Teeth are for biting and chewing food, not for tearing packages open, pulling tags off new clothes, undoing knots or cracking nuts! We have all probably been guilty of using our teeth as a multi-purpose tool, but we should give our teeth much more respect. Although your teeth are strong, they will crack or chip with misuse. Here are some habits we would love you to try to give up once and for all:
Chewing ice Many people habitually chew on ice, which can cause gum injuries or even broken teeth. Sometimes the damage is severe enough to require a crown. If ice chewing is a part of your routine, try sugarless gum instead. If you need to crunch something, try baby carrots or apple chunks. The urge to chew ice can also be symptomatic of iron-deficiency anemia. This is common form of anemia affects approximately 20 percent of women, 50 percent of pregnant women, and three percent of men. Iron-deficiency anemia is usually caused by inadequate iron intake, blood loss (from menstruation or surgery), or an increased need for iron (common with pregnancy or lactation). Iron is essential to the oxygen-carrying function of the blood. Without enough iron in your blood, your red blood cells (hemoglobin) cannot provide adequate oxygen supplies to your body tissues. You end up feeling tired and listless, and your skin may look pale. As anemia worsens, it can produce an irregular heart rate because your heart pumps additional blood to make up for the low level of oxygen. Anemia should not be left untreated. Whatever the cause, the bottom line is, do not chew ice! If you find it difficult to stop the habit, contact your physician. Using your teeth as a scissors Many people use their teeth to cut through string, open packages or remove tags from clothing. Of course, this is very bad for your teeth. In particular, if you use your teeth to remove the plastic “strings” that affix price tags to clothing, you might find yourself with a small divot in one of your teeth. This can lead to cracking and fracturing of the tooth later on. Always use scissors! Using toothpicks improperly Used properly, a toothpick can be a great tool to remove food from between your teeth when you do not have floss handy. But if you are aggressive with the toothpick, it can injure your gums or break off between your teeth. Use toothpicks gently, do not chew on them, and be sure to use the rounded ones, as they are less likely to damage your gums. Chewing pencils, pens and other hard objects Your teeth were meant to chew food, not writing utensils. Pencils, pens and other things that do not belong in your mouth can fracture teeth, leading to otherwise unnecessary dental repairs. Besides, you do not know where these items have been, so why would you put them in your mouth? If you feel the need to chew, stick to sugarless gum.
As you can see, misuse of your teeth could cause chips and fractures, resulting in unnecessary dental work. It is not that we do not want to see you in the dental office. Your dentists just do not want to have to treat you in preventable situations! Please try to avoid using your teeth, unless it is for biting or chewing food, of course!
Posts Tagged ‘Iron Deficiency Anemia’
How can Iron Deficiency Anemia be treated?
Its not about diagnosing your problem but getting down to what’s causing it. In this case taking a proper diet and also supplementation of iron rich vitamins for a short period to bring your iron blood levels to normal and then stopping the treatment as extra iron could lead to toxicity.
Taking Iron with Vitamins
Supplementation with the right vitamin formulations. We are all different in our cellular body make-up. You will find that the iron levels will vary from person to person and also during the life cycle of the individual. What I mean by this is that iron deficiency is more prominent among women and will be seen more so in their early years. Women menstruating will have less iron than women not in their monthly cycle. Men do not necessary have iron blood levels that are low and do not have a similar problem as women. Men have to be careful that they select a multimineral that has no iron in it.
Take vitamins that have been tested and rated for their potency, purity, safety, bioavailability and balanced formulations. All supplements are not created equal and it is important not to go just by the recommendation of the chemist. Do some research of your own on this subject of vitamins tested and rated. You can access alot of independent information out there for you to read on this subject. One such resource is “The Comparative Guide To Nutritional Supplements” by Lyle MacWilliam Bsc, Msc, FP. You will save not only money but your health will improve with high potency supplement products.
Supplement with Iron
In fact supplementation with iron in the vitamin should not be present unless you have had a blood iron test done and your doctor has recommended you to go on a course of iron vitamins for a few months to increase your iron levels in your blood. Do not take the iron pills unless you really need them. The potency of the tablet will be determined upon the results of blood test.
Check your Blood Iron Levels, Consult your Doctor
It is important that you check your iron levels in your blood after you have been on the iron supplements and see if you should lower your iron intake or even stop it altogether.Iron supplementation should take place under the direction of your family doctor.
