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.
Friday, February 10, 2012
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.
Saturday, February 4, 2012
Learning Journal 9
In class this past Friday we talked about the importance of nonverbal communication. Who knew that nonverbal communication could play such a large part in our every day lives. In order to prepare us for the discussion in class, we read two articles. The first article was by an author named Argyle and his article was title "Laws of Looking". The second article was by an author named Hall and his article was titled "Sounds of Silence". They both discussed kinesics, which is the body language and nonverbal communication that we all use in some way. Examples of kinesics are eye dilation, silence after statements, gazes, facial expressions, head movements, fidgeting, costuming, posture, the way one walks, and one's bubble space. There are many ways that we communicate that we may be unaware of.
It was interesting to read the articles and then think how it applied to yourself. I began to think what habits I have. One that I thought of right away was that when I talk with people I start scratching the back of my head with one of my hands. In my mind it must seem that doing so will make each conversation less formal and more relaxing. It might even be a sign of "I don't care", which I hope isn't the message being received. It might possibly mean that I am confused, which I hope doesn't happen either, otherwise people will start treating me as if I don't understand things. This is all from one verbal message that I may send to people as I communicate with them.
Another thing that I don't is say hmmm or mmmhmmm when talking with people. Since I don't do either of those, I usually just stand there and listen and look watch the face of the speaker. In my mind, I'm just listening to what they are saying. But to the speaker since I am not responding in any way, they may think that I don't care, that I am not listening, that I don't understand, or that I am mad. I am sure that it could possibly send lots of signals to the speaker. I definitely don't want the speaker to think wrongly of my nonverbal communication, so it is important that I send messages that will be received well.
I guess this just goes to show how we all communicate nonverbally and we all do it differently. As a whole, white Americans probably have similar nonverbal communication skills, but at the same time there is a vast difference between us all. If I compare my nonverbal skills to someone on the complete side of the world in India, I may be surpassed at what I find. I really hope that I don't take anything the wrong way because I am used to certain signs meaning certain things. But more importantly, I hope that I don't send misdirected nonverbal communication to people that I am trying to gather research information from. I am sure that the longer I am there, the better I will get at understanding their communication that they send through their body language.
This reminds me of how often we try to interpret the other sex based on their nonverbal communication. After a date, the individuals are usually asked multiple times how it went. Most of what they share is about the body language and nonverbal communication that they observe. Often times you will hear people talk about feeling a bad vibe or not feeling right. This may be due to the unusual communication through ones body that the other individual is not used to. The person on the date then begins to expound on how the other individual on the date was acting: timid, nice, fidgety, conversational, if there was staring, etc.
The more I think about, the more I realize the importance of nonverbal communication. I have probably been tainted (or blessed) to now notice more body language. It will be important for me to not over read things and think that one movement of an individual has to mean something when it could actually mean something completely different. It will be interesting to see how much more I notice what people do. It will also be interesting to notice how I adapt to the different code of nonverbal communication in India.
It was interesting to read the articles and then think how it applied to yourself. I began to think what habits I have. One that I thought of right away was that when I talk with people I start scratching the back of my head with one of my hands. In my mind it must seem that doing so will make each conversation less formal and more relaxing. It might even be a sign of "I don't care", which I hope isn't the message being received. It might possibly mean that I am confused, which I hope doesn't happen either, otherwise people will start treating me as if I don't understand things. This is all from one verbal message that I may send to people as I communicate with them.
Another thing that I don't is say hmmm or mmmhmmm when talking with people. Since I don't do either of those, I usually just stand there and listen and look watch the face of the speaker. In my mind, I'm just listening to what they are saying. But to the speaker since I am not responding in any way, they may think that I don't care, that I am not listening, that I don't understand, or that I am mad. I am sure that it could possibly send lots of signals to the speaker. I definitely don't want the speaker to think wrongly of my nonverbal communication, so it is important that I send messages that will be received well.
I guess this just goes to show how we all communicate nonverbally and we all do it differently. As a whole, white Americans probably have similar nonverbal communication skills, but at the same time there is a vast difference between us all. If I compare my nonverbal skills to someone on the complete side of the world in India, I may be surpassed at what I find. I really hope that I don't take anything the wrong way because I am used to certain signs meaning certain things. But more importantly, I hope that I don't send misdirected nonverbal communication to people that I am trying to gather research information from. I am sure that the longer I am there, the better I will get at understanding their communication that they send through their body language.
This reminds me of how often we try to interpret the other sex based on their nonverbal communication. After a date, the individuals are usually asked multiple times how it went. Most of what they share is about the body language and nonverbal communication that they observe. Often times you will hear people talk about feeling a bad vibe or not feeling right. This may be due to the unusual communication through ones body that the other individual is not used to. The person on the date then begins to expound on how the other individual on the date was acting: timid, nice, fidgety, conversational, if there was staring, etc.
