. We may get blown off a lot since they will be busy, but us being white on campus could also spark curiosity. It will be cool to develop ways of getting people to stop and talk to us.
Source 17
The title of this journal was "Oral hygiene practices and habits among dental professionals in Chennai".
The purpose of this study was to investigate the oral hygiene practices and habits among practicing general dentists as well to know their opinions on the use of tobacco and its products on periodontal health and oral health.
Oral self care practices have been proved to be an effective preventive measure at individual level for maintaining good oral health as part of general health. Studies have shown that brushing, particularly with fluoride tooth pastes, reduces dental caries, but the effect of oral hygiene on periodontitis has not been clearly demonstrated.
It has been shown that health practices of physicians determine what they tell their patients. A similar trend can be anticipated among dental practitioners as well. Oral diseases are primarily considered behavioral diseases, thus adopting healthy habits is essential to control them. Dental health practices are predominantly learned from a combination of sources: the dental profession, through professional learning and through personal and parental influences.
The direct causes for the current improvement in oral health include improved nutrition and diet, regular use of fluoride and better oral hygiene. [13] Recommended oral self care (ROSC) includes tooth brushing more than once a day, eating sugary snacks less daily and regular use of fluoride tooth paste.
Regular dental checkups [4] and non-smoking [5] are recommended for maintaining optimal oral health. To improve oral health of the populations, WHO has set the promotion of self care of as one of the goals for the year 2020. [6] Recommended oral self care (ROSC) includes tooth brushing more than once a day, lesser consumption of sugar containing snacks once daily or rarely and regular use of fluoride containing tooth paste. Since dentists are expected to be role models to their patients, evaluation of ROSC of dentists themselves will provide an estimate of the extent to which they follow ROSC.
A total of 700 dentists completed and returned the questionnaire and the results were statistically analyzed and compared gender wise, age wise regarding oral hygiene practices, dental attendance ,smoking, professional reading and concepts about tobacco use.
Oral hygiene practices
More than half of the dentists (55.9%) reported that they brushed twice a day and used a fluoridated tooth paste always while brushing (55.1%). 59.4% reported that they had a sugar containing snack or drink between meals rarely. 9.2% of them reported that they flossed at least once daily [Table 1].
About 19.6% of dental professionals followed the recommended level of the three behaviors included in recommended oral self care (ROSC). In the above 45 years age group, a prominent gender difference was seen - 56.3% for women against 16.7% for men. The overall ROSC scores were higher for women than men in all categories except in the 35 - 44 years age group were men had a better ROSC as compared to women.
Dental attendance
Looking into attendance, 35.7% (250 dentists) reported that they go for a dental check up only when there is a problem and 34% reported regular dental checkups every six months; 40.3% (282) of dentists had gone for a dental check up within the last six months and 24.7% (173) of dentists had a dental check up within the last one year. About 69.3% (485) of dental professionals had no decayed teeth and 27.9% (195) had 1 - 4 decayed teeth; 81.1% (568 dentists) were non smokers, 5.7% (40 dentists) used tobacco products and 5.1% used tobacco products but had quit the habit now.
Smoking
Out of 700 respondents, 568 were non-smokers; four out of five dentists had never used tobacco products; 18.1% had used tobacco products at sometime and this was greatest in the less than 35 years age group. Compared to men, the usage of tobacco among women was lesser and it was lesser among older age groups. Those who use tobacco products were found to brush more often (61% vs. 55%), consume less sugar containing snacks between meals (43% vs. 63%), use fluoride containing paste regularly (67% vs. 53%) and follow ROSC (21% vs. 19%). Non tobacco users were found to floss regularly when compared to those who use tobacco products (3% vs. 11%).
Professional reading
Among the 700 dental professionals, 85.6% of them were postgraduates; 558 read both national and international dental journals and 11.6% read international journals alone. It can be expected that those with a wider range of professional reading will follow the recommended oral self care and are more likely to brush twice a day, use a fluoridated tooth paste regularly and consume less of sugary snacks between meals.
This is interesting because it shows the level of understanding among practicing dentist and in turn what gets relayed to their patients. Thus, ultimately affecting all dental patients in some way.
The purpose of this study was to investigate the oral hygiene practices and habits among practicing general dentists as well to know their opinions on the use of tobacco and its products on periodontal health and oral health.
Oral self care practices have been proved to be an effective preventive measure at individual level for maintaining good oral health as part of general health. Studies have shown that brushing, particularly with fluoride tooth pastes, reduces dental caries, but the effect of oral hygiene on periodontitis has not been clearly demonstrated.
It has been shown that health practices of physicians determine what they tell their patients. A similar trend can be anticipated among dental practitioners as well. Oral diseases are primarily considered behavioral diseases, thus adopting healthy habits is essential to control them. Dental health practices are predominantly learned from a combination of sources: the dental profession, through professional learning and through personal and parental influences.
The direct causes for the current improvement in oral health include improved nutrition and diet, regular use of fluoride and better oral hygiene. [13] Recommended oral self care (ROSC) includes tooth brushing more than once a day, eating sugary snacks less daily and regular use of fluoride tooth paste.
Regular dental checkups [4] and non-smoking [5] are recommended for maintaining optimal oral health. To improve oral health of the populations, WHO has set the promotion of self care of as one of the goals for the year 2020. [6] Recommended oral self care (ROSC) includes tooth brushing more than once a day, lesser consumption of sugar containing snacks once daily or rarely and regular use of fluoride containing tooth paste. Since dentists are expected to be role models to their patients, evaluation of ROSC of dentists themselves will provide an estimate of the extent to which they follow ROSC.
A total of 700 dentists completed and returned the questionnaire and the results were statistically analyzed and compared gender wise, age wise regarding oral hygiene practices, dental attendance ,smoking, professional reading and concepts about tobacco use.
Oral hygiene practices
More than half of the dentists (55.9%) reported that they brushed twice a day and used a fluoridated tooth paste always while brushing (55.1%). 59.4% reported that they had a sugar containing snack or drink between meals rarely. 9.2% of them reported that they flossed at least once daily [Table 1].
About 19.6% of dental professionals followed the recommended level of the three behaviors included in recommended oral self care (ROSC). In the above 45 years age group, a prominent gender difference was seen - 56.3% for women against 16.7% for men. The overall ROSC scores were higher for women than men in all categories except in the 35 - 44 years age group were men had a better ROSC as compared to women.
Dental attendance
Looking into attendance, 35.7% (250 dentists) reported that they go for a dental check up only when there is a problem and 34% reported regular dental checkups every six months; 40.3% (282) of dentists had gone for a dental check up within the last six months and 24.7% (173) of dentists had a dental check up within the last one year. About 69.3% (485) of dental professionals had no decayed teeth and 27.9% (195) had 1 - 4 decayed teeth; 81.1% (568 dentists) were non smokers, 5.7% (40 dentists) used tobacco products and 5.1% used tobacco products but had quit the habit now.
Smoking
Out of 700 respondents, 568 were non-smokers; four out of five dentists had never used tobacco products; 18.1% had used tobacco products at sometime and this was greatest in the less than 35 years age group. Compared to men, the usage of tobacco among women was lesser and it was lesser among older age groups. Those who use tobacco products were found to brush more often (61% vs. 55%), consume less sugar containing snacks between meals (43% vs. 63%), use fluoride containing paste regularly (67% vs. 53%) and follow ROSC (21% vs. 19%). Non tobacco users were found to floss regularly when compared to those who use tobacco products (3% vs. 11%).
Professional reading
Among the 700 dental professionals, 85.6% of them were postgraduates; 558 read both national and international dental journals and 11.6% read international journals alone. It can be expected that those with a wider range of professional reading will follow the recommended oral self care and are more likely to brush twice a day, use a fluoridated tooth paste regularly and consume less of sugary snacks between meals.
This is interesting because it shows the level of understanding among practicing dentist and in turn what gets relayed to their patients. Thus, ultimately affecting all dental patients in some way.
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Source 16
The aim of the present study was to assess the oral health practices, status and treatment needs of the rural elderly in national capital territory of Delhi. An effort was also made to identify patterns of utilization of dental services and test alternate strategies for service provision. A total of 96 elderly subjects (47 males and 49 females) in 5 rural areas were interviewed and clinically examined using Basic Oral Health Survey criteria of W.H.O. This was followed by a community trial in which the 5 villages were divided into control and test groups. Results of the survey found that both traditional as well as modern oral health practices co-exist in the rural community. Dental services were available to a majority (mostly through private sector), and edentulousness was a condition of primary concern among the elderly as a result of unmet treatment needs for dental caries and periodontal diseases. Age was a variable that was statistically significantly associated with edentulousness (p=0.005). Results of the community trial showed that higher utilization of care can be achieved by providing on-site dental care as compared to referring cases to tertiary care centers. Nevertheless provision of treatment alone is not a suitable policy recommendation since many elderly did not avail care even at on-site community dental health programmes that were operated free of cost. This emphasizes the need of health education over treatment in order to empower the elderly, especially the non-ambulatory patients, to practice prevention and develop favourable attitudes towards accepting prompt treatment at primary health care level.
The demographic distribution of the sample was similar to the actual profile of the rural population in Delhi, which implies that findings of this study have a generalization value.
The predominant oral hygiene aid reported was toothbrush (43.7%) although a number of subjects (21.9%) also reported using Datun, which is a scientifically accepted indigenous oral hygiene aid used widely in many rural parts of India Datun or chewing sticks, are derived from the Neem tree (Azadirachtaindica, family Meliaceae) that has antipyretic, antiseptic and insecticide properties as described by Elvin Lewis M and Lewis ALI. Azadirachta indica is also used to treat skin diseases, manufacture soap and toothpaste. No other oral hygiene aid was reportedly being used by the subjects, which is an observation similar to that reported in Chinese population by Schwarz LP and Lo ECM who found that the use of dental floss was very uncommon, only 21 subjects reported using fluoridated toothpaste and a little over half the subjects (52%) changed their toothbrushes within 3 months. These findings reflect paucity of proper information on contemporary plaque control devices. However most subjects (87.5%) reported rinsing their mouth with water always after meals, which is a healthy cultural practice followed in India Over half the subjects (58.3%) reported snacking in-between meals, which is an unsafe dental health practice as documented by Murray JJ.
History of smoking tobacco was reported by one-quarter (27.1 %) of the subjects, both males and females. Of these, 92.4% reported using traditional Indian forms of smoking, viz. hooky (smoking pipe) and / or bidi (tobacco rolled in tembomi leaf). Such traditional forms of smoking have been associated with oral pre-cancer and cancer and have a higher relative risk as compared to cigarettes as documented by Jafarey who found the relative risk for smoking to be 5.7 for men and 12.9 for women in Pakistan. Among different smoking habits (compared to no smoking or / and tobacco chewing habits) cigarette or cigar smoking increased the risk by 6 times, hooka and pipe by 16 times and bidi smoking by 36 times.
Few subjects of both sexes (7.3%) reported chewing tobacco with betel leaf or betel nut. Chewing tobacco is another risk factor associated with oral pre-cancer and cancer as documented by Paymaster who observed in his study that 81% of 4212 oral cancer patients in India used tobacco of which 36% were chewers, 23% smokers and 22% practiced both chewing and smoking. Simarak conducted a study in Thailand and reported, using multivariate regression analysis, that the relative risk estimate for the betel-tobacco chewing habit was significant for both men and women.
