Herpangina in Children

Children get scratches and bumps like anyone else due to their curiosity and interest in the world around them. But what if the bumps happen in their mouth, and not as a result of them falling? It could be herpangina.  Here, we’ll go over what herpangina is, and how to relieve the discomfort associated with this condition. 

What it is

It’s something that does come with mouth sores, but you also may get a headache, loss of appetite, fever, and even a sore throat, all of which can make swallowing hurt in a lot of cases. 

The sores in the mouth are like tiny fluid bumps or even blisters that are white or even whitish gray, with a border that’s red. 

Visible on the mouth roof, the back of one’s throat, and sometimes in specific areas in the mouth. Sometimes, a fever accompanies it, which can be quick, ranging from 101 to even as high as 106 in a lot of cases. The biggest thing to worry about is avoiding dehydration, as it happens a lot in this condition. 

Relieving Discomfort 

Because herpangina is a viral condition, the symptoms can be discomforting.  Many times, healthcare professionals diagnose this, but it’s mild, with no specifics in terms of treatment. 

There are different ways to relieve symptoms, which include: 

• Reducing fever and pain with acetaminophen and ibuprofen 

• Increasing foods or fluids that will help with lowering temperatures 

• Eating a diet that’s bland and not irritating 

• Gargling with peroxyl and cold water 

Try to also make sure that the oral health environment is maintained too. Have them brush their teeth and take care of it as best as they can. 

A mouthwash may be used too in this case, in order to heal the irritation a little bit faster. However, you should always check with the dentist, in order to ensure that rinses are appropriate for them before they get thrown into the oral care routines. 

Herpangina is a contagious disease, and it can be something that does spread to siblings and classmates. That means, practicing good oral hygiene and also practicing good overall hygiene is imperative. 

Disinfect the surfaces that a child has touched in a lot of cases. 

You may even need to isolate the child, keeping them at home, and away from other people, so that they don’t spread the infection. 

If they’re in daycare, you may need to keep them at home, until the symptoms resolve. 

Now, you don’t send them back until they’ve fully made a recovery. This can be a bit of a challenge for some parents, as they may believe that once the fever breaks, it’s okay. However, due to the contagious nature of this disease, it’s better to keep them at home until they’ve managed a swift, speedy recovery. 

Herpangina is a condition that has a lot of lingering effects if one isn't careful, and it can affect the mouth, along with the rest of the body. Like other colds and ways of getting sick, it can take some time for you to properly get used to this. With that said, if you notice that you have some issues, the best thing for you to do is to make sure that you get the treatment that you do. 

Herpangina is treatable, and it can be a bit scary for children. But with the proper treatment and wellness, you’ll be able to improve the aspects of this, and in turn, you’ll be able to, over time, create and craft the best experience that you can, and enjoy the results too.

How long will my Bridge Last

If you’ve gotten a dental bridge, you probably want to replace those teeth to make them function like the real thing, and to make them last the length that your real teeth do too.  Are they able to last a long time with the dental bridge? How can you make the lifespan better?  All those answers are here. 

Removable Vs. Fixed bridges 

When you’ve got bridges, you have two types: the removable ones, and the fixed ones. Removable is pretty simple. it’s removed, and they’re usually clipped onto the current teeth that you have, and your dentist files them down.  If you want to get this, you do have to clean every single day, taking them out. They tend to cost a lot lower, and they won’t require you to get surgery either. You can get fixed bridges too, one with the bridge that caps right over the tooth naturally, or there is one that’s put on each side, and one of them does get cemented.

There are also implants that you need to have put on via surgery directly to where the jawbone is. 

Over 3 million people in America alone have some form of dental implants, and these implants tend to last a long time. they get put into the bone, Osseo integrating where the bone gets fused to the metal, offering support, and allowing you to speak and eat like how you would normally. 

These can take a bit longer, and usually, after the implant is fastened onto there, there’s a pole that’s put on there, and then of course, the crown.

This is something that a lot of people have looked into as it can prevent the shifting of those empty spaces and reduces the rate of TMJ in the body.

How long do they last? 

There are various amounts of time, and this is something that’s really just impacted based on the diet you have, your oral care, and also, how you take care of it, and what sorts of activities you do. Usually, the removable ones last up to seven years, but if you do visit the dentist on the regular and take care of your teeth, they can last over a decade. This is something that you should be mindful of, since if they last longer than a decade, they might even last a whole lifetime. 

How to Care for this 

Caring for this is important, as it offers you good hygiene, in the same manner that you would your actual teeth. The goal is to brush these twice daily, floss these between the teeth either with interdental cleaners, or through using water flossers once a day.  You may also want to consider using tongue scrapers and mouth rinses, in order to ensure that everything is cleaned up. 

Another thing that you should do is see a dentist, since they can check and clean the teeth, ensuring that they look perfect, no matter what.

They also will give you everything that you need to know to care for the bridge health, so you’re not left hung to dry.

If you’re worried about your bridge getting gross, make sure that if it’s removable, you remove this, and then you want to clean it the same way you would anything else. 

Make sure that you brush it the same way you would a normal toothbrush, and consider denture cleaners too, but be mindful of anything that’s abrasive.

Don't leave the bridge in denture solutions or in water, as this can cause it to rust. 

Take care of it, and you’ll be able to make it last.