Women as you are aware, vitamins with iron should not be taken unless you need them. You may have to be on the iron supplements for a few months to get your low iron levels up and only stop taking them or reduce the dosage after a doctor has checked your latest blood iron levels again. Then you will need to go back on a normal high potency vitamin with no iron in them. It would be advisable to check your iron levels regularly.
Side Effects
If you are experiencing any side effects please consult your doctor and reduce the levels if need be. Supplementation of iron can cause constipation and discoloration of bowel movements. Iron pills need to be taken with orange juice on an empty stomach to avoid constipation. Constipation may occur when you start your iron supplements in some cases. All you need to do is lower the dosage and slowly increase it to the full dosage in a few days. You may be able to reduce constipation by taking your iron pills with lots of water on an empty stomach. You may take iron pills with citrus fruits. Orange juice maybe a very good suggestion. The Vitamin C in citrus fruits helps the iron pills to be easily absorbed and reduces constipation.
List of Iron Rich Foods
Pork roast, cashew nuts, shrimps, raisins, sardines, spinach, lima beans, kidney beans, turkey, dark meat, prune juice, roast beef, peanuts, eggs, green beans, potatoes, eggs, Oysters, prunes, beef liver, clams, walnuts, ground beef, chickpeas and bran flakes are a few examples.
Iron Deficiency Anemia Symptoms
Iron in our blood is not visible to the naked eye and hence we do not worry about the iron levels until its symptoms arise. It is hugely forgotten so much so we forget how important it is to be present for our bodies to function in a proper balanced way. If iron is very low in our blood we will be left feeling very tired, disorientated or even depression may set in.To prevent this proper supplementation under the supervision of your doctor is important. Now you may go to the other extreme and take too much iron and that could leave you constipated, severe heart burns or upset tummies. This condition must be monitored by your doctor with a regular blood test.
Excessive Iron Over Dose
Hemochromatosis is characterised by the excessive absorption of iron. Normally, excess iron is safely stored in various joints and organs in the body, especially in the the liver. When a person suffers from haemochromatosis, excessive iron stores keep rising in time, the liver will enlarges and gets damaged, leading to serious diseases. One such disease is the cirrhosis of the liver. Other problems that can be caused by excessive amounts of blood iron include heart disease, diabetes and arthritis. Both sexes, male and female are at risk, though women tend to develop the disease later in life, since regular menstrual periods deplete the body of much needed iron. As the symptoms are similar to a number of diseases haemochromatosis tends to be under-diagnosed. Excessive amounts of iron can be reduced by taking out blood from the patient and by reducing the intake of iron rich foods.
If your doctor believes that you are suffering from the blood disorder known as iron deficiency anemia, it is likely that a “Total Iron Binding Capacity” or “TIBC” test will be ordered. This test is really easy to understand. It simply takes a measurement of the iron that is located in the blood.
The medical professional that interprets the test will be able to determine if there is an excess of iron within the blood, or if there is a lower than normal amount of iron in the blood. This is made possible by the fact that when iron is transported within the blood, it attaches to a special protein referred to as “Transferrin”. The test works to discover the measurement of this protein.
Preparation
If you are ordered to take the “Total Iron Binding Capacity” test for iron deficiency anemia, it is important to ensure that you know and understand how to effectively prepare for it. You should understand that, because this is a blood test, the blood will be drawn from one of the veins in your body.
An antiseptic is used to clean the injection spot – which is typically from the inside of the area of the elbow or perhaps on the hand. Then, an elastic form of a band will be tied on the area of the upper arm so that the vein swells and becomes visible. The blood is then collected into a vial where it can be sealed and sent for testing.
Test Results
If the test comes back abnormally and there is a high amount of iron in the blood, it typically means that you have iron deficiency anemia. It could also mean that you are in the late stages of pregnancy too. If the test results in low iron levels, it may mean that there is an issue with the liver, you are experiencing a type of malnutrition, you may have Hemolytic Anemia, pernicious anemia, or Sickle Cell Anemia.
Your medical doctor will be able to determine an appropriate course of action if you have Iron Deficiency Anemia, or any other condition that the “Total Iron Binding Capacity” test reveals.
Nutritional iron supplements are primarily used by those with iron-deficiency anemia or conditions that lead to it, such as low hemoglobin or red blood cell count. Although iron is normally obtained from food, certain conditions increase the body’s need for iron. These include pregnancy, bleeding problems, hemodialysis, and intestinal problems. Breastfed infants and children undergoing growth spurts may also need supplemental iron.