Private practitioners were the main source of availability of dental treatment for majority of subjects (61.5%). This observation can be associated with the fact that dental surgeons are not posted at the level of primary health center/dispensary in most rural areas of India, including Delhi and hence a majority of population is dependent upon private practitioners, a good number of whom may be quacks.
A majority of subjects (81.3%) did not elicit any history of oral health problems in the last one year, which was in contrast to a cent-percent prevalence of normative needs as observed during the clinical examination. This is in accordance with findings of Hell MW and Gethort GH who reported similar observations from Florida regarding lack of congruence in self-perception and actual needs. Furthermore, in the present study, mainly those subjects who reported a history of suffering from gum disease and tooth decay also reported utilizing dental care for alleviating their oral health problem, of whom most were females. This observation is in accordance with findings reported by Vargas CM in their study on oral health care utilization by US residents who concluded that inhabitants in rural areas go for problem oriented treatment and not for comprehensive treatment/ rehabilitation. Hence it can be inferred that felt needs are an important determinant of utilization of care, as suggested by KiyakI IA and Miller RR. In addition, Tennstedt SL reported that women as compared to men are more likely to visit a dentist.
Periodontal examination revealed that few dentate subjects (22.58%) had healthy periodontitrn, with fewer males (17.24%) as compared to females (27.27%). A majority of subjects had calculus deposits (2.03 ± 2.10 sextants) and bleeding from gums (1.05 ± 1.81 sextants). Only 2 (male) subjects (0.08 ± 0.52 sextants) had shallow pockets 4-5mm deep and none of the subjects had deep pockets > 6nnn. These findings are in agreement with a study done by Holmgren CJ who folmd that most elderly subjects in Hong Kong had bleeding from gums and calculus deposits around one or more teeth. However greater numbers of subjects were found to have shallow pockets (51%) or deep pockets (15%) in the same study.
About a third of the dentate subjects (33.87%) did not have any loss of periodontal attachment was almost similar in both males (31.03%) and females (36.36%). Most subjects had 4-5mm loss of attachment (1.60 ± 1.84 sextants) followed by 6-8mm loss of attachment (0.40 ± 0.95) and 9-11mm loss of attachment (0.13 ± 0.42 sextants). None of the subjects had loss of 12mm attachment. These findings are in agreement with a study done on Chinese elderly by Baelum et al [16] who found that 50% subjects had loss of attachment of 4-5mm and 10-30%had loss of attachment of 6-8mm.
A cent percent dental caries experience was observed in the dentate elderly. The mean DMFT was higher for females (10.18 ±7.09) as compared to males (8.86±8.06) the M component (8.61 ± 7.86) contributed the major portion of the DMFT(9.56±7.53) in both sexes. Not even a single filled tooth was found in any of the subjects. In addition about one-quarter of dentate subjects (22.58%) of both sexes had decayed roots (0.69 ± 1.69). These findings are similar to those reported by Lo ECM and Schwartz in a study of the elderly in Hong Kong who found mean number of decayed teeth to be 1.4 (1.7 for males and 1.3 for females); mean number of missing teeth to be 17.0 (14.8 for males and 17.8 for females); and mean number of filled teeth to be 0.5 (0.6 males and 0.5 females). The mean number of decayed roots was 0.4 (0.5 for males and 0.4 for females) and mean number of filled roots was 0.1. In another study Christensen J surveyed the Oral health status of 65-74 yr old persons in Denmark and found the mean DMFT to be 30 with an average of 1 decayed tooth, 28 missing teeth, 1 filled tooth and 2 sound teeth.
A majority of dentition treatment needs for dental caries presented as one surface filling (0.8511.30) followed by extractions (0.76). Need for two or more surface filling were negligible (0.03±0.18) and were required by male subjects only. Lo ECM reported a similar distribution of dentition treatment needs on elderly subjects in Hong Kong where 29% needed one surface filling, 21% needed two or more surface filling and 29% needed extractions due to caries.
A majority of subjects were partially or completely edentulous in one or both arches and most of them were not having any prosthetic replacement for lost teeth, i.e. 92.59% in upper arch and 92.50% in lower arch. The most common oral prosthesis wom by the edentulous subjects was complete dentures (3 in upper arch and 4 in lower arch). One subject each was wearing a removable partial denture and both bridge and removable partial denture in upper and lower arches. Complete dentures constituted a major proportion of prosthetic needs among subjects of both sexes (38.27% in upper arch and 41.25% in lower arch). In a similar study of elderly by Christensen J in Denmark, it was documented that 66% of the population was edentulous of which 14% reported wearing denture in one arch and 74% in both arches. Of the population who were wearing denture, 8% were in need of prosthetic treatment and 79% who had at least one removable denture needed prosthetic treatment due to ill fitting or faulty dentures. Hence 87% of old age population was in need of prosthetic treatment. Another study done by Corbet EF and Lo ECM among 537 elderly in Hong Kong found that 12% of the subjects were completely edentulous. Overall 29% of the elderly had no prosthesis, 52% had a denture or dentures, 33% had a bridge or bridges and 13% had both.
Upon analysis of risk factors associated with edentulousness, a statistically significant difference was observed in relation to age. This observation that edentulousness increases with age is in agreement with the finding of Shetty P and Angelillo IF.
A total of 475 patients were examined at community dental health programmes conducted in the study areas. A majority of dental treatment provided in Barwala, Kirari Suleman Nagar and Mustafabad (study areas where treatment was provided on-site) during the programme was tooth extractions (10.53%) and complete dentures (7.79%). It was observed that in Jharoda Kalan (control area where no services were provided), just 1 subject availed dental care at a private clinic during the period of study. Even in Bijeasan (study area where treatment was provided only through referral services), just 1 subject reported to the tertiary center for availing the referral facility. These findings suggest that more number of elderly utilize care when it is provided through on-site community dental health programmes as compared to referral services or private offices. Furthermore, since all the rural areas were located in different part of Delhi, they were separated by space and thus there was little possibility of subjects from one study area availing care at the programme conducted in another study area.
A total of 26 sample subjects reported being aware of the community dental health programme conducted in their area, of which 12 attended the programme and 14 did not. Health workers (46.15%) and neighbours / relatives (42.31%) were the principal sources of information regarding the programme, followed by printed information (34.61%). This finding emphasizes the relative importance of inter-personal communication and print media in health promotion activities.
The most common reasons cited by the sample for not attending the programme were "ill-health/ disability" (42.86%) and "busy with work commitments" (42.86%). "Unavailability of attendant", "preference for home remedy" and "fear of dental treatment" were some of the other reasons cited for the same. Chattopadhyay A in New York State Minority Health Survey found cost, distance or unavailability of dentist in the vicinity as the main reasons reported for non-attendance at dental programme. A study by BhayatAand Cleaton Jones P in rural Zulu population of SouthAfrica showed cost as the main barrier for the same. Andersen R and Newman JF, who developed a popular model of health services utilization, view the use of health services as function of predisposing, enabling and need characteristics of the individual. However none of the traditional barriers to accessing care (as mentioned in other studies) were reasons for non-attendance by any of the subjects in the present study since the numbers of the subjects who availed dental care were too few for any meaningful analysis. Nevertheless the reasons cited by the subjects for not attending the community dental health programme indicates that they do not prioritize their oral health over other issue which is reflective of their attitude. Attitudinal factors further interact in a complex manner with other variables, especially socio-demographic, service related and ill health related factors as suggested by Schou. Also, given the non-ambulatory status of many elderly, non-provision of domiciliary visits (using portable dental equipment) for the homebound patients in the present study could have been another barrier to accessing care by the subjects, as suggested by Fiske J.
Recommendations for improving community dental health programmes were ranked by the subjects in the following order of preference:
Depute more number of dental health workers:
Provide all types of dental treatment;
Hold dental health programmes more frequently;
Give more time to each patient; and,
Give more publicity to the programme.
The order of these recommendations was keeping in line with the ranking of problems reported by the subjects, i.e. long waiting time (33.34%), all types of treatment facilities not available (33.34%), multiple recall visits (16.67%) and painful procedure(8.33%).
Subject ranked their recommendations for imparting geriatric dental care services in the following order of preference;
Hold regular dental awareness campaigns at primary health centres;
Ask health workers to make domiciliary visits to disseminate information on prevention of oral diseases;
This paper is cool because it discusses the condition of elderly people in India. This is nice because I don't know much regarding the oral condition of the elderly. This article was also nice because it talked about a lot more than the oral condition of the elderly, it also talked about the sociodemographic condition.
The demographic distribution of the sample was similar to the actual profile of the rural population in Delhi, which implies that findings of this study have a generalization value.
The predominant oral hygiene aid reported was toothbrush (43.7%) although a number of subjects (21.9%) also reported using Datun, which is a scientifically accepted indigenous oral hygiene aid used widely in many rural parts of India Datun or chewing sticks, are derived from the Neem tree (Azadirachtaindica, family Meliaceae) that has antipyretic, antiseptic and insecticide properties as described by Elvin Lewis M and Lewis ALI. Azadirachta indica is also used to treat skin diseases, manufacture soap and toothpaste. No other oral hygiene aid was reportedly being used by the subjects, which is an observation similar to that reported in Chinese population by Schwarz LP and Lo ECM who found that the use of dental floss was very uncommon, only 21 subjects reported using fluoridated toothpaste and a little over half the subjects (52%) changed their toothbrushes within 3 months. These findings reflect paucity of proper information on contemporary plaque control devices. However most subjects (87.5%) reported rinsing their mouth with water always after meals, which is a healthy cultural practice followed in India Over half the subjects (58.3%) reported snacking in-between meals, which is an unsafe dental health practice as documented by Murray JJ.
History of smoking tobacco was reported by one-quarter (27.1 %) of the subjects, both males and females. Of these, 92.4% reported using traditional Indian forms of smoking, viz. hooky (smoking pipe) and / or bidi (tobacco rolled in tembomi leaf). Such traditional forms of smoking have been associated with oral pre-cancer and cancer and have a higher relative risk as compared to cigarettes as documented by Jafarey who found the relative risk for smoking to be 5.7 for men and 12.9 for women in Pakistan. Among different smoking habits (compared to no smoking or / and tobacco chewing habits) cigarette or cigar smoking increased the risk by 6 times, hooka and pipe by 16 times and bidi smoking by 36 times.
Few subjects of both sexes (7.3%) reported chewing tobacco with betel leaf or betel nut. Chewing tobacco is another risk factor associated with oral pre-cancer and cancer as documented by Paymaster who observed in his study that 81% of 4212 oral cancer patients in India used tobacco of which 36% were chewers, 23% smokers and 22% practiced both chewing and smoking. Simarak conducted a study in Thailand and reported, using multivariate regression analysis, that the relative risk estimate for the betel-tobacco chewing habit was significant for both men and women.
Private practitioners were the main source of availability of dental treatment for majority of subjects (61.5%). This observation can be associated with the fact that dental surgeons are not posted at the level of primary health center/dispensary in most rural areas of India, including Delhi and hence a majority of population is dependent upon private practitioners, a good number of whom may be quacks.
A majority of subjects (81.3%) did not elicit any history of oral health problems in the last one year, which was in contrast to a cent-percent prevalence of normative needs as observed during the clinical examination. This is in accordance with findings of Hell MW and Gethort GH who reported similar observations from Florida regarding lack of congruence in self-perception and actual needs. Furthermore, in the present study, mainly those subjects who reported a history of suffering from gum disease and tooth decay also reported utilizing dental care for alleviating their oral health problem, of whom most were females. This observation is in accordance with findings reported by Vargas CM in their study on oral health care utilization by US residents who concluded that inhabitants in rural areas go for problem oriented treatment and not for comprehensive treatment/ rehabilitation. Hence it can be inferred that felt needs are an important determinant of utilization of care, as suggested by KiyakI IA and Miller RR. In addition, Tennstedt SL reported that women as compared to men are more likely to visit a dentist.
Periodontal examination revealed that few dentate subjects (22.58%) had healthy periodontitrn, with fewer males (17.24%) as compared to females (27.27%). A majority of subjects had calculus deposits (2.03 ± 2.10 sextants) and bleeding from gums (1.05 ± 1.81 sextants). Only 2 (male) subjects (0.08 ± 0.52 sextants) had shallow pockets 4-5mm deep and none of the subjects had deep pockets > 6nnn. These findings are in agreement with a study done by Holmgren CJ who folmd that most elderly subjects in Hong Kong had bleeding from gums and calculus deposits around one or more teeth. However greater numbers of subjects were found to have shallow pockets (51%) or deep pockets (15%) in the same study.
About a third of the dentate subjects (33.87%) did not have any loss of periodontal attachment was almost similar in both males (31.03%) and females (36.36%). Most subjects had 4-5mm loss of attachment (1.60 ± 1.84 sextants) followed by 6-8mm loss of attachment (0.40 ± 0.95) and 9-11mm loss of attachment (0.13 ± 0.42 sextants). None of the subjects had loss of 12mm attachment. These findings are in agreement with a study done on Chinese elderly by Baelum et al [16] who found that 50% subjects had loss of attachment of 4-5mm and 10-30%had loss of attachment of 6-8mm.
A cent percent dental caries experience was observed in the dentate elderly. The mean DMFT was higher for females (10.18 ±7.09) as compared to males (8.86±8.06) the M component (8.61 ± 7.86) contributed the major portion of the DMFT(9.56±7.53) in both sexes. Not even a single filled tooth was found in any of the subjects. In addition about one-quarter of dentate subjects (22.58%) of both sexes had decayed roots (0.69 ± 1.69). These findings are similar to those reported by Lo ECM and Schwartz in a study of the elderly in Hong Kong who found mean number of decayed teeth to be 1.4 (1.7 for males and 1.3 for females); mean number of missing teeth to be 17.0 (14.8 for males and 17.8 for females); and mean number of filled teeth to be 0.5 (0.6 males and 0.5 females). The mean number of decayed roots was 0.4 (0.5 for males and 0.4 for females) and mean number of filled roots was 0.1. In another study Christensen J surveyed the Oral health status of 65-74 yr old persons in Denmark and found the mean DMFT to be 30 with an average of 1 decayed tooth, 28 missing teeth, 1 filled tooth and 2 sound teeth.
A majority of dentition treatment needs for dental caries presented as one surface filling (0.8511.30) followed by extractions (0.76). Need for two or more surface filling were negligible (0.03±0.18) and were required by male subjects only. Lo ECM reported a similar distribution of dentition treatment needs on elderly subjects in Hong Kong where 29% needed one surface filling, 21% needed two or more surface filling and 29% needed extractions due to caries.
A majority of subjects were partially or completely edentulous in one or both arches and most of them were not having any prosthetic replacement for lost teeth, i.e. 92.59% in upper arch and 92.50% in lower arch. The most common oral prosthesis wom by the edentulous subjects was complete dentures (3 in upper arch and 4 in lower arch). One subject each was wearing a removable partial denture and both bridge and removable partial denture in upper and lower arches. Complete dentures constituted a major proportion of prosthetic needs among subjects of both sexes (38.27% in upper arch and 41.25% in lower arch). In a similar study of elderly by Christensen J in Denmark, it was documented that 66% of the population was edentulous of which 14% reported wearing denture in one arch and 74% in both arches. Of the population who were wearing denture, 8% were in need of prosthetic treatment and 79% who had at least one removable denture needed prosthetic treatment due to ill fitting or faulty dentures. Hence 87% of old age population was in need of prosthetic treatment. Another study done by Corbet EF and Lo ECM among 537 elderly in Hong Kong found that 12% of the subjects were completely edentulous. Overall 29% of the elderly had no prosthesis, 52% had a denture or dentures, 33% had a bridge or bridges and 13% had both.
Upon analysis of risk factors associated with edentulousness, a statistically significant difference was observed in relation to age. This observation that edentulousness increases with age is in agreement with the finding of Shetty P and Angelillo IF.
A total of 475 patients were examined at community dental health programmes conducted in the study areas. A majority of dental treatment provided in Barwala, Kirari Suleman Nagar and Mustafabad (study areas where treatment was provided on-site) during the programme was tooth extractions (10.53%) and complete dentures (7.79%). It was observed that in Jharoda Kalan (control area where no services were provided), just 1 subject availed dental care at a private clinic during the period of study. Even in Bijeasan (study area where treatment was provided only through referral services), just 1 subject reported to the tertiary center for availing the referral facility. These findings suggest that more number of elderly utilize care when it is provided through on-site community dental health programmes as compared to referral services or private offices. Furthermore, since all the rural areas were located in different part of Delhi, they were separated by space and thus there was little possibility of subjects from one study area availing care at the programme conducted in another study area.
A total of 26 sample subjects reported being aware of the community dental health programme conducted in their area, of which 12 attended the programme and 14 did not. Health workers (46.15%) and neighbours / relatives (42.31%) were the principal sources of information regarding the programme, followed by printed information (34.61%). This finding emphasizes the relative importance of inter-personal communication and print media in health promotion activities.
The most common reasons cited by the sample for not attending the programme were "ill-health/ disability" (42.86%) and "busy with work commitments" (42.86%). "Unavailability of attendant", "preference for home remedy" and "fear of dental treatment" were some of the other reasons cited for the same. Chattopadhyay A in New York State Minority Health Survey found cost, distance or unavailability of dentist in the vicinity as the main reasons reported for non-attendance at dental programme. A study by BhayatAand Cleaton Jones P in rural Zulu population of SouthAfrica showed cost as the main barrier for the same. Andersen R and Newman JF, who developed a popular model of health services utilization, view the use of health services as function of predisposing, enabling and need characteristics of the individual. However none of the traditional barriers to accessing care (as mentioned in other studies) were reasons for non-attendance by any of the subjects in the present study since the numbers of the subjects who availed dental care were too few for any meaningful analysis. Nevertheless the reasons cited by the subjects for not attending the community dental health programme indicates that they do not prioritize their oral health over other issue which is reflective of their attitude. Attitudinal factors further interact in a complex manner with other variables, especially socio-demographic, service related and ill health related factors as suggested by Schou. Also, given the non-ambulatory status of many elderly, non-provision of domiciliary visits (using portable dental equipment) for the homebound patients in the present study could have been another barrier to accessing care by the subjects, as suggested by Fiske J.
Recommendations for improving community dental health programmes were ranked by the subjects in the following order of preference:
Depute more number of dental health workers:
Provide all types of dental treatment;
Hold dental health programmes more frequently;
Give more time to each patient; and,
Give more publicity to the programme.
The order of these recommendations was keeping in line with the ranking of problems reported by the subjects, i.e. long waiting time (33.34%), all types of treatment facilities not available (33.34%), multiple recall visits (16.67%) and painful procedure(8.33%).
Subject ranked their recommendations for imparting geriatric dental care services in the following order of preference;
Hold regular dental awareness campaigns at primary health centres;
Ask health workers to make domiciliary visits to disseminate information on prevention of oral diseases;
This paper is cool because it discusses the condition of elderly people in India. This is nice because I don't know much regarding the oral condition of the elderly. This article was also nice because it talked about a lot more than the oral condition of the elderly, it also talked about the sociodemographic condition.
Learning Journal 14
In class this week we were split up into our sections. The reading that we were supposed to have completed by class was entitled Diagnosing And Treating The Ophelia Syndrome by Thomas G. Plummer. After reading the article I didn't want to do this learning journal on my blog because the paper taught me to "think on my own". Right now I am being told what to read and how to write on my blog and that I need to find sources online, and all sorts of other things are required of me. In fact, I am so busy with this class that it is hard for me to find time to think. What do I need to think about? Well, it's the reason why I am in the class, preparing for my field study in India. When I say preparing, I mean deciding on my research question and how i will go about gathering what I need. What else could be more important than what I will be doing over there for three months? If I do not have a solid question and a designated way of going about and gathering that data, months could be wasted in India. Sadly, deciding on a research question is not an easy task. I know that some assignments are provided to help me out, but shouldn't they be optional? Shouldn't I be able to decide what will help me out? My question will be completely different than anyone else's project, so why should I be expected to do something that I don't think will be beneficial to my project? In fact, my mind is being pulled in so many directions that it can't even take time to rest and let new ideas roll through.
The best part of it all is that I am in charge of my project. When I get to India it will be completely up to me to decide when to talk to people, what information to gather, and what questions to ask. Until that point, I will be appealing to teachers and approval committees and submitting papers and thoughts to instructors. I will be in their control. As a matter of fact, that control continue when I go to India. I will be required to perform course requirements in India that may or may not be associated with what I will be studying. I will be required to report on how I completed them and the time I took to perform them. So, as a matter of fact, I will still be on a leash. My actions will still be limited, my freedom will be to the end of the rope. In the end I sure hope that none of this hinders my thinking. If it does, it will ultimately restrict me from having the best research project I can have. I look forward to sitting in a hot tub and letting my thoughts wander, as true inspiration guides me to the most profound thinking.
The best part of it all is that I am in charge of my project. When I get to India it will be completely up to me to decide when to talk to people, what information to gather, and what questions to ask. Until that point, I will be appealing to teachers and approval committees and submitting papers and thoughts to instructors. I will be in their control. As a matter of fact, that control continue when I go to India. I will be required to perform course requirements in India that may or may not be associated with what I will be studying. I will be required to report on how I completed them and the time I took to perform them. So, as a matter of fact, I will still be on a leash. My actions will still be limited, my freedom will be to the end of the rope. In the end I sure hope that none of this hinders my thinking. If it does, it will ultimately restrict me from having the best research project I can have. I look forward to sitting in a hot tub and letting my thoughts wander, as true inspiration guides me to the most profound thinking.
Monday, February 13, 2012
Source 15
I read an article that dealt with the antibacterial properties of neem in the mouth. This was beneficial because it shows that it is a valid way of helping control bacterial growth in the mouth.
Chewing twigs of the mango or neem tree is a common way of cleaning the teeth in the rural and semi-urban population. These twigs are also believed to possess medicinal properties. The present study was conducted to evaluate the antimicrobial effects of these chewing sticks on the microorganisms Streptococcus mutans , Streptococcus salivarius , Streptococcus mitis , and Streptococcus sanguis which are involved in the development of dental caries. An additional objective was to identify an inexpensive, simple, and effective method of preventing and controlling dental caries.
They found some interesting data:
Mango extract, at 50% concentration, showed maximum zone of inhibition on Streptococcus mitis . Neem extract produced the maximum zone of inhibition on Streptococcus mutans at 50% concentration. Even at 5% concentration neem extract showed some inhibition of growth for all the four species of organisms.
