Mouth Care

Mouth Care

Posted : Dec. 20, 2010
 By Eduardo C.

Pyorrhea is an advanced form of periodontal disease that causes damage and infection to the bones surrounding the teeth. Proper dental care can help avoid pyorrhea from developing, and can also treat the effects of the condition. It is caused by a variety of health factors, and may not be limited to dental-related causes.Periodontitis is caused by a build-up of bacteria on the teeth and gums. Although this is a fairly common condition, advanced forms can lead to tissue and bone loss. If untreated, the bone loss can become irreparable, leading to the loosening and possible loss of teeth. The causes of severe peridontitis include increased bacteria caused by smoking or improper dental care, excessive consumption of sugar or poor nutrition. People with certain health conditions may also be prone to pyorrhea, including those with genetic blood disorders. An insufficient amount of some vitamins and minerals can also cause dental issues, particularly calcium,niacin and folic acid deficiencies. Symptoms of pyorrhea are related to those of gingivitis and are most visible on the gums. Gums may appear purple or red and have a shiny surface. Gum pain is not a normal symptom, but gums may be tender to the touch and will bleed regularly when brushed. Swelling of the gums is also common in some patients. Most dentists recommend a regular pattern of brushing and flossing, to prevent problems. Proper brushing should include pushing brush bristles below the gum line to remove hidden plaque, and using a brush designed to get between teeth. If you suffer from gingivitis, some dentists also recommend using an antiseptic mouthwash to kill germs. Be warned that mouthwash cannot cure periodontitis, but can help prevent further bacteria from growing. If severe pyorrhea persists, pockets will begin to form between the tooth and gum, allowing plaque to build. These pockets can cut into the jaw bone and lead to considerable bone loss. Surgical procedures may become necessary to treat damage at this level, including soft-tissue grafts and operations to encourage tissue re-growth. The best way to prevent any gum disease is to schedule regular check-ups with a dentist. Not only can regular cleanings help prevent the build-up of plaque and bacteria, but they can also help identify early signs of any problems. Going to the dentist may cause serious anxiety for some patients, but visiting them for a check-up is much less traumatic than having to undergo dental surgery due to improper care.

A variety of medical conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, HIV, and adverse outcomes of pregnancy have associations with oral health. In addition, the nutritional status of an individual also impacts oral health. In fact, a two-way interaction between nutrition and oral health has been observed. Diseases of the oral cavity, as well as other systemic diseases that have an impact on oral health, can affect an individual's ability to eat and hence affect his or her nutritional status. On the other hand, if the nutritional status of an individual is compromised, it may negatively influence his or her oral health development. It may also impact the severity of oral diseases as well as their rate of recovery. The position statement of the American Dietetic Association states that "nutrition is an integral component of oral health". The associations between nutritional and medical status, and oral health have highlighted an important connection between dental and systemic health. Dentists are some of the highest income earners in the United States. Most dentists in the United States make well over $100,000 a year. If you are willing to go to school longer and get a specialty within the dentistry field, you can make significantly more than this. Dentists tend to work in private practices. The benefits of being your own boss this way include the ability to work the hours of your choice and to choose the medical benefits you want to carry for yourself and your employees.  Dentists have a certain amount of prestige within their communities. It is also an easy field for women and minorities to succeed in. On top of the monetary benefits and flexibility of being your own boss, there is a great deal of personal satisfaction that can be found in a career in dentistry.

Posted  by :

Elvie C.

The cause of dry mouth can be one of several things. Dry mouth feels like you are thirsty but it does not go away after drinking a glass of water. The causes of dry mouth often come from secondary factors, such as the medications you take may cause it. It is important to have this condition treated especially if it becomes severe. Dry mouth occurs when there is not enough saliva in the mouth. The body as a way to keep the mouth wet and to help cleanse the mouth after food is consumed normally produces saliva. It also helps to control the amount and type of bacteria in your mouth, to ensure that you do not get sick. There are times when the mouth fails to produce enough saliva and that is what causes dry mouth. Dry mouth causes range widely. Some medications can lead to a dry mouth feeling, including medications taken for colds, acne, hypertension and asthma. If medications are the cause, doctors may be able to prescribe different doses or other types of medication that do not have this effect. Another reason you may experience dry mouth is that you have one of several types of diseases. HIV/AIDs, diabetes, anemia, rheumatoid arthritis and cystic fibrosis are some of the most common diseases that have a symptom of dry mouth, but there are others.