Milk and your teeth

It’s hard to make the correct choices for your own health sometimes. One big concern is milk. Is good or bad for you? And does it cause the decay of teeth? Research says that milk and teeth are good, but the reasons why this is might be surprising. There are also some which have been told that milk and teeth do not go hand in hand. 

Milk Starts Early 

Milk along with other diary products are a big part of your diet and having enough milk early on is important. Your body stores about 99% of that in the teeth and bones and having at least 200-1300 mg of calcium every single day since the moment you’re born is integral. Calcium is also the most common mineral that’s present within you too. 

The Benefits of milk 

There are a ton of benefits to milk, and the calcium within this is actually really important for overall teeth and bodily health. For starters, they contain what’s called casein proteins, which form a film that’s protective on the teeth surface. The proteins protect the enamel from decay as well. They’re also rich in phosphorus and calcium. Minerals do repair the damage issues from teeth. When the acid does break down the enamel, the minerals can help. 

They are pH neutral, which means they help to neutralize those foods and drinks that are sugary. Having this after a meal or snack can be good for protecting the teeth and preventing these acids from causing major issues. Finally, they stimulate the saliva in your mouth, which means they help to not only maintain, but also to repair the teeth, and a healthy amount of this does help you have a better smile as well. Remember though that consuming dairy is but one part of this, and consuming enough veggies, rains, fruit, and other items rich in minerals is vital to your own health and wellness. 

How to get more milk in your diet 

While a lot of foods do have calcium in this, milk tends to be the easiest way to get enough dairy. How do you manage to get this into your body though? Your body does absorb calcium best in both diary products and milk. There are also alternatives for those who us who are not the biggest fans of milk. Some of the best alternatives include: 

• Yogurt, Greek that’s plain with some fruit in it 

• Cheese of various kinds 

• Meals that use buttermilk in them 

• Ice cream and frozen yogurt 

• Soy milk that’s calcium-fortified 

A good thing to understand too is that fat-free along with low-fat products that are made of dairy do contain the same amounts of calcium that you’d get otherwise. You should definitely make sure that you do swap out soda for milk. Soda is abrasive on the teeth, wears them down over a period of time, and it can permanently damage your enamel, and then you have to have a professional handle it. 

Acidic drinks also cause tooth a sensitivity and pain, discoloration, cavities, abscesses, and even tooth loss in a lo of cases. This is something that ca be prevented by having something differ. While water typically is the best way to ensure tat you’re protecting your teeth, another option of course, is milk. Milk is simple, easy, and very effective for those who are interested. 

Drink more milk, and protect your teeth by having more dairy, as it’s good for you, and a little bit definitely goes a long way with something like this as well.

What causes a tongue to Tingle

You’ve probably felt the “pins and needles” sensation on your tongue or body before, where it suddenly creates a tingling feeling that radiates all over the body. But did you know that it’s very common for this tingling, also known as paresthesia, to occur and be a symptom in the body. Here’s what happens when this sensation occurs. 

What is paresthesia? 

This is considered a sort of “traffic jam” in your nerves.  That’s created due to the constant feeling of pressure directly on the nerve itself. This prevents those impulses from traveling through the body as they may normally do so. When you remove the pressure, they move again, but it’s much stronger and it causes the tingling to affect the area. 

However, the tingling is rarely from falling asleep in a weird position or maybe you were holding your foot in a certain way. Here, we’ll go over what this can do to the body, and the reasons why a tingling tongue occurs. 

Nerve damage post-Surgery 

If you’ve had oral surgery, you may experience this every now and then, where it causes a delayed onset sort of reaction to tongue tingling. This is usually in the lingual nerve or the inferior alveolar nerve, which can happen in rare instances. This may happen as a temporary measure too, where it disappears within a few weeks to a few months at most. If it lingers, talk to a doctor, since they may be able to figure out why that is. 

Oral Allergies. 

It may be a substance that your tongue is allergic too. 

This is rare for most people, and it may come about due to an allergy of the birch pollen. It also may happen after fruits and veggies that are raw. The best way to avoid this from happening is to monitor the foods that will cause this reaction. 

Canker Sores 

Canker sores are small swellings that are white and while not contagious, this can be quite annoying. It can happen on any of your soft tissue. While there isn’t one singular reason for this, your genetics or an immune system weakened may be the case, or it may be due to smoking as well. This may cause a burning sensation as well, but also may cause a tingling of the tongue area too. While it may not be painful, sometimes it can be the case. 

Hypo cases 

Hypo means that you’re not getting enough of something. In this case, you’re not getting enough sugar or calcium. For those who suffer from a deficiency in this problem, you may notice the tingling of the tongue. This is very rare though, and usually it’s a deficiency in either blood sugar or calcium that causes this, and usually won’t occur unless you are not getting enough calcium. You also may notice it with a  contraction of the muscles around the tongue too. 

If you have this, you should talk to your doctor about this, since they can help you figure out the cause of this, and the reason for all of this to occur. You also may want to talk to someone if the cause of this is diabetes. While there are some causes for this that may be of concern, don’t worry. Know your body, and if you do know what you’ve been up to, that also can help you figure out why you have a tingling tongue, and also why you might want to consider the right kind of treatments for this, in order to help with stopping this before it gets worse.