Mangifera indic a (Mango) contains tannins, bitter gum, and resins. At 5% concentration, this herbal extract did not show any antimicrobial activity, but at higher concentrations antimicrobial activity was present. When compared to neem, extract of mango chewing stick showed more antimicrobial activity, i.e., at 50% concentration the maximum zone of inhibition for Streptococcus mitis was 5.0 mm. This could be due to the presence of a combination of the ingredients mentioned earlier.Tannins and resins supposedly have an astringent effect on the mucous membrane, and they form a layer over enamel, thus providing protection against dental caries.
Neem contains the alkaloid margosine, resins, gum, chloride, fluoride, silica, sulfur, tannins, oils, saponins, flavenoids, sterols, and calcium. Even at 5% concentration this extract showed some antimicrobial activity. Maximum anitimicrobial activity was observed on Streptococcus mutans at 50% concentration, with a zone of inhibition of 3.8 mm. This may be due to the presence of fluoride, which is known to exert an anticariogenic action, and silica acting as an abrasive and preventing accumulation of plaque; alkaloids, known to exert an analgesic action, also contribute towards dental well-being. The oils have carminative, antiseptic, and analgesic effects. Tannins exert an astringent effect and form a coat over the enamel, thus protecting against tooth decay. Wolinsky reported that the pretreatment of saliva-conditioned hydroxyapatite with neem-stick extract prior to exposure to bacteria, yielded significant reduction in bacterial adhesion. This result suggests that neem-stick extract can reduce the ability of some streptococci to colonize tooth surfaces. Another study conducted by Khalid in 1999 at Saudi Arabia examined the effectiveness of the antimicrobial activity of aqueous extracts of neem at various concentrations. He reported that neem was effective at 50% concentration on Streptococcus mutans.
This article is interesting because it shows the validity of an old and simple practice. I am sure that if this tree is present, it will be used for any things. It appears to be an anti-everything, which makes it a universal plant. I look forward to looking more into this tree and its properties.
Chewing twigs of the mango or neem tree is a common way of cleaning the teeth in the rural and semi-urban population. These twigs are also believed to possess medicinal properties. The present study was conducted to evaluate the antimicrobial effects of these chewing sticks on the microorganisms Streptococcus mutans , Streptococcus salivarius , Streptococcus mitis , and Streptococcus sanguis which are involved in the development of dental caries. An additional objective was to identify an inexpensive, simple, and effective method of preventing and controlling dental caries.
They found some interesting data:
Mango extract, at 50% concentration, showed maximum zone of inhibition on Streptococcus mitis . Neem extract produced the maximum zone of inhibition on Streptococcus mutans at 50% concentration. Even at 5% concentration neem extract showed some inhibition of growth for all the four species of organisms.
Mangifera indic a (Mango) contains tannins, bitter gum, and resins. At 5% concentration, this herbal extract did not show any antimicrobial activity, but at higher concentrations antimicrobial activity was present. When compared to neem, extract of mango chewing stick showed more antimicrobial activity, i.e., at 50% concentration the maximum zone of inhibition for Streptococcus mitis was 5.0 mm. This could be due to the presence of a combination of the ingredients mentioned earlier.Tannins and resins supposedly have an astringent effect on the mucous membrane, and they form a layer over enamel, thus providing protection against dental caries.
Neem contains the alkaloid margosine, resins, gum, chloride, fluoride, silica, sulfur, tannins, oils, saponins, flavenoids, sterols, and calcium. Even at 5% concentration this extract showed some antimicrobial activity. Maximum anitimicrobial activity was observed on Streptococcus mutans at 50% concentration, with a zone of inhibition of 3.8 mm. This may be due to the presence of fluoride, which is known to exert an anticariogenic action, and silica acting as an abrasive and preventing accumulation of plaque; alkaloids, known to exert an analgesic action, also contribute towards dental well-being. The oils have carminative, antiseptic, and analgesic effects. Tannins exert an astringent effect and form a coat over the enamel, thus protecting against tooth decay. Wolinsky reported that the pretreatment of saliva-conditioned hydroxyapatite with neem-stick extract prior to exposure to bacteria, yielded significant reduction in bacterial adhesion. This result suggests that neem-stick extract can reduce the ability of some streptococci to colonize tooth surfaces. Another study conducted by Khalid in 1999 at Saudi Arabia examined the effectiveness of the antimicrobial activity of aqueous extracts of neem at various concentrations. He reported that neem was effective at 50% concentration on Streptococcus mutans.
This article is interesting because it shows the validity of an old and simple practice. I am sure that if this tree is present, it will be used for any things. It appears to be an anti-everything, which makes it a universal plant. I look forward to looking more into this tree and its properties.
Learning Journal 13
In class on Monday we talked about gathering information while doing our field study. It is important that information is gathered in a certain way to help the informant to feel comfortable. One of the readings that we had for class discussed the process of building rapport. This process has four steps: Apprehension -> Exploration -> Cooperation -> Participation. Not everyone will follow these steps exactly, but this is the general format. One ultimately wants his informants to "participate" in the process. The first step is the awkward encounter when asking them to be a part of a research project. Then, the relationship is hopefully built until the individual is comfortable giving you cultural information that you may not have been asking for but is beneficial. It almost resembles the process of building a friendship, from the first meeting, to acquaintances, to best friends who can communicate openly. My research will be different because I just need them to trust me for a brief moment while I ask them the quick response questions. If I change my approach and decide to sit down and interview the people then I will definitely need to build rapport so that they will be open with me. But in a sense, it will also be important for them to trust me even if I do a short survey so that I get valid data. My project will also be unique because I will develop most of my questions before I even go over there. If I wanted to sit down with the people and interview them then it would be important for me to develop skills that would help me to probe into their answers. It will ultimately depend on the way that I decide to gather my research data, which I am still working on. I look forward to working with a translator to get the right answers or putting together the survey in their language and giving them options to pick from.
Sunday, February 12, 2012
Learning Journal 12
This week in class I put my project question:
"I will be assessing the oral condition, oral hygiene habits, and sociodemographic influence of teenagers between the ages of 12 and 18"
on the middle of a page and connected my project question with sources that I have been finding over the past few weeks. Luckily a lot of my material related to what I will be researching over in India. It has been very helpful to look up general topics on dental care so that I can have a better understanding as I talk with people. Some of the sources have dealt with ancient practices used by people in India that are considered very helpful for oral care. I have also looked into habits or drugs that may be affecting the health of the mouth for people in India. One article that I read dealt a lot with the sociodemographic condition of people in India and how that relates to whether they seek help when in oral pain. One thing I need to do is look more into the sociodemorgaphic condition of people and how that affects their choices for acquiring dental care. Most of my articles I read deal with the current oral condition of people in India and the attention they need. This gives me a great idea of what I will see while over there. The last thing I have been looking up that relates to my project question is their hygiene habits. This topic will also require more research because I will be trying to understand how attentive they are to their mouth and the amount of importance they place on it. I think I have a great start because of all the research I have done thus far. It was very helpful in class when I needed to recall all of the sources that I had found because all i had to do was quickly glance at my typed up summaries and I could recall a lot of what I had previously read about the topic. It was also great because I had forgot some about some of the articles that I read but the main points were right in front of me in something that was easy for me to understand. I am excited to understand as much as I can about oral care before I go to India. I have a great foundation but will continue to build upon it. I will look specifically at the points that I said I needed to look further into so that I can be more prepared.
"I will be assessing the oral condition, oral hygiene habits, and sociodemographic influence of teenagers between the ages of 12 and 18"
on the middle of a page and connected my project question with sources that I have been finding over the past few weeks. Luckily a lot of my material related to what I will be researching over in India. It has been very helpful to look up general topics on dental care so that I can have a better understanding as I talk with people. Some of the sources have dealt with ancient practices used by people in India that are considered very helpful for oral care. I have also looked into habits or drugs that may be affecting the health of the mouth for people in India. One article that I read dealt a lot with the sociodemographic condition of people in India and how that relates to whether they seek help when in oral pain. One thing I need to do is look more into the sociodemorgaphic condition of people and how that affects their choices for acquiring dental care. Most of my articles I read deal with the current oral condition of people in India and the attention they need. This gives me a great idea of what I will see while over there. The last thing I have been looking up that relates to my project question is their hygiene habits. This topic will also require more research because I will be trying to understand how attentive they are to their mouth and the amount of importance they place on it. I think I have a great start because of all the research I have done thus far. It was very helpful in class when I needed to recall all of the sources that I had found because all i had to do was quickly glance at my typed up summaries and I could recall a lot of what I had previously read about the topic. It was also great because I had forgot some about some of the articles that I read but the main points were right in front of me in something that was easy for me to understand. I am excited to understand as much as I can about oral care before I go to India. I have a great foundation but will continue to build upon it. I will look specifically at the points that I said I needed to look further into so that I can be more prepared.
Source 14
Recently I have been looking for alternatives to dental care and something I have ran across is called Neem. The real name of the tree is Azadirachta indica. It is called Neem in Hindi and Vembu in Tamil. It is native to India and Pakistan and has so many uses that I was surprised to read them all. Some of these uses include:
Antibacterial Compounds in Neem – Ongoing research over the past 45 years recognizes these traditional uses of neem, but researchers typically list them as “known to be” rather than reporting on their action. More recent reports focus on antibacterial activities in the mouth, specifically gum disease and cavities, as well as preventing sexually transmitted diseases as a vaginal contraceptive.
Antifungal Properties of Neem – Like neem’s antibacterial and antiviral properties, its antifungal properties are often a given among scientists in India and other Asian nations where most of the current research is being conducted. Reports completed before 1992 are not available online but do indicate that compounds in neem help control fungi that can cause athlete’s foot, ringworm and candida, the organism that causes yeast infections and thrush, as well as fungus that may affect plants. *
Anti-Inflammatory & Neem – Nimbidin, a component of neem, has been show to posses potent anti-inflammatory and antiarthritis activity in both in vivo and in vitro settings. Researchers suggest that nimbiden suppresses the functions of macrophages and neutrophils involved in inflammation. Earlier research not available online also documented neem’s anti-inflammatory properties.
Antioxidant Compounds in Neem – Oxidative stress, the process through which free radicals are created, is a normal function of the body but the resulting molecules are unstable and can damage other cells. Researchers have associated a series of disorders, including cardiovascular disease, eye health, cataracts and macular degeneration, age-related neurodegeneration (decline of the brain and nervous system) and even cancer with high levels of free radicals. Antioxidants, including those found in vitamins A, C and E, provide the free radicals with electrons to minimize damage. More than a dozen studies conducted in India, Thailand and Malaysia indicate that neem protects against chemically induced carcinogens and liver damage by boosting antioxidant levels, particularly glutathione.
Antiviral Compounds in Neem – Other researchers report that neem inhibits the growth of Dengue virus, a hemorrhagic fever related to Ebola, and interferes with the reproduction of the coxsackie B virus, one of a group of “enteroviruses” that are second only to the common cold as the most infectious viral agents in human beings.
Cancer & Neem – More than two dozen studies, both in test tubes and on animals, document neem’s efficacy in killing cancer cells or boosting the body’s immune system to protect it from damage. Neem or its isolated compounds have shown impressive action against a wide variety of human cancer cell lines and in animal models for cancers that include colon, stomach, Ehrlich’s carcinoma, lung, liver, skin, oral, prostate and breast cancers. Two separate reports indicate that it may be helpful in enhancing the activity and reducing side effects of some conventional cancer treatments.