It’s true that Dental work should be part of the universal care system. Crake or broken teeth have full of cavities, so painful to eat and chew our foods so we can not provide our body with the nutrients it needs, and proper digestion can not happen and they become malnourished and weak. Gum diseased can lead to the removal of some of our teeth, and the disease can travel through out our whole body and develop into hearth disease, and our digestive system. If our teeth are croaked and yellow affects our personal appearance, self confidence, and self esteem, and so contributing to the well being of the person. Odor-halitosis also comes from poor dental hygiene, when our teeth are rotten and we swallow the bacteria, that comes from our teeth. The benefits gain would be prevent diseases, infections, dentures and additional cost. People would be able to get the proper hygiene that they need. In general health care, the person who got the nutrients they need, less risk for disease and regain their self confidence and self esteem.  

Posted by:
Jorge S.

The cause of dry mouth can be one of several things. Dry mouth feels like you are thirsty but it does not go away after drinking a glass of water. The causes of dry mouth often come from secondary factors, such as the medications you take may cause it. It is important to have this condition treated especially if it becomes severe. Dry mouth occurs when there is not enough saliva in the mouth. The body as a way to keep the mouth wet and to help cleanse the mouth after food is consumed normally produces saliva. It also helps to control the amount and type of bacteria in your mouth, to ensure that you do not get sick. There are times when the mouth fails to produce enough saliva and that is what causes dry mouth. Dry mouth causes range widely. Some medications can lead to a dry mouth feeling, including medications taken for colds, acne, hypertension and asthma. If medications are the cause, doctors may be able to prescribe different doses or other types of medication that do not have this effect. Another reason you may experience dry mouth is that you have one of several types of diseases. HIV/AIDs, diabetes, anemia, rheumatoid arthritis and cystic fibrosis are some of the most common diseases that have a symptom of dry mouth, but there are others.

It’s true that Dental work should be part of the universal care system. Crake or broken teeth have full of cavities, so painful to eat and chew our foods so we can not provide our body with the nutrients it needs, and proper digestion can not happen and they become malnourished and weak. Gum diseased can lead to the removal of some of our teeth, and the disease can travel through out our whole body and develop into hearth disease, and our digestive system. If our teeth are croaked and yellow affects our personal appearance, self confidence, and self esteem, and so contributing to the well being of the person. Odor-halitosis also comes from poor dental hygiene, when our teeth are rotten and we swallow the bacteria, that comes from our teeth. The benefits gain would be prevent diseases, infections, dentures and additional cost. People would be able to get the proper hygiene that they need. In general health care, the person who got the nutrients they need, less risk for disease and regain their self confidence and self esteem. 

The Elderly People in our Society

Posted on Nov. 29, 2010

Do you think elderly people are valued in your society or culture? 

Posted by : Jorge S.
    In a modern society we call it ageism or age discrimination this is an attitudes where people believe that older adults can be treated in demeaning ways. Many people note that as they grow older and as they reach certain age milestones., (age 65 being one of them), others begin to treat them differently. Their attitudes change . In many cases , being treat diffirently means being treated as "less"-less valued, less capable. We do not fully  our older people .Elderly people have many skills and much experience to offer us, if we choose to listen to what they have to say. Older people in our society are sometimes viewed as nuisance and not valued fo the wonderful people they are. The medical community can be very harsh on the elderly by using the justification that they have already lived their lives. They tend to ignore conditions that would never be ignored on a younger person. In comparison with other cultures.Some older people have lived through two world wars and have learnt to survive with very little. When whether you live or die hangs in the balance, as it did for people living in the war; you realise what is important in life. Whereas, today people live in a very materialistic society, the things many older people value cannot be brought. It begs the question, who is living in the real world.

Posted by : Eduardo C.

