Sugar is an all pervasive substance that is found in most food items although specific ones such as candies, colas and sweet delicacies tend to have more of it. While it may taste great on the tongue, it may not be so good for your body as well as your teeth. Teeth are especially affected by sugar as an ingredient in all items of food. Some of the ways it affects your dental health are discussed below  

Sugar from colas, sodas and other carbonated beverages: Sugar that gets into your body in the form of carbonated beverages are the worst in terms of the nooks and crannies that it gets into. As it is in liquid form, it can swirl around the toughest corner and deposit sugar there. This will encourage the growth of harmful bacteria, causing a host of problems.

Dissolving tooth enamel: Tooth enamel is the topmost layer of teeth. This is the layer which is visible to the naked eye and is white in color. Foods such as chewy candies can leave a hard lump of sugar lodged in your teeth which the saliva in your mouth will not be able to dissolve away. This will keep producing acids and result in the dissolving of the enamel. Enamel protects the nerves of the teeth and thus will result in extreme pain and even tooth decay.

Encourages the growth of plaque: Plaque is an obstructive and sticky substance that forms on many parts of your body, including the teeth. Plaque is an ideal breeding ground for bacteria and these bacteria feed and grow on the sugar from the foods that you eat. These bacteria can cause cavities, gum infections, bad breath, destroy the enamel among causing other dental problems as well.

Some of the other related problems that can be caused by sugar on your dental health are:-

Reduction in the size of your back teeth due to erosion from acids formed from sugar.

Gum infections of various kinds which may end up requiring surgery.

Changes in the bite of a person i.e. the way upper and lower teeth come together.

Sugar may also affect the growth of bacteria in the mouth, which in turn may also cause digestion problems.

Causes bad breath due to buildup of bacteria.

Sugar - How It Affects Your Teeth?

Diabetes is something which has become so common over the past few decades and this is said to be a cause of worry as most people don't understand how to prevent and manage it. This has led to some myths, gaining more than their fair share of popularity. So, wouldn t it be a good idea to get to know a little more so as to separate the myths from the facts?

Weight & watch: One of the most common myths when it comes to diabetes is the belief that a person is going to have his or her life adversely affected if he or she is overweight. While it is true that being overweight happens to be one of the risk factors related to diabetes, it is important to keep in mind the fact that there are other risk factors which are responsible, as well. Some of these factors are age and family history, as well as the ethnicity of the person. Taking this into account, it should not come as too much of a surprise to know that there are quite a few people who are not overweight, but are still fighting diabetes.
Packaged tricks: Considering the rise in the number of people who are suffering from diabetes, this has led to food being marketed specifically for their consumption. However, in reality, whatever represents a healthy diet is sufficient for a person who is diabetic. So a diet which does not have a high amount of saturated fats and trans fats and does not go overboard with starch and sugar, but features a fair amount of lean protein works well too. All the fancy diabetic food, which a person buys, is only likely to drive a great hole in the wallet and not have any additional health benefits. Therefore, the extra spending is nowhere close to being worthwhile and should be avoided.
Fruits punch: Many people are of the opinion that it is the processed and sugary food items, which cause diabetes and this is true to a significant extent. However, some people are of the view that since fruit is natural, diabetics can eat as much of it as they like. This is where the thinking gets dangerous. Some fruits are rich in carbohydrates and so it should be consumed in a reasonable quantity, as part of the daily meal plan. After all, too much of any good thing is bad!

Diabetes - 3 Myths Decoded!

Diabetes is probably one of the worst enemies of human health. Why? That is because unlike many other diseases which make you aware of their presence in your body instantly, diabetes is a silent attacker. So, you may continue to be unaware of the disease for a very long time, before you suddenly realize that something is wrong with your body one day. And then tests reveal that you are afflicted with diabetes.

In order to make sure that this doesn't happen to you, you have to keep an eye on the symptoms of diabetes because prevention, no matter how tedious it is, is always better than the cure. Here is a look at the usual but often ignored signs which indicate that you might be suffering from diabetes.

If you are taking more bathroom breaks than usual, and if the rate of going to the loo is increasing gradually with time, it can well be a sign of diabetes. When you are suffering from diabetes, your body becomes less efficient in breaking down the consumed food into sugars and utilising it. Therefore, a lot of sugar gets saturated in your bloodstream and your body gets rid of it by flushing it out through urination.
If you urinate a lot, it is self-evident that you would also feel very thirsty all the time. In some cases, the patients don't realize their problem and drink chocolate milk or aerated drinks which have sweet flavours. This leads to excess sugar in your body again, and the problem continues. So all in all, if you feel very thirsty all the time, get yourself checked.
You might lose weight, and it may really seem like a great thing in the beginning but it is not. When a person has diabetes, he is likely to lose his weight because of the decreasing water level in his body as well as the inability of the body to break down food into more suitable forms.
If you are tired all the time, and by all the time we mean even after getting up from a long and good night's sleep, you may have diabetes. The reason for this is that fatigue comes to you when your body cannot produce enough energy from the food you consume, and this happens only when you have diabetes.
If your cuts and bruises heal slower than ever, you definitely are a victim of diabetes. This is because the immunity and clotting system of your body don't work well when there is a saturation of sugars in your body.

5 Signs That You're Suffering from Diabetes

'Congratulations! You're pregnant!' Almost all women long to hear these words and nothing should come in the way, even diabetes. So, if you are a Type 1 or Type 2 diabetic, here are a few things you should keep in mind to have a healthy baby.

1. Your blood sugar must be monitored regularly-
The most important thing you can do to have a healthy baby is to keep your blood sugar as close to normal before and during your pregnancy. Testing is recommended a minimum of four times a day. Glucose passes through the mother's blood to the fetus and hence if your blood sugar fluctuates, so will your baby's. High blood sugar levels are especially harmful during the first 8 weeks of pregnancy when the baby's brain, heart, kidneys and lungs are formed.

