Our Newest Addition

 

We proudly welcome our new dentist Dr. Uttam V Kamath into our team and he would be heading the dental wing of our esteemed clinic. Having completed his dentistry in 2008 from one of the renowned colleges in India, A.B.Shetty Memorial Institute of Dental Sciences, Dr. Kamath has about eight years of experience behind him. Having been brought up in Ahmedabad, he started his career by working in a charitable organization and a private clinic in the same city, gaining much experience before he decided to establish his own clinic which he ran for five years, and thereafter making the move to Oman. Having a skilled set of hands, Dr. Kamath  enjoys practicing general dentistry, rather than being a specialist, because he’s able to work in different aspects of dentistry.  “Jack of all trades”, is what he replied when asked to describe himself as a dentist. “There are specialists everywhere but why I like general dentistry is that I get a taste of everything from root canals to crowns and bridges to dentures which is really enjoyable”.  Having good communication skills and being great at maintaining patient rapport, Dr. Kamath too shares our vision of providing ethical treatment to his patients. 

We are happy to have him on board with us and we wish him a great future ahead.

DON’T NEGLECT YOUR TEETH

“Every tooth in a man’s head is more valuable than a diamond” ~Miguel de Cervantes

 

The first thing you probably notice about somebody who you meet for the first time is their smile. A beautiful smile emanates a certain aura and makes the overall persona more appreciable.  You may have a ‘six pack’ or bulging biceps with broad shoulders or even a great figure, but it is all diminished if u don’t have a great set of teeth. Many would disagree but just give it a thought and you’ll know what I mean. A good smile does not necessarily mean a set of flashy white teeth, but also healthy gums surrounding it.

It’s been about eight years since I’ve started practicing and i have treated patients from every strata of the society. The common thing that I found out from my past years of experience is the amount of neglect shown towards the teeth and lack of knowledge about the same. Teeth are probably the most ignored part of the human body and I feel it should not be the case. Just like your other organs, even your teeth need care. Teeth are inter connected to different parts of the body through blood vessels. If anything is wrong with your teeth or the surrounding tissues, it can reflect on your other organs too. Hence it is necessary to take care of them. In January 2010, the first ever case of foetal death was documented where the cause was found to be gum disease in the mother. The problem is that no one takes issues relating the teeth very seriously. Everyone consults a dentist only when it is intolerable. Rather than running to the dentist when it is fully blown, if one just maintains and takes care of them, no one would have to suffer. An unhealthy mouth can lead to a lot of different problems. When the gums in your mouth are not taken care of, they can get inflamed and this can lead to diabetes, arthritis, stroke and sometimes even heart disease. A healthy mouth does not only constitute your teeth, but even your gums and tongue. One has to prevent plaque and tartar build up too to have a healthy mouth.

One may ask, in what way can you take care of your teeth? First and foremost, everyone should make it a habit to brush twice in a day, once in the morning and once before going to bed. In my opinion, brushing before going to bed is more important than in the morning. During the day, you talk, you swallow saliva, drink water, rinse your mouth etc, and hence the action of the harmful bacteria is controlled in one way or the other. But once you sleep at night, the mouth is completely stagnant and devoid of any movement of saliva or any other means of cleansing. This provides an ideal environment for the bacteria to do certain amount of damage if the teeth are not cleaned before sleeping as there are food particles stuck to it. More than half of your dental problems are solved if your start following this.

Secondly, everyone should make it a habit to get a regular dental check up done irrespective of the fact whether you have any problems or not, preferably twice in a year. Doing this would be beneficial as it would help the dentist to identify any problem in an early stage and render the required treatment rather wait for it to progress and cause pain or subsequent deterioration of oral health. If you haven’t visited a dentist in a long time, I think it’s time you do. “Prevention is better than cure”, so please start taking care of your teeth like you take care of other parts of the body.

ICE VS HEAT. What is better for your pain?

How To Prevent Kidney Stones

Kidney stones may be small, but they can cause severe pain and affect quality of life. However it can be prevented by making few lifestyle changes.Read below to know more

According to a study on prevalence of kidney stones in Oman published in 2014, the results showed that renal stone disease was more common for those between the ages of 30 to 39 and the risk was generally higher in men than in women.

Kidney Stone can manifest as following symptoms

 

Prevention of kidney stones can be as simple as a few dietary changes.

