Geez, oral health care can be tough! How do you know what’s normal and what isn’t inside a kid’s mouth? Here are a few quick tips to identify the lumps, bumps, and owies. If in doubt, you can always call your friendly pediatric dentist.

Normal stuff: Normal oral anatomy is usually midline or symmetrical. That little bump behind the front top teeth is called an incisal papilla, if burned on pizza or poked with a chip it can get inflamed but will quickly heal. Those bright red spots under the tongue are surface blood vessels called varices, they’re fine Mom!

Cold Sores: Common cold sores usually occur outside the mouth on the lips. They are a recurrence of a viral infection called Herpes Simplex. About 90% of children are exposed to the herpes cold sore virus by age four (look what I brought home from preschool Mom!), and about 50% become chronic carriers. That means, since the herpes virus infects nerve cells that never die, periodically the virus will reappear to form a cold sore. Before a cold sore has crusted over, it sheds virus and in very infective. Luckily a whole family of antiviral medicines can treat the cold sore to limit its size, duration and discomfort.

Canker Sores: For otherwise healthy children, canker sores occur on the inside of the mouth on the moveable tissues only. Also named Aphthous ulcers or RAS (recurrent aphthous syndrome), they have a white, dished center with a bright red border and are very painful when touched. Oftentimes, parents confuse this lesion for an abscess if located near the teeth on the gums. In reality, Aphthous ulcers are caused by an over exuberant immune system response. That’s right, the immune system gets mad at some micro trauma, cleans house, and leaves a painful ulcer. Since it’s not an infection, the best treatment is recognizing it will go away in about a week and medicating with Tylenol or a topical numbing agent like Orajel. Some adults remember burning them with Silver Nitrate. That’s very painful, will leave a scar, and cause mutiny!

Mucocele: Unknown to most of us, the lips are full of minor salivary glands, consisting of a simple small gland connect to the oral cavity by a tube duct. Every so often, one of these tubes gets cut, saliva builds up in the gland and a soft bump in the lip occurs. If the gland ruptures, fills again and ruptures again, a scar may form. This produces a hard bump. Kids can absolutely not leave these bumps alone and usually chew on them; some mucoceles can reach the size of marbles! The best treatment is to simply make a small incision in the inside lip and tease the mucocele out. In a pediatric dentist office, this involves a spot of anesthesia, one stitch and about five minutes. At your oral surgeon or ENT office they start talking about general anesthesia! Remember, children can smell when a doctor is scarred of them!

Popcornoma: …

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Not only is desert living a leisured and less expensive alternative to city life, it has some amazing health benefits too. Here is just a few examples of what desert life can do for you.

Air Quality

According to an environmental analysis of the Anza Borrego State Park and it’s surrounding area, “due to its remoteness” the “air quality in the Park is often good and is not necessarily characteristic of the air quality in the San Diego Basin.” Pollution has been linked with a slew of pulmonary diseases and is known to increase the risk of asthma attack and respiratory allergies. High air pollution also increases the development of asthma and respiratory diseases in children. Yes, there really is nothing like taking a breath of fresh air.

Sunshine

Probably one of the greatest benefits of sunshine is the production of Vitamin D. Vitamin D is critical for maintaining skeletal calcium and immune system health. It is thought that the high rates of cold and flu viruses in the winter months stems from a lack of Vitamin D production. Vitamin D deficiency is also attributed to depression and Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), often called the ‘winter blues,’ caused by a lack of sunshine. It is suggested that in regions with little sunshine for long stretches of time, that citizens invest in expensive UV lamps to simulate sunlight.

Dry Weather

Not only does a humid afternoon leave us feeling awful, it also can breed dangerous molds and mildews in the wet winter months. Drier weather can also decrease the occurrence of lung infections and arthritis aches and pains. Not to mention that hot dry environments promote sweat production, allowing the body to release unwanted toxins and bacteria.

Quiet, Peaceful Environment

Perhaps one of the best things of all is the tranquility of living in nature. Being relatively isolated from the hustle and bustle of the city helps to bring a peace of mind to the body and soul and works wonders for reducing stress. Since chronic stress has been known to cause health issues such as heart disease, sleeping disorders, depression, digestive problems, obesity and autoimmune diseases, it stands to show that we could all use a little peace and quiet.

Hiking

Ok, so hiking it’s something unique to the desert environment, but it is something that it has in spades. Being an aerobic exercise, it is important and helpful for cardiovascular health, maintaining bone density, reducing stress, and weight maintenance. Not to mention, it has entertainment value along with health value. There is always something new and different to see and experience on the trail. Don’t forget about our great places to hike at Butterfield Ranch Resort.…

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Sounds like a pretty basic question for a dentist, does not it? In fact, I'm not really asked that question often because "everyone knows" you should brush your teeth twice a day. But should you really?

After all, you can pick up almost any tube of toothpaste and it says right there "brush twice daily, or as directed by your dentist".

Some time ago, I started asking patients how often they brushed their teeth when they came in for their periodic cleanings. The most common answer – by far – is "twice a day." My next question is usually, "Yes, but when during the day do you brush?" As you read this, many of you who do brush twice daily are thinking "when I get up and again before I go to bed."