There are different types of nutritional iron supplements, but each one serves a different purpose. It is important to choose the right iron supplement to best serve your nutritional needs. Here are some buying tips and advice on using nutritional iron supplements.
1. Read the generic names.
Nutritional iron supplements are either ferric or ferrous. Ferrous supplements are better absorbed by the body, but one should also know the amount of elemental iron in each type. Elemental iron is simply the amount of iron in the pill available for absorption. Ferrous fumarate contains 33% elemental iron, while ferrous sulfate and ferrous gluconate contain only 20% and 12% respectively.
2. Know the side effects.
The most common side effect or iron supplements is black stool, which is fairly harmless. Liquid supplements may also cause yellowing of the teeth, but the effect is reversible and can be avoided by administering through a straw. Intramuscular injections can cause considerable pain and brown discoloration of the injected area. Other common side effects are diarrhea, obstipation (severe constipation), and epigastric abdominal discomfort.
3. Consult your doctor.
Consult your doctor before taking iron supplements, especially if you are taking other medications or have conditions that affect your medication needs. Be sure to tell your doctor if you have liver or kidney problems, heart disease, asthma, or allergies. If you suspect you have anemia, have a proper blood analysis to make sure it is caused by iron deficiency and not some other condition.
4. Take absorption aids.
To better absorb iron, take nutritional iron supplements along with copper and vitamins A, B complex, and C. Avoid taking antacids and high amounts of vitamin E and zinc, as these can slow down iron absorption.
IMPORTANT: The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not strictly regulate dietary supplements, and many supplements do not contain exactly what their labels say. To stay safe, choose nutritional iron supplements that are GMP-compliant to make sure they do not include harmful additives, such as silica, starch, sugar, and gluten.
Vitamin C is instrumental in the formation of a protein which gives structure to bones, cartilage muscle and blood vessels. It also aids in the absorption if iron. Scientific researches have shown that there are no known advantages in consuming excessive amounts of Vitamin C.
Some of the more common signs of mild Vitamin C Deficiency include weakness, lassitude, swollen gums, nosebleeds and scurvy. Possible reasons which can result in this deficiency include inadequate diet, alcoholism and homelessness. There are some other risk factors which can ultimately result in Vitamin C Deficiency. Babies borne from women who take higher levels of Vitamin C during late pregnancy are two to three times more likely to develop wheezing when they reach two years of age.
Researchers warn women against intake of Vitamin C supplements and try to maintain adequate levels through dietary controls. Another research study also shows that infants taking multivitamins were more vulnerable to asthma and food allergies. Iron deficiency anemia is caused from Vitamin C Deficiency. This results in reduced red blood cells from insufficient iron. Vitamin C Deficiency is also of the contributing factors for anemia. It is essentially a lack of red blood cells, which reduces the amount of oxygen content in the blood. Fatigue, weakness and pallor are some of the initial symptoms of a mild form of this disease. Acute forms of the disease, such as from blood loss, has more severe symptoms, such as dizziness and unconsciousness. Scurvy is another disease resulting from Vitamin C Deficiency. Symptoms include tiredness, weakness, irritability, aches and pains, poor healing and bleeding symptoms. There are also indications of swollen purple spongy gums and/or bleeding gums.
Maintaining a controlled diet with adequate Vitamin C content seems to be the most medically accepted way of avoiding any deficiency related diseases.
Teenagers are at a higher risk for iron deficiency anemia due the rapid rate at which they are growing during these years. As the body grows, it requires larger amounts of nutrients, including iron, which it receives from the blood. If the blood is not replenished with iron, anemia can set in. So combine teenage growth spurts with a diet lacking iron-rich foods and you could have a case of teenage anemia to deal with.
There are other risk factors for teenage anemia mostly targeting teenage girls. Teen girls are at a higher risk for anemia since the body loses iron during menstruation and girls usually do not compensate for that loss by eating more iron-rich foods. Anemia is more likely to develop in teen girls who become pregnant also. Lastly, becoming a vegetarian or dieting to lose weight can cause anemia to develop since the present of red meat, which is a prime source of iron, is lacking in these lifestyles.
