Wrap Up Foot Health Awareness Month with a Foot Self-Examination April 28

By Geoff Cobb | Published: April 24, 2012

Our feet are made up of 26 bones and 33 joints each, supporting the entire body structure. With approximately 10,000 steps being taken daily by the average person, having good foot health is very important to maintain an active life. To help you assess the kind of shape your feet are in, the American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) offers the following, simple self-examination steps.

•Look for blisters, calluses, or areas that are irritated on your skin. If you find any, this may mean that your shoes have areas of constriction; check your shoes and see if they have the same shape as your feet by putting your feet beside them. Next, feel the inside of each shoe with your hand and look for tacks, seams, or rough places that correspond to the blisters, calluses, or areas of irritation on your feet.

•Check the color of your toes. Press down on your big toe nail until its color goes pale and then let go to allow blood to flow back. Normal color should return within 2 to 5 seconds.

•Test your toes’ flexibility by trying to pick up a marble, which means that you have excellent toe flexibility, or a small dishtowel, which means that you have good toe flexibility. Test your ankles’ flexibility by standing on a stair, facing it, and hanging a heel over its edge; bend your feet until your heel goes below the level of the stair. If you don’t feel any strain in your calf, this means you have excellent ankle flexibility; some strain means you need to improve your ankle flexibility through exercises; if you feel pain, stop the test.

•Test your feet sensation by running a pencil eraser on the top, bottom, and both sides of each feet. The sensation should be the same in all these areas but feeling a tickle on the bottom of the feet is normal.

•Test your balance by standing on one foot, holding your arms out to the side, and closing your eyes. You should be able to balance yourself for 15 seconds if you’re less than 30 years old; for 12 seconds if you’re between 30 and 40 years old; for 10 seconds if you’re between 40 and 50 years old; and for 7 seconds if you’re over 50 years old. You can also improve your balance through exercises.

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HPV AND Oral Cancer – HPV Now The Leading Cause Of Oral Cancers In The US

By Jerry Scoppa | Published: April 12, 2012

Prolonged tobacco use has been the leading cause of oral cancers for decades. Recently however, the Human Papilloma Virus number 16 (HPV16), which belongs to the family of viruses that cause cervical cancer, has overtaken tobacco use as the prominent cause of oral cancers. About 37,000 Americans will be diagnosed with oral cancer in 2011 alone and approximately 60 percent of newly diagnosed cases are caused by HPV16. The increase in the number of HPV16-caused oral cancers has also led to a change in patient demography. Where smokers 50 years old and above used to dominate, majority of the oral cancer population is now comprised of non-smoking people between 25 and 50 years old who develop the cancer as a result of HPV16 infection. Additionally, these oral cancers are often localized near or at the back of the mouth, such as in the oropharynx, tonsils, and at the base of the tongue.

While tobacco use is still a risk factor for oral cancers, persistent HPV16 viral infections are becoming the most common cause of the disease, particularly in the developing world. Other risk factors include prolonged sun exposure (which causes lip cancer) alcohol consumption, and chewing or spitting tobacco.

During Oral Cancer Awareness Month this April, the Oral Cancer Foundation (OCF), in collaboration with the dental community, is encouraging Americans to get a free oral cancer screening in any one of the more than 1,250 free screening events held by dental offices all over the U.S. “In a painless, three- to five-minute oral cancer screening, most of the signs and symptoms of oral cancer can be seen with the naked eye, felt with the fingers, or elucidated during the patient’s oral history interview,” states Dr. Ross Kerr, an oral medicine specialist at NYU. “Unlike most other cancer detection exams, the screening for oral cancer does not require any special equipment, is not uncomfortable or expensive, nor require invasive procedures. Any dentist or primary care physician and many nurses and dental hygienists, who have been trained to do oral cancer examinations, are in a position to find the early signs and symptoms of this disease.”

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Healthy Sleeping Habits – World Sleep Day Promotes Healthy Sleep For Infants, Children, And All Ages On March 18th

By Jerry Scoppa | Published: March 15, 2012

Sleep is one of the most essential necessities of life but it’s also one of the most taken for granted. Despite the fact that a good night’s sleep plays an important role in a person’s overall health, adults and children alike choose unhealthy lifestyles over the benefits of adequate sleep.

According to estimates, 45% of the world’s population suffer from some form of sleeping problem. And children are not exempted; 25% of children around the world also suffer from poor sleep. Whether its insomnia, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), restless legs syndrome (RLS), or sleep deprivation, a person’s physical, mental, and emotional health, as well as the interpersonal aspects of their life, are negatively affected.