The more I think about, the more I realize the importance of nonverbal communication. I have probably been tainted (or blessed) to now notice more body language. It will be important for me to not over read things and think that one movement of an individual has to mean something when it could actually mean something completely different. It will be interesting to see how much more I notice what people do. It will also be interesting to notice how I adapt to the different code of nonverbal communication in India.
Friday, February 3, 2012
Source 10
Last time I discussed Ayurveda in general. Now I want to talk about Ayurveda and how it specifically deals with oral care.
Kapha dosha, a spiritual energy, can be found within the oral cavity. Therefore, it is imperative to take care of your mouth so as not to disturb the balance of kapha dosha. If you gain problems with keeping the balance of kapha dosha within your mouth, dental problems are sure to ensue.
The Major Reasons behind Teeth Problems
Excessive food particles within the mouth
The growth of bacterial infection such as tartar, halitosis and many more
Unwanted food particles in between the teeth
Poor oral hygiene
Damage in the Jaw-bone structure
Intake of acidic substances such as soft drinks, concentrated juices and many more. (These can cause some major dental problems if not taken in moderation.)
General Tips for Dental Care
Using herbal plants like cinnamon, til and clove oil will help prevent tooth decay and toothache. For teeth quality improvement, it is best to chew mint or parsley leaves. Garlic cloves will relieve pain and strengthen teeth even further to create a stronger foundation for the gums.
Bark paste and vinegar can be used to strengthen your teeth together with garlic cloves. Herbal plants and spices can also be used to prevent discoloration from damaging your teeth. Lime mixed with various other spices and herbs like banyan can help whiten the teeth and protected from tooth decay and bacteria.
Ayurvedic Medicines for Dental Diseases
The doshas contain energy that when disturbed cause a major imbalance in the body functions. Dental diseases involve an imbalance in the kapha dosha located in the mouth. Here are some of the dental diseases that you may contract if there is an imbalance in the kapha dosha.
Bad breath
Toothache
Tooth decay
Bleeding gums
Yellow teeth
Fortunately, the Ayurvedic system has a long list of herbal remedies for the said conditions. Here are some of those herbal remedies that you can use to treat your dental problems as they occur.
Turmeric
Turmeric is not only to be used in spicing up your dishes as well as coloring food, it can also help solve dental problems. You just have to mix a quarter of a teaspoon of the table salt with oil from mustard. After this, you can apply the solution to the infected tooth. It can help treat gum problems as well as tooth decay and toothaches. It is truly a remarkable remedy for simple dental problems. The turmeric can be used as a powder to help heal toothaches and pains.
Neem
The Neem Tree can be used as a whitening agent for teeth. The toys from this tree can be used as toothbrushes, the oils can be used as facial washes and the sap has antiseptic properties that can help kill microorganisms that may cause bacterial infection on the teeth.
Clove
Base of glow, especially garlic cloves, can help deal with dental problems because of its anti bacterial properties that get rid of all microbes that may infect the mouth and cause diseases. The oil from the clove when applied to an infected tooth can also ease the pain of the toothache. In order to make it a paste, you just have to mix it with zinc oxide.
Vitamin C is also helpful in combating dental diseases because it strengthens the teeth in such a way that it can protect itself from bacterial attacks. It can also add strength to teeth to handle the pressure of chewing crunchy food that usually wear teeth down.
These are just some of the herbal remedies that Ayurvedic medicine can offer any patient.
Dental Diseases where Ayurveda is helpful
The Ayurvedic concept views diseases as energetic imbalance that therefore causes severe pain to the patient. Here are some of the many dental diseases linked to kapha dosha.
· Halitosis
· Teeth discoloration
· Tooth decay
· Loose teeth
· Gum bleeding
· Aching teeth
If we want to solve these problems, we must know how to deal with these kinds of dental situations.
Halitosis
It is important to keep your oral hygiene up to standard. A mixture of lemon and water can help with this condition as well. Fresh guava can also help. Eating fresh fruits will definitely make a difference when it comes to protecting your oral hygiene.
Discolored teeth
The mixture of salt and a piece of lime can help soothe discolored teeth. You just apply the mixture onto your teeth and let it sit for a few minutes. A mixture of herbs like neem, alum and many others in powdered form can also help ease and care for discoloration. Another procedure you can do is to rub an orange peel onto your teeth every night.
Tooth Decay
Have a calcium rich diet and always make sure to have and intake of dairy products every day. It will also help to mix germ eric with mustard oil and salt to make a paste. You then rub in onto your teeth. In addition to this, you must avoid sugar intake because it affects the health of the teeth.
