Category Archives: Oral Care

How to Handle Traumatic Injuries to Your Child’s Teeth Part 2

Continued from Part 1

First aid advice for parent or caregivers

avulsed tooth Â© kravitzorthodontics.blogspot.com

Always check the child’s clothing for avulsed teeth that are thought to be lost. It is important that parents, caregivers and teachers have assess to appropriate advice on the management of avulsed teeth. Timing is essential and this information can be given over the telephone. Continue reading →

Diverticulitis Part 2

Emergency surgery is necessary for people whose intestine has ruptured; intestinal rupture always results in infection of the abdominal cavity. During a diverticulitis surgery, the ruptured section is removed and a colostomy is performed. This means that the surgeon will create an opening between the large intestine and the surface of the skin. The colostomy is closed in about 10 or 12 weeks in a subsequent surgery in which the cut ends of the intestine are rejoined. Continue reading →

How to Handle Traumatic Injuries to Your Child’s Teeth Part 1

Â© irelandsdentalmag.ie

The management of tooth fracture in children is distressing for both child and parent and often difficult for the dentist. However, trauma is one of the most common presentations of young children to a pediatric dentist. Trauma not only compromises a previously healthy dentition but may also leave a deficit that affects the self-esteem and quality of the life and commits the person to life-long dental maintenance. Continue reading →

Diverticulitis Part 1

Diverticulitis is a common digestive disease particularly found in the large intestine. Diverticulitis develops from diverticulosis, which involves the formation of pouches (diverticula) on the outside of the colon. Diverticulitis results if one of these diverticula becomes inflamed. Continue reading →

Oral Adverse Effects of Drugs Part 2

Continued from Part 1

Leukoplakia

Tobacco and alcohol use are important risk factors for leukoplakia and oral cancer.

Drug-related pemphigoid and other bullous disorders

Drug-induced pemphigoid may be due to drugs acting as haptens or drug-induced immunological dysfunction.

Drugs most commonly implicated

Diclofenac
Penicillamine Continue reading →

Oral Adverse Effects of Drugs Part 1

Oral side effects caused by drugs are relatively uncommon but may be important. Some drugs almost invariably cause side effects in the mouth, for example dry mouth from many drugs, and oral ulcerswith some of the cytotoxic agents, while other drugs rarely cause oral complications. Some habits, such as the use of oral snuff (smokeless tobacco), can cause gum recession and leukoplakia (a precancerous white lesion) and possibly predispose to oral cancer whereas oral use of cocaine can cause gum ulceration or peeling of mouth tissues. Drugs that occasionally cause complications in the mouth are discussed below. Continue reading →

Oral Lesions in HIV Disease

Oral features of HIV / AIDS reflect the T-cell immune defect and are, thus, mainly the consequence of fungal or viral infections. The most common are candidiasis (candidosis) and hairy leukoplakia. Necrotizing gingivitis, accelerated periodontitis, Kaposi sarcoma, lymphomas, salivary gland disease, ulcers of various infective causes and other lesions may be seen.

Oral lesions may indicate HIV infection that is previously undiagnosed, be used in staging and therapy decisions, or cause the individual pain or esthetic problems. Continue reading →

What to Know About HIV Infection Part 2

Continued from Part 1

HIV disease

HIV disease (symptomatic HIV infection) appears as the CD4 count progressively declines over a long incubation period, which may extend over 5 to 15 years or more. Then the person may develop:

Infections: the most important infections are pneumonia, candidiasis, herpesviruses and parasites. Opportunistic infections are common and resistant to treatment. Tuberculosis is increasing in HIV-infected persons in whom it may invoke mycobacteria resistant to a range of anti-tubercular drugs. Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP) is a lung infection seen in up to 80% of infected persons and is the immediate cause of death in up to 20% of individuals dying with AIDS.
Tumors: the main tumors appear to be virally related and include Kaposi sarcoma associated HHV-8, lymphomas associated with EBV, and cervical and anal cancers associated with HPV.
Anorexia, diarrhea, wasting, premature aging and autoimmune phenomena particularly thrombocytopenic purpura.
Sometimes neuropsychiatric disease: there may be dementia complex, with personality changes, ataxia and convulsions, and other cerebral syndromes. Continue reading →

What to Know About HIV Infection Part 1

Infection with the RNA retroviruses known as human immunodeficiency viruses (HIV) produces HIV infection which eventually damages T-lymphocytes that protects our immune system, thus causing immunodeficiency. This predisposes to fungi, viruses, mycobacteria and/or parasites, and the appearance of clinical diseases, at which time the condition is termed ‘HIV disease’. This then progresses over time to the acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). Continue reading →

Mouth Pigmentation Part 2