Potential Contraceptive Properties of Neem – From the perspective of developing countries – or any woman concerned about the long-term impact of using hormones for birth control — finding a method of contraception that is effective, inexpensive and easily available is truly a step toward solving global problems. Reports from the University of Florida encourage ongoing research into the use of neem as either a pre- or postcoital contraceptive, noting that it prevented in vitro attachment and proliferation of cells in concentrations as low as .05 to 1%. Another report in the American Journal of Reproduction indicates that purified extracts of neem contained immunomodulators that stimulate Th1 cells and macrophages that terminate pregnancies in rats, baboons and monkeys. Fertility was regained after one or two cycles with no apparent impact to future pregnancies.
Diabetes & Neem – With its extremely bitter properties, neem has been a cornerstone of Ayurvedic therapy for pitas, or disorders caused by overeating sweets. Some of the earliest reports on neem, dating back to a 1973 report in Medicine and Surgery (not available online), indicated that insulin requirements could be cut. More recent studies have focused on animals, including one report which indicates that neem’s hypoglycemic effect is comparable to the prescription drug glibenclamide and noted that it may be beneficial in preventing or delaying the onset of disease.
Immunostimulatory Compounds In Neem – Until we compiled the data on neem and cancer, we thought its immunostimulating properties were neem’s most important benefits. It’s such a powerful booster than some researchers have attributed its contraceptive properties – for both men and women – to an enhanced immune system. It boosts both the lymphocytic and cell-mediated systems, including “Killer T” cells which are able to destroy microbes, viruses and cancer cells by injecting toxic chemicals into the invaders.
The Liver & Neem – Throughout its long history, neem has often been recommended as blood cleanser. The truth of the matter may be it that helps protect the liver from damage, which in turn helps cleanse blood. The details are extremely complex (available online), but the research indicates that neem leaf appears to minimize chemically induced liver damage in rats by stabilizing levels of serum marker enzymes and boosting levels of antioxidants, like those found vitamins C and E and other natural carotenoids, which neutralize free radicals and help prevent damage. Several studies indicate that neem provides significant protection for the livers of rats who have been fed large doses of acetaminophen.
Malaria & Neem - While questions still remain about the dosage required in human beings, neem clearly has great potential in preventing malaria, a parasite that kills more than a million people per year. Several in vitro studies indicate significant protection, including one that concluded it was more effective than chloroquine, a drug to which the parasite is becoming resistant. One interesting report indicates that it may increase the efficacy of chloroquine when the two are taken together.
Neuroprotective Effect of Neem – A single study shows that indicates that antioxidant compounds in neem helped to prevent brain damage in rats who had suffered a stroke by enhancing lipid peroxidation and increasing ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) in the brain. Rats pre-treated with neem seemed to complete standard tests, including a water maze, better than the control group and blood parameters were significantly improved over the untreated rats.
Oral Disease & Neem – Another traditional use of neem has been chew sticks still used to clean teeth in rural parts of India and Africa (and the US more recently). A series of studies confirm that has antimicrobial properties that help reduce plaque and gingivitis.
Safety Issues & Neem – When used as directed, neem leaf and bark show very few signs of toxicity even at high levels. Neem oil, however, should not be used internally. High levels of neem (up to 320 grams per kilogram in rats) taken internally may result in damage to the thyroid, liver, and kidneys, although the organs showed significant recovery after 28 days. Neem also contains compounds similar to aspirin and should never be used in children with colds, fevers or flu.
Sexually Transmitted Diseases & Neem – Another area where neem shows great potential is sexually transmitted diseases. One study funded through an agency of the US government found that neem provided 75% protection from the HIV virus to cells in a test tube and volunteers with AIDS who took neem for 30 days gained an average of three kilograms. Key chemical markers, including CD4+ cell counts, hemoglobin and platelet counts, also increased. A 1997 study at Johns Hopkins University also showed that neem provided significant protection against the herpes virus in mice.
Stress & Neem – A small number of animal studies indicate that low doses of neem leaf extracts have sedative effects comparable to those in diazepam – the active ingredient in Valium. Interestingly enough, that effect disappears at high doses, approximately 400 or 800 milligrams per kilograms of body weight.
Ulcers & Neem - One of the few recent clinical trials among humans using neem indicates that neem bark causes significant decreases in gastric acid secretion (77%), as well as gastric secretion volume (63%) and pepsin activity (50%) That research may be particularly important for people with arthritis or other chronic pain. Along with its own anti-inflammatory compounds, neem may help counteract the gastric damage caused by pain relievers like aspirin and ibuprofen.
These properties from a single plant are outstanding. It seems like a lot of research is being done on this tree to determine more specifically what medical purposes it can serve. People have been using it for centuries and it is great for oral care. In my next post I will look more into the dental remedies Neem provides.
Antibacterial Compounds in Neem – Ongoing research over the past 45 years recognizes these traditional uses of neem, but researchers typically list them as “known to be” rather than reporting on their action. More recent reports focus on antibacterial activities in the mouth, specifically gum disease and cavities, as well as preventing sexually transmitted diseases as a vaginal contraceptive.
Antifungal Properties of Neem – Like neem’s antibacterial and antiviral properties, its antifungal properties are often a given among scientists in India and other Asian nations where most of the current research is being conducted. Reports completed before 1992 are not available online but do indicate that compounds in neem help control fungi that can cause athlete’s foot, ringworm and candida, the organism that causes yeast infections and thrush, as well as fungus that may affect plants. *
Anti-Inflammatory & Neem – Nimbidin, a component of neem, has been show to posses potent anti-inflammatory and antiarthritis activity in both in vivo and in vitro settings. Researchers suggest that nimbiden suppresses the functions of macrophages and neutrophils involved in inflammation. Earlier research not available online also documented neem’s anti-inflammatory properties.
Antioxidant Compounds in Neem – Oxidative stress, the process through which free radicals are created, is a normal function of the body but the resulting molecules are unstable and can damage other cells. Researchers have associated a series of disorders, including cardiovascular disease, eye health, cataracts and macular degeneration, age-related neurodegeneration (decline of the brain and nervous system) and even cancer with high levels of free radicals. Antioxidants, including those found in vitamins A, C and E, provide the free radicals with electrons to minimize damage. More than a dozen studies conducted in India, Thailand and Malaysia indicate that neem protects against chemically induced carcinogens and liver damage by boosting antioxidant levels, particularly glutathione.
Antiviral Compounds in Neem – Other researchers report that neem inhibits the growth of Dengue virus, a hemorrhagic fever related to Ebola, and interferes with the reproduction of the coxsackie B virus, one of a group of “enteroviruses” that are second only to the common cold as the most infectious viral agents in human beings.
Cancer & Neem – More than two dozen studies, both in test tubes and on animals, document neem’s efficacy in killing cancer cells or boosting the body’s immune system to protect it from damage. Neem or its isolated compounds have shown impressive action against a wide variety of human cancer cell lines and in animal models for cancers that include colon, stomach, Ehrlich’s carcinoma, lung, liver, skin, oral, prostate and breast cancers. Two separate reports indicate that it may be helpful in enhancing the activity and reducing side effects of some conventional cancer treatments.
Potential Contraceptive Properties of Neem – From the perspective of developing countries – or any woman concerned about the long-term impact of using hormones for birth control — finding a method of contraception that is effective, inexpensive and easily available is truly a step toward solving global problems. Reports from the University of Florida encourage ongoing research into the use of neem as either a pre- or postcoital contraceptive, noting that it prevented in vitro attachment and proliferation of cells in concentrations as low as .05 to 1%. Another report in the American Journal of Reproduction indicates that purified extracts of neem contained immunomodulators that stimulate Th1 cells and macrophages that terminate pregnancies in rats, baboons and monkeys. Fertility was regained after one or two cycles with no apparent impact to future pregnancies.
Diabetes & Neem – With its extremely bitter properties, neem has been a cornerstone of Ayurvedic therapy for pitas, or disorders caused by overeating sweets. Some of the earliest reports on neem, dating back to a 1973 report in Medicine and Surgery (not available online), indicated that insulin requirements could be cut. More recent studies have focused on animals, including one report which indicates that neem’s hypoglycemic effect is comparable to the prescription drug glibenclamide and noted that it may be beneficial in preventing or delaying the onset of disease.
Immunostimulatory Compounds In Neem – Until we compiled the data on neem and cancer, we thought its immunostimulating properties were neem’s most important benefits. It’s such a powerful booster than some researchers have attributed its contraceptive properties – for both men and women – to an enhanced immune system. It boosts both the lymphocytic and cell-mediated systems, including “Killer T” cells which are able to destroy microbes, viruses and cancer cells by injecting toxic chemicals into the invaders.
The Liver & Neem – Throughout its long history, neem has often been recommended as blood cleanser. The truth of the matter may be it that helps protect the liver from damage, which in turn helps cleanse blood. The details are extremely complex (available online), but the research indicates that neem leaf appears to minimize chemically induced liver damage in rats by stabilizing levels of serum marker enzymes and boosting levels of antioxidants, like those found vitamins C and E and other natural carotenoids, which neutralize free radicals and help prevent damage. Several studies indicate that neem provides significant protection for the livers of rats who have been fed large doses of acetaminophen.
Malaria & Neem - While questions still remain about the dosage required in human beings, neem clearly has great potential in preventing malaria, a parasite that kills more than a million people per year. Several in vitro studies indicate significant protection, including one that concluded it was more effective than chloroquine, a drug to which the parasite is becoming resistant. One interesting report indicates that it may increase the efficacy of chloroquine when the two are taken together.
Neuroprotective Effect of Neem – A single study shows that indicates that antioxidant compounds in neem helped to prevent brain damage in rats who had suffered a stroke by enhancing lipid peroxidation and increasing ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) in the brain. Rats pre-treated with neem seemed to complete standard tests, including a water maze, better than the control group and blood parameters were significantly improved over the untreated rats.
Oral Disease & Neem – Another traditional use of neem has been chew sticks still used to clean teeth in rural parts of India and Africa (and the US more recently). A series of studies confirm that has antimicrobial properties that help reduce plaque and gingivitis.
Safety Issues & Neem – When used as directed, neem leaf and bark show very few signs of toxicity even at high levels. Neem oil, however, should not be used internally. High levels of neem (up to 320 grams per kilogram in rats) taken internally may result in damage to the thyroid, liver, and kidneys, although the organs showed significant recovery after 28 days. Neem also contains compounds similar to aspirin and should never be used in children with colds, fevers or flu.
Sexually Transmitted Diseases & Neem – Another area where neem shows great potential is sexually transmitted diseases. One study funded through an agency of the US government found that neem provided 75% protection from the HIV virus to cells in a test tube and volunteers with AIDS who took neem for 30 days gained an average of three kilograms. Key chemical markers, including CD4+ cell counts, hemoglobin and platelet counts, also increased. A 1997 study at Johns Hopkins University also showed that neem provided significant protection against the herpes virus in mice.
Stress & Neem – A small number of animal studies indicate that low doses of neem leaf extracts have sedative effects comparable to those in diazepam – the active ingredient in Valium. Interestingly enough, that effect disappears at high doses, approximately 400 or 800 milligrams per kilograms of body weight.
Ulcers & Neem - One of the few recent clinical trials among humans using neem indicates that neem bark causes significant decreases in gastric acid secretion (77%), as well as gastric secretion volume (63%) and pepsin activity (50%) That research may be particularly important for people with arthritis or other chronic pain. Along with its own anti-inflammatory compounds, neem may help counteract the gastric damage caused by pain relievers like aspirin and ibuprofen.
