Newyear at Cochin

 

Omicron

 Omicron (B.1.1.529): SARS-CoV-2 Variant

The B.1.1.529 variant was first reported to WHO from South Africa on 24 November 2021.

SYMPTOMS

The new omicron variant of the coronavirus results in mild disease, without prominent syndromes. 

There transmission rate is high.

The most predominant clinical complaint is severe fatigue for one or two days. With them, the headache and the body aches and pain.

Scratchy throat

Those infected do not suffer loss of taste or smell. 

They might have a slight dry cough. Only a few had a slightly high temperature.

There are no prominent symptoms.

There has been no major drop in oxygen levels with the new variant.

The variant is affecting people who are 40 or younger.

According to WHO, It is not yet clear whether infection with Omicron causes more severe disease compared to infections with other variants, including Delta.

by,

DR.RENJU T GEORGE,

INDIA

Dry Socket

 Dry Socket or Alveolar Osteitis is a painful condition that can arise after a permanent adult tooth extraction. 

It happens when a blood clot does not form in the cavity to protect the exposed tissues.

It usually happens 3–5 days after surgery. A dry socket is a condition in which there is inflammation of the jawbone (or alveolar bone) after tooth extraction.

About 2% to 5% of people — develop dry sockets after a wisdom tooth extraction. 

After a tooth extraction, you're at risk of developing dry socket. 

This risk is present until you're fully healed, which may take 7 to 10 days in many cases.

Causes

The precise cause of dry socket remains the subject of study. 

Researchers suspect that certain issues may be involved, such as:

• Bacterial contamination of the socket
• Trauma at the surgical site from a difficult extraction, as with an impacted wisdom tooth

Risk factors

Smoking and tobacco use

 Sucking through a straw, or forceful spitting after extraction

Oral contraceptives

Improper at-home care

Having dry socket in the past

Tooth or gum infection

Symptoms

Signs and symptoms of dry socket may include:

• Severe pain within a few days after a tooth extraction
• Partial or total loss of the blood clot at the tooth extraction site, which you may notice as an empty-looking (dry) socket
• Visible bone in the socket
• Pain that radiates from the socket to your ear, eye, temple or neck on the same side of your face as the extraction
• Bad breath or a foul odor coming from your mouth
• Unpleasant taste in your mouth
• So it's important to seek dental care. If left untreated, this can lead to infection and other complications.
• Dry socket is treated by your dentist by flushing it thoroughly with saline, and then packing it with medicated paste or dressing.

 Dry socket, or alveolar osteitis, can last for up to 7 days or even more.

by,

Dr.Renju T George,

India.

Light Curing

  

 Light Curing

Light Curing is the energy to fully polymerize the light cure based dental material.

It can be used on several different dental materials that are curable by light.

 The light used falls under the visible blue light spectrum. 

This light is delivered over a range of wavelengths and varies for each type of device. 

There are four basic types of dental curing light sources: tungsten halogen, light-emitting diodes, plasma arcs, and lasers. 

The two most common are halogen and LEDs.

There are two types of LED curing lights: those that contain blue-only LEDs and poly-LED curing lights .

Most manufacturers have stopped making Halogen curing lights, partly because LED lights are more efficient than halogen light sources, but also because the incandescent bulbs of it will soon become scarce. 

How much light produced?

Halogen light deliver a broad spectrum of light of 400 mW/cm2 during 40 seconds of curing.

LED curing lights that contain blue-only LEDs and provide blue light within a narrow spectral range of 440 nm to 490 nm, and poly-LED curing lights that deliver a broader spectrum of light in the range of 390 nm to 490 nm.

Resin composite’s instructions for use states that the curing light’s minimum irradiance output should be at least 300 mW/cm2 to 400 mW/cm2.

 Currently, most QTH curing lights deliver at least 600 mW/cm2, and some lights that use specialized turbo tips can deliver more than 1,300 mW/cm2.

