The... patient should be made to understand that he or she must take charge of his own life. Don't take your body to the doctor as if he were a repair shop. ~Quentin Regestein
Nagas health’s are at greater risk. The condition continues to be a growing concern owing to the increasingly sedentary lifestyle and high-calorie diets of our people. Sugar, sugar…everywhere !
The intake of sugar is ever increasing The carbonated drinks are so popular among the children, and so more increasing with the youth as a trend influenced by the television advertisement. One interesting observation is the slow demise of the 300 ml can—it being replaced by the 750 ml and 1.75 litre plastic bottles. The larger bottle may represent better value for money, but is less likely to represent better health value, since a resealable bottle is more likely to be sipped over hours than a can once opened.
We can see how our society is forever changing and food is now at the centre of how we relate and connect with each other. Cake culture is being practiced so much recently. With every occasion the bakery is loaded with orders and home orders are more. Having cake at home and work, to celebrate Childs’ or colleagues' birthdays, engagements or just surviving the week is a danger to health. Weddings and every occasion is so sugary! Here’s the Health problem you are unaware:
A rigorously done new study shows that those with the highest sugar intake had a four-fold increase in their risk of heart attacks compared to those with the lowest intakes. That's 400 percent! Just one 20-ounce (little more than half a litre) soda increases your risk of a heart attack by about 30 percent.
Much of the sugars consumed today are “hidden” in processed foods that are not usually seen as sweets. For example, 1 tablespoon of ketchup contains around 4 grams (around 1 teaspoon) of free sugars. A single can of sugar-sweetened soda contains up to 40 grams (around 10 teaspoons) of free sugars.
This is a major paradigm shift. For years, we've been brainwashed into thinking that fat causes heart attacks and raises cholesterol, and that sugar is harmless except as a source of empty calories. They are not empty calories. As it turns out, sugar calories are deadly calories. Sugar causes heart attacks, obesity, Type 2 diabetes, cancer and dementia, and is reported to be the leading cause of liver failure in America.
The biggest culprit is sugar-sweetened beverages, including sodas, juices, sports drinks, teas and coffees. They are by far the single biggest source of sugar calories in our diet.
Here's the simple fact: Looking around and see the increased quantity of sugar-sweetened beverages being kept in the shop/ bakery counter for sale. The number of processed food in the market and ordering of beverages in all the restaurants are ever increasing!
Erosive tooth wear seems to have been forgotten amongst overweight people. The younger generation is likely to experience more dissolution of tooth tissue and tooth decay. At the other end of the spectrum, obese patients are more likely to develop diabetes, which in turn makes them more susceptible to periodontal (gum) disease.
Recognising early and proper treatment of periodontal (gum) disease can have a profound effect on the control of diabetes and its complications. The latest research has shown that not only are people with diabetes more susceptible to serious periodontal (gum) disease, but the condition may also have the potential to affect blood glucose control and contribute to the progression of diabetes.
Successful dental care requires collective effort between the patient and the dentist. Health care is a partnership in which both sides have different responsibilities and active roles, but if the clinician provides a service for ailments that the patient could have prevented, the question of self-governance arises.
Lest we forget, the ageing population is also at the risk —pharmaceutical products are likely to increase caries owing to a variety of co-morbidities, such as a dry mouth by inhibiting the saliva flow or heavily sugar-supplemented medication.
Let’s change our behaviour: Many of us have realized sugar is a contributor to tooth decay for quite some time, but what have we done to stop the influx of sugary foods and beverages into our food chain? What have we really done to educate families about the dangers of an over-sugared diet? Yet, as a dental surgeon, I know I haven’t done enough. But, the more I learn about oral and systemic health issues, the more I am motivated to help my patients change their behaviors and lifestyles–to help them reduce their cavities and to help them reduce their obesity, heart disease, arthritis, and cancer rates.
Cancer hurts and kills. Diabetes hurts and kills. Obesity hurts and kills. Tooth decay hurts and can serve as an early indicator of a more deadly underlying disease to come before it kills. Let’s heed our warnings, start sharing this information with others, and seriously look at alternative behavior modification techniques.
Health is wealth!
Dr. Temjen Longchari Dental Touch & Facial Aesthetics, Midland, Dimapur.