Elderly people are valued in our society or culture; they are mostly the reason for our existence. Elderly people have spent a lot of time in the world and have seen things and know things that the younger people of the world have not witnessed or do not understand such as the World Wars. Elderly people teach us; respect, manners and appreciation of things, whether or not they use the War as an example. I see every Elderly person I meet as a story teller, I love it when they tell stories whether it be about the War, first love, their siblings and the adventures they used to take growing up . Modern Society has different views on Elderly people, some people are with me; joint in their awe of them and some people see them as expensive and as a nuisance as they are living longer. We all see the negative feed on the news that Elderly People are living longer and are costing the tax payer, which then in turn gives Elderly People a bad name and people begin to see them in a negative light. Elderly people do not tend to get the respect they deserve from Modern society. Another example of this is mobility scooters which in Britain is a very controversial subject and issue. Younger people find them an irritation and a nuisance whilst the Elderly see them as a means of travel and their Social life. But in modern society I think that the good of a lot of people far outweighs the bad opinions, as there are so many charities to support the elderly and events for all the community to take part in so that the Elderly can be around younger people and families.

Posted by : Elvie C. 
   The elderly people have valued in our society or culture because of their opinions are acceptable. Their own opinions and  we see younger generations as a bad thing and as ungrateful for what they have, they also have their own views on Politics and the world and events that are taking place. Most people would agree, that materialism is transient and does not last. However, few people live their lives in this way. The acquisition of material goods is not bad but the importance we attach to them is not good or healthy. Like in China, the elderly are an active part of the family and often, the entire family live together. Our own culture has developed in such a way so this is no longer the norm but rather the exception. Older people are able to offer us years of experience in all manner of subjects. We can in fact save ourselves a lot of time and wasted effort by listening to the advice they would give, if asked. Yes, society moves on and things change but some things are universal. One of these things are children, they will always want to be loved, as we all do. They will always learn by the example we set them. The elderly can support us in numerous ways with regard to child rearing. Some people resent looking after their elderly relatives.. However, if your mother or father needs a little assistance with appointments, shopping, paying bills is that such a big sacrifice after all they have done for you.

Issues :

" With the arrival of progress, the women began to work; now the family is small, the money is not sufficient , people live longer ; and the older people have become the "excess weight" for this modern family. In the family, nobody has time to stay with the older people. If they are along, they need to pay a care worker and this person, a stranger, becomes company, and is responsible for this older and abandoned person."

by : Jorge S. 
Every society has values that are important to it and that sets it apart from others. Canadian or american society is no different from other societies in this respect. There are values that are important to them that may not be fully shared by other societies.Values include freedom, respect for cultural differences and a commitment to social justice and because of that freedom our decisions that we believe are not the best, I feel that the statement mostly happen in rich and wealthy western countries I was raise in asian tradional way of the filipino and chinese ,both have different culture and values but with the same attitude towards Elders. Having the family as the center and priority in life, I've seen several times, where even the youngest are taught to "Bless-(mano po in filipino)" their elders.

by : Eduardo C.
    This statement emphasize that when taking a look at the present generation of young people, one can instantly realize the great gap that now exists between the present generation and the past generations. Many changes have occurred affecting the behavior of young people found in our society. In the past, parent were so strict concerning the education of their children, In that these children were forced to wear long skirts for girls, because it was being considered correct by these religious parents and more especially by the community as a sin , not to  say a sacrilege , but when taking a close look at the way these youths now dress up, one cannot deny the fact that a great change has occurred. Girls are dressed up the way they like because parents have realized that there is no point being rude to their children, because of the consequences that resulted from these behaviors of parents. Hence to lay more emphasis on these consequences, it was realized that most of these youth ran away from their homes and got engaged in several activities such as prostitution for girls, drugs selling by boys. That’s my opinion  

by : Elvie C. 