The latest generation of LED curing lights can deliver an irradiance output greater than 2,000 mW/cm2, and some poly-LED curing light devices include supplemental LEDs that emit light at additional wavelengths

 Depending on the shade and brand of composite resin, the minimum energy requirements to photopolymerize resins range from 6 J/cm2 to 24 J/cm2 for a 2-mm increment of composite.

So in 20 seconds 16 J/cm2 is delivered to polymerize the material used.

Not all lights are the same. They do not deliver the same amount of light.

eg;- Valo, Demi, Radical

COLLIMATION

Light must be focused.

Lense to focus light. It  can be of acrylic or optic fiber.

Light as Wave ( Colours )

The need for different wavelenght is a hidden reality.

whichever colour is being emitted ,it should be homogeneous.

Tips for Using a Curing Light

Before use, inspect the light guide tip and remove any contaminants on the surface. 

 The light tip should be at right angles to the tooth surface being restored .

Stabilize the light when curing; use a finger rest.

Begin curing 1 mm away from tooth; after 1 second bring the tip as close to the tooth as possible.

Increase the light exposure time for preparations more than 2 mm to 3 mm deep .

Air-cool the tooth and the restoration during each light-curing cycle.

 

 by,

DR.RENJU T GEORGE,

INDIA.

 

Artificial Intelligence In Dentistry

 Artificial Intelligence In Dentistry

AI can improve quality in the dental field using image detection, classification, and segmentation.

AI is when computers and other machines mimic human cognition, and are capable of learning, thinking, and making decisions or taking actions.

This software uses a cloud-based algorithm.

AI works by combining large amounts of data with fast, iterative processing and intelligent algorithms, allowing the software to learn automatically from patterns or features in the data.

In the beginning we used paper works then changed it to digital and the future is AI.

Paper →→Digital ⟶⟶ AI

In AI ,data is processed to make models.

This data processing  mainly consists of two steps.

1. Computer Vision 

2. Pattern Recognition

Computer vision is mainly based on image recognition.

Pattern Recognition -  Profile

                                   History

                                   Symptoms 

These 3 are needed in pattern recognition.

Uses of AI

Can detect any pattern and images

• Diagnosis
• Jaw bone growth pattern prediction
• ortho treatments
• decision for extraction
• detection of caries
• vertical fracture analysis
• Morphology of roots
• In endodontic treatments

 There are also other areas in which AI can be widely used.

Limitations of AI 

1. AI focuses only  limited areas.

2. It cannot understand meaning. So No emotions like humans.

future is AI

by,

DR.RENJU T GEORGE,

INDIA.

Efficacy of Covid19 Vaccines

 Efficacy of Covid19 Vaccines

Recently I have gone through several publications and medias regarding the effectiveness of covid19 vaccines and turned out with this. This is not an official declaration .

Pfizer  (USA) - 94.3%

Moderna (USA) - 94.1%

Johnson And Johnson (USA) - 85%

Abdala (Cuba) - 92.28%

Novavax (UK) - 91%

Covishield (INDIA) - 82%

Covaxin (INDIA) - 77.8%

Sputnik V (RUSSIA) - 91.6%

Sputnik Lite (RUSSIA) - 79.4%

Sinopharm (CHINA) - 70%

Note:-Courtesy marunadan

How to prevent root canal treatment ?

 How to prevent root canal treatment?

Once a tooth gets a cavity, the best way to prevent root canal treatment is to get your tooth filled before the cavity reaches the pulp of the tooth; in other way when cavity becomes big.

For this you need a regular dental follow up.

Always remember cavity starts as a pin point and invades like a hole; deep inside. It is such a way that you won't get any symptoms.

The degree of progression of decay or cavity vary from person to person . It depends on various factors.

In order to  prevent getting a cavity you need to maintain a good oral hygiene.

For more on tooth cavity

https://dentalclinic-palarivattom.blogspot.com/2014/06/dental-cariestooth-decay.html?m=1

PREVENTION is better than cure.

So you can prevent it!

By,

Dr. Renju T George,

India. 

Delta Plus Covid19

 Delta Plus Covid19 

Covid 19 Delta Plus Variant: It is a new variant of coronavirus.

