QUARANTINE FOOD GUIDE

Spending time at home also means we are eating or over-eating at home. A healthy diet contributes to building immunity and helping the body’s ability to fight against infections. Here is a guide to foods that should be avoided and foods that can be included more into your daily diets.

TO AVOID:

Excessive salt intake: Ready-made snacks, canned/tinned foods, processed, frozen foods, and pickles have a lot of salt content. Excessive intake of salt (>5g/day) is termed unhealthy and can potentially lead to a variety of health issues such as increased blood pressure, obesity, worsening diabetes, water retention, etc.

Sugar intake: Desserts, ice-creams, juices, aerated drinks, and store-bought snacks tend to have excess sugar content which is unhealthy for both general as well as oral health. The use of natural sugar substitutions such as jaggery, honey, etc should be practiced.

· Fat intake: WHO recommends that only 30% of your food intake should consist of fats and out of this, only 10% should be saturated fats. This can be followed by avoiding deep-fried foods and switching to other methods such as boiling, steaming, grilling, or pan-frying. Good oils such as olive or sunflower oils can be used instead of butter, coconut oil, or other fatty options.

· Cold foods: Over consumption of ice or cold foods can affect your dental health as well as make you more susceptible to catch a common cold. It is hence best to avoid this during this time.

· Refined foods: Rice, white bread, pasta, etc should be substituted with whole wheat options.

· Beverages: Avoid over consumption of coffee, tea, fizzy drinks, sugary juices, etc. These contribute to your daily sugar intake.

· Alcohol intake: Excessive consumption of alcohol should be avoided. Not only does it add to the daily calorie intake, but it also reduces immunity, interacts with medications, and affects your mental health.

INCLUDE:

.Wholesome, fresh, home-cooked meals

· Fiber-rich foods: Vegetables such as corn or potato, fruits such as berries, and wholegrain cereals have high fiber content and help you to feel full. This in turn prevents you from over-consuming unwanted foods for longer periods.

· Water: This plays a major role in the body’s immunity. Swap unhealthy drinks with water to reduce calories and be more healthy.

For more info, log on to https://curie.health/ or call on +91-87788 26667 to find a doctor/dentist near you or to get a free demo of our software.

Diabetes and Oral Health

This sudden, unexpected period of lockdown has forced all of us to forget our usual routines and adapt a newer schedule at home. This might be having a negative impact on some of us, especially if we usually have a fast-moving life.

It is therefore mandatory to come up with a ‘Lock-down Schedule’ consisting of an amalgamation of serious and fun activities to alleviate any physical, mental or social stresses that we may face. You can read more about this on our previous blog https://curiedothealth.wordpress.com/2020/03/25/what-we-can-do-during-quarantine/ 

This is also a time when many of us are tempted to indulge in unhealthy eating habits. Although all of us need to practice a certain amount of caution when it comes to the inclusion of sugars, processed foods, and other unhealthy substituents to our daily ‘Lockdown meals’, those with pre-existing conditions such as diabetes should be even more careful. 

Diabetes in addition to causing a myriad of health issues also affects the health of the oral cavity significantly. Here are some of the issues it causes when coupled with poor oral hygiene:

· Gum inflammation- gingivitis: Diabetes reduces the body’s ability to fight against bacteria. Due to this, a lack of good brushing that usually leads to plaque and gingivitis are seen more profoundly. Gums tend to get swollen, ‘Spongy’, red, easily irritated, and bleeds easily.

· Gum disease-periodontitis- A reduced ability to fight infections and an enhanced risk of delayed healing leads to gingivitis progressing into full-blown periodontitis. This is characterized by loosening of teeth, foul oral smell (halitosis), receding of gums, and increased foci of infection. 

It is important to note that periodontitis and diabetes are interlinked. Long-standing periodontitis can lead to poor control of blood sugars in the blood and vice-versa.

· Tooth decays: Gingivitis, periodontitis can further lead to poor oral hygiene and plaque build-up. The acidic nature of plaque results in the formation of cavities in the tooth and weakening of the enamel surfaces.

· Candidiasis infection (Thrush): Poor control of blood sugars commonly leads to ‘Coating of Tongue’ or other mucous membranes within the mouth called ‘Candidiasis’. This leads to oral malodor and further loss of oral and general health.

 Dry mouth: Diabetes leads to a reduction in quantity and quality of saliva and this in turn leads to further worsening of the above-listed issues such as dental cavities and candidiasis.

Symptoms that should prompt a dental visit:

· Sudden increase in cavities

· Differences in taste perception

· Bad breath

· Coated tongue that is difficult to clean at home

· Dry mouth (Xerostomia)

· Burning sensation in the mouth

· Loosening of teeth

· Increased spaces between teeth that have occurred suddenly

· Bleeding from the gums

Managing diabetes-induced oral health issues:

Practice good oral hygiene

· Avoid habits such as tobacco use or excessive alcohol intake

· Keep your diabetes in check and regularly visit your doctor 

· Visit your dentist regularly and schedule an appointment on the onset of any new oral symptoms.

· Follow an active lifestyle

· Control sugar intake and follow a diet recommended by your doctor.

To know more or to book an appointment with your best dentist in chennai, visit https://curie.health/

DENTAL CLINICS AFTER COVID19 LOCK-DOWN

Most dentists who own a dental clinic are skeptical regarding how the dental clinics will run following the lifting of the covid19 lockdown. Some of the effective ways to ensure a cushioned effect of the lockdown are

• Follow up on all patients who missed an appointment that was due during the lock-down period

• Any patient who had called or connected virtually for a consultation, query, or issue should be contacted. Those with persistent issues can come back to the clinic for treatment.
• Follow up all regular patients to inform that the clinic is open and that they can approach you in case of any issues.
• Engage in different marketing strategies online and offline to promote your clinic’s brand name.

• Offers and promotions on commonly sought after treatments such as braces or scaling.
• Tie-ups with third-party payment companies, insurance companies or similar strategies which will ease the payment stress of the patients
• Introducing new changes to the clinic such as a new and effective clinic management software that will not only make the daily running of the clinic easier but also helps to attract new patients.
• Encourage your existing patients to refer your clinic to others seeking a dentist
• Build a strong network with patients, dental labs, finance companies, IT companies, and fellow dentists to increase contacts, share knowledge and widen your business circle
• Organize events such as dental camps and dental health promotion camps in and around your locality
• Build trust with existing patients by offering them quality care and good follow up routines
• Be easily available and accessible to anyone who needs dental treatment

• Widen online presence to make sure that patients who search for a dentist in your locality or elsewhere can find your clinic easily.
• Reward patients for loyalty, sticking to appointments, referring others, etc.
• Make sure new patients feel comfortable in your clinic and all staff are trained to be courteous and skilled

• Be professional and slightly flexible to patient demands and timings
• Build a strong referral policy with companies around you for their employees
• Organize dental health promotion drives through online, direct and print media
• Business analytics to identify areas of revenue generation and statistics.

Some of these above tasks is best done with the help of professional support. We at Curie. Health ensures a complete range of services that will help you in the best way to get back on track.

Visit us on https://curie.health/ or call 8778826667 for a free demo or trial!

WHY IS AN IT PARTNER LIKE CURIE ESSENTIAL FOR YOUR DENTAL PRACTICE?

Any business in this day and age needs a strong technological and IT support not only for its smooth functioning but also for its success. Here are a few factors to consider before investing in a good IT partner.

• Aims at promoting your clinic: Find a partner whose main focus is to market your clinic and improve your brand name.
• Has a technologically sound and easy to use clinic management software 
• Provides holistic technological support, covering various advancement strategies such as marketing, software, networking, online communication with patients, payment options, etc.,
• Clinic management software should be up to date with integrating logistics, lab-related particulars, patient details, costs of services, etc.
• Support for business development by providing data analytics, identifying areas of revenue generation and leakage, providing individualized business strategies, etc.
• It provides a valuable networking platform to connect with other stakeholders in the same field.
• Adaptable and flexible to the clinic’s needs and requirements.
• Easily approachable with a 24/7 customer support system
• Quick to solve any technical issues with online as well as offline support
• Quick and easy appointment bookings for patients and a patient-friendly app

The above factors are key to the success of Curie.Health and we believe we possess the best technological support skills needed for your clinical practice! 

The lock-down imposed due to the Covid19 situation, every practice needs to get back to business and this will require expert help. Log on to https://curie.health/ to know more or contact us on +91-8778826667 for a free demo/trial.

BEST STRATEGIES TO OPTIMIZE PATIENT RETENTION IN YOUR DENTAL CLINIC

Patient retention is one of the most effective, yet tricky ways that contribute to the progress and substantiation of a dental clinic. Retaining existing patients comes with several advantages such as:

• It is more economical than obtaining new clientele
• Long-standing patients help to build a clinic’s reputation
• Increased referrals by word of mouth
• Boosts morale and spirit of clinic employees
• Building up trust and long-standing partnerships with the patients

Retaining patients is however not a cakewalk. It requires time and effort. Here are some tips to help you out:

• Develop a patient-centric dental clinic: Read more on this at https://curiedothealth.wordpress.com/2020/04/01/patient-centered-approach-to-clinical-practice/
• Building a one to one relationship with your patients: Patients like to have a sense of belonging when they visit a dental clinic. The best way to give them a memorable experience is by remembering the name of your patient, having a casual talk with them once a while, ensure they are comfortable and you communicate well with them.

Pic Courtesy: (U.S. Air Force/Osakabe Yasuo)

• Empower your patients to be able to make informed choices by analyzing and choosing the desired treatment from the choices you give them. Pushing a patient to do something that they do not want to do will lead to negative thoughts and failure to form a connection with the particular doctor.

• Always spend adequate time with your patients for consultation and treatment appointments and give them a feeling of ‘Value for Money’.Staying punctual also goes a long way in maintaining clientele.
• Ensure constant communication with patients. If a patient has finished a consultation appointment and is weighing their treatment options or has finished a treatment appointment, make sure to reach out to them and address any questions or queries. This will encourage them to come back for further treatment and review visits.
• Constantly stay connected with your patients by sending regular messages about upcoming appointments, review visits, missed appointments, etc.,

• Make yourself available to patients in case of any questions, queries, emergencies, etc. Speak to them over the phone personally if required. Failure to express your easy availability will lead to patients searching for other easily approachable dentists.
• Make different payment options available to your patients. In current situations, a patient might not prefer a dentist who charges in full. EMI options or third party payments have become increasingly popular and many patients lookout for these.

• Always be in step with the latest dentistry related technology, advancements, and innovations.
• Ensure the entire clinic team is aware of your core values and principals and they are taught how to put a patient first.

Following the above will improve your clinic’s patient retention capacity drastically. However, associating with a software partner such as Curie. Health will help out in several ways mentioned above.

From providing the clinic with the best technologically sound software, helping you keep in touch with patients through marketing, bulk SMSs, reminders and virtual consultations and helping you to provide patients with various payment options, Curie Health is the perfect solution you have been searching for!

Visit https://curie.health for more info and to get a free demo!

TACKLE BAD BREATH IMMEDIATELY

Bad breath or oral malodor is the term given to any unpleasant smell or odor emanating from the mouth. This can cause a lot of embarrassment to those who suffer from it. There are a variety of oral and systemic causes for bad breath. However, oral causes are found to be more common.

Oral/ Dental Causes:

• Poor oral hygiene: Brushing twice a day and flossing regularly reduce the build-up of ‘Plaque’, a bacterial film on the surface of the teeth. Build up of plaque eventually leads to gum disease (periodontitis). The presence of deep, food and plaque filled pockets between the teeth and gums in periodontitis can significantly compromise oral health and hygiene leading to oral malodor.

