Dr. Feril Mehta

Are you the one who lives on burgers or packaged foods? well, then it's time for you to check your diet. These delicious food items that you die for contain excess carbohydrates and unhealthy fats that are extremely dangerous for your health. Most of these food items contain excess of carbs, fats, added sugars and salt. These items do not have sufficient nutritional values. They only offer you high calories that are harmful for the body and its various organs. Researchers have found that when most of these food items were given to lab animals, they yielded dangerous results, offering negative nutritional value to them. Prolonged exposure to these food items can affect the health of the heart, gastrointestinal organs and lead to obesity.

According to the robert wood johnson foundation, it has been found that most people underestimate the number of calories intake at a fast-food selling outlet. A 2013 study published in jama pediatrics reveals that individuals consume more calories in restaurants than at their respective home. This trend is quite dangerous. It is responsible for the occurrence of a number of diseases. 

Here's why you should avoid fast foods:

Save your digestive and cardiovascular systems: fast foods are packed with unhealthy amounts of carbohydrates and fats. When these are consumed, our digestive system breaks down these carbs into sugar or glucose. The glucose is then released into the blood. As the blood is loaded with sugar, pancreas releases insulin hormone into the body. Insulin regulates the transportation of the sugar to cells. As the sugar reaches various cells, pancreas releases another hormone-glucagon. It commands the liver to make use of the sugar. Now, when excess sugar is produced in the body due to intake of fast foods, the balance between insulin and glucagon is hampered and the level of sugar in bloodstream changes. Consequently, you develop type 2 diabetes.

Check your weight and heart: the added sugars and unsaturated fats in the fast foods lead to obesity. You consume more calories and as a result of which your body weight increases. This is quite dangerous for your health. Under such circumstances, you tend to develop chronic heart diseases due to the increasing levels of cholesterol in your body.

Your kidney is at risk: fast foods often contain excess salt. The intake of fast foods changes the level of sodium in the body. Sodium is responsible for maintaining the fluid content in the body. Increasing fluid levels due to intake of excess sodium in the form of salt exerts pressure on the heart muscle and causes high blood pressure. Besides, excess sodium also damages the kidney.

Protect your respiratory system:

 According to a study in journal thorax, children who eat excess fast food are at increased risk of developing asthma and rhinitis. In fact, increased body weight puts extra pressure on your respiratory organs and causes difficulty in breathing.

Affects central nervous system: intake of junk food affects the brain synapses and the molecules that are related to the process of memory and learning in both children and adults.

A healthy set of teeth is essential for good living. However, teeth problems are widespread and you are susceptible to it at any age, at any time. Though there are medications available for tooth problems, sometimes extraction of the tooth remains the only plausible solution. 

You may have to undergo tooth extraction for multiple reasons. Some of them are:

1. Unaligned teeth: In case you are suffering from unaligned teeth, chances are that you may suffer from what in technical terms is known as "crowded mouth." In such a situation you have difficulty in eating as there is not enough room for the teeth in the mouth. Extraction of tooth, in this case, is the only way to rectify it and align the teeth in a better fashion.
2. Infection: Sometimes if you suffer from a tooth infection, it tends to quickly spread to the pulp, affecting and damaging the blood vessels and different nerves. Though medications are available, if the intensity of the infection increases, extraction of tooth remains the only option.

Procedure: There are different steps that are involved in the extraction of teeth. They are:

1. Local anesthesia: Like all other surgeries, administering a local anesthesia is the first step. If you are undergoing a tooth extraction, the dentist or the surgeon will inject anesthesia that will create numbness and soothe you of the ensuing pain.
2. Cutting away gum and bone tissues: After the anesthesia, the dentist will proceed to extract the infected tooth. In order to do this, the doctor cuts away the gum and the tissues covering the tooth. After the root of the infected tooth has been exposed, the dentist would then with the help of forceps, sever it from the jaw.

After the surgery, you must observe certain precautions to expedite the recovery process. Some of them are:

1. Take painkillers: After the tooth extraction, the possibility of suffering from an ensuing pain is incredibly high. Therefore, in most cases the dentist prescribes certain painkillers and you must take them regularly.
2. Change the dressing: The operated area will be covered with bandages to preclude any infection. However, the dressing must be changed from time to time. If the same dressing remains for a long time, chances of an infection increase.
3. Complete rest: After the extraction, you must take complete rest and not engage in any form of physical activity.
4. Avoid certain foods: Just after the surgery, the operated area remains tender. Therefore, you must eat food that requires less effort to chew like soup, pudding, ice cream etc. You must also abstain from smoking and drinking for some time.

Your teeth are the most underappreciated part of your body. If you don’t give them proper care, there is a very good chance that you will develop severe dental problems, the most common being tooth decay. Tooth decay is caused when the bacteria that are present in your mouth churn out more acid than is necessary, gradually eroding the teeth. The acids bore a hole in the tooth, causing cavity.

You might be suffering from tooth decay if you experience:

1. Teeth discoloration
2. Cavities
3. Pain
4. Tooth infection
5. Tooth loss

Causes of tooth decay

Tooth decay occurs when the bacteria that reside in your mouth start producing excessive acids which eventually erode the tooth.

How does it happen?

Your teeth have three protective layers: an outer layer called enamel, middle layer called dentin and an inner layer called pulp. The bacteria in the mouth along with acid and broken down food particles attack the tooth and erode it layer by layer. Tooth decay worsens as each layer is eroded.

Here are some common causes behind tooth decay:

1. Poor oral hygiene i.e. not brushing or flossing your teeth regularly
2. Eating foods that help bacteria grow, such as sugary foods and foods rich in carbohydrates
3. Dry mouth refers to very little saliva in your mouth. Saliva helps countering the effects of the acids
4. Smoking 
5. Diabetes

How to prevent tooth decay

Most cases of tooth decay can be prevented by a healthy oral hygiene regime and having a balanced diet. Here are some steps you can take to prevent tooth decay:

1. Regularly brush your teeth. Brush your teeth after each meal and especially before you go to sleep. Using a fluoride-rich toothpaste will help keep tooth decay at bay.
2. The space between your teeth is where food particles get lodged. Keep them clean by flossing regularly.
3. Make balanced diet a part of your life. Avoid food high on sugar or carbohydrates. Also, avoid eating too much sticky food, as it is more likely to cling to your teeth than anything else.
4. Mouthwash regularly using a solution rich in fluoride. Fluoride has antiseptic properties that help kill the bacteria,
5. Lastly, visit your dentist regularly for checkups

Tooth decay is one of the most common lifestyle-based problems. The right combination of dental hygiene and a balanced diet goes a long way in preventing it. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a dentist.