In children, inadequate sleep can result in obesity; moodiness and emotional problems; aggressiveness and impulsivity; irritability and frustration; drastic changes in energy levels; decreased memory, attention, learning, and reasoning; and accidental injury.

Jodi Mindell, PhD, a clinical psychologist who specializes in pediatric sleep medicine, says that a full-night’s sleep ensures that children will function well at home and at school and significantly influences their happiness and well-being.

The World Association of Sleep Medicine (WASM) created the 10 Commandments of Healthy Sleep for Children to help parents teach their children healthy sleeping habits.

•Make sure your child gets enough sleep by setting an age-appropriate bedtime and waketime. •Set consistent bedtime and wake-up times on both weekdays and weekends. •Establish a consistent bedtime routine and recommend wearing comfortable clothes in bed, including strong absorbing diapers for infants. •Encourage your child to fall asleep independently. •Avoid bright light at bedtime and during the night and increase light exposure in the morning. •Keep all electronics, including televisions, computers and cell phones, out of the bedroom and limit use of electronics before bedtime. •Maintain a regular daily schedule, including consistent mealtimes. •Have an age-appropriate nap schedule. •Ensure plenty of exercise and time spent outdoors during the day. •Eliminate foods and beverages containing caffeine.

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Oral Cancer – AAOMS Supports Goals of Oral Cancer Awareness Week

By Jerry Scoppa | Published: February 24, 2012

The Oral Cancer Foundation has set a week in April as Oral Cancer Awareness Week. Despite the fact that oral cancer is highly preventable because it is easy to diagnose, the substantial number of deaths caused by the disease is mostly due to the fact that it is often diagnosed in its later stages, when the chances of a cure are already low.

The early stages of oral cancer are often asymptomatic. This is why the Oral Cancer Foundation deemed it critical to raise public awareness about the disease. Through a simple self-examination regimen and regular visits to a dentist or an examination by a maxillofacial surgeon, oral cancer can be prevented.

A simple visual examination of the mouth can help you detect oral cancer during its early stages. Watch out for any changes or abnormal growths in and around your mouth. Self-examination should be done once a month.

People who smoke cigarettes, smokeless tobacco, or snuff and those who drink alcohol are at an increased for developing oral cancer and should get examined by their dentist or an oral and maxillofacial surgeon every year.

Numerous studies have shown that cigarette smokers are four times more likely to die from oral cancer than non-smokers. The likelihood of developing oral cancer is 15 times higher in people who smoke and also drink alcohol than in people who smoke but don’t drink and vice versa.

Other factors that may increase a person’s risk for oral cancer include poor oral hygiene, poor nutrition, ill-fitting dentures and rough surfaces on teeth which may cause irritation, some chronic infections, and the HPV16 virus, a sexually transmitted infection. Experts also note, however, that approximately 25 percent of patients who develop oral cancer have no known risk factors.

Learn more about how to perform a self-examination and what signs to watch out for by visiting aaoms.org.

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National Burn Awareness Week – Safe Kids USA Reminds Parents To Keep Kids Safe From Burns

By Shelly Mahnke | Published: February 1, 2012

According to a 2009 report from the American Burn Association, scald burns from hot liquids account for most hospitalizations among children under 5 years. Additionally, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also report that an estimated 465 children 14 years and younger die as a result of accidental fire or burn related injuries each year.

Safe Kids USA’s President Meri-K Appy says, “A burn is one of the most painful injuries a child can suffer. Because young children have thinner skin than adults, their skin burns more deeply and at lower temperatures – and young children often cannot react quickly enough to escape harm. A little planning and a few simple precautions can prevent devastating injuries and even save a child’s life.”

One in four of all scald burns is caused by hot tap water. Among other causes of scalds, 90.4% were related to hot cooking or drinking liquids. Children 18 months to 4 years most commonly get injured from hot microwave food or from a scalding substance that was being carried or cooked by an older child (7 to 14 years).

In the kitchen, Safe Kids USA reminds parents to keep children away from hot appliances, pots, pans, or food (at least 3 feet). When around children, parents should use spill-resistant mugs for their hot drinks. To prevent accidents, parents should also avoid using anything that can lead to a spill when a child pulls on it, like tablecloths. Accidental spills can also be avoided when cooking by using back burners and always turning pot handles toward the back of the stove. Additionally, a parent shouldn’t hold a child while cooking. Appliance cords should be tucked where children won’t be able to reach them. Always make sure that all foods and drinks are cool enough for a child to consume.

In the bathroom, always make sure that your children’s bath water is not too hot, check the water temperature frequently, and watch children closely. When water temperature can’t be controlled, special water faucets or shower heads that automatically shut off when the water gets too hot should be installed.

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