After and before the Industrial Revolution young people of the present generation are more determined concerning certain issues as compared to their parents, like for example they are free to choose the person they want to spend the rest of their live with, as compared to the past whereby young children were forced to marry people who were either older than they were, or someone they did not love. Hence there has been great difference between the past and present generation who are more informed with the coming of televisions, in which sense civilize campaign are broad casted daily to reduced the death rate of the population, pregnancies and also the rate of abortions. If our mature citizens wish to contribute to society why should society/government prevent them from doing so. Older people are quite often more reliable than their younger counterparts and take less sickness leave. They are also more likely to take the part-time jobs they we cannot afford to take, as we need to work full time. These are some of many differences between after and before the Industrial Revolution.

Culture and Diversity "Residential Schools : A lost heritage"

Posted on Nov. 22, 2010 

Posted by : Jorge S. 

Why were residential schools developed ?

   The Canadian government developed in 1867 a policy called "aggressive assimilation" to be taught at church-run, government-funded industrial schools, which is now  called residential schools. The Canadian government was responsible for educating and caring for the country's aboriginal people. It thought their  chance for success was to learn English and adopt Christianity and Canadian customs. and they would pass their adopted lifestyle on to their children, and native traditions would be completely abolished in a few generations. The Canadian government developed a policy called "aggressive assimilation" to be taught at church-run, government-funded industrial schools, which is now  called residential schools. The government felt children were easier to mould than adults, and the concept of a boarding school was the best way to prepare them for life in  society. Residential schools were federally run, under the Department of Indian Affairs. Attendance was mandatory. Agents were employed by the government to ensure all native children attended.
    1948 - There were 72 residential schools with 9,368 student
    1980 - Students began disclosing sexual and other forms of abuse
    1996 - The last residential school, the Gordon Residential , closes in Saskatchewan  
In Manitoba you can find these schools in the following locations :

Assiniboia (Winnipeg)	Winnipeg
Birtle	Birtle
Brandon	Brandon
Churchill Vocational Centre	Churchill
Cross Lake (St. Joseph's, Jack River Annex – predecessor to Notre Dame Hostel)	Cross Lake
Dauphin (McKay)	The Pas/Dauphin
Elkhorn (Washakada)	Elkhorn
Fort Alexander (Pine Falls)	Fort Alexander
Guy (Guy Hill, Clearwater, The Pas, formerly Sturgeon Landing, SK)	The Pas
McKay (The Pas, replaced by Dauphin)	The Pas
Norway House United Church	Norway House
Notre Dame Hostel (Norway House Roman Catholic, Jack River Hostel, replaced Jack River Annex at Cross Lake)	Norway House
Pine Creek (Camperville)	Camperville
Portage la Prairie	Portage la Prairie
Sandy Bay	Marius

Posted by : Eduardo C.

What was the culture like in these schools and how were aboriginal children placed or chosen to attend these schools?

    The late 1950s, native residential schools operated on a half-day system, in which students spent half the day in the classroom and the other at work. The theory behind this was that students would learn skills that would allow them to earn a living as adults, but the reality was that work had more to do with running the school inexpensively than with providing students with vocational training. Funding was a dominant factor in the residential school system.

    From the 1890s until the 1950s, the government tried constantly to shift the burden of the schools onto the churches, whose members made donations, and onto the students, whose labour was a financial contribution. Only with the affluence of the later 1950s was funding increased, and the half-day system eliminated.

    School days began early  with a bell that call students to dress and attend chapel. Breakfast,   consumed hurriedly  and followed by 3 hours of classes or a period of work. The late afternoon might see a short play period before supper. Evening recreation was limited, and bedtime was early. Weekends  by eliminating classes, but Sunday usually more time spent on religious observances.

    The 1950s, holidays for many of the students included periods of work and play at the school. Only in latter years did the schools routinely send children home for holidays.Although some students left with happy memories and would look back with a mixture of pleasure and pain, the experiences of residential school students were more negative than positive. The food was low in quantity and poor in quality; preparation did nothing to enhance its limited appeal. Clothing was universally detested: ill-fitting, shabby and, in the case of winter clothing, not adequate protection for the season. The pedagogical program, both academic and vocational, was deficient. Students had to cope with teachers who were usually ill-prepared and curricula and materials derived from and reflected an alien culture. In the workplace, the overseers were often harsh and the supposed training purpose of the work was limