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Month: March 2020

31Mar

10 Immunity boosting tips for good oral health too!

In this corona virus pandemic the one thing that we all need to focus on is building our immunity so well that we can save ourselves from any flu, virus or illness.

A healthy immune system reduces your chance of viral infection or flu and helps you recover faster. Hence it is imperative to achieve a healthy immune system which picks up our general health as well. The immune system is the first line of defence of our body against an alien microorganism entering the body. Stronger the immune system, the lesser chance you have of falling ill. But then again, having a strong immune system doesn’t make you invincible. You need to keep up your exercising and positive thinking too, to have good overall health .

What is good for the whole body is also good for the teeth and gums!

With little change in your diet and routine, you can ensure that your immune system is strong enough to protect you against the virus infection. From sleeping for 8 hours to walking in the sun to eating a balanced diet, the ways are simple but they can really be really helpful in making you a healthier person over all.

  1. Reduce Your Stress Levels

As we all know, stress suppresses the immune response of the body by releasing the hormone cortisol. Cortisol interferes with the T-cells (a specific white blood cell) to reproduce and receive signals from the body. Cortisol also reduces the antibody in our bloodstream, which is our first line of defence against illness causing pathogens.  To keep your stress in check, you can practice yoga, meditation or deep breathing in your regular routine. Watch comedy movies and read light hearted articles and keep a positive mindset. Apart from this, do not engage in rumour mongering, gossiping and fear mongering about the pandemic, this increases stress, lowers the immunity and makes you fall sick. So, the first step to good immunity is saying bye-bye to stress!

2. A diet rich in veggies and fruits

The best way to handle your immunity is to have a diet loaded with veggies and fruits and making sure it is a balanced one. Different Vitamins are needed by the body  like Vitamin A, B, C, D and E can help increase the strength of the immune system.

Vitamin C is the biggest booster of all and lack of it can cause several diseases including Scurvy. You can get Vitamin C from citrus fruits like Orange, Grapefruit, Spinach and Strawberries. You can take multivitamin supplements from your doctor, however, natural intake through food is the best way.

3. Eat More Vegetables, of all colours

Not just green vegetables, like spinach, meethi add white vegetables like pumpkin, radish and gourd ( loki), also red like carrots, beetroots as these are loaded with nutrients that are essential for our immune system. Consuming them on a daily basis boosts the immunity. For a healthy liver, cruciferous vegetables like bitter gourd ( Karela) Broccoli and Cabbage should be included in daily diet. Healthy liver ensures the body’s’ natural detoxification process.

4. Herbs & Supplements

Ayurveda prescribes many immunity booster herbs that are easily available in our kitchen, like ginger, amla, turmeric, garlic, jeera, pepper corn etc and these should be consumed daily in small quantities . Supplements like Chyawanprash and Dashmoolarisht ( misture of 10 herbs) too can greatly enhance one’s immunity.

5. Get Your Exercise On

Even 20 minutes of stretching and yoga on a regular basis has been scientifically proven to boost the immune system. Regular exercise mobilises the T cells, a type of white blood cell which guards the body against infection. However, continuous rigorous workout weakens the immune system, leaving you prone to flu and viral infections.

6. Hit the snooze button- sleep well

Lack of sleep can cause the inflammatory immune response to activate, reducing the activity of T cells in the body. This can weaken your immune system and response to vaccines. Try to sleep for 7–8 hours and avoid having an all-nighter. If you happen to be travelling in different time zones on a regular basis, consume 2–3mg of Melatonin to reset the circadian rhythm.

7. Stop Smoking

Stop the habit of smoking because not only does it increases the risk of cancer but it also impairs the immune system. Smoking is said to have a negative impact on both adaptive and innate immunity. It can also increase the chances of developing harmful pathogenic immune responses and smoking also reduces the effectiveness of your immune system’s defences. However, if you still wish to continue, there are alternatives like the use of nicotine patches or electronic cigarettes which help to quit smoking and less harmful.

8. Moderate Your Alcohol Intake

Numerous researches have shown that excess intake of alcohol can tamper with the immune system and its pathway in a complicated manner. However, moderate consumption of alcohol can be helpful to the overall health of the body. So a glass of wine during lockdown is ok, but do go easy on the hard drinks!

9. Soak in the Vitamin D

Stepping out in the sunlight morning and evening for a walk or just soaking it up  helps to produce Vitamin D in our bodies and keep us healthy. Vitamin D is essential for healthy functioning of the immune system as it helps the body to produce antibodies. Low level of Vitamin D in the body has been termed as one of the major reasons for respiratory problems. A brisk walk in the sunlight for 10–15 minutes will ensure that enough Vitamin D is produced in the body.

