Tooth Abscess Relief

An abscess is a localized collection of infection that usually forms at the root of the tooth. Abscessed teeth are usually caused by untreated tooth decay, a cracked or broken tooth or filling, or from a gum infection, synonymous with advanced gum disease.

Is It Periodontitis?

In a nutshell, periodontitis occurs when gingivitis is left untreated. Since gingivitis and periodontitis share similar symptoms, early diagnosis is key to preventing progression. Only your dentist is able to confirm what problem you have.

What Causes Periodontitis?

Gum disease generally develops because of improper brushing and flossing habits, although underlying medical conditions may have a correlation to greater incidence. The bacteria that are found in the mouth as a result of these poor habits begin to affect the surrounding bone and tissues below the gumline.

As plaque and bacteria build up and begin to produce toxins, your body begins a process known as a chronic inflammatory response. Put simply, the body begins to break down the gum tissue and supporting bone. The gingival sulcus becomes increasingly deeper, forming a periodontal pocket that continues to trap plaque, bacteria and food debris. As periodontitis continues to manifest, the patient is often unaware of the damage that is occurring, because symptoms often remain mild.

The bone loss and destruction of the firmly attached gum tissues is permanent. Periodontitis comes in many forms, all with specific factors contributing to its progression:

• Aggressive Periodontitis - This affects normally healthy people, developing rapidly and causing bone loss and destruction to the attached gingiva.
• Chronic Periodontitis - Perhaps the most common form of periodontitis, it mainly occurs in adults, although anyone (regardless of age) may develop it. Inflammation of the gingiva, bone loss and increased gingival recession may progress slower than with other forms of periodontitis.
• Periodontitis Associated with Systemic Diseases - Systemic diseases, such as heart disease, diabetes, and certain forms of arthritis, may have a correlation with periodontitis. Research suggests the connection between periodontitis and certain diseases may be due to chronic inflammatory response, as this is common with many systemic conditions. Other theories suggest microorganisms in the mouth are partially to blame.
• Necrotizing Periodontal Disease - Necrosis means death of the gum tissue, connective tissue and bone that surround the teeth; this causes lesions in the mouth. Individuals with conditions and/or diseases such as HIV/AIDS, immunodeficiency disorders , and malnutrition often display this form of periodontitis.

Patients with periodontitis are often referred by their general dentist to a periodontist. Periodontists specialize in treating advanced gum disease, and work together with your general dentist to care for oral health by halting the progression of periodontitis and subsequently treating the various forms of gum disease.

A toothache caused by an abscessed tooth is often very excruciating to say the very least. At the onset of pain from a suspected abscessed tooth, it is highly recommended to see your dentist as soon as possible. A root canal may be necessary to remove the infected tissue. Failure to have an abscess treated promptly could result in the advancement of the infection, which may invade further into the bone and surrounding tissue. In rare cases, an untreated abscessed tooth may cause a severe infection that could result in death. A sad example of an abscessed tooth causing death was the case of a young boy named Deamonte Driver.

How to Relieve Pain from an Abscessed Tooth

Here are some ways to relieve toothache that is caused by an abscessed tooth:

• Avoid foods and beverages that are very cold or very hot. Since the dentin layer of the tooth has likely been invaded by tooth decay, extremes in temperature may cause pain.
• Avoid foods and beverages that are very high in sugar, or are very acidic.
• Use an over-the-counter pain relief medicine. Never exceed the recommended dose, and check to make sure you are able to take pain relief medications with any of the other medications you may currently be on. Generally speaking, a pain relief medication that is intended to reduced inflammation works best for dental pain, because most toothaches are caused by an inflammation of the tissues or the inflammation of the nerve. Never put pain relief medication on the tooth or gum tissue, as this could burn the tissue.
• Floss between the teeth that are painful. Removing the food particles and plaque may help reduce the pain from the toothache.
• Use oil of cloves (eugenol). Eugenol, which can be found in most health food stores, is used in various dental materials because of its antiseptic and anesthetic properties. Using eugenol at home may help reduce pain from a toothache. Soak a small piece of cotton in the oil, then blot the cotton on a piece of tissue to remove the excess. Using a clean pair of tweezers, hold the cotton on the painful tooth for 10 seconds, making sure you do not swallow any of the oil.
• Seal a hole in the tooth temporarily. Some pharmacies have over-the counter temporary filling material that may be used to seal the hole created by decay temporarily.
• Sleep with your head elevated. The inflammation of the nerve of the tooth with an abscess is very painful, and is often what causes the most uncomfortable pain. If you elevate your head when resting, some of the pressure in the area of the toothache may diminish.
• Rinse with warm salt water. Rinsing with warm salt water two to three times a day may help to relieve a toothache caused by an abscess, if the toothache is caused by a gum infection. Salt water works as an antiseptic to remove bacteria from the infected area.

A toothache that is caused by an abscess may come and go, but don't be fooled. The longer you wait to have the abscess treated, more serious complications may arise. As soon as you develop a toothache, see your dentist immediately.




Can Marijuana Really Reduce Anxiety – The Facts

In the initial stages of marijuana use, people who are prone to attacks of anxiety, or who are just anxious or stressed, find that marijuana use relaxes them and reduces levels of anxiety. This is quite true, so the temptation to use marijuana when one is feeling anxious or stressed is quite strong. 

But, is this really an effective treatment? 

That is exactly what we’ll try to explore here. With many people it is absolutely true that using marijuana tends to reduce anxiety to a considerable extent during usage. This is effective for some time, though it doesn’t work in the case of all users. 

However, even in people who actually benefit from marijuana by experiencing lower levels of anxiety, this effect is not permanent. 

With continued use over a reasonably long period, resistance builds up to the effects of the active components of the drug, and it no longer is capable of reducing anxiety as before. This tempts users to take larger doses of the drug, or to seek out stronger mixes. However, as the dose increases, with continued use, so also does tolerance. 

At higher doses, there is a severe risk of addiction
Around one-tenth of those who use marijuana, even casually, will eventually become addicted to the drug. 

Not only does the anxiety-reducing effect of the drug fall through continued use, but levels of anxiety will actually be heightened when one is not using the drug. 

The heightened levels of anxiety when you’re not using the drug, if you’re a chronic user of marijuana, may not even be due to lifestyle factors. Marijuana itself can create heightened levels of anxiety in chronic users who try to abstain from the drug. 

More than that, as dosage increases, it can cause a number of disorders…
The user might start having delusions, may become obsessed easily, or even grow psychotic. This, combined with heightened levels of anxiety (that now cannot be controlled by the drug), can result in a number of obsessive-compulsive disorders. 

Ultimately, when one has used marijuana chronically for a long time in an attempt to control anxiety, withdrawal can also cause intense levels of anxiety… as also a number of other emotional and psychological symptoms. There may be outbursts of anger, and intense feelings of aggression, the patient might be very irritable and restless, and may also have difficulty with sleep patterns. 

Finally, and perhaps the greatest reason of all for not using marijuana to reduce levels of anxiety, is that, if one does this one never learns more sensible and commonsense methods of reducing anxiety through lifestyle changes and through training one’s mind to cope better. 

What Is Acid Reflux?

