Dr. Parimal

Hello friends, I am Dr Anubhav Gupta. I am a consultant of cosmetic and plastic surgeon. Today I am going to talk about a very common topic, that is Facial injuries. Now this is something which we see very common in our day to day life. Face is comprising of a lot of structures; the skin, there is the subcutaneous tissues, there are muscles, then there is bone underneath it. So when we talk about facial injuries, we can divide them broadly into two types:

•  One is the simple injuries and
• The complex facial injuries.

Now the simple injuries are the one, which we see like, our kids, they fall in the house, and they have cuts, and they have continuous lacerated wounds.

The complex facial injuries are seen when there are road traffic accidents, where there are deep cuts right up to the muscle and there are fractures of these bones.

So these are the common types of injuries related to face. Now the question which next comes to our mind is, what to do?

So in case of facial injuries, what is required to be to be done is, whenever such injuries happen, we need to apply some pressure on that, so that the bleeding stops. And if you are concerned about good scars and better looking sutured wounds, then you should consult a plastic surgeon to get it sutured. And in any case, it has to repaired, it has to be stitched. This is how the management of simple injuries is done.

But in case of complex injuries, they require advanced management, wherein not only a plastic surgeon but also a neurosurgeon and many other surgeons are involved because these injuries are usually not isolated injuries. They occur with head injuries also, and many times there are injuries to other parts of the body also. So it is better to take the patient to a better hospital. So in such injuries, what we usually do is, once the patient is stabilised, such injuries, for example a fractures, requires fixation.

Fixation means, is very similar to fracture of the hand or the limb, there is plating and screws and clamps and plasters and related things. The principles are similar for all these things also. So we use very fine, titanium plates for fractures.

The common fractured parts are the upper maxilla, or the lower maxilla or the mandible. The importance in such facial injuries, there are two priorities:-

•  One is , the patient should be able to eat, even after these injuries and fractures. Because once these bones are fractured, it becomes very difficult to eat so the main priority is that the patient should be able to eat even after these injuries.
• The second thing is, the lower part of the eye. So, there should be no problem in the vision, as well as the cosmetic outcome. So these bones are put back together anatomically by plating and fixation. So that the patient can lead a normal life, i.e, having a normal vision, and is able to eat properly.

So these are the principles required for practical fixation of complex facial injuries.

Now, to know more about these types of injuries you can get in touch with me on Lybrate. Thank You.

Gingivitis is a disorder, which is characterized by inflammation, swelling and irritation in the gums. Usually, the symptoms of this disorder are mild, so you might not pay much heed to them. However, if left untreated, this condition can result in other serious disorders, such as teeth loss and periodontitis. The primary cause of gingivitis is an improper oral hygiene.

The symptoms of gingivitis are:

1. Red gums that bleed easily
2. Swelling in the gums
3. Tender gums that are receding
4. You may have bad breath
5. You may bleed from your gums during brushing and flossing

Causes: The most common cause of this disorder is bad oral hygiene, which facilitates the formation of plaque on your teeth. If the foods you eat contain excess sugar, the bacteria in your mouth may interact with them to produce acid (plaque) if you don't manage to maintain good oral habits. If not removed, the plaque can turn into tartar; plaque can be difficult to get rid of as tartar.

Treatment: The treatment for gingivitis usually begins with an initial evaluation and a professional cleaning to get rid of the tartar. You should use proper brushing and flossing techniques to prevent the recurrence of plaque. You should also follow up with the dentist on a regular basis for check-ups.

Scaling is the procedure by which the plaque from the teeth is removed. If the sources of problems are misaligned teeth and poorly fitted dentures, then these need to be fixed. There are certain home remedies for gingivitis such as:

1. Use toothbrush that has soft bristles
2. Visit a dentist for regular oral check- ups, it is very essential for the upkeep of sound oral health
3. Regular flossing can help
4. Use a non-alcoholic mouthwash which can help in removal of cavities and plaque to a certain extent, though not majorly
5. Use fluoride based toothpaste to brush your teeth at least twice a day
6. Clean your teeth regularly, avoid eating foods laden with sugar and eat plenty of vegetables