Many people bite nails when they are anxious or stressed. However, knowing its harmful effects will only increase their anxiety and stress. About 30% of children, 45% of teenagers and 25% of young adults have the habit of biting their nails. Nail biting is one habit which sets in due to various reasons and just continues due to nervousness, boredom, frustration or stress. People tend to unconsciously bite their nails and over a period of time, it becomes very difficult to get rid of the habit.

A good understanding of the harmful effects of biting nails, to the overall health and oral health, can be a good starting point to quitting the habit. The harmful effects of nail biting on oral health effects are listed below:

Source of infection: The fingernails are more difficult to clean than the fingers and the rest of the hand. Therefore, there is a good amount of bacteria residing there, which get into your mouth and your stomach when you bite nails. The next time you wonder why your stomach is upset, take a good look at your nails.
Tooth chipping: The enamel is thinnest at the tip of the front teeth. When biting nails, there is a constant pressure on this thin enamel which can chip after a certain point of time. Another way that a tooth chips is because of the pressure when biting a nail. The tooth can hit hard on the opposing tooth, leading to a fracture or chipping.
Altered shape of the teeth: In many cases, the front teeth appear worn off or are squared. This is because there is always pressure on the teeth from the nails.
Induce gap between the front teeth: When nail biting continues for years at a stretch, the two front teeth can develop a gap between them.
Tooth sensitivity: With the enamel wearing off, the dentin is exposed and this can cause tooth sensitivity in many people.
Joint problems: The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) near the ears helps in opening and closing the mouth. Constant pressure on the joint due to nail biting leads to inflammation of the joint which can cause ear ache, headaches, improper closing of the jaw and clicking sounds.
Delay treatment with braces: A person with braces with a nail biting habit will have very bad consequences. There is pressure from both the braces and the biting. This could also lead to the failure to correct the misaligned teeth.
How to manage this habit?

Identify the root cause of the habit
Identify alternate ways to manage stress (exercise, yoga, hobby, etc.)
A nail polish that has a bitter or offensive taste or smell
Well manicured and painted nails, which you won t feel like biting
Get family and friends to remind or chide you, whichever works.

Nailbiting - 7 Harmful Effects of it!

Body odour is a problem faced by a lot of people from all walks of life. It usually arises from the combination of sweat and living bacteria that naturally dwell in the human body. There are certain factors that are usually responsible for triggering it. Thick fabrics, stress, dietary habits that include excess caffeine intake, use of onions and garlic in the daily diet, or excess fat in the body are just a few to name. The most annoying of all body odours are smelly armpits! However, it is usually possible to keep the odour at bay. Here s how we can control it.

Daily habits to practise

Stay hydrated throughout the day. It allows the body to free itself from the toxic products, which contribute to the chemical formations that arise as a foul smell.
Eat a lot of green vegetables and less amounts of onions, garlic and chillies in the diet, which will obviously increase sweat secretion.
Avoid too much of caffeine and alcohol, which contribute heavily as stimulants of the sweat glands.
Try to remain stress free; practice yoga and meditation as daily habits to keep your mind at a balance.
How do we recover from it?
The people, who generally do not have a healthy dietary or living habit, have to start living by the rules to get rid of this problem. Groom yourself:

Start exercising to release your body from that extra load, remember to shower after exercising, as accumulation of sweat will again form an ally to the problem.
Keep your underarms shaved. Although it is still not conventional for the men in the society to do so, it is very important, as there is more aggregation of bacteria around places where we have hair on the body. So shaving or trimming your armpit hair will definitely prove to be worthy.
Maintain hygiene. Keep yourself clean and wear fresh clothes.
Wear perforated fabrics that let your skin breathe, like silk and cotton.
If all the above mentioned steps have been followed, and the problem still persists, do not hesitate to see a doctor to strike a list of diseases off the list which also manifest in this problem, like hyperthyroidism, diabetes, Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD), leukaemia, tuberculosis and others. Maintain a healthy environment around you, follow a few simple steps, and enjoy a happy living.

Smelly Armpits - How To Prevent & Control It?

Small painful mouth sores can be anywhere in the mouth lips, soft palate, hard palate, cheeks, gum base, tongue and even on the roof of the mouth. When situated  inside the mouth, they can cause pain during eating or swallowing, especially with hot or spicy foods. A bigger cause for concern is that these mouth sores or mouth ulcers or canker sores could be an indication of an underlying health condition. A lot of chronic diseases, including HIV, herpes, and syphilis, manifest themselves as mouth sores. The following are some of the health conditions to watch out for when you have mouth sores. Each disease has characteristic appearance and so very often are easy to identify.


1. Herpes simplex (HSV1): The herpes simplex virus causes sores on the lips only which are usually painful with red blisters that last about 10 to 14 days. These are caused by herpes simplex virus type 1 and the sores appear about 20 days after contracting the virus. Also, once they enter the system, they can cause recurrent attacks especially when the immunity is low.


2. Canker sore: The most common type of mouth ulcer, they are also known as aphthous ulcers and are usually seen on the soft tissues of the mouth (not the hard palate or the gum base). These are generally innocuous and heal within 5 to 7 days. Do reach out for medical help if there are more than 5 to 6 bouts of canker sores in a year.


3. Oral thrush: Also known as candidiasis, this is where there are whitish lesions on the tongue and the insides of the mouth. Candida is a fungus that is normally present in the mouth, but when the immune system is weakened, it can lead to an infection, orally manifested as white lesions. These are typical and appear in toddlers and in patients with anemia, diabetes, HIV/AIDS, or cancer patients on chemotherapy.


4. HIV/AIDS: Another disease which first can be diagnosed in the mouth is HIV/AIDS. In the first stages of infection, known as acute retroviral syndrome, where the first symptoms of the disease begin to manifest, oral ulcers are one of the first symptoms. With the other associated symptoms, more workup for diagnosis should be done followed by appropriate treatment.


5. Oral cancers: The lining of the inside of the mouth can develop cancer and usually it appears in the form of chronic non healing ulcer that just does not go away. Seen anywhere in the mouth, nonhealing ulcers are a cause for concern and should be investigated and treated.


As seen above, mouth sores may be harmless often, but in some cases, may have something more to tell about the health in some cases. 

Mouth Sores - Could They Be More Than Just a Sore!

The spine or the backbone is responsible for the fluid movement of the body, especially standing, bending, and sideways movement. It also is an important part of the nervous system and carries multiple nerves to the lower part of the body. The lower spine has sacral and iliac vertebrae, which have disks between the vertebral bones where these nerves are located. With age, infection, tumors, or injury, this soft tissue becomes hardened and get the bones to fuse. This is a type of arthritis known as ankylosing spondylitis and limits movement between the disks.

Causes: With age, the soft vertebral tissue gradually hardens. There is a genetic component also to this, so it runs in families. In addition, infection or tumors of the spine and injuries involving the spine can also lead to this condition.

Symptoms: When AS ankylosing spondylitis (AS) onsets, there is usually morning pain and stiffness in the low back and upper buttocks. The intensity of this gradually reduces over the course of the day. The range of movement also is reduced, with bending, stooping, and sideward movement becoming gradually difficult. It is believed that people with AS have an overactive immune system, and homeopathy helps by suppressing this activity. A homeopath will have a detailed discussion with the patient and based on the presenting symptoms, an appropriate product would be prescribed.

Aesculus: The patient would have extremely painful and stiff low back and hips. It would be constant ache with walking and stooping, and it is not easy to rise from a sitting position. The patient also feels that the legs would give way, making them hesitant to walk.
Rhus Tox: When the patient presents with low back pain that is present at rest, with sitting and inactivity, Rhus is usually preferred. The pain improves with activity and movement and radiates down the legs all the way to the foot.
Kali Carb: If the patient presents with extreme weakness also and feels like a paralytic attack, as if the back is broken. The patient feels the symptoms are worse in the morning and changing position in bed.
Kalmia: If the patient has pain associated with a prickly, numbing sensation, then this is used. There also could be burning sensation. The pain appears in bursts in the late evening and early night hours and could also go down the legs or up into the neck.
As with any other disease, homeopathy looks at the person holistically and treats the symptoms. The patient should not go for self-medication based on some reading and friends suggestions. Each person is unique in terms of symptoms and treatment, and so the doctor is the best person to decide the appropriate medicine.

