Cancer risk reduction tips
Kavya Krishna, MD | Columbus Oncology & Hematology
Cancer is a tough disease and interventions to reduce the risk of developing cancer are helpful. A healthy diet rich in vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes and nuts is beneficial. Limiting the amount of processed food and processed meat is recommended.
Refraining from smoking – which increases the risk for various types of cancers, including lung, head and neck, pancreatic and bladder cancers – is advised, and your doctor can help with strategies to quit smoking.
Prevention and early detection of cancers – through regular mammograms and colon cancer screenings – increases chances of recovery. Maintaining healthy weight and active lifestyle lowers risk of breast, colon, prostate and other cancers.
Any amount of physical activity is encouraged, but at least 30 minutes of exercise per day for five days a week or weekly 150 minutes of moderate exercise with a doctor’s clearance if you have any underlying health issues is advised.
Skin cancer is a common and preventable cancer. Wearing appropriate sun protective gear, avoiding tanning beds and sun lamps, minimizing sun exposure between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., and getting any suspicious skin changes or new/changing moles checked by your doctor are encouraged.
Applying sunscreen with SPF of at least 30 to exposed areas even when it is cloudy, with reapplication every two hours and more often if ongoing activities in water or increased sweating, is important.
What is fluoride, and do you really need it?
Christina M. Kulesa, DDS | Northstar Family Dental
Fluoride is a mineral from the crust of the earth that occurs naturally in all water sources. Research has shown that fluoride not only reduces cavities in children and adults, it also helps repair the early stages of tooth decay, even before it’s visible. When it reaches your teeth, fluoride is absorbed into the enamel. It helps to repair the enamel by replenishing the lost calcium and phosphorous to keep your teeth hard. In other words, fluoride is good!
Although fluoride is found in natural sources such as drinking water, it is often not in a high enough quantity to prevent dental decay. This is why the ADA and our team suggest supplementing. Topical fluorides are applied directly to the tooth enamel. Some examples include fluoride toothpastes and mouthwash, as well as fluoride treatment that we perform in our office. However, the fluoride treatment that we use in the office is a much stronger concentration than that in toothpastes or fluoride mouthwashes that may be available in a store or at a pharmacy.
Your fluoride treatment will take only a matter of minutes, can be completed during your routine cleaning appointment and is painless. After the treatment, we ask that you not eat or drink anything hot or cold for 30 minutes or brush/floss for six hours. Other than that, there is no downtime or side effects.
Depending on your oral health status, we may recommend treatments every three, six or 12 months. If you are at moderate or high risk of developing cavities, we may discuss additional preventative care solutions.
The next time you’re in our office, we urge you to consider a fluoride treatment to further protect you and your loved one’s overall oral health. The best part: Most months, we donate $2 for every fluoride treatment administered to a nonprofit charitable organization.
Bunion prevention and treatment tips
Brian Tscholl, MD | Orthopedic Foot & Ankle Surgeons
Robert Gorsline, MD | Orthopedic ONE
Without a doubt, the most important thing you can do to prevent bunions is opt for a wide-fitting, comfortable shoe. Nearly one-third of adults suffer from bunions.
These bony deformities at the base of the big toe can be incredibly painful, making it difficult to stand or be active. While genetics play a role in a person’s likelihood to experience a bunion, they are most common in women – often related to years of wearing narrow, tight-fitting shoes.
Unfortunately, a bunion will not improve on its own and, if left untreated, will often worsen with time. Maintaining a healthy weight, trading in the stilettos for lower-heeled shoes that provide more space at the widest part of your foot, and orthotics or shoe inserts that provide additional support are all early interventions that can help ease pressure on the joint and slow a bunion’s growth.
When pain starts limiting your daily activities, it’s time to seek the help of an orthopedic foot and ankle specialist. Recent advancements in surgical correction provide a minimally-invasive approach that utilizes smaller incisions to improve healing, reduce scarring, decrease postoperative pain and get patients back on their feet sooner. Following this outpatient procedure, patients walk out the door and are able to resume full activities such as sports and running in around 10-12 weeks.
Tips for initiation of successful breastfeeding
Anja Kiel, MD and Nicole Van Steyn, MD, FAAP, CLC | Step by Step Pediatrics
Latch early and often. Breastfeeding your newborn infant is a learned skill, taught through practice.
Putting your newborn baby to the breast within the first hour after delivery, and rooming-in while in the hospital, will create multiple opportunities to practice latching and troubleshoot breastfeeding, while you have access to professionals who are trained to assist you.
In the baby’s first two to three weeks of life, while you are initiating breastfeeding, try to avoid giving pacifiers or artificial nipples. It is much easier to transfer milk from a bottle than the breast, and your baby is learning how to feed. Putting the infant to the breast frequently during the first few days of life instead of using a pacifier will help facilitate your milk coming in and provide important hydration via colostrum.
Approach breastfeeding as a team sport. You are the captain, and the infant is a player, but there are many others on the team that contribute to the success of a mother-infant breastfeeding dyad. Those include: the mother’s partner, a lactation consultant, your pediatrician, and other supportive friends and family members. Reach out for help and support and remember to make self-care a priority during this very special time in your life.
Tips on dental health
Joshua T. Smith, DDS | Greater Columbus Oral Surgery and Dental Implants
Wisdom teeth, also known as third molars, are generally addressed between the ages of 17-25. Due to the risk of pain, adjacent teeth damage and infection, most people will need to have their wisdom teeth removed to prevent these problems. The extraction process in younger patients is significantly less traumatic and recovery is much quicker, which is why extraction is sometimes recommended even before symptoms arise.
Impacted teeth are defined as teeth that are prevented from erupting into the correct position due to lack of space or other impediments. These impacted teeth are frequently associated with cysts and tumors in the jaw bones and can become a serious medical condition. It is therefore imperative that any impacted tooth be monitored for the development of any associated pathology and treated promptly.
There are several tooth replacement options, but a dental implant is considered to be the gold standard. The implant fixture is made of a titanium alloy, which integrates with the bone, making it a permanent part of the body. The success rate for dental implants is up to 98 percent when the procedure is performed by a well-trained surgeon. Any patient interested in missing tooth replacement should discuss their options with an oral surgeon to determine if they are a good candidate for this procedure.
Dental health tips
Missy Baker, DDS | The Gentle Dentist
Your dental health affects your overall health. The link to heart health is well documented. Studies show that good oral hygiene can decrease inflammation in the body. Floss daily; if you don’t floss, you miss 35 percent of your tooth’s surface. See your dentist at least two times per year for a thorough cleaning and gum charting. Your dentist may recommend more frequent cleaning.
Go to bed with a clean mouth, since you produce less saliva during your sleep to wash your teeth and gums.