These properties from a single plant are outstanding. It seems like a lot of research is being done on this tree to determine more specifically what medical purposes it can serve. People have been using it for centuries and it is great for oral care. In my next post I will look more into the dental remedies Neem provides.
Friday, February 10, 2012
Learning Journal 11
This week we talked about family relations in India. We also brushed the top layer of what male and female responsibilities are. I thought it was interesting how they refer to each other as brothers and sisters, even if they are not blood related. I guess it only makes sense, especially from our church perspective. We use the terms brother and sister formally in church, but they apply it to anyone whom they feel close to. It is actually a pretty cool concept. If we considered each other our brother and sister we would most likely treat everyone with more respect. I guess in a sense I do consider some of my friends to be equal as a brother or sister, I just don't use the term. When I consider the benefits of being called a brother or sister I think of the love associated with it, I think of the friend that will always be there to help you, I think of someone you can turn to for help.
I still am working on understanding how the family relations work in India. I have discovered that if I try to learn how everyone is connected over there I will just get confused when I ask people. People will tell me terms that I would understand in an American culture, but if I tried to apply it the same way in India it would mean something completely different. While I did the reading I thought the different bonds were interesting. The mother wants the daughter to leave and the daughter wants to stay. The father wants the son to stay and the son wants to leave. The type of relationship spouses have, it was almost a deal with it and live on relationship. The intimate love between brothers and sisters. It will be interesting and fun to go over there and better understand how the family works. I am sure that I will pick up the responsibilities of each sex pretty quickly and it will be pretty obvious. As far as I know, I just need to help with water for right now. I am sure there are other things I could help out with as well, but I guess I will learn those from observation.
I still am working on understanding how the family relations work in India. I have discovered that if I try to learn how everyone is connected over there I will just get confused when I ask people. People will tell me terms that I would understand in an American culture, but if I tried to apply it the same way in India it would mean something completely different. While I did the reading I thought the different bonds were interesting. The mother wants the daughter to leave and the daughter wants to stay. The father wants the son to stay and the son wants to leave. The type of relationship spouses have, it was almost a deal with it and live on relationship. The intimate love between brothers and sisters. It will be interesting and fun to go over there and better understand how the family works. I am sure that I will pick up the responsibilities of each sex pretty quickly and it will be pretty obvious. As far as I know, I just need to help with water for right now. I am sure there are other things I could help out with as well, but I guess I will learn those from observation.
Source 13
So I looked at another dental article today dealing with bad breathe. The article addressed quite a bit about oral malodor which I thought was interesting because it is something that we all deal with wherever we are.
Oral malodor is a common problem among general population and evidences reveal that it forms about 85% of all bad breath. Bad breath can have a distressing effect that may become a social handicap and the affected person may avoid socializing. Volatile sulphur compounds (VSC), namely hydrogen sulphide (H2S) and methyl mercaptan (CH3SH) are the main cause of oral malodor. These substances are by-products of the action of bacteria on proteins. Treatments corresponding to the causes of oral malodor include mechanical or chemical tongue cleaning, periodontal disease treatment, oral hygiene instruction and mouth rinses or mouthwashes.
Bad breath is usually caused by bacteria that live in person's mouth. Bacteria, just like humans, go through their lives consuming food and excreting waste. The waste products produced by some oral bacteria are sulfur compounds. These odoriferous waste products usually lie at the root of person's bad breath problem. Most of the odoriferous compounds that cause bad breath are waste products created by anaerobic bacteria, as they digest proteins. High protein foods include meat, fish, sea food and eggs; dairy foods such as milk, cheese, yoghurt; cereal grains and products; desserts especially cakes and pies.
The stench associated with rotten eggs is caused by hydrogen sulfide. The stinky smell emanating from feed lots and barnyards is one produced by methyl mercaptan and odor associated with ocean is that of dimethyl sulfide. Each of this is excreted as a waste product by bacteria that live in our mouths. Together dentist refer to them as Volatile Sulfur Compounds (VSC'S). Term volatile simply describes the fact that these compounds evaporate readily even at normal temperatures. The extreme volatility of these compounds explains how they have the ability to offend around us instantly.
Breath smells only when certain aromatic compounds are found dissolved in it. These include methyl mercaptan, hydrogen sulphide, cadaverine, putrescine, skatole and isovaleric acid.
Some of these may be absorbed from the bowel in the bloodstream and then circulated around the body until they are excreted via the lungs in the breath. In the same way garlic rubbed into the soles of feet can later be detected in trace amounts in the breath.
Temporary halitosis: It results from hot/spicy food, certain drinks, alcoholic beverages, coffee and most common from garlic, onion, salty foods, spices, curries, cured foods like salamis and cooked food such as kippers. Tobacco consumption causes mouldy odor and Hyposalivation/ Xerostomia (dry mouth) also leads to bad breath.
Morning breath: Everybody has a degree of halitosis, first thing in the morning. There is a physiological reason for this. During sleep, the flow of saliva is reduced drastically and tongue and cheek move very little. This allows food residues to stagnate in the mouth and dead cells that are normally shed from the surface of tongue and gums and from the inside of cheek to accumulate. As bacteria starts to work on them and digest them, an unpleasant smell is generated. This process is biologically known as putrefaction/rotting.
Although normal, anyone suffering from nasal congestion whose mouth breathes is more likely to suffer from these actions to a greater extent. Luckily, this morning breath generally disappears after breakfast and after brushing the teeth because saliva starts to flow again and any left over residues are washed away and swallowed.
Smoking (cigarettes/cigars): Breath smells like ash tray. Smoking also reduces the flow of saliva and therefore further exacerbates the problem.
Crash dieting/fasting: When the body is no longer supplied with energy giving carbohydrates it first breaks down glucose stored in the muscles and liver in the form of glycogen. But this does not last long. After a few hours, the body begins to breakdown its fat stores and the waste product of their metabolism, ketones, endows the breath with a distinctive sweet and sickly smell. This can be seen in those who has vigorously worked out and exercised and not taken sufficient carbohydrates before or after. People on a strict caveman or high protein diet experience the same effect for similar reasons.
Other Waste Products:
Cadaverine: Smell associated with corpses
Putrescine: Produced by decaying meat;
Skatole: Human faecal matter;
Isovaleric acid: Sweaty feet.
The above wonderful mixture of compounds emanates from mouth of human and no one is exception. Everyone has some level of these unpleasant compounds in their breath. Fortunately however, low levels of these compounds cannot be detected by human nose. It is only when the levels become elevated, others nose can detect them.
Bad breath is caused by waste products of anaerobic oral bacteria (more specifically gram negative anaerobic bacteria e.g.: prevotella intermedia, porphyromonas gingivalis etc.). Term anaerobic describes that they best grow in environments devoid of oxygen. Person's mouth is a home for hundreds of different species of bacteria and on going in our mouth is a constant battle for living space between type of bacteria which do create waste products that causes bad breath and those that don't and it's the precise balance between the relative number of these type of bacteria that determine the quality of person's breath.
Plaque accumulation (the whitish film that is formed above and below gum line and also on tongue) can tip the scales in favor of odor causing bacteria. A layer of plaque as thin as 0.1-0.2 mm becomes depleted to oxygen, precisely in which anaerobic bacteria flourish. So, as more and more plaque builds up, bacteria causing bad breath gain available living space and proliferate, thus increasing the level of odor.
A correlation has been found between VSC concentration in mouth air and increased pocket depth in periodontitis patients. The uptake of volatile sulphurs by epithelial cells may play an important role in the pathogenesis of periodontal disease: it has been proposed that volatile sulphurs may alter the permeability of affected cells and facilitate the access of toxic metabolites into the underlying connective tissue thereby contributing to collagen degradation. There is also general agreement that the VSC content of exhaled mouth air and the concentration of VSC precursors increases with the severity of periodontal disease.
The most important step a person can take towards improving the quality of breath is to clean their mouth in a manner which helps to minimize the amount of food available for anaerobic bacteria, minimize the total number of these bacteria that exist, minimize the availability of type of environment in which these bacteria prefer to live, make any environment in which these bacteria do live less hospitable. On a second front, a person can use products that neutralize the odor causing volatile sulfur compounds.
Minimizing the food supply for bacteria that causes bad breath
When anaerobic bacteria digest proteins, volatile sulfur compounds are created as waste products that cause bad breath. The person who maintains a vegetarian diet mostly of fruits and vegetable has fewer chronic breath problems than those who consume protein rich food such as meat.It is important for a person to clean one's mouth thoroughly especially after eating protein rich food. This is because even after we have finished a meal minute particles of food still remain in our mouth. Much of this food debris ends up lodged between our teeth and incorporated into the coating found on the posterior part of our tongue. Since these are precisely the same locations in which the anaerobic bacteria that cause bad breath live, if a person does not clean their mouth thoroughly a food supply is provided for these bacteria over an extended period of time.
Can breath mints, lozenges, drops, sprays, and chewing gum help to cure bad breath?
These products when used alone are not as effective as when used in conjunction with tongue cleanser, toothbrushes and flossing, especially when they contain agents that have the ability to neutralize VSC's. As an added benefit, the use of mints, lozenges and chewing gums will stimulate the flow of saliva in person's mouth and saliva has cleansing and diluting effect on the bacteria and bacterial waste products that are found in person's mouth and therefore, helps to minimize person's problems.
This article was interesting because it gave a lot of information for how bad breath occurs and what can cure it. It was interesting because it talked about how hot and spicy foods and curries cause temporary bad breath. I know these two things are prevalent in India. I am curious if people over there consider bad breathe to be a big problem or if they don't even mind. If these foods are known for causing bad breathe, it would seem that many people over there would have bad breathe, especially since they don't practice the same hygiene habits. If they clean their teeth through alternative methods, I am curious if they also have a way to clean their tongue since much of the bad breathe smell comes from the posterior part of it.
Oral malodor is a common problem among general population and evidences reveal that it forms about 85% of all bad breath. Bad breath can have a distressing effect that may become a social handicap and the affected person may avoid socializing. Volatile sulphur compounds (VSC), namely hydrogen sulphide (H2S) and methyl mercaptan (CH3SH) are the main cause of oral malodor. These substances are by-products of the action of bacteria on proteins. Treatments corresponding to the causes of oral malodor include mechanical or chemical tongue cleaning, periodontal disease treatment, oral hygiene instruction and mouth rinses or mouthwashes.
Bad breath is usually caused by bacteria that live in person's mouth. Bacteria, just like humans, go through their lives consuming food and excreting waste. The waste products produced by some oral bacteria are sulfur compounds. These odoriferous waste products usually lie at the root of person's bad breath problem. Most of the odoriferous compounds that cause bad breath are waste products created by anaerobic bacteria, as they digest proteins. High protein foods include meat, fish, sea food and eggs; dairy foods such as milk, cheese, yoghurt; cereal grains and products; desserts especially cakes and pies.
The stench associated with rotten eggs is caused by hydrogen sulfide. The stinky smell emanating from feed lots and barnyards is one produced by methyl mercaptan and odor associated with ocean is that of dimethyl sulfide. Each of this is excreted as a waste product by bacteria that live in our mouths. Together dentist refer to them as Volatile Sulfur Compounds (VSC'S). Term volatile simply describes the fact that these compounds evaporate readily even at normal temperatures. The extreme volatility of these compounds explains how they have the ability to offend around us instantly.