• Ill-fitting dentures or crowns can lead to the accumulation of plaque and food particles.
• Dental cavities: Cavities in the tooth surface act as a reservoir for decaying food and plaque. Sometimes, due to pain associated with a dental cavity, oral hygiene is compromised by poor brushing habits.
• Erupting wisdom tooth: Inflammation of tissues around an erupting wisdom tooth (pericoronitis) can lead to food accumulation and poor hygiene practices due to the pain.
• Coated Tongue: Failure to clean the tongue regularly leads to a build-up of food and plaque on the tongue surface, leading to bad breath.
• Oral infections: Pus in the oral cavity due to an infected tooth or periodontitis can lead to a foul smell.

• Habits: Certain habits such as mouth breathing can lead to a dry mouth due to reduced saliva. This leads to a bad mouth odor.
• Long-standing oral ulcers that interfere with oral hygiene.
• Smoking or tobacco chewing habits
• Rarely, oral cancer can lead to a bad breath

Other causes:

• Gastrointestinal problems such as reflux disorder and peptic ulcer (acidity)

• Liver and Kidney disorders
• Medications such as anti-histamines or anti-psychotics
• Enlarged, infected tonsils: tonsillitis
• Chronic sinusitis, postnasal drip
•   Excessive alcohol consumption
• Dietary habits such as including a lot of onions or garlic

What to do?

• Maintain oral hygiene
• Regularly clean the tongue surface
• Change any food, lifestyle habits that might be contributing to the problem
• Use sugar-free mints after meals
• Most Importantly, visit the dentist every 6 months to one year. Any oral causes can be identified and treated promptly by your dentist. In the case of a systemic cause suspicion, your dentist will refer you to the concerned doctor.

Visit https://curie.health/ to know more and to find a dentist near you!

WISDOM TOOTH TROUBLE?

WISDOM TOOTH TROUBLE? ACT WISE!

A human adult has 32 teeth in total. However, the final four ‘Wisdom Teeth’ or ‘Third molars’ are the last to erupt. They derive their name from the fact that they appear when a person is ‘Older’ or ‘Wiser’- around the ages of 17-25 years. Interestingly, research shows that up to 35% of the population globally do not have one or all of their four wisdom teeth.

Impacted Wisdom Teeth:

The wisdom teeth usually cause mild discomfort while erupting. Studies however show up to 24% of people globally have an ‘impacted’ tooth which means the tooth does not have enough space in the jaw to come out.

This problem has become more widespread due to the smaller jaw size in humans as compared to our ancestors. Commonly, the wisdom teeth of the lower jaw (mandible) are more affected by impaction than its upper jaw counterparts.

Symptoms of an impacted tooth:

• Pain in the jaw, face, ear or neck corresponding to the side of the impacted tooth.
• Swelling within the oral cavity and/or on the face corresponding to the side of the impacted tooth.
• Swollen, bleeding gums
• Altered taste sensation, bitter/ foul taste in the mouth
• Painful or reduced jaw opening
• Oral malodor – bad breath
• Excessive salivation

Common issues arising from impacted wisdom teeth are:

• More chances of decay and gum disease in the area of the wisdom tooth.
• Pericoronitis: Inflammation of the gum tissues over the wisdom tooth, causing pain, difficulty in chewing and closing the mouth.

• Problems to the adjacent healthy teeth: Impacted wisdom teeth might commonly damage the adjacent healthy teeth. Due to lack of space, these wisdom teeth can cause pressure on the adjacent teeth, sometimes fracturing a part of the healthy tooth, cause decay, gum infection or loosening of the tooth.
• Overcrowding of the other teeth: Wisdom teeth may push the other already erupted teeth while erupting or trying to erupt. This causes a change in the alignment of the teeth, overcrowding of the front teeth, protrusion of the front teeth, change in aesthetic appearance of the teeth, etc.
• Cyst formation: Rarely, an untreated wisdom tooth may lead to the development of a non-cancerous (benign) cyst. This may cause pain, discomfort or swelling and is treated by removal of the wisdom tooth along with the cyst (excision) and some amount of bone.

• Localised infection or facial swelling: Pus collection within the tissues around the wisdom tooth can spread to adjacent healthy tissues of the jaw and/or face causing a ‘Space Infection’. In addition to facial swelling, pain, difficulty in mouth opening (trismus), altered taste sensation, etc., it might also cause systemic symptoms such as fever (pyrexia), lymph node enlargement (lymphadenopathy) and in severe cases, airway obstruction.