If you have experienced dental cavities, that could be part of the problem.

When I mention this to patients I usually get this sort of silent stare. It's kind of a cross between, "well that makes no sense at all" or, "then I might as well just give up."

Let me explain.

It starts with an understanding of what causes dental cavities. There are a few basic elements. The most obvious is that you need to have a tooth. Additionally, you need cavity-causing bacteria. Then you also need a fermentable carbohydrate. This is an important point. Carbohydrates include sugars and starches, but the process of fermentation creates acids. Once the pains form, there is another element that comes into play: time.

If we break these factors down further, it is useful to look at what we can control in the cavity-causing process. For the sake of argument, let's assume we are starting out with a full set of teeth, so that's not entirely in our control. Next, there is the factor of cavity-causing bacteria. We all have both good and bad bacteria in our mouths. While I could get into a discussion of promoting the good and suppressing the bad, this is also not always easily controlled.

The next two factors, however, we have a great deal of control over.

We can control what we eat. Recognition of which foods are acid forming is also useful. But I'm a realist and understand that sometimes we are just going to eat (or drink) those things anyway.

And this is where the time factor comes in.

A little analogy may be helpful here. What would you do if you spilled a strong acid on your bare skin? Chances are you would run right over to the nearest sink and try to wash it off. But what if you had a leather jacket on and did not notice right away? First of all, you would end up with a hole in your jacket, but ever – with time – it would reach your skin and start to hurt.

It's much the same with teeth. Your enamel is a protective layer that does not have any feeling because it is mostly …

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Health care organizations have received appreciable support from the digital disruptive environment in their quest to deliver value based care as opposed to volume based care.

Digital health care has transformed the way organizations store their patient data, exchange data on-the-go and secure sensitive data. Health care organizations differ in terms of their information storage needs, and the amount and type of data which needs to be stored. Data storage is also dependent on regulatory requirements which an organization must follow.

In this context, more and more care delivery settings realize that in order to succeed, they must view patients as central to their focus rather than as mere stakeholders.

A transition from an organization-centric to a patient-centric approach for storing and handling health data involves efforts at multiple stages, from defragmenting broken silos pf patient data to exchanging meaningful health data through Health Information Exchanges (HIE).

Accessible Health Care with Digital Technologies will Improve Care Delivery

The use of digital technologies and mobile to enable patients in helping find their practitioner and care setting has made care more accessible.

Delivering accessible care in this way can have a number of implications such as ensuring patients receive care at the most cost-effective setting and from the closest physician within their selected radius.

Improving accessibility through digital applications can also enable patients to readily access physician contact information in the event of emergency or even when an appointment is desired, greatly simplify the care delivery process.

Digital Information Sharing Will Help Health Care Organizations Achieve Financial Goals

Cost containment in health systems is the single most pressing concern ever since the Affordable Care Act came into existence. One of the main factors responsible for a consistent increase in health care costs is the way procedures are executed in health delivery settings.

First, the number of procedures performed is generally more intensive than required. Secondly, there is a marked difference between the way procedures are carried out when comparing care delivery from state to state and also between health care organizations within the same state.

Clearly, information transparency imparted through the digital health care revolution will help health care organizations execute procedures in a more prudent manner, curtail over-utilization and cut down costs to help meet financial objectives.

Delivering value based care that is customer centric will empower patients considerably. In the bargain, it will also change the way health delivery organizations will perceive and deliver quality care.…

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What are the kidneys and what do they do?

There are two kidneys, one on each side of the body. They are about the size of a small cup and each one has a tube that leads to the bladder. The kidneys serve a very important function in your body. They are like the body’s filter system. It helps to recycle minerals, as well as to concentrate and dilute mineral salts. When waste collects in the body due to an improper diet, not enough water, or excess alcohol, the kidneys can become inflamed. Kidney stones and other kidney ailments will result.

Because the kidney acts like a filter for the body it is imperative that you cleanse it and keep it clean. If you keep the filter in your refrigerator, furnace, and car clean, then you need to pay twice as much attention to your body’s filter. One thing that you can do to keep your kidneys clean is to cut out sugary drinks and sodas and drink plenty of water. You can also add supplements to your diet to keep your kidney healthy.

Supplements for Kidney Health

Vitamin A Aids healing kidney and urinary tissue.

Vitamin B6 Reduces kidney stones.

Vitamin C with Bioflavonoids Inhibits stone formation.

Vitamin B Complex Helps reduce stones.

Calcium Aids mineral use.

Zinc Decreases stone formation.

Herbs for Kidney Health

Catnip, Gingko, Goldenseal, Horse Radish, Juniper Berries, Kelp, Lobelia, Marshmallow, Orris, Parsley, Spirea, Uva Ursi, and Wild Yam

Foods for Kidney Health

Alfalfa, Aloe Vera Juice, Apples, Apricots, Asparagus, Cantalope, Carrots, Cranberry Juice, Garlic, Lemons, Limes, Melons, Pumpkin, Squash, Sweet Potatoes, and Yams

It is also a good idea to drink plenty of water to keep your kidneys flushed out and you should add trace minerals to your daily routine. With regular use, most people see an improvement in kidney health in about 3 to 6 weeks.…

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