 Delta Plus is a sub-lineage of the Delta variant first detected in India, which has acquired the spike protein mutation called K417N.

Indian virologist said the K417N was known to reduce the effectiveness of a cocktail of therapeutic monoclonal antibodies.

For the moment, this variant does not seem to be common, currently accounting for only a small fraction of the Delta sequence.

Delta and other circulating Variants of Concern remain a higher public health risk as they have demonstrated increases in transmission.

SYMPTOMS

Dry cough, diarrhoea, fever, headache, skin rash, discoloration of fingers and toes, chest pain, and shortness of breath.

by,

DR.RENJU T GEORGE,

INDIA.

Black Fungus in covid patients

 Mucormycosis or black fungus is an opportunistic fungal infection that is rare but serious.

This fungus is common in the environment but people get infected by inhaling the fungal spores.

It most commonly affects the sinuses or the lungs after inhaling fungal spores from the air. It can also occur on the skin after a cut, burn, or other types of skin injury.

Fungal infection seen in covid 19 patients is mainly rhino-cerebral mucormycosis.

It is not a black fungus, but the tissues in the affected areas get necrotized and become black in colour.

Symptoms 

Warning signs include pain and redness around the eyes or nose, with fever, headache, coughing, shortness of breath, bloody vomits, and altered mental status

According to the advisory, infection with mucormycetes should be suspected when there is:

* Sinusitis — nasal blockage or congestion, nasal discharge (blackish/bloody);

Headache,Facial pain

* Tooth pain, Loosening of teeth,Numbness, jaw involvement;

* Blurred or double vision with pain;

One side facial swelling and numbness 

* Thrombosis, necrosis, skin lesion resulting in blackish discoloration over the bridge of nose and upper jaw of mouth.

An increase in the use of corticosteroids in covid patients also results in mucormycosis.

 WHO ARE AT RISK?

Uncontrolled Diabetic

Immunocompromised patients such as cancer patients, organ transplant patients, stem cell transplant patients, HIV patients.

Neutropenia( low number of white blood cells)

Long-term corticosteroid use

Long-standing oxygen therapy

Iron overload

Treatment

If immediately treated can save the patient with anti-fungal drugs.

It may eventually require surgery.

 To control diabetes, reduce steroid use, and discontinue immunomodulating drugs.

Prevention

Good oral hygiene and face.

Diabetics should be controlled

Use masks if you are visiting dusty construction sites. 

Wear shoes, long trousers, long-sleeved shirts, and gloves while gardening.

 Maintain personal hygiene including a thorough scrub bath.

by,

DR.RENJU T GEORGE,

INDIA

When to take covaxin second dose

 

The second dose of covaxin should be taken between 28days to 42 days after first dose.

After how many days second dose of covishield vaccine should be taken

 

The second dose of the Covishield vaccine should be taken between 12 weeks to 16 weeks after the first dose.

If a person has been tested positive after their first vaccine shot then they must wait 6 weeks from recovery to take the second dose

COVID 19 survivors should wait for 6 months before vaccination if they did not receive their first dose before testing positive.

updated on 13/05/2021

New medicine invented for Covid19

New medicine invented for COVID19 by DRDO in India.

Anti covid drug

It is named as 2DG ( 2 Deoxy Glucose) .

The trials started in April 2020,cleared phase 2 trial in October 2020 among 110 patients in 6 hospitals. 

phase 3 trial carried among 27 hospitals  in various states of India was found very effective even in severe covid pneumonia patients. 

Patients who were on this medication was found to be covid negative in just 2 and a half days.

Drug has got its approval for using in severe covid cases.

2DG is available in powder form and needs to be mixed with water before having. 

It stops the replication of virus immediately. It acts on the affected cells only.

A ray of hope given by GOD.

By,

Dr.Renju T George,

India.

Which are urgent dental care cases ?