2. Your pregnancy is considered high risk-
High blood sugar levels can increase the risk of a miscarriage as well as the risks of your baby being born with birth defects. Diabetes can also increase the risk of developing preeclampsia during the second half of your pregnancy. This could result in a C section or premature birth. Thus, maintain regular checkups and keep your doctor in the loop of all your activities.

3. You should watch out for signs of ketosis-
When you have low blood sugar, the body produces ketones that can be passed on from you to your baby. This production of ketones is a result of the body's burning of fat instead of glucose to provide energy and can develop a condition called ketosis. Symptoms you should watch out for are stomach aches, nausea, fatigue, muscle stiffness, frequent urination and fruity breath.

4. You need Vitamins and Supplements-
Most women require vitamin and mineral supplements at the time of pregnancy. Of these, folic acid, iron, calcium and vitamin D are the most important. These supplements help in the healthy growth of the baby.

5. You should exercise regularly-
Maintaining a regular physical activity routine is very important for diabetics who are expecting a baby. This will help you regularize your blood sugar, relieve stress and strengthen your heart. Avoid activities that increase your risk of falling and aim for at least thirty minutes of daily exercise such as walking, swimming or yoga.

6. Check your medication-
Some medication can be detrimental during pregnancy such as cholesterol and blood pressure medication. Consult your doctor to find a suitable alternative if needed. You may also need to change the kind of insulin you take and its frequency and amount. As you get closer to the delivery date, your insulin requirement may even double or triple.

The key to preventing complications during pregnancy is controlling your diabetes. So take your insulin regularly, maintain regular checkups and eat healthy. You need to be seen by your obstetrician more frequently. Your pregnancy will be monitored closely by more frequent ultrasounds and NST. If your sugar level remains under control and pregnancy is advancing well, a natural onset of pains is aimed for and normal delivery is expected.

Diabetes - How To Handle It While Pregnancy?

There are two types of abortion, namely medical and surgical. In case of medical abortion, pills are taken to terminate the pregnancy; whereas, surgical abortion is done if the pregnancy has reached an advanced stage when pills are ineffective. While generally there are no health risks or negative effects of abortion on fertility, there are rare cases of complications, which can give rise to severe symptoms post abortion. Following is the information you need to know about abortion and its effects on fertility:

When to seek medical assistance
It is advisable to seek medical help if you have the following symptoms post abortion:
1. Persistent pain in the lower abdomen, which lingers even after taking medication
2. Excessive bleeding
3. A high temperature

Possible effects of surgical abortion on fertility
1. Infection after abortion: infections post abortion like pelvic inflammatory disease (pid), if left untreated for long can spread and harm your reproductive organs, thereby impacting your fertility. It can cause complications like infertility or ectopic pregnancy.

2. Damage to the cervix during abortion: damage to the cervix during an abortion can cause cervical incompetence and consequently increase the risk of miscarriage.

3. Damage to the womb during abortion: there are chances of damage of the womb (uterus) during abortion, resulting in scarring, which can cause fertility issues if not corrected. This is more likely in case you had multiple abortions.

Apart from the above mentioned complications there are a number of other complications, which can happen due to abortion, preterm birth, vaginal bleeding during pregnancy and low birth rate, etc. Further, infertility can also be a possible side effect of abortion pills, which happens due to scarring of the uterus during the procedure of forcible elimination of the fetus. In all such cases it is advisable to schedule regular check up with your gynaecologist.

Can Abortion Affect Fertility?

Pregnancy is a time when women need to be in the best of their health. Yet, there are various kinds of conditions and ailments that a pregnant woman can suffer from. One of them is gestational diabetes mellitus. Gestational diabetes is a type of diabetes mellitus that usually afflicts pregnant women who are suffering from high glucose levels in their blood. Let us get to know more about this condition.

Timing: gestational diabetes strikes an expecting mother around the third trimester. This is usually the time when pregnant women exhibit levels that are higher than normal. This may be due to the fact that the placental lactogen can block the action of the insulin receptors, leading to a spike in blood sugar levels.&nbsp;

Past history of diabetes: women who have not previously witnessed a rise in their blood sugar levels or any previous diagnosis of diabetes can also end up contracting gestational diabetes during their pregnancy due to an ineffective insulin response of the body and its chemicals. Also, after suffering from gestational diabetes, women are at a higher risk of suffering from type 2 diabetes mellitus, thereafter.&nbsp;

Untreated gestational diabetes: the children born to mothers, who were not treated properly for gestational diabetes, are usually at risk of various other ailments. These children may be prone to complications during delivery. After birth, they are prone to various issues like low blood sugar levels as well as jaundice. These children may not be able to enjoy a normal delivery, and may have to be delivered via caesarean section, and even face premature delivery.&nbsp;

Food: it is important to monitor the blood sugar levels in gestational diabetes. One of the best ways to do this is to follow a proper diet plan. The food in the diet of these expecting mothers should include dietary fibres, carbohydrates and other nutrients like protein, calcium and iron. It is important to break the meals down into smaller portions or mini meals so that the insulin inhibitors can do their work more effectively, even as the body and the baby remain nourished.&nbsp;

Exercise: while most forms of exercise are discouraged during pregnancy, it is always a good idea to remain fit by doing your chores and walking. Pre-natal yoga can also help by introducing certain yogic poses that are good for expecting mothers. Gestational diabetes can also be tackled with the help of exercises like walking.&nbsp;
Gestational diabetes must be treated on time, and properly, so as to avoid complications for the baby and mother during and after birth.


Things To Know About Gestational Diabestes

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