Symptoms Of Iron Deficiency Anemia
The symptoms of iron deficiency anemia can be mild and hard to notice. Often, if the anemia is mild, there may be no symptoms at all. Even when there are noticeable symptoms, frequently they are dismissed as a bug or even just due to the fact that teens often don’t eat as well as they should or sleep as much as they should. The most common symptoms of iron-deficiency anemia are fatigue or weakness, pale skin color caused by fewer red blood cells in the blood, and trouble concentrating or remembering most likely caused by less oxygen in the blood flowing to the brain. As you can see, many normal teens without anemia can display these symptoms for any number of reasons.
Other, more noticeable, symptoms of iron-deficiency anemia in teens are a faster pulse caused by the heart beating harder to pump more oxygen into the blood, shortness of breath when running or climbing stairs (or any type of exertion), and frequent or severe headaches. The most disturbing symptoms can be sudden severe nosebleeds that may or may not accompany the headaches. Unfortunately, many of these symptoms can also be explained by other causes.
The best advice is to watch your teen. If you notice a combination of these symptoms lasting for more than a couple of days, you should schedule a visit with your teen’s doctor. The doctor will ask a series of questions to determine whether or not your teen should be tested for anemia. Luckily, a simple blood test is all that is needed to diagnose iron-deficiency anemia.
Treatment For Iron Deficiency Anemia
If your teen is diagnosed as having iron-deficiency anemia, an iron supplement will most likely be prescribed once or twice a day for a time depending on how severe the anemia is. Your doctor may also recommend, and it is a good idea to, making some lifestyle changes involving a healthier diet consisting of dark green vegetables, legumes and small amounts of red meat as well. Your teen should also try hard to get at least eight hours of sleep a night, which is the minimum amount recommended for children growing at the speed that adolescents are. With the proper diet and sleep, as well as the iron supplements, the anemia should subside within a couple of weeks.
Anemia refers to a condition that means lack of blood. It is the most common blood disorder that occurs when the quantity of red blood cells decreases in the body. These red blood cells contain hemoglobin- the red colouring matter, a protein and are composed of an organic compound called “heme”. Hemoglobin helps the red blood cells to carry oxygen from the lungs to other parts of the body. The formation of hemoglobin depends on adequate dietary supplies of iron and protein. Red cells have a lifespan of about 120 days and are daily destroyed and repaired. Each and every person should have 100 per cent hemoglobin and a blood count of five million red cells per millimeter.
Types of anemia
1. Iron deficiency anemia: It is the most common types of anemia. Iron is required for the formation of hemoglobin, when there is less iron in the body it causes iron deficiency anemia.
2. Aplastic anemia: When body stops making enough red blood cells and chances of infections increases.
3. Vitamin deficiency anemia: This is also termed as megaloblastic anemia. This is caused due to the deficiency of folic acid or vitamin B12. In this type of anemia the red blood cells made by the body are not able to carry oxygen properly to lungs and other parts.
4. Inherited blood disease: Sickle cell anemia is an inherited anemia that is transferred through genes. In the sickle cell anemia the cells block the organs from getting proper circulation of blood. The other inherited disease is thalassemia. When the body is missing certain genes or when different genes that are not normal are passed down from parents to the kins affects the procedure the body uses to make hemoglobin.
5. Underlying diseases: Certain diseases or condition can affect the formation of red blood cells. Like in kidney failure one is on dialysis and kidney is not in the condition to produce hormones that are required for iron absorption.
6. Pernicious anemia: When body is not able to absorb vitamin B12 from the foods, the condition is known as pernicious anemia. This vitamin is also produced by the bacteria in large intestine but is not absorbed into the blood stream.
Causes
The two main causes of anemia are the reduced or low formation of red blood cell and heavy loss of blood due to injury, heavy menstruation and bleeding piles. Any defect in the bone marrow or an inadequate intake of iron, vitamins and proteins results in low formation of red blood cells. The lack of hydrochloric acid that is required for digestion of iron and proteins also causes anemia. Use of drugs that inactive the nutrients needed in building cells also results in anemia. Various chronic diseases like tuberculosis, kidney failure, rheumatoid arthritis may cause anemia. Presence of intestinal parasites that feed on the vitamins and other nutrients also leads to anemia.
Home Remedies
1. Eating 2-3 apples daily helps in increasing iron content in the body.
2. A liberal intake of ascorbic acid (vitamin C) is necessary for the proper absorption of iron. Two citrus fruits are recommended daily.
3. Vitamin B12 is necessary for both preventing and curing anemia. The rich sources of this vitamin are animal protein and organic meats like kidney and liver. The other good sources of vitamin B12 are dairy products, wheat germ, peanuts and soybean. The daily recommended dose is 2.2 microgram.