 Urgent Dental Care

Severe dental pain from pulpal inflammation

Pericoronitis or third molar pain

Dry socket

Abscess or localised pain and swelling

Tooth fracture

Dental trauma with avulsion and luxation

Restorations causing pain

If the crown has been dislodged or broken

Orthodontic wire or appliances impinging mucosa or pricing mucosa causing ulcer

Biopsy of abnormal tissue.

For more on Dental emergency

 click on Dental emergencies

by,

DR.RENJU T GEORGE,

INDIA

The right 5 a day mix for longer life

 

The right '5-a-day' mix is 2 fruit and 3 vegetable servings for longer life

Eating about five daily servings of fruits and vegetables, in which 2 are fruits and 3 are vegetables, is likely the optimal amount for a longer life, according to new research published today in the American Heart Association's flagship journal Circulation.

Diets rich in fruits and vegetables help reduce the risk for numerous chronic health conditions that are leading causes of death, including cardiovascular disease and cancer. Yet, only about one in 10 adults eat enough fruits or vegetables, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Studies revealed:

• Intake of five servings of fruits and vegetables daily was associated with the lowest risk of death. Eating more than five servings was not associated with an additional benefit.

• Eating two servings daily of fruits and three servings daily of vegetables is associated with the greatest longevity.

• Compared to those who consumed two servings of fruit and vegetables per day, participants who consumed five servings a day of fruits and vegetable had a 13% lower risk of death from all causes; a 12% lower risk of death from cardiovascular disease, including heart disease and stroke; a 10% lower risk of death from cancer; and a 35% lower risk of death from respiratory diseases, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

• Not all foods that one might consider to be fruits and vegetables offered the same benefits. For example, Starchy vegetables, such as peas and corn, fruit juices, and potatoes were not associated with reduced risk of death from all causes or specific chronic diseases.

• On the other hand, green leafy vegetables, including spinach, lettuce, and kale, and fruit and vegetables rich in beta carotene and vitamin C, such as citrus fruits, berries, and carrots, showed benefits.

This study gives a public health message of '5-a-day,' meaning people should ideally consume five servings of fruit and vegetable each day. 

This amount helps in the prevention of major chronic diseases also.

This research provides strong evidence for the lifelong benefits of eating fruits and vegetables and suggests a goal amount to consume daily for ideal health. 

Fruits and vegetables are naturally packaged sources of nutrients that can be included in most meals and snacks, and they are essential for keeping our teeth healthy.

BY,

DR.RENJU T GEORGE,

INDIA.

Women of Adsense summit

Thankyou google for giving this opportunity to participate in this virtual event Women of Adsense summit.

Dr.Renju

 India. 

World Oral Health Day

 March 20 -World Oral Health Day 

FDI theme 2021- Be Proud Of Your Mouth

IDA is celebrating World Oral Health Day on March 20th.

By,

Dr.Renju T George,

India.

Name the minerals found in Toothpaste

 Name the minerals found in Toothpaste

Calcium carbonate

This common abrasive help to remove plaque, debris and surface stains. Abrasives, combined with the scrubbing motion of your toothbrush, clean the surface of your tooth. They’re the reason your teeth feel so smooth and clean after brushing. They can also help make your smile whiter.

Besides calcium carbonate, other types of abrasives in toothpaste include dehydrated silica gels, hydrated aluminium oxides, magnesium carbonate, phosphate salts and silicates. These abrasives are rough enough to get the plaque off, but gentle enough to avoid damage to your enamel.

Silica 

Minerals such as silica and are found in toothpaste and provide the coarseness that scrubs the teeth clean.

Aluminum Oxide

The coarse scrubbing action of toothpaste can come from aluminium oxide and other phosphate minerals.

Titanium Dioxide

Titanium dioxide, which is made from the minerals ilmenite, rutile and anatase, is present in toothpaste. 

Ilmenite (FeO.TiO2) and rutile (TiO2) are the two chief minerals of titanium. 

Titanium dioxide occurs in polymorphic forms as rutile, anatase (octahedrite).

This gives the toothpaste its white pigment.

Mica

Sparkles in toothpaste are made possible by the presence of mica, which is found in rocks.

