Everybody desires to possess a beautiful smile but poor lifestyle and dietary habits tend to damage the natural white hue of your teeth and add a yellowish tinge to it. Yellowish and dull teeth are among the major factors that cause embarrassment and affect the quality of your beautiful smile.

The following are some foods that tend to damage your teeth:

1. Potato chips- potato chips are high in starch content and have the tendency to get stuck in your teeth. Floss thoroughly after eating potato chips to ensure effective removal of the food particles that get stuck in your teeth to lessen the risk of plaque build-up in it.

2. Sticky food- food which is sticky in nature often has the tendency to stick on to your teeth for longer than most other foods. Most dried fruits also fall under the category of sticky foods that can damage your teeth to a great extent. Rinse and floss on a regular basis after eating these foods to ensure protection of your teeth against damage.

3. Wine- according to studies, wine has positive effect on your health when consumed moderately; however, it is also responsible for damaging your oral health. If you intake a glass of wine at night on a regular basis, it increases the risk of damaging your tooth enamel and leads to its discoloration. Wine can also affect the calcium content of your teeth, cause bad breath and may result in the imbalance of your mouth's ph level. It is advisable to drink small sips of wine without swishing it for a long time.

4. Coffee and black tea- black tea and caffeinated coffee tend to dry your mouth. Frequent consumption of tea and coffee tend to stain your teeth and it is responsible for the discoloration of your teeth. Make it a point to drink plenty of water to minimize the risk of teeth staining.

5. Carbonated drinks- most carbonated drinks, including diet soda and soft drinks are acidic in composition and therefore, harmful for the health of your teeth. Caffeinated beverages tend to dry out the mouth, therefore, ensure to drink adequate water to balance out the negative impact of the caffeine.

6. Sports drinks- most energy drinks and sports drinks are high in sugar content and thus, have the tendency to damage your oral hygiene; ultimately affecting the appearance of your teeth. Replace your sports drinks with fresh natural juice to lessen the risk of teeth damage.

Foods That Are Ruining Your Perfect Smile

Health advice for a breastfeeding mom

Breastfeeding mothers need to be conscious and aware of their diets. How the mother eats is how the child gets its nutrition. While they do not need any major changes from what they were eating during the pregnancy, a few adjustments are advised. A few basic adjustments in daily routine are enough. They are:

1. Eat very well - Eat a balanced diet to suit your health. Remember, first it is important to meet your nutritional needs. Only when you are eating well would the quality and quantity of your milk be ideal for your baby. Do not diet under any circumstance. We understand you wish to lose all the pregnancy weight soon, but remember, you child is your priority now. When you diet, your body will start drawing on its reserves. This will affect milk production. By dieting, you will also lack the amount of stamina you need to take care of your baby. Be aware that feeling extra hungry during breastfeeding is normal. Your body is working around the clock. Eat small meals at regular intervals to keep your hunger satisfied, your weight concern at bay and your body strong.

2. Don't count your calories - Not until you are breastfeeding. You need at least 500 calories more than you did when you were not breastfeeding. Don't let this shock you, your child will be feeding off you. There are other ways to regulate your weight and lose the extra pounds gained during pregnancy, do not compromise on food at all.

3. Do not rush to exercise - Consult your doctor and ask for suitable exercises for your body. You might have stitches which are yet to dry, so don't be hasty. Get your workout regime planned professionally and under guidance.

4. Do not avoid fats - Eat healthy foods and opt for good fats. Foods that are good for you and for milk production are a big yes. Foods which do not contribute in any positive way can be done without. They will only harm you in the long run.

5. Avoid alcohol - Stay away, and if you do want to indulge consult your doctor. An occasional drink is usually okay, still it is better you abstain altogether until you stop breastfeeding. And if you do have a drink, feed at least after two hours.

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Advice For A Breastfeeding Mom

There is an ongoing intense debate on what to eat, how to eat and when to eat during pregnancy. While quality eating is becoming crucial by the day for everyone, it becomes vital for a pregnant woman. It is a widely known and well-established fact that what a woman eats and drinks during pregnancy is the primary source of nourishment for the baby. So, the experts suggest that a would-be mother should choose a wide array of healthy foods and beverages in order to provide the required nutrients that the baby needs for optimal growth and development.