Treatment modalities for an impacted wisdom tooth:

• Dentists usually advise the removal or extraction of the wisdom tooth if the diagnosis is confirmed with an X-Ray.
• In the case of an infection, a course of antibiotics and anti-inflammatory drugs are given before the extraction.
• Extraction is commonly done under a local anesthetic (general anesthetic might be used in some selected cases).
• Pain, swelling and discomfort following a wisdom tooth extraction usually resolve in less than 3-7 days.

From the above article, one can understand the importance of getting an impacted wisdom tooth treated by the dentist. These issues can be pre-diagnosed and treated immediately by visiting a dentist every 6 months.

Book your dental appointment at https://curie.health/ and log on to the website to know more.

Desire a perfect smile?

Desire a perfect smile? Veneers might be your answer!

Dental veneers are a cosmetic dentistry procedure where a thin layer of tooth-coloured biocompatible restoration material such as porcelain or composite resin is bonded to the tooth surface to improve its aesthetic appearance. Veneers can be used in cases of discoloured teeth, chipped teeth, gaps between the teeth (diastema), minor malformations or misalignment of teeth. Veneers are case selective and your dentist will decide if you are a good candidate to undergo this short procedure.

Procedure:

• Your dentist will first explain the procedure and understand your expectations
• Some dentists will have a 3D representation of the possible final result. Therefore, you will have an idea before starting the treatment.
• Scaling (cleaning) will be done and any decayed teeth will be filled.
• The teeth that will have a veneer will be identified and minimal, conservative tooth preparation will be carried out. By doing this, the dentist will remove a wafer-thin layer of the enamel surface of the tooth. This is to create a space for the veneer, to give it a natural finish and ensure that the veneer is bonded well to the tooth surface.
• Measurements and impressions of the teeth might be taken up to two or three times during the procedure.

• The shade of the veneers will be chosen after careful color matching with your natural teeth.
• Temporary veneers might be given in some cases.
• It usually takes any time between a couple of days to a week or two for the dental lab to fabricate your veneers.
• The final sitting will involve the dentist bonding these veneers received from the lab on to your tooth surface using dental cement.

Indications:

• Chipped teeth
• Discoloured teeth
• Minor lengthening of tooth surface
• Coverage of unaesthetic restorations
• Correction of minor malformations of the tooth surface
• Coverage of exposed tooth root surfaces
• Improve unaesthetic gum lines
• Coverage of minor tooth abrasions
• Covering minor gaps between teeth (diastemas)
• Correcting minor issues in teeth alignment or positioning
• Unaesthetic teeth surface, enamel malformations

Contraindications:

• Fractured teeth needing a crown and root canal treatment
• Incompletely erupted teeth
• Habits such as night grinding, clenching, etc.
• Severe alignment issues, crowding of teeth
• Root canal treated teeth

Pros:

• Quick, easy, fairly painless procedure
• Realistic appearance
• Does not involve excess loss of normal tooth
• High resistance to staining
• Durability and versatility
• Fairly permanent results: Veneers last for up to 7-10 years depending on maintenance.

Cons:

• High cost
• Need for a replacement if damaged or stained
• Teeth sensitivity: Following the procedure, some patients may experience increased sensitivity which usually resolves in a few weeks time.
• Case selectivity: Not all patients are good candidates for veneers. Improper case selection might lead to failure of the procedure.

The above article proves that Veneers might be your perfect solution to achieving a perfect smile! Especially for those with low confidence about their appearance, veneers might give you a drastic improvement. If you are getting married soon, want to get into the film industry, or just want to improve your smile, considering veneers is the best option.

Visit a dentist near you to find out if you are a good candidate and to undergo this procedure! Visit https://curie.health to book an appointment!

Choosing a Toothbrush And Brushing Habits- An Insight

A toothbrush is one of the single most important everyday cleaning tools that help to improve your oral hygiene and health. Therefore, choosing the right toothbrush and following the correct method of brushing is important for one to get the best hygiene outcomes.

Following the invention of the toothbrush by the Chinese in 1498, using naturally available products such as animal hair and bamboo, we have come a long way in terms of advancement currently. The modern-day toothbrushes come in a variety of shapes, types, materials and bristle varieties and can also be battery powered.  The best parameters to choose a toothbrush would be

Bristle Variety

Most dental professionals advise the use of ‘Soft’ or ‘Medium bristle varieties. This choice can be made based on the amount of pressure used while brushing. Brushes with a hard bristle variety or the use of excessive force while brushing can lead to avoidable, commonly irreversible damage to the outermost layer of the tooth- the enamel. This enamel layer protects the tooth and prevents tooth sensitivity. Loss of enamel can not only make the tooth sensitive, but it can also lead to yellowish discoloration of the tooth and easy wearing off (attrition) of the tooth.

Hard bristle varieties are usually only indicated by a dentist in patients having any neurological or cognitive dysfunctions, making it difficult for a person to brush effectively. Likewise, extra soft bristle varieties might be prescribed only in the event such as widespread tooth enamel loss or hypoplasia. Therefore, using a soft or medium bristle variety is suggested unless otherwise, a dentist prescribes a hard or extra soft variety.

Brush size and shape:

This usually depends on individual comfort, age, dexterity and ease of access. The brush should be effectively used to access and clean hard to reach areas such as behind the molars and a decision on size and shape should be made accordingly.

Manual or electric toothbrush: 

For most healthy individuals with no challenging conditions, both the manual as well as the electric toothbrush will be equally effective to remove plaque from the teeth surface and maintain oral hygiene. However, in those with any underlying conditions which affect dexterity, hand function or movement, such as Parkinson’s disease, arthritis, stroke, etc. Or in very young or elderly persons, an electric toothbrush might be a better option.

When to change your toothbrush?

Research studies have suggested that a toothbrush needs to be changed every 3 months. Even if a toothbrush appears visibly in good condition after 3 months, it would be best to change it. Reasons that warrant a toothbrush to be changed prior to 3 months are:

• Frayed/Damaged bristles- This usually means the person is applying too much pressure while brushing. The brush needs to be changed immediately, however, reducing the brushing pressure would be equally important.
• Post sickness/flu- Toothbrush bristles tend to gather micro-organisms and can lead to harboring of these microbes for a long period of time. Therefore, following sickness or an episode of flu, it would be best to change the toothbrush to avoid any repeated infection.
• If you find your toothbrush having traces of old tooth paste or dirt and you are unable to clean it, it would be the best time to get a new one.

Toothbrush care

• Always keep the toothbrushes in a covered cabinet or holder. This is to prevent any contamination by water in the washbasin, shower or flush. It also prevents cross-contamination with other brushes kept near it
• Keep the toothbrush in an upright position, this will help excess water to drain away easily.
• Store the brush in a dry, clean, ventilated environment
• Avoid storing a toothbrush in a zipped pouch or closed space. This would facilitate the multiplication of microorganisms on it
• Always wash the toothbrush before and after use. Using warm water would be more advisable.
• Storing a toothbrush in 70% alcohol solution occasionally is a good way to disinfect it
• Keep multiple brushes away from each other, to avoid any contact between the bristles.

Tooth-brushing techniques

The most commonly advised brushing technique is the Bass or Modified bass technique. Key points include:

• Place the brush bristles at a 45-degree angle, keeping the brush parallel to the tooth surface.
• Use gentle, firm pressure and move the brush in a vibratory, circular motion along the tooth surfaces.
• Continue to clean all the teeth in a span of 2 minutes, covering all surfaces including the surface towards the tongue and the chewing surfaces.
• For the lower front (anterior) teeth, use the brush vertically, with a pushing stroke from the gum line to the outer edge.
• Clean the tongue surface
• Brush twice daily, for 2 mins each using a pea-sized quantity of toothpaste.

For more info and to find a dentist near you, log on to https://curie.health/