Fluoride

Fluoride found in toothpaste is derived from the mineral fluorite. 

It is used to help reduce cavities.

by,

DR.RENJU T GEORGE,

INDIA

National Dentist Day

  Brighten your day and your smile by brushing off all the worries and germs from your life.

 

Happy Dentist day!

National Dentist’s Day is celebrated every year on March 6.It is a way to show appreciation and thanks for dentists.

Its a way to bring awareness to dentistry so that people will know more about how to care for their teeth. 

It also encourages people who may have avoided going to the dentist to come in for a check up. 

Oral health has a significant effect on general health and vice versa. 

It has been proved by researchers over time that oral infection is capable of causing major health complications. 

Dental Facts

Dr. Rafiuddin Ahmed  is known as Father of Dentistry in India.

First female dentist was  Dr, Lucy Hobbs Taylor.

Your teeth are us unique as your fingerprints.

Your smile is the first facial feature noticed by half of the people you come in contact with daily.

Tooth brush should be kept 6 feet away from a toilet to avoid airborne particles resulting from flush.

Dental Care Tips

1. Brush twice daily for two times.

2. Floss daily

3. Visit your dentist once in 6 months or as recommended by your dentist

4. Eat a balanced diet 

by,

Dr.RENJU T GEORGE,

INDIA

Will gum disease raise the risk of cancer?

 

Gum disease may raise the risk of some cancers

People who have periodontal or gum disease may have a higher risk of developing some forms of cancer, suggests a letter published in the journal.

US researchers found that a history of the periodontal disease appeared to be associated with a raised risk of oesophageal (gullet) cancer and gastric (stomach) cancer and this risk was also higher among people who had lost teeth previously.

The authors point to possible reasons for an association between oral bacteria and oesophageal and gastric cancer, with evidence from other studies suggesting that tannerella forsythia and porphyromonas gingivalis -- members of the red complex' of periodontal pathogens -- were associated with the presence or risk of oesophageal cancer.

Another possible reason is that poor oral hygiene and periodontal disease could promote the formation of endogenous nitrosamines known to cause gastric cancer through nitrate-reducing bacteria.

This was an observational study, so no firm conclusions can be drawn about cause and effect, and the researchers cannot rule out the possibility that some observed risk may be due to other unmeasured (confounding) factors.

by,

DR.RENJU T GEORGE,

INDIA.

How to prevent mouth cancer?

 How to prevent mouth cancer?

Mouth cancer, often known as oral cancer or cancer of the oral cavity, is cancer that starts in the region of the mouth.

 Mouth cancer starts in the cells lining the mouth. Damaged cells can then grow uncontrollably to form a tumour. 

The two main risk factors for mouth cancer are alcohol and tobacco, and the combined effect of drinking and smoking is far greater.

 Mouth cancer risk increases as you get older, and men are three times more likely than women to develop the disease. 

Mouth cancer can be treated if diagnosed at an early stage, so it’s important to see your dentist or doctor immediately if you notice any changes in your mouth.

Tobacco and alcohol are responsible for over 75% of mouth cancers, by exposing your mouth to cancer-causing substances (carcinogens).

 If you smoke and drink, your risk of developing mouth cancer is significantly higher. Alcohol may enable other carcinogens, including tobacco, to enter and damage cells.   

Tobacco use includes cigarettes, cigars, pipes and chewing. 

If you smoke or chew tobacco, you are twice as likely to develop mouth cancer as a non-smoker. 

Chewing or smoking areca nut, betel quid, pan or gutka also increases your risk. 

Where in the mouth cancer develops depends on how you use the tobacco product. For example, if you have a habit of chewing tobacco on your left cheek, you may be prone to cancer of that cheek. 

Mouth cancer is six times more common in alcohol drinkers than in non-drinkers. The more you drink, the greater the risk.  