1. Drink Enough Water to Keep Urine Diluted

A healthy adult must try to drink at least 10 to 12 glasses of water daily to keep the kidneys healthy.

 

 

 

Insufficient water intake can cause significant damage to your kidneys and even put you at a higher risk of developing kidney stones. Water intake helps the kidneys flush metabolic waste out of the body that could otherwise concentrate into crystals leading to stones.

Urine normally has a dark yellow color in the morning due to a buildup of waste products that your body produced overnight. Dark-colored urine that persists throughout the day indicates more concentrated urine and lack of adequate water intake.

The color of your urine can give you a clue about its dilution.

2. Limit Oxalate-Rich Foods

Eating oxalate-rich foods in high amounts can increase your risk of kidney stones. Oxalates prevent absorption of calcium in your body, which in turn forms calcium-oxalate kidney stones.

People who have a higher risk of developing kidney stones should eat oxalate-rich foods in moderation. Some of the foods that are rich in oxalates are spinach, kale, Swiss chard, rhubarb, beets, okra, celery, chocolate, soy milk, and strawberries

 

Also, keep your vitamin C intake to appropriate levels as too much of this vitamin may turn into oxalate

3. Eat Calcium Rich Foods

 

Less calcium in your diet increases the oxalate levels in the body, which may cause kidney stones. Dietary calcium binds with oxalates in your intestine, which prevents both from being absorbed into your blood and later getting transferred to your kidneys.

A 1997 study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine notes that high intake of dietary calcium helps reduce the risk for symptomatic kidney stones, whereas intake of calcium supplements may increase risk.

So, include calcium-rich foods like dairy products, calcium-fortified non-dairy milk, and kefir in your diet. At the same time, enjoy early morning sunlight for 15 minutes daily to help your body produce vitamin D, which it needs to absorb calcium properly.

Avoid taking calcium supplements, though.

 

4. Limit Salt Intake

 

Sodium-rich foods can support the formation of kidney stones by increasing the calcium content in your urine. Furthermore, the kidneys need to work harder to excrete the excess sodium in your body.

Eat a low-sodium diet to reduce your risk of kidney stones. The recommended amount of salt is no more than 5 grams a day.

 

5. Limit Red Meat Consumption

 

Protein is good for your health, but excessive intake of red meat can increase the risk of developing kidney disease. High protein intake increases the metabolic load on the kidneys, and they may become unable to metabolize and excrete nitrogen by-products from protein digestion

Furthermore, red meat is high in purines, which can lead to higher production of uric acid in your body. It will lower your overall urine pH, making it more acidic. High acid concentration in urine leads to uric acid kidney stones.

A 2014 study published in the Journal of Urology notes that consumption of animal protein is associated with increased serum and urine uric acid in healthy individuals

6. Cutting Back on Sugar

Stay away from sugar, pop, and corn syrup. Sugar disturbs the body’s capacity to retain calcium and magnesium, making it an offender in the formation of kidney stones. On the off-chance that you need to give your body a healthier way of life, and evade kidney stones while you’re busy, take a stab at eliminating the sugar you devour.

7. Exercise to Prevent Kidney Stones

Exercise for 30 minutes consistently to prevent kidney stones. Running, biking, or other cardiovascular activity will keep your bones from discharging abundance calcium, which they do when you’re not getting enough movement.

Lack of exercise also encourages your bones to release more calcium, while exercise sends a message to your body that bones need to be kept solid and strong to resist injury.

8. Soft Drinks to Get Rid of Kidney Stones

Drink eating regimen soft drinks with a citrus flavor.That’s because citrus soft drinks contain citrate, which prevents calcium formation like a

1. Specially made lemonade.
2. Grain water blended with cranberry squeeze sometimes meets expectations.
3. Drink a mix of pineapple and potato. This will help uproot them

Also

Don’t maintain a strategic distance from pee, this can decline your kidney stones

Maintain a strategic distance from anxiety. Anxiety can prompt more kidney stones or expanding of existing stones.

 

12 Symptoms That Will Help You Identify A Thyroid Problem

We often shrug off small problems, thinking that they will go away eventually. While most of them do, some of them could be symptoms of more serious issues, which is why it’s important that you pay attention to the signals your body gives you. A thyroid problem is one such serious issue

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Introducing the thyroid gland

Image courtesy: wise Geek

The thyroid is a small gland in the throat that produces hormones that regulate metabolism, temperature, and heartbeat. If this gland isn’t functioning properly, one of two things can happen:

• Hyperthyroidism: The thyroid gland becomes overactive, producing too much thyroid hormone (TH).

• Hypothyroidism: The thyroid gland becomes sluggish, producing too little TH. 

Here are 12 symptoms that can help you identify a thyroid problem.

1. You’re irritable or depressed, even though you haven’t been through a breakup.

Image courtesy: dynamic you

The thyroid gland plays a major part in determining your mood. An under-active thyroid can deplete the levels of the happy hormone serotonin in your brain, leaving you sad and depressed. By contrast, an over-active thyroid can leave you feeling anxious, restless and irritable.

2.Your blood pressure is high and you can’t figure out why

If you have high blood pressure and neither diet nor exercise are making any difference to it, then it could be due to a sluggish thyroid. Be sure to get yourself checked, because hypothyroidism can raise your cholesterol levels and lead to an enlarged heart or heart failure.

Blood pressure measuring studio shot

Image courtesy: cdnimg

3. You’re even more lazy and sluggish than usual.

 

Image courtesy: Pintrest

We all hate getting out of bed in the morning, but if it becomes absolutely unbearable then it’s a sign of an under-active thyroid. Hypothyroidism slows down your bodily functions to the extent that you feel tired all the time and often feel sleepy during the day.

 

4. Sudden Weight Gain/Loss without any changes to your dietary or physical habits

 

Weight gain can be caused by many factors, but weight gain that occurs without any significant change in diet or lifestyle could be a sign of a thyroid problem. People with an under-active thyroids often gain weight suddenly, or can’t seem to lose weight no matter how much they work out.

 

5. Hair Loss and Dry Skin

 

Image courtesy: LittleThings/Maya Borenstein

A combination of hair loss, brittle nails and dry skin could mean your thyroid gland isn’t producing enough TH. A deficiency of this hormone interrupts your hair growth cycle and causes your skin to dry up, because it slows down metabolism and prevents sweating.

 

 

6. No Sexual Interest

 

Image Courtesy : Cushfood

Lack of TH dampens sexual desire to begin with and the other symptoms like fatigue, weight gain and depression make it worse.

7. Muscular Pain or Tightening

 

If you experience inexplicable bouts of pain, numbness or tightness in your arms, hands, legs, or feet, it could be your thyroid slacking off. Lack of TH causes nerve damage over time, resulting in seemingly random tingles and twinges.

Image courtesy: LittleThings/Maya Borenstein

8. Your heart skipping a beat/ become aware of own heart beat.

 

If it often feels like your heart is skipping a beat, or if you can feel your heartbeat in your pulse points, it could be due to hyperthyroidism. When excess TH floods your system, it can cause heart palpitations.

9. Your head is fuzzy even though you haven’t even been drinking.

A fuzzy head and inability to concentrate both point to an under-active thyroid. Many women associate mental fogginess with menopause, when it’s really the thyroid that’s the culprit.

10.  You’re constipated, which is no fun. At all

Since the thyroid gland regulates metabolism, digestion is one of the first things to slow down if the gland isn’t functioning properly. Constipation is one of the top three markers of a thyroid problem.

Image Coutesy: LittleThings/Maya Borenstein

 

11. Increased Appetite or Changes in Taste buds

 

If your sense of taste and smell are out of order, it could be a sign of hypothyroidism. However, if you suddenly eat a lot more than you used to then it’s more likely to be hyperthyroidism. Fortunately, your hyper metabolism will prevent you from gaining weight, and as lovely as that sounds it’s important that you get treated for your condition.

 

12. Neck or Throat Discomfort

 

Image courtesy|: Shutterstock

Since the thyroid gland is located in the throat, it’s not unusual for people to experience problems in the neck region. Lumps in the throat, a changed voice and goitre (swelling in the neck) are all symptoms of thyroid disorders.

 

Ethical Healthcare Ur Right Our Promise

We believe in providing ethical primary health care making it affordable and accessible. We pride ourselves on providing an efficient comprehensive range of health services for our patients while maintaining the “family doctor” ethos

Our clinic is presently having the following departments as Dentistry, General Practice, Laboratory and Pharmacy. Our Medical and Para Medical staff has got years of experience and expertise in GCC and South Asia. The level of care offered to our patient population ranges from treating acute to chronic conditions.