Acid reflux disease, also known as gastro-esophageal reflux disease, or GERD, occurs due to the coexistence of two medical conditions. The first acid reflux disease contributing condition is a retrograde flow of stomach contents into the esophagus. However, the reflux itself does not necessarily lead to gastro-esophageal reflux disease symptoms or histologic changes, and can occur among healthy individuals as well. In this case, the process is referred to as "physiologic gastroesophageal reflux". The second acid reflux disease predisposing condition is a lower esophageal sphincter (LES) malfunction. The LES is a 3-cm to 4-cm ring of muscle, which is two to three times thicker than the proximal esophagus and acts as a valve between the esophagus and the stomach. In the case of acid reflux disease, the LES does not close perfectly and stomach contents splashes up into the esophagus. When pathologic symptoms follow this process, the whole condition is called acid reflux disease. Gastro-esophageal reflux disease is usually experienced as a persistent (at least twice a week) heartburn. Heartburn is the burning sensation in the chest or throat, caused by refluxed stomach contents touching the lining of the esophagus. Since healthy individuals may also experience light reflux - occasional heartburn is common as well, and doesn't necessarily serve as an evidence of GERD. Some GERD sufferers may also experience pain in the chest, cough, morning hoarseness, voice changes, difficulty swallowing (especially lumpy foods), chronic earache, burning chest pains, nausea or sinusitis. Some patients report a sensation that reminds food stuck, choking or tightness in the throat. This happens due to continuous stomach contents acid flow that comes into contact with the esophagus and causes inflammation of the esophagus resulting in scars from tissue damage. Untreated acid reflux disease can lead to serious health complications. Those include stricture formation, bleeding, ulcers and esophageal spasms. When the stomach acid reaches the upper esophagus and trachea, the process can result in a variety of severe conditions, such as asthma, sinusitis and pneumonia. Finally, some people may develop Barrett's esophagus, a condition that manifest in an abnormal shape and color of cells in the esophageal lining. This condition is a precursor to esophageal cancer, especially in adults over 60 years old. The treatment of gastro-esophageal reflux disease takes three forms: surgery, medical therapy and holistic therapy, including dietary and lifestyle changes and the intake of specific herbal supplements. An undergoing surgery should be considered very carefully, since it can compound some underlying conditions, such as stricture and motility disorders. Medical treatment of GERD includes PPIs and H2 blockers. While acid reflux can be treated by taking prescription medications or acid blockers such as the above, bear in mind that the results may be temporary and that some conventional medications can cause serious side effects. From a holistic point of view, acid reflux disease is considered a warning sign of a major internal imbalance that needs to be properly addressed. Therefore, alternative remedies, such as homeopathic remedies, herbal remedies, lifestyle changes as part of a complete holistic regimen are strongly recommended for acid reflux sufferers. This article is based on the book, "Heartburn No More" by Jeff Martin. Jeff is an author, researcher, nutritionist and health consultant who dedicated his life to creating the ultimate acid reflux solution guaranteed to permanently reverse the root cause of heartburn and acid reflux and naturally and dramatically improve the overall quality of your life,  without the use prescription medication and without any surgical procedures. Learn more by visiting his website: www.noheartburn2018.com

A Healthy Lifestyle Is the Key to Maintaining and Increasing Your IQ

For many people a healthy lifestyle means a longer life without any diseases, a fitter body, a slimmer silhouette and a skin with no imperfections. Yet, there is another benefit of a healthy lifestyle: an increased intellectual capacity.

Constant physical movement and a balanced diet can make wonders for your brain. This is mainly because the amount of movement your make each and every day and the foods you ingest have a great importance on the way in which your brain functions. Let's take each of these two factors separately and see how they can affect the intellectual capacity of a human being.

First, the physical movement is highly effective in boosting one's intelligence as it increases the amount of oxygen which reaches the brain. In presence of oxygen, the brain works more effectively, thus having better results when having to deal with stress and fatigue. Also, exercises are highly effective in distressing the brain and relaxing it. This means that your brain will be able to focus on more important things once it has been freed from all the stress and problems. This will further enhance its ability of acquiring information fast and easy and will make it work at a more rapid speed, when needed. Yet, in order to benefit from these effects of the physical exercises, they will have to be done daily, at least 20 or 30 minutes.

The diet is also highly important, as fatty foods, foods containing preservatives and chemical colorants and foods containing high amounts of sugar can be very damaging for the brain. They stop the further development of the brain and can also lead to a regression in the intellectual capacities. This means that your brain will not function as well as it used to and instead of progressing and acquiring new information, it will lose precious notions and useful information.

In order to avoid such things, it is absolutely necessary to alternate a healthy diet with physical movement. Not only will you obtain a healthy and attractive body, which will be envied by all those who see you, but you will also preserve your  brain in good function and increase your IQ significantly.