Foods to eat during pregnancy:
To improve prenatal nutrition, you should eat more fruits, lean protein, vegetables, whole grains and of course, dairy products. You must fill half of your plate with fruits and vegetables, 1/4th of it with lean protein and the remaining 1/4th with whole grains. It is also vital to include dairy products in each meal.

During pregnancy, you should eat more protein, which can be found in dairy products, particularly Greek yogurt. Also, increase your intake of soybean, peanuts, chickpeas, beans, and peas in your daily diet as they are excellent plant-based source of iron, folate, protein, and fiber. Sweet potatoes should always find a place in your diet since they contain copious amounts of beta-carotene, which is converted to Vitamin A in the body. Salmon contains Omega 3-fatty acids such as DHA and EPA, which are required for the development of the baby s brain and the eyes.

Foods to avoid during pregnancy:
To enhance the good effects of these helpful foods, you should also curb down those that can prove to be detrimental to your health. Some of these include:

Alcohol: Alcohol can directly pass to the baby through the umbilical cord, and heavy consumption of alcohol during pregnancy is linked with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders which may cause physical issues along with learning and behavioral problems in the unborn child.
Fishes with high mercury level: Fishes with high levels of methylmercury can prove to be detrimental to the baby. It is a toxic substance which may pass through the placenta and may prove to be harmful to the unborn baby's brain, nervous and renal system.
Raw meat: A mother may pass the Toxoplasma infection to her baby, which may lead to blindness and mental disability in later life of the child by consuming raw meat. So, it is essential to avoid sushi, uncooked poultry, raw cookie dough, homemade ice cream, tiramisu and raw and undercooked sprouts.
Note that even though pregnancy diet is referred to as eating for two, it doesn't mean that you will have to consume twice as much food as you used to consume. You are not eating for two until your second trimester, and the best thing you can do is to add 300 calories more along with the general dietary intake. So, consult with your doctor and frame a proper diet plan along these lines as suggested above to deliver a healthy baby.

Prenatal Care - Know What To Include In Your Diet!

Spitting up, refusing to try new foods and occasionally turning up their noses at feeding times, is normal but consistently refusing food and water, vomiting and allergies may indicate an underlying medical condition that requires attention. Common feeding problems that affect infants include sucking, prolonged chewing without swallowing, holding food in their mouth and grabbing food. Infants who are unable to close their mouths in order to keep food inside may also be said to be suffering from feeding problems.

Feeding problems could be triggered by medical conditions like a cleft palate, premature birth, respiratory problems, low birth weight etc. or by non-medical reasons such as the child s feeling of being unloved or stressed. Symptoms of feeding problems vary from infant to infant. However, some of the common symptoms exhibited are:

Problems with chewing

Excessive drooling

Refusing to eat foods or drink liquids

Long feeding times

Coughing or gagging while feeding

Difficulty with breast or bottle feeding

Nasal stuffiness while eating

Poor weight gain

Recurring respiratory infections

Vomiting or excessive spitting up of food

Arching the back while feeding

Disinterest in feeding

Though feeding problems are minor in most cases, it is important to consult a doctor if this behaviour continues over a period of time. This is because the child may be suffering from an underlying medical condition or could be at an increased risk of suffering from dehydration, aspiration and lung problems. It could also lead to delayed physical and mental development, speech problems and cognitive issues.

Feeding problems are addressed in many different ways. The first step to dealing with feeding problems is to change the texture and temperature of food being given to the baby. In addition, try changing the posture of the baby while feeding.

In some cases, mouth exercises may be needed to strengthen the mouth muscles. Chewing exercises and tongue movement may also help reduce feeding problems.

Encourage your infant to try different types of food by including different textures in their daily meals. Alternating food textures and liquids can make it easier for the infant to swallow the food. Do not force your child to eat in a hurry but let him or her take their own time.

In cases where the infant is not gaining weight, the doctor may suggest nutritional changes and a specific diet to help gain weight. In emergency cases, hospitalisation may also be required and your baby may be given a feeding tube to ensure he or she receives adequate nutrition.