Breath smells only when certain aromatic compounds are found dissolved in it. These include methyl mercaptan, hydrogen sulphide, cadaverine, putrescine, skatole and isovaleric acid.
Some of these may be absorbed from the bowel in the bloodstream and then circulated around the body until they are excreted via the lungs in the breath. In the same way garlic rubbed into the soles of feet can later be detected in trace amounts in the breath.
Temporary halitosis: It results from hot/spicy food, certain drinks, alcoholic beverages, coffee and most common from garlic, onion, salty foods, spices, curries, cured foods like salamis and cooked food such as kippers. Tobacco consumption causes mouldy odor and Hyposalivation/ Xerostomia (dry mouth) also leads to bad breath.
Morning breath: Everybody has a degree of halitosis, first thing in the morning. There is a physiological reason for this. During sleep, the flow of saliva is reduced drastically and tongue and cheek move very little. This allows food residues to stagnate in the mouth and dead cells that are normally shed from the surface of tongue and gums and from the inside of cheek to accumulate. As bacteria starts to work on them and digest them, an unpleasant smell is generated. This process is biologically known as putrefaction/rotting.
Although normal, anyone suffering from nasal congestion whose mouth breathes is more likely to suffer from these actions to a greater extent. Luckily, this morning breath generally disappears after breakfast and after brushing the teeth because saliva starts to flow again and any left over residues are washed away and swallowed.
Smoking (cigarettes/cigars): Breath smells like ash tray. Smoking also reduces the flow of saliva and therefore further exacerbates the problem.
Crash dieting/fasting: When the body is no longer supplied with energy giving carbohydrates it first breaks down glucose stored in the muscles and liver in the form of glycogen. But this does not last long. After a few hours, the body begins to breakdown its fat stores and the waste product of their metabolism, ketones, endows the breath with a distinctive sweet and sickly smell. This can be seen in those who has vigorously worked out and exercised and not taken sufficient carbohydrates before or after. People on a strict caveman or high protein diet experience the same effect for similar reasons.
Other Waste Products:
Cadaverine: Smell associated with corpses
Putrescine: Produced by decaying meat;
Skatole: Human faecal matter;
Isovaleric acid: Sweaty feet.
The above wonderful mixture of compounds emanates from mouth of human and no one is exception. Everyone has some level of these unpleasant compounds in their breath. Fortunately however, low levels of these compounds cannot be detected by human nose. It is only when the levels become elevated, others nose can detect them.
Bad breath is caused by waste products of anaerobic oral bacteria (more specifically gram negative anaerobic bacteria e.g.: prevotella intermedia, porphyromonas gingivalis etc.). Term anaerobic describes that they best grow in environments devoid of oxygen. Person's mouth is a home for hundreds of different species of bacteria and on going in our mouth is a constant battle for living space between type of bacteria which do create waste products that causes bad breath and those that don't and it's the precise balance between the relative number of these type of bacteria that determine the quality of person's breath.
Plaque accumulation (the whitish film that is formed above and below gum line and also on tongue) can tip the scales in favor of odor causing bacteria. A layer of plaque as thin as 0.1-0.2 mm becomes depleted to oxygen, precisely in which anaerobic bacteria flourish. So, as more and more plaque builds up, bacteria causing bad breath gain available living space and proliferate, thus increasing the level of odor.
A correlation has been found between VSC concentration in mouth air and increased pocket depth in periodontitis patients. The uptake of volatile sulphurs by epithelial cells may play an important role in the pathogenesis of periodontal disease: it has been proposed that volatile sulphurs may alter the permeability of affected cells and facilitate the access of toxic metabolites into the underlying connective tissue thereby contributing to collagen degradation. There is also general agreement that the VSC content of exhaled mouth air and the concentration of VSC precursors increases with the severity of periodontal disease.
The most important step a person can take towards improving the quality of breath is to clean their mouth in a manner which helps to minimize the amount of food available for anaerobic bacteria, minimize the total number of these bacteria that exist, minimize the availability of type of environment in which these bacteria prefer to live, make any environment in which these bacteria do live less hospitable. On a second front, a person can use products that neutralize the odor causing volatile sulfur compounds.
Minimizing the food supply for bacteria that causes bad breath
When anaerobic bacteria digest proteins, volatile sulfur compounds are created as waste products that cause bad breath. The person who maintains a vegetarian diet mostly of fruits and vegetable has fewer chronic breath problems than those who consume protein rich food such as meat.It is important for a person to clean one's mouth thoroughly especially after eating protein rich food. This is because even after we have finished a meal minute particles of food still remain in our mouth. Much of this food debris ends up lodged between our teeth and incorporated into the coating found on the posterior part of our tongue. Since these are precisely the same locations in which the anaerobic bacteria that cause bad breath live, if a person does not clean their mouth thoroughly a food supply is provided for these bacteria over an extended period of time.
Can breath mints, lozenges, drops, sprays, and chewing gum help to cure bad breath?
These products when used alone are not as effective as when used in conjunction with tongue cleanser, toothbrushes and flossing, especially when they contain agents that have the ability to neutralize VSC's. As an added benefit, the use of mints, lozenges and chewing gums will stimulate the flow of saliva in person's mouth and saliva has cleansing and diluting effect on the bacteria and bacterial waste products that are found in person's mouth and therefore, helps to minimize person's problems.
This article was interesting because it gave a lot of information for how bad breath occurs and what can cure it. It was interesting because it talked about how hot and spicy foods and curries cause temporary bad breath. I know these two things are prevalent in India. I am curious if people over there consider bad breathe to be a big problem or if they don't even mind. If these foods are known for causing bad breathe, it would seem that many people over there would have bad breathe, especially since they don't practice the same hygiene habits. If they clean their teeth through alternative methods, I am curious if they also have a way to clean their tongue since much of the bad breathe smell comes from the posterior part of it.
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Source 12
Dental implant is an artificial tooth root fixed into the jaws to hold a replacement tooth or bridge. They are an ideal option for people in good general oral health who have lost a tooth or teeth due to periodontal disease, failure of endodontics, an injury or for any other reason.
Dental implants are proved to be having high efficacy rates which is evident from several long term clinical trials. Patients' acceptance of dental implants was found to be high. Grogono et al in his study reported that, 88% of the sample had an increase in their self confidence after implant treatment, 89% said that they would accept to go through implant treatment procedure again, and 98% said their oral health had generally improved. Similarly several other studies reported that patients after implant therapy were highly satisfied with the esthetic results, function, and were willing to undergo the same procedure again6
The purpose of this survey was to evaluate the knowledge about dental implants among dental patients in Khammam district, Andhra Pradesh. A standardized self- explanatory questionnaire was used to assess the patients' knowledge and awareness in using dental implants as an option for replacing missing teeth. Questionnaire was distributed in two places in Khammam: Mamata dental college and private dental clinics. It was handed to the patients during their regular dental visits. A total of 600 subjects were included in this survey. Results: Out of 600 participants, 535 responded to the questionnaire with a response rate of 89.16%. Among these 319 (59.63%) were males and 216 (40.37%) were females. Nearly half of the patients were in the age group of 31-50 years. For most of the participants, dentist was the main sources of information about dental implants (38.25%), and 85.65% of them were found to have interest to know about implants. Of the total sample, only 4.83% of the participants were aware about dental implants. They felt its high cost to be a major disadvantage and its fixed nature to be the major advantage of it. Misconceptions prevailed regarding survival rate of implants and care to be taken for maintaining them. Conclusion The results of this survey showed a low level of awareness about dental implants among a selected sample of dental patients attending the outpatient ward of the department of Prosthodontics and private dental clinics in Khammam, Andhra Pradesh, India. It also showed the need for providing more general and accurate information to the patients about this treatment modality.
This article was good because it discussed the level of awareness for dental care in India. It is such a sought out think in America, but it seems to be the opposite in India. It is amazing how few people know about the procedure. The even more interesting part is that they only gave the questionnaire to people who already attended the dentist. I am sure the awareness is even lower among the general population that don't attend the dentist. I think it would be surprising to know the percentage of the population of India that don't attend the dentist ever.
Dental implants would be such an important procedure for people in India because I am sure there are many teeth missing that could be filled. It is just good to be aware of how aware people are of dental procedures in an area. It really helps determine what the perception will be among people.
Dental implants are proved to be having high efficacy rates which is evident from several long term clinical trials. Patients' acceptance of dental implants was found to be high. Grogono et al in his study reported that, 88% of the sample had an increase in their self confidence after implant treatment, 89% said that they would accept to go through implant treatment procedure again, and 98% said their oral health had generally improved. Similarly several other studies reported that patients after implant therapy were highly satisfied with the esthetic results, function, and were willing to undergo the same procedure again6
The purpose of this survey was to evaluate the knowledge about dental implants among dental patients in Khammam district, Andhra Pradesh. A standardized self- explanatory questionnaire was used to assess the patients' knowledge and awareness in using dental implants as an option for replacing missing teeth. Questionnaire was distributed in two places in Khammam: Mamata dental college and private dental clinics. It was handed to the patients during their regular dental visits. A total of 600 subjects were included in this survey. Results: Out of 600 participants, 535 responded to the questionnaire with a response rate of 89.16%. Among these 319 (59.63%) were males and 216 (40.37%) were females. Nearly half of the patients were in the age group of 31-50 years. For most of the participants, dentist was the main sources of information about dental implants (38.25%), and 85.65% of them were found to have interest to know about implants. Of the total sample, only 4.83% of the participants were aware about dental implants. They felt its high cost to be a major disadvantage and its fixed nature to be the major advantage of it. Misconceptions prevailed regarding survival rate of implants and care to be taken for maintaining them. Conclusion The results of this survey showed a low level of awareness about dental implants among a selected sample of dental patients attending the outpatient ward of the department of Prosthodontics and private dental clinics in Khammam, Andhra Pradesh, India. It also showed the need for providing more general and accurate information to the patients about this treatment modality.
This article was good because it discussed the level of awareness for dental care in India. It is such a sought out think in America, but it seems to be the opposite in India. It is amazing how few people know about the procedure. The even more interesting part is that they only gave the questionnaire to people who already attended the dentist. I am sure the awareness is even lower among the general population that don't attend the dentist. I think it would be surprising to know the percentage of the population of India that don't attend the dentist ever.
Dental implants would be such an important procedure for people in India because I am sure there are many teeth missing that could be filled. It is just good to be aware of how aware people are of dental procedures in an area. It really helps determine what the perception will be among people.
Learning Journal 10
In class this past week we talked about participant observation. Participant observation plays a huge role in field studies because we are observing something pretty specific and want to draw as much as we can from it. From the reading we did for class about participant observation I was able to learn a few things. The author explained a story of how he was joining the military and it was his first day. He had no clue what to do or how to act properly. This was cool to me because it represented a world that was completely foreign to the one he was used to living in. I feel like when I am thrown into India, I will feel the same way. Not that I won't have learned or studied up about life over there, but the culture and normal way of living will be completely new to me. Just like the author had to watch when to salute officers and passing cars, I will need to learn to approach and communicate with people in a proper manner. Luckily if I do one thing wrong it won't spread around the whole military base, instead I can pick myself back up and move on to hopefully do better the next time around. There will be a lot of social norms for me to pick up on and a lot of social norms that I am used to doing that I need to avoid. The purpose of all of this is that for a while (if not my whole time) in India, I will be a participant observer.