Gums with Blood
You must clean your teeth with twigs of neem, banyan, holy basil and babul to stop the bleeding. You can also massage your gums with a mixture of alum and mustard oil. Rinse with water and alum. Masticating on guava tree leaves helps to stop profuse bleeding. Intake of green leafy vegetables and fruits can also help with bleeding gums.
How to Deal With Toothache
You can use til, cinnamon and garlic cloves to deal with toothache. The garlic clove added with pepper powder and clove oil can ease the pain of toothache. A paste composed of bayberry bark as well as vinegar can help with the pain of toothache when applied. You must also avoid drinking soft drinks, eating carbohydrate rich foods and sugar intake as it aggravates tooth decay.
These are just some of the major diseases that can affect you if you have an imbalance in the spiritual energies according to Ayurvedic medicine. It will greatly help you if you learn more about this kind of medicinal practice so that you will know how to deal with dental problems using home based remedies that you can easily make on your own.
This article is great because it goes into more detail about how Ayurvedic practices affect dental practices. There are many ancient and spiritual ways of doing things in India, so it may be hard to bring in new ways. In turn, these practices have a huge effect on the type of oral care that is observed among the people. It is cool to know how many herbal remedies and pastes that they make in order to help with oral pain, whereas we may go to a dentist to resolve it. It will be interesting to see the extent to which the people practice Ayurvedic dental care.
Kapha dosha, a spiritual energy, can be found within the oral cavity. Therefore, it is imperative to take care of your mouth so as not to disturb the balance of kapha dosha. If you gain problems with keeping the balance of kapha dosha within your mouth, dental problems are sure to ensue.
The Major Reasons behind Teeth Problems
Excessive food particles within the mouth
The growth of bacterial infection such as tartar, halitosis and many more
Unwanted food particles in between the teeth
Poor oral hygiene
Damage in the Jaw-bone structure
Intake of acidic substances such as soft drinks, concentrated juices and many more. (These can cause some major dental problems if not taken in moderation.)
General Tips for Dental Care
Using herbal plants like cinnamon, til and clove oil will help prevent tooth decay and toothache. For teeth quality improvement, it is best to chew mint or parsley leaves. Garlic cloves will relieve pain and strengthen teeth even further to create a stronger foundation for the gums.
Bark paste and vinegar can be used to strengthen your teeth together with garlic cloves. Herbal plants and spices can also be used to prevent discoloration from damaging your teeth. Lime mixed with various other spices and herbs like banyan can help whiten the teeth and protected from tooth decay and bacteria.
Ayurvedic Medicines for Dental Diseases
The doshas contain energy that when disturbed cause a major imbalance in the body functions. Dental diseases involve an imbalance in the kapha dosha located in the mouth. Here are some of the dental diseases that you may contract if there is an imbalance in the kapha dosha.
Bad breath
Toothache
Tooth decay
Bleeding gums
Yellow teeth
Fortunately, the Ayurvedic system has a long list of herbal remedies for the said conditions. Here are some of those herbal remedies that you can use to treat your dental problems as they occur.
Turmeric
Turmeric is not only to be used in spicing up your dishes as well as coloring food, it can also help solve dental problems. You just have to mix a quarter of a teaspoon of the table salt with oil from mustard. After this, you can apply the solution to the infected tooth. It can help treat gum problems as well as tooth decay and toothaches. It is truly a remarkable remedy for simple dental problems. The turmeric can be used as a powder to help heal toothaches and pains.
Neem
The Neem Tree can be used as a whitening agent for teeth. The toys from this tree can be used as toothbrushes, the oils can be used as facial washes and the sap has antiseptic properties that can help kill microorganisms that may cause bacterial infection on the teeth.
Clove
Base of glow, especially garlic cloves, can help deal with dental problems because of its anti bacterial properties that get rid of all microbes that may infect the mouth and cause diseases. The oil from the clove when applied to an infected tooth can also ease the pain of the toothache. In order to make it a paste, you just have to mix it with zinc oxide.
Vitamin C is also helpful in combating dental diseases because it strengthens the teeth in such a way that it can protect itself from bacterial attacks. It can also add strength to teeth to handle the pressure of chewing crunchy food that usually wear teeth down.
These are just some of the herbal remedies that Ayurvedic medicine can offer any patient.
Dental Diseases where Ayurveda is helpful
The Ayurvedic concept views diseases as energetic imbalance that therefore causes severe pain to the patient. Here are some of the many dental diseases linked to kapha dosha.
· Halitosis
· Teeth discoloration
· Tooth decay
· Loose teeth
· Gum bleeding
· Aching teeth
If we want to solve these problems, we must know how to deal with these kinds of dental situations.