Homeopathy Treatment For Ankylosing Spondylitis!

Acne can be such an annoyance, you might have an important day tomorrow and that is when your skin decides to go rogue. What is acne? Overactive oil glands in your skin cause acne. It is a kind of skin disease where the skin produces excess oil, which traps bacteria and dead skin cells. This growth and proliferation of bacteria causes inflammations, leading to acne. Thankfully there are numerous acne care treatment. One of the most common methods is laser treatment.

Laser Treatment for acne
Laser treatment is a kind of dermatological treatment which uses concentrated light to treat acne.

What laser light does?
The concentrated light targets the bacteria, which combines with the excess oil on your face to cause breakouts. The light destroys the acne-causing bacteria, thus eliminating acne and also prevents future breakouts.
Laser treatment also shrinks the size of the oil glands and simultaneously targets pigmentation.

Laser light and scars?
The most common side effect of acne is acne scarring. And if acne scarring is your main concern, then laser treatment for acne will be integrated with laser skin resurfacing to treat your problem. Laser skin resurfacing directs short, pulsating light beams to remove your skin layer by layer with sharp precision. This smooths down scars, and fine lines while stimulating collagen growth.
It is recommended to use the two treatments alternatively. This way you can avoid side effects like redness and swelling. However, these treatments are safe and can give you clear, acne-free skin.

Is it recommended often?
The treatment is recommended based on the severity and frequency of your acne condition. Usually, 6 treatments are suggested, with monthly touch-ups. The touch-ups will maintain your glowing complexion, collagen production and prevent your acne from returning.

Differences you will see
The obvious differences you will see after laser therapy are clearer skin and reduced breakouts. It will also diminish sun damage, and you will have healthy and glowing skin.

Benefit
When topical creams fail, laser treatment for acne is the best option available. Laser treatment is non-invasive; and it will correct you skin problems and maintain clear skin. The best benefits of this treatment are-
i. It is long-term
ii. It will make you less dependable on creams.

Get Rid of Acne with Laser Treatment!

STDs or diseases that spread due to the exchange of bodily fluids and most of them are treatable in nature, but one should get them treated as soon as poosible and should not ignore them as them can turn fatal as well. And, yes STDs can also spread without having sex. Some of the most common way of getting STDs without penetrative intercourse is mentioned below.

The most common way of contracting Sexually transmitted disease without sexual intercourse is:
1. Pucker up: Kissing can also cause STDs. Infections can be transmitted through the saliva if you swap your spit. Diseases like Mononucleosis and STD s like herpes can be transmitted through kissing. This can cause cold sores and infections in the mouth.

2. Oral sex: If a person has an STD, he or she can easily transmit the disease to their partner by having oral sex. During oral sex, fluids from the genitals can flow to the mouth and vice versa. For example STDs caused by herpes simplex virus 2 can be easily transferred by oral sex. Chlamydia can also be transferred by oral sex. This can cause infections and immense discomfort in your throat. STDs can be prevented by wearing a condom or using a dental dam during oral sex.

3. Contaminated foods: You can also develop STD like Hepatitis A from food which is contaminated. If a person infected with an STD prepares your meal without washing his or her hand after using the restroom, it can easily contaminate your meal thus, transmitting the disease.

4. Touching bases: Skin to skin contact or indirect contact with a person who already has an STD can make you prone to contracting STDs. It can be caused by using an unwashed sex toy with an infected person and also with hand to genital contact.

5. Tanning salons: STDs can be easily spread from person to person by means of a tanning bed. If the surface of the tanning bed is contaminated by someone who has STDs, the risk of developing an STD increases for the next person who ends up using the same bed.

6. Razors and syringes: Sharing a razor or anything which pierces or cuts the skin is an easy and common cause behind contracting an STD. If the razor cuts the skin of an infected person and is contaminated with blood, the next person using that razor can develop STD due to blood contact. The same may be said of a syringe where users share them. Many people, especially drug users shared common syringes which resulted in large scale transmission of HIV.

Can STDs Spread without Having Sex?

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