10. Avoid fried, spicy foods and junk

To have a healthy immunity and good oral health, make sure you avoid or limit your intake of deep-fried spicy street food or even junk food like burgers, pizzas etc. Apart from increasing cholesterol and making us fat, it also compromises our immunity and makes us more prone to diseases. Such foods are high on fat content and zero on nutrition thus, causing more trouble in our bodies than we think. They also inhibit the absorption of the good nutrients by the body, sugary , sticky foods stick to the teeth causing cavities and gum rot and thus reducing immunity and leading to infection.

With these little efforts and tweaks in your daily routine, we all can have a good immune system and dental health as well. A healthy body is not just about being healthy from the outside but also ensuring a stronger immunity Keeping a check on the immune system is not only going to keep you safe from getting sick but it will also help you prevent diseases later in life.

26Mar

It’s a lock down everywhere and whether you like it or not, your naughty kids are enjoying their time at home with movies and chips and candies; the perfect mixture of bad dental health and ruined teeth. It is a well-known fact amongst dentists that after long vacations, summer holidays, Diwali etc., we have more patients with cavities and dental issues. So during this corona lock down make sure you look after your kids oral health and prevent any decay and in case of any emergency of the teeth, reach out to Partha Dental at their emergency number.

 Here are some things to keep in mind when your kids are enjoying the lockdown and not going to school. Remember, foods that stick in the mouth cause maximum damage even if they are not sweet ! So here are some tips to keep their teeth healthy during this lockdown.

  1. Maintain Oral Hygiene Routine

You want your children to enjoy this sudden break, but you may need to remind them to keep up their oral hygiene routine as a part of their daily life. This can only be enforced if you too follow your healthy oral hygiene of brushing and flossing daily.

The rules are simple but easy to overlook when your mind is somewhere else or you are too stressed.

  • Your children should brush their teeth two or three times a day with a fluoride toothpaste.
  • Each brushing should last for a minimum of 2 minutes.
  • Make sure they reach the back of the mouth with their brush and remove any lodged food particles.
  • Your children, if they are older than 10 years need to floss once per day; children under 10 years may avoid flossing.
  • To brush your teeth effectively, hold your toothbrush at a 45-degree angle to your gums and go back and forth.
  • The few minutes spent on brushing each day should be made out as a fun activity needed for healthy teeth and gums and not as a chore to be finished fast.
  • Make sure they also clean their tongues that helps to  removes bacteria that can cause bad breath and smell their breath afterwards to see if they have cleaned it well.
  • Avoid sticky foods like chips, cheese and candies that are very sticky.
  • Lastly, do not forget brushing before sleeping as it removes the bacteria that causes cavities, otherwise it can play on the teeth for the full night and cause extensive damage.

2. Watch Those Sweets

Kids just love to eat sweet things and candies and can munch on them the whole day, if not stopped as sugar gives a “rush” to their tiny brains and makes them feel happy!!!!

Sugar can harm their teeth and gums. Sugar enables harmful bacteria to thrive in your child’s mouth. So, to prevent any damage, make sure that they –

  • They eat a healthy breakfast. Feed your children dalia, oatmeal , cornflakes, parantha etc, along with a serving of any fruit for breakfast and stay away from sugary cereals.
  • Limit how often they eat sweets. It’s less harmful to a child’s teeth if he or she eats sweets once or twice a day rather than to eat sweets continuously.
  • Teach them to brush everytime after eating sweets.
  • Watch the snacks. Don’t just give your kids snacks during the day as a matter of course; they’ll let you know when they’re hungry. Provide healthy snacks, such as fruits, cut carrots, muskmelon, mangoes, guavas etc but not laddus or cake .
  • Another big culprit is sweet drinks and sodas. Watch the sugary beverages. Limit the amount of coke, pepsi and other sweetened , packaged juices your child drinks. Suggest your child drink water after exercise. During meals, go with  butter milk.

3. Don’t Misuse Your Teeth

Your children mimic what you do more than you think. If you’re in a habit of opening a package or breaking a string with your teeth, your children may do the same. Use your hands or get a pair of scissors. You or your child could chip a tooth or damage your gums. Do not use your teeth as a pair of scissors and avoid chipping and breakage.

Lastly, Stay hydrated!                                                                                 

From cold coffee to” payasaam”, kheer to halwa and chocolates all are loaded with harmful sugars that can, break down the enamel on your kid’s teeth and cause decay. Do yourself a favour and stick to water. H2O keeps you hydrated and keeps your smile strong and healthy. Cheers!

Following these tips will help your kids to stay away from any dental problems as in this season of Corona virus, we definitely don’t want any more trouble in the form of tooth pain or cavity! But, in case of a dental emergency, do reach out to Partha Dental at their toll free numbers in 130 locations!