My time over there will involve being different types of observation, from non-participation to complete participation, depending on the situation. While gathering data for my research project I will be an active participant. While learning how to get onto the bus and eating at a restaurant I will be a nonparticipant observer. All of what I do will involve observing, but the level of participation will vary. In order to prepare for observing so much it will be good to begin now. I have already started observing more nonverbal communication after doing the last assignment. I have been thinking about how I will record all of my thoughts and things the I observe. I will definitely need a jottings journal to take notes. It would also be nice to have a small voice recorder so that I could record the answers that are given to me or even stop in the middle of the day and make some comments so I could refer to them later. The whole point of it though is to not forget what I observe, otherwise it has been a waste.
So what will make me a good active participant? Well I need to be able to communicate easily. I will need a translator or be able to understand the English that is communicated over there. I have heard that they use their own Indian English, so I will have to actively engage myself to be able to have a conversation in a way they are familiar with. I need to know clearly what I am observing. I need to observe the setting and surrounding of the people I am talking to so that I can draw other inferences. I will need to go out of my way to find people to talk to rather than waiting for them to come to me, like I might do if I were observing the use of a soda vending machine. These are just some things and I am sure there are many more.
My time over there will involve being different types of observation, from non-participation to complete participation, depending on the situation. While gathering data for my research project I will be an active participant. While learning how to get onto the bus and eating at a restaurant I will be a nonparticipant observer. All of what I do will involve observing, but the level of participation will vary. In order to prepare for observing so much it will be good to begin now. I have already started observing more nonverbal communication after doing the last assignment. I have been thinking about how I will record all of my thoughts and things the I observe. I will definitely need a jottings journal to take notes. It would also be nice to have a small voice recorder so that I could record the answers that are given to me or even stop in the middle of the day and make some comments so I could refer to them later. The whole point of it though is to not forget what I observe, otherwise it has been a waste.
So what will make me a good active participant? Well I need to be able to communicate easily. I will need a translator or be able to understand the English that is communicated over there. I have heard that they use their own Indian English, so I will have to actively engage myself to be able to have a conversation in a way they are familiar with. I need to know clearly what I am observing. I need to observe the setting and surrounding of the people I am talking to so that I can draw other inferences. I will need to go out of my way to find people to talk to rather than waiting for them to come to me, like I might do if I were observing the use of a soda vending machine. These are just some things and I am sure there are many more.
Sunday, February 5, 2012
Source 11
As a follow up to the article that I read and posted on oil pulling therapy, I ran across another article that discusses the validity of this practice.
Oil pulling or oil swishing, in alternative medicine is a procedure that involves swishing oil in the mouth for oral and systemic health benefits. It is mentioned in the Ayurvedic text where it is called Kavala Gandoosha/Kavala Graha and is claimed to cure about 30 systemic diseases ranging from headache and migraine to diabetes and asthma. Oil pulling has been used extensively as a traditional Indian folk remedy for many years to prevent decay, oral malodor, bleeding gums, dryness of the throat, and cracked lips and for strengthening teeth, gums, and the jaw.
Oil pulling therapy can be done using edible oils like sunflower or sesame oil. Sesame oil is considered to be the queen of oil seed crops because of its beneficiary effects.
For oil pulling therapy, a tablespoon (or teaspoon for children between 5-15 years of age) of sesame oil is given in the mouth and is sipped, sucked, and pulled between the teeth for 10 to 15 minutes. The viscous oil turns thin and milky white. The oil should not be swallowed as it contains bacteria and toxins. Oil pulling therapy should be followed by brushing the teeth and is preferably done on an empty stomach in the morning.
There is no literature or scientific proof to accept oil pulling therapy as preventive adjunct. Online searches in pubmed and other databases do not provide any scientific articles on oil pulling therapy except for testimonies and literature on personal experiences. The study was planned with the following aims and objectives:
1)To evaluate the effect of oil pulling with sesame oil on plaque-induced gingivitis
2)To compare the efficacy of oil pulling with the use of chlorhexidine mouthwash on plaque-induced gingivitis
Amith, Ankola and Nagesh showed that oil pulling therapy with sunflower oil significantly reduced plaque scores after 45 days. In this study, there was a significant reduction in the plaque index and modified gingival index scores after oil pulling therapy. There was a considerable reduction in the colony count of microorganisms but it was not statistically significant. Hence, in this study, oil pulling therapy was very effective against plaque-induced gingivitis both in the clinical and microbiological assessment.
The exact mechanism of the action of oil pulling therapy is not clear. It was claimed that the swishing activates the enzymes and draws the toxins out of the blood. The bottom line is that oil pulling actually cannot pull toxins out of the blood as claimed because the oral mucosa does not act as a semi-permeable membrane to allow toxins to pass through. Sesame oil has three lignans that have antioxidant properties and potentiate Vitamin E action. Sesame oil has increased polyunsaturated fatty acids and the lipid peroxidation is reduced thereby reducing free radical injury to the tissues. The mechanism by which oil pulling therapy causes plaque inhibition is not known. The viscosity of the oil probably inhibits bacterial adhesion and plaque co-aggregation. The other possible mechanism might be the saponification or the 'soap-making' process that occurs as a result of the alkali hydrolysis of fat.
In this study, oil pulling therapy has been as equally effective as chlorhexidine (mouthwash) against plaque-induced gingivitis. Sesame oil has the following advantages over chlorhexidine: no staining
no lingering after-taste
and no allergy.
Sesame oil is 5 to 6 times more cost effective than chlorhexidine
And is readily available in most households.
There are no disadvantages for oil pulling therapy except for the extended duration of the procedure compared with chlorhexidine.
The following conclusions were derived from this study:
1)A statistically significant reduction in the plaque index score was seen in both the oil pulling and chlorhexidine groups (Mouthwash)(P < 0.05 in both groups).
2)A statistically significant reduction in the modified gingival index score was seen in both the oil pulling and chlorhexidine groups (P < 0.05 in both groups).
3)A considerable reduction in the total colony count of the microorganisms was seen in the plaque sample in both groups. Though the reduction was more in the oil pulling group, there was no statistically significant difference between the groups.
Oil pulling therapy promises to be a better preventive home therapy in developing countries like India.
The other article I read just discussed the process of oil pulling therapy, but this actually dived into whether it was plausible. It seems that oil pulling really does work. When compared to mouth washes, oil pulling does resolves similar problems, but with additional bonuses.The last comment they made probably is true though, "Oil pulling therapy promises to be a better preventive home therapy in developing countries like India". Since it is such a cheap product, it can be easily accessed. The only draw back is that you have to gargle for 10-15 minutes, which most Americans would probably not be willing to do. Normal mouth washes only require 30-60 seconds. If it is all you have though, you probably are much more likely to use it. Because this process works, I would expect to see a majority of the people in India to use it, assuming they know about it. But I would assume they would since it is a part of the Ayurveda. It will be interesting to see if it is used and how it relates to caring for their oral hygiene.
Oil pulling or oil swishing, in alternative medicine is a procedure that involves swishing oil in the mouth for oral and systemic health benefits. It is mentioned in the Ayurvedic text where it is called Kavala Gandoosha/Kavala Graha and is claimed to cure about 30 systemic diseases ranging from headache and migraine to diabetes and asthma. Oil pulling has been used extensively as a traditional Indian folk remedy for many years to prevent decay, oral malodor, bleeding gums, dryness of the throat, and cracked lips and for strengthening teeth, gums, and the jaw.
Oil pulling therapy can be done using edible oils like sunflower or sesame oil. Sesame oil is considered to be the queen of oil seed crops because of its beneficiary effects.
For oil pulling therapy, a tablespoon (or teaspoon for children between 5-15 years of age) of sesame oil is given in the mouth and is sipped, sucked, and pulled between the teeth for 10 to 15 minutes. The viscous oil turns thin and milky white. The oil should not be swallowed as it contains bacteria and toxins. Oil pulling therapy should be followed by brushing the teeth and is preferably done on an empty stomach in the morning.
There is no literature or scientific proof to accept oil pulling therapy as preventive adjunct. Online searches in pubmed and other databases do not provide any scientific articles on oil pulling therapy except for testimonies and literature on personal experiences. The study was planned with the following aims and objectives:
1)To evaluate the effect of oil pulling with sesame oil on plaque-induced gingivitis
2)To compare the efficacy of oil pulling with the use of chlorhexidine mouthwash on plaque-induced gingivitis
Amith, Ankola and Nagesh showed that oil pulling therapy with sunflower oil significantly reduced plaque scores after 45 days. In this study, there was a significant reduction in the plaque index and modified gingival index scores after oil pulling therapy. There was a considerable reduction in the colony count of microorganisms but it was not statistically significant. Hence, in this study, oil pulling therapy was very effective against plaque-induced gingivitis both in the clinical and microbiological assessment.
The exact mechanism of the action of oil pulling therapy is not clear. It was claimed that the swishing activates the enzymes and draws the toxins out of the blood. The bottom line is that oil pulling actually cannot pull toxins out of the blood as claimed because the oral mucosa does not act as a semi-permeable membrane to allow toxins to pass through. Sesame oil has three lignans that have antioxidant properties and potentiate Vitamin E action. Sesame oil has increased polyunsaturated fatty acids and the lipid peroxidation is reduced thereby reducing free radical injury to the tissues. The mechanism by which oil pulling therapy causes plaque inhibition is not known. The viscosity of the oil probably inhibits bacterial adhesion and plaque co-aggregation. The other possible mechanism might be the saponification or the 'soap-making' process that occurs as a result of the alkali hydrolysis of fat.
In this study, oil pulling therapy has been as equally effective as chlorhexidine (mouthwash) against plaque-induced gingivitis. Sesame oil has the following advantages over chlorhexidine: no staining
no lingering after-taste
and no allergy.
Sesame oil is 5 to 6 times more cost effective than chlorhexidine
And is readily available in most households.
There are no disadvantages for oil pulling therapy except for the extended duration of the procedure compared with chlorhexidine.
The following conclusions were derived from this study:
1)A statistically significant reduction in the plaque index score was seen in both the oil pulling and chlorhexidine groups (Mouthwash)(P < 0.05 in both groups).
2)A statistically significant reduction in the modified gingival index score was seen in both the oil pulling and chlorhexidine groups (P < 0.05 in both groups).
3)A considerable reduction in the total colony count of the microorganisms was seen in the plaque sample in both groups. Though the reduction was more in the oil pulling group, there was no statistically significant difference between the groups.
Oil pulling therapy promises to be a better preventive home therapy in developing countries like India.
The other article I read just discussed the process of oil pulling therapy, but this actually dived into whether it was plausible. It seems that oil pulling really does work. When compared to mouth washes, oil pulling does resolves similar problems, but with additional bonuses.The last comment they made probably is true though, "Oil pulling therapy promises to be a better preventive home therapy in developing countries like India". Since it is such a cheap product, it can be easily accessed. The only draw back is that you have to gargle for 10-15 minutes, which most Americans would probably not be willing to do. Normal mouth washes only require 30-60 seconds. If it is all you have though, you probably are much more likely to use it. Because this process works, I would expect to see a majority of the people in India to use it, assuming they know about it. But I would assume they would since it is a part of the Ayurveda. It will be interesting to see if it is used and how it relates to caring for their oral hygiene.
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