Halitosis
It is important to keep your oral hygiene up to standard. A mixture of lemon and water can help with this condition as well. Fresh guava can also help. Eating fresh fruits will definitely make a difference when it comes to protecting your oral hygiene.
Discolored teeth
The mixture of salt and a piece of lime can help soothe discolored teeth. You just apply the mixture onto your teeth and let it sit for a few minutes. A mixture of herbs like neem, alum and many others in powdered form can also help ease and care for discoloration. Another procedure you can do is to rub an orange peel onto your teeth every night.
Tooth Decay
Have a calcium rich diet and always make sure to have and intake of dairy products every day. It will also help to mix germ eric with mustard oil and salt to make a paste. You then rub in onto your teeth. In addition to this, you must avoid sugar intake because it affects the health of the teeth.
Gums with Blood
You must clean your teeth with twigs of neem, banyan, holy basil and babul to stop the bleeding. You can also massage your gums with a mixture of alum and mustard oil. Rinse with water and alum. Masticating on guava tree leaves helps to stop profuse bleeding. Intake of green leafy vegetables and fruits can also help with bleeding gums.
How to Deal With Toothache
You can use til, cinnamon and garlic cloves to deal with toothache. The garlic clove added with pepper powder and clove oil can ease the pain of toothache. A paste composed of bayberry bark as well as vinegar can help with the pain of toothache when applied. You must also avoid drinking soft drinks, eating carbohydrate rich foods and sugar intake as it aggravates tooth decay.
These are just some of the major diseases that can affect you if you have an imbalance in the spiritual energies according to Ayurvedic medicine. It will greatly help you if you learn more about this kind of medicinal practice so that you will know how to deal with dental problems using home based remedies that you can easily make on your own.
This article is great because it goes into more detail about how Ayurvedic practices affect dental practices. There are many ancient and spiritual ways of doing things in India, so it may be hard to bring in new ways. In turn, these practices have a huge effect on the type of oral care that is observed among the people. It is cool to know how many herbal remedies and pastes that they make in order to help with oral pain, whereas we may go to a dentist to resolve it. It will be interesting to see the extent to which the people practice Ayurvedic dental care.
Thursday, February 2, 2012
Learning Journal 8
On Wednesday in class we discussed the circle of culture. Within this circle are 10 areas that contain opposing ideas about a society. There is no wrong or right way for each culture to live by; just varying ideas about what is normal and acceptable to a specific culture. I thought about one of the areas within that circle such as communication, being able to understand the context that people use in their day-to-day lives. I think about how much of what I say needs to be understood in the context of who I am as a person. Much of what I say would be hard to understand because I use short sentences and quick sarcastic comments. When I reflect this idea to a probable social setting in India where I am with a group of teenagers, I wonder if I would be lost in the conversation because I would not understand the cultural context of their communication. What my friends and I find as hilarious may be boring or insignificant to a group of guys in India. It is very important for me to be able to fit into the surroundings of my area so that I do not stick out and seem unapproachable.
Another aspect of the circle that I did not know about until Margaret brought it up was the environment. She said that in India when you go to a restaurant you put your head in your bowl until you are done and then leave. This is very different than the culture in America where we choose restaurants as our social setting. Often times when I am with my family or catching up with a friend, we go out to eat to be able to catch up with each other. On the other hand, when you go to an Indian restaurant to eat, you are strictly there to eat and you can talk outside.
I am sure that I could go through the other 8 areas in the circle of culture and find things that would be unique to the Indian culture. The best part about it all is that everything that they do over there will be normal, while everything that I may find as normal may be seen as different. And they could be put into a similar situation if they came to America. I don’t really know of much preparation that I can do to get ready for my trip over there besides to learn more about their customs. Then once I get there it will just be important for me to be able to adapt and change to the circumstances so I can flow into a normal way of life.
Another aspect of the circle that I did not know about until Margaret brought it up was the environment. She said that in India when you go to a restaurant you put your head in your bowl until you are done and then leave. This is very different than the culture in America where we choose restaurants as our social setting. Often times when I am with my family or catching up with a friend, we go out to eat to be able to catch up with each other. On the other hand, when you go to an Indian restaurant to eat, you are strictly there to eat and you can talk outside.
I am sure that I could go through the other 8 areas in the circle of culture and find things that would be unique to the Indian culture. The best part about it all is that everything that they do over there will be normal, while everything that I may find as normal may be seen as different. And they could be put into a similar situation if they came to America. I don’t really know of much preparation that I can do to get ready for my trip over there besides to learn more about their customs. Then once I get there it will just be important for me to be able to adapt and change to the circumstances so I can flow into a normal way of life.
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