12 Signs Your Child Is Not Eating Properly!

Mastitis is primarily an infection that occurs inside or on women's breasts within the first three months after pregnancy. Sometimes the infection can also affect non pregnant women where it is referred to as periductal mastitis.

What are the causes and symptoms of mastitis?
The most common reason behind such an occurrence is malfunctioning mammary ducts in pregnant women. Milk stasis or blocked milk ducts happen due to irregular feeding sessions, the baby's difficulty in sucking or not being able to attach optimally to the breast for feeding. The other plausible reason is bacterial infection that has somehow entered the ducts through a crack in the nipple area. Blocked milk ducts carry a lot of stagnant milk that provides the most suitable breeding ground for bacterial cultures. Steps must be taken so as not to pass on this bacterium to the baby who depends on breast milk almost entirely for nutrition.

1. It often manifests itself in the form of redness, swelling, pain, fever and exhaustion, resulting from inflammation of the breast tissues and mammary glands.
2. There is also a palpable warmth and tenderness of the breasts, accompanied by a general feeling of malaise.
3. Other common symptoms include lumpy formations, wedges, burning sensation especially during breast feeding.
4. Nipple discharge, body aches and relatively higher body temperatures might also occur in association.

You must consult with your doctor immediately after the appearance of similar symptoms; promptness is advisable when you are pregnant.

What problems does mastitis cause?
1. Most commonly affecting nursing and recent mothers, mastitis poses a pertinent problem in breastfeeding as it causes dysfunctional lactation.
2. Mastitis is therefore also as precarious for the new born baby who is left without its primary diet.
3. Doctors often recommend such mothers to continue breast feeding in spite of the disease, after prescribing some antibiotics which usually work in suppressing the infection after a maximum of 2 to 3 weeks.
4. The affected mothers usually feel too tired to take care of their child while suffering from this kind of infection.

Preventive measures
1. Avoid wearing tight clothes or undergarments.
2. Regularize breastfeeding schedules; do not stop before 6 months.
3. Encourage your baby to feed especially when you experience of build-up of milk.

All About Mastitis

Which baby doesn't spit up their food! This is usually not a reason to worry, but if this spitting up is chronic and is accompanied by other symptoms it is known as Gastroesophageal reflux disease or GERD. Severe GERD can cause weight loss and breathing problems and thus, should not be ignored.

Reflux occurs when food is pushed out of the stomach and back up the esophagus. This is usually because the digestive system in babies is not yet fully developed. Vomiting often during the day is one of the most common symptoms of GERD. Other symptoms include:
- A persistent cough
- Choking or gagging while eating
- Refusing to eat
- Crying while feeding
- Heartburn
- Pain in the stomach

Most cases of GERD can be diagnosed by its symptoms and a look at the baby's medical history. In some cases, additional tests may be required, such as:

Barium swallow
The child is given a chalky substance to drink. This highlights the esophagus, stomach and upper part of the small intestines in a special X-ray. It is used to check if there are any blockages in the digestive system.
pH probe

A long, thin tube with a probe at one end is put down the child's throat. This is kept in the esophagus for 24 hours. The probe measures the levels of acidity in the stomach. This test is usually done when the child complains of breathing problems along with reflux.

Upper GI endoscopy
Here the doctor puts a thin, flexible tube down the child's throat. At one end of the tube is a camera that allows the doctor to look into the esophagus, stomach and small intestine.

Gastric emptying study
One of the causes of reflux is the slow emptying of the stomach. To check this, the doctor will mix a radioactive chemical with the baby's milk that allows a special camera to follow its path down the digestive system.

In most cases, GERD can be treated by making a few lifestyle changes. Some of these are:
- Raise the head of the baby's crib
- After feeding the baby, do not let him lie down, but hold him upright for half an hour or so.
- Change his feeding schedule
- Ask your doctor if you can try giving him solid food. Else, check if you can thicken his feed with cereal.
- Make the baby burp after feeding

Most infants outgrow this condition within a year, so do not stress yourself and enjoy life with your baby.

Gastro-Oesophageal Reflux In Babies

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