4. Tea and coffee should be avoided as they hinder with the iron absorption.
5. Beets are very important in the cure of anemia. Its juice contains potassium, phosphorus, calcium, sulphur, iodine, iron, copper, carbohydrates, protein, fat, and vitamins B1, B2, B6, C and P.
6. A cold-water bath is the valuable method in curing anemia. Two baths are recommended daily.
7. Cold friction and hot Epsom baths for 5-10 minutes once a week are recommended.
8. Sunbaths are also beneficial as sunlight stimulates the production of red cells.
9. 3-4 dried figs are recommended a day for anemic person’s.
10. Honey also plays an important role in improving the health. Lemon and honey or apple cider vinegar is highly beneficial when taken during morning.
11. Massaging the body daily also helps to keep the blood level in the body high.
12. Deep breathing and light exercise like walking also tones up the system and increases the blood level.
13. Various yoga asanas like sarvangasana, paschomittanasana, uttanpadasana and shavasana are also beneficial.
If you get tired very easily of constantly have low energy levels, it is quite possible that you could be suffering from anemia. If you have anemia, your body does not have enough hemoglobin, the oxygen carrying protein in the blood.
There are many different kinds of anemia and each one has its own cause. There is Iron Deficiency Anemia, Vitamin Deficiency Anemia, Sickle Cell Anemia, Aplastic Anemia and Hemolytic Anemia to name a few. Many times no apparent reason can be pin pointed for anemia but it quite prevalent in our society. Anemia can be temporary or long-term. It can be either severe or mild.
The main reason for anemia is deficiency of iron in our body and the main signs of anemia are weakness and fatigue. Weakness and fatigue manifest themselves when the red blood cells in our body do not carry sufficient iron to the muscles. Lack of iron also has adverse effects on other parts of our body like fingernails and tongue. If there is prolonged deficiency of iron in our body, our tongue gets sore and swollen. Often with iron deficiency people get cracks on the sides of their mouths which can be quite painful. Iron deficiency causes our nails to grow abnormally and they end up getting a spoon-like appearance.
In case of mild anemia, the person skin turns paler and there is decrease color in the gums and lips. However, these changes are difficult to spot as they happen very slowly. However, the most common symptoms of anemia are lightheadedness, cold feet and hands, brittle nails, enlarged spleen, frequent infections and rapid heartbeat along with irritability.
If you think you are suffering from anemia, it is best to consult a doctor who will give you correct advice and medication to cure it.
Anemia is a general term for a category of blood conditions that affect the red blood cells or the oxygen-carrying hemoglobin they contain.
In anemia, there is either a reduction in the number of red blood cells in circulation or a decrease in the amount or quality of hemoglobin. There are many causes of anemia, including severe blood loss, genetic disorders, and serious diseases. (See iron-deficiency anemia, pernicious anemia [vitamin B12-related], and sickle cell anemia.) Anyone with unexplained anemia should have the cause determined by a qualified doctor.
Some athletes appear to have anemia when their blood is tested, but this may be a normal adaptation to the stress of exercise,1 which does not need treatment. Further evaluation by a qualified doctor is necessary.
The symptoms of anemia include tiredness, headaches, and generally feeling irritable. These symptoms can be severe, but are sometimes overlooked by doctors who assume the symptoms are due to other existing conditions, or the after effects of medication. This means a person’s anemia could go undiagnosed and without treatment, and so the tiredness, headaches and irritation remain, getting worse with time. People who suffer from rheumatoid arthritis, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer are all at risk of anemia.
It’s important to consult your doctor to ensure anemia is properly diagnosed, and not hidden underneath any other condition you have. If you find you’re suffering from anemia then it is important to supplement with deficient vitamins and minerals such as iron, vitamin B12, and folate. In the case of cancer, where the number of prescribed medications taken will probably be high, it is important to check for drug-vitamin interactions.
Don’t let anemia hide behind another one of your health concerns. Get the right supplements to fight both your disease, and the anemia hidden behind it.
Iron deficiency anemia conditions have a long and described history, as a deficiency of iron is the most common nutrient deficiency in the world.
Iron, with perhaps the best described history among all the micronutrients, is a key element in the metabolism of almost all living organisms. In humans, iron is an essential component of hundreds of proteins and enzymes.
Heme is an iron-containing compound found in a number of biologically important molecules.