Other risk factors include: 

• being over 40 years of age
• being male – men are three times as likely to develop mouth cancer as women 
• sun exposure – ultraviolet (UV) radiation can lead to skin cancer on the lips
• poor oral hygiene
• being overweight or obese

 Prevention

1. Stop using tobacco or don't start
2. Drink alcohol only in moderation, if at all. Chronic excessive alcohol use can irritate the cells in your mouth, making them vulnerable to mouth cancer
3. Avoid excessive sun exposure to your lips

See your dentist regularly

by,

DR.RENJU T GEORGE,

INDIA.

Bleeding Gums And Vitamin Deficiency

                            

 Bleeding gums may be a sign you need more vitamin C in your diet

Bleeding of the gums on gentle probing, or gingival bleeding tendency, and also bleeding in the eye, or retinal haemorrhaging was associated with low vitamin C levels in the bloodstream.

If your gums bleed,  it could be a sign of gingivitis, an early stage of periodontal disease. 

That can be treated with the help of a dentist. 

However, a new University of Washington study suggests you should also check your intake of vitamin C.

Gum bleeding tendency and retinal bleeding could be a sign of general trouble in one's microvascular system, resulting in microvascular bleeding tendency in the brain, heart and kidneys.

by,

DR.RENJU T GEORGE,

INDIA.

Symptoms of Coronavirus variants

Symptoms of Coronavirus  variants

According to the NHS guidelines, the most commonly observed symptoms in people infected by the new COVID strain (UK variant) are

•  fever
• sore throat
• muscle pain
•  cough 
•  fatigue

FEVER

19% of COVID patients involved in the study experienced fever linked to the original variant, whereas 22% cases were associated with the new COVID strain.

COUGH

 Patients who had contracted the new variant showed a higher percentage of experiencing cough symptoms than those who were infected with the original strain. 

Shortness of breath

No difference was found in people suffering from the original or the new coronavirus strain.

Muscle pain

Of the people infected with the original strain, 21% showed signs of muscle aches, while 24% of the cases infected with the UK strain were susceptible to the same symptom.

Loss of sense of smell and taste

About 19% and 18% of the patients with the original strain complained of loss of sense of smell and taste respectively. On the other hand, of those who had contracted the new COVID-19 strain, 16% reported loss of sense of smell and 15% complained of loss of taste as a symptom.

Headaches

The study however showed no difference between the two strains.

Sore throat22%, sore throat was higher in people who had contracted the new strain as compared to the 19% linked to the original variant.

Gastrointestinal symptoms

No difference in the percentage of gastrointestinal symptoms experienced by both the variant groups.

BY, Growing evidence suggests that the mutant virus may be more infectious than the original strain, considering the recent rise in the number of COVID cases in England. Besides that, the new UK strain is said to have a higher than ever mortality rate. Young people, apart from the high-risk groups are now at risk too.

https://vrvblog.blogspot.com/2021/02/corona-virus-update.html

Covid19

DR.RENJU T GEORGE,

INDIA

Nanoparticles

 Nanoparticles:

Nanotechnology produced materials of various types at the nanoscale level.

 Nanoparticles (NPs) are a wide class of materials that include particulate substances, which have one dimension less than 100 nm at least. 

Depending on the overall shape these materials can be 0D, 1D, 2D or 3D.

The importance of these materials realized when researchers found that size can influence the physicochemical properties of a substance e.g. the optical properties. A 20-nm gold (Au), platinum (Pt), silver (Ag), and palladium (Pd) NPs have characteristic wine red colour, yellowish-grey, black and dark black colours.

Nanorods - 50nm

Nanoshells - 140nm

Nanocages - 50nm

NPs are composed of three layers i.e. (a) The surface layer, which may be functionalized with a variety of small molecules, metal ions, surfactants and polymers.

 (b) The shell layer, which is a chemically different material from the core in all aspects, and 

(c) The core, which is essentially the central portion of the NP and usually refers to the NP itself

Owing to such exceptional characteristics, these materials got the immense interest of researchers in multidisciplinary fields.

Classification of Nanoparticles

NPs are broadly divided into various categories depending on their morphology, size and chemical properties. 

Carbon-based NPs

Fullerenes and carbon nanotubes are two major classes of carbon-based NPs. 

 Fullerenes contain nanomaterial that is made of the globular hollow cage. CNTs are elongated, tubular structure, 1–2 nm in diameter.

The rolled sheets can be single, double or many walls and therefore they named as single-walled (SWNTs), double-walled (DWNTs) or multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs).

They are widely synthesized by deposition of carbon precursors especially the atomic carbons, vaporized from graphite by laser or by electric arc on to metal particles.

 Lately, they have been synthesized via chemical vapour deposition (CVD) technique. Due to their unique physical, chemical and mechanical characteristics, these materials are not only used in pristine form but also in nanocomposites for many commercial applications such as fillers.

Metal NPs

Metal NPs are purely made of the metals precursors. These NPs possess unique optoelectrical properties.  .Due to their advanced optical properties, metal NPs find applications in many research areas. 

Ceramics NPs

Ceramics NPs are inorganic nonmetallic solids, synthesized via heat and successive cooling. They can be found in amorphous, polycrystalline, dense, porous or hollow forms.

Semiconductor NPs

Semiconductor materials possess properties between metals and nonmetals and therefore they found various applications in the literature due to this property.

Polymeric NPs

These are normally organic-based NPs and in the literature a special term polymer nanoparticle (PNP) collective used for it. They are mostly nanospheres or nanocapsules shaped.

 Lipid-based NPs

These NPs contain lipid moieties and effectively used in many biomedical applications. Generally, a lipid NP is characteristically spherical with the diameter ranging from 10 to 1000 nm. Like polymeric NPs, lipid NPs possess a solid core made of lipid and a matrix contains soluble lipophilic molecules. Surfactants or emulsifiers stabilized the external core of these NPs .

BY,

DR.RENJU T GEORGE,

INDIA

vital signs

 

 Four vital signs – 

  temperature

 pulse rate

blood pressure

 respiratory rate

These were routinely recorded by doctors and nurses to decide on a patient’s overall health condition.

Blood Sugar level should be considered as the fifth vital sign in terms general wellbeing for all hospitalized patients, irrespective of whether they have diabetes or not.

by,

Dr.Renju T George,

India

covid tongue

 COVID TONGUE

 ' COVID tongue'  or Coated tongue  has  been identified as a new coronavirus symptom.

According to the WHO, the most common symptoms of Covid-19 are fever, dry cough, and tiredness. Other symptoms include loss of taste or smell, aches and pains, headache, sore throat, nasal congestion, red eyes, diarrhoea, or a skin rash.

COVID-19 can cause an acute infection inside the mouth and form thick patches all over the tongue  called COVID tongue.

It can also  cause patches and ulcers all across your mouth. 

It can  be a  serious infection inside the mouth . This may seem alarming initially but it's a harmless condition. The tongue gets back to normal in few days or a week's time.

Studies suggest that the mouth might be a vulnerable area to coronavirus due to the abundance of the ACE2 (angiotensin converting enzyme) receptor in oral tissue.

Tongue features of patients with covid19: a retrospective cross-sectional study

Patients diagnosed with  mild to moderate COVID-19 commonly had light red tongue and white coating. 

Severe patients had purple tongue and yellow coating. 

The proportion of critical patients with tender tongue increased to 75%.

 Greasy coating was a significant characteristic of patients with COVID-19. The proportions of greasy coating were 53.3%, 73.3%, 83.6% and 87.5% in disease category of mild, moderate, severe and critical. 

In addition, the thick coating proportion increased from mild (24.9%) to critical (50.0%).

 There is an increase in the number of Covid patients suffering from uncomfortable mouth symptoms like oral ulcers - not yet listed by the World Health Organization (WHO) as one of the Covid-19 symptoms. There are cases which presented with an oral rash too.

A recent New York Times article said that Covid survivors described oral problems they're experiencing such as "teeth falling out, sensitive gums, teeth turning grey, and teeth cracking."

by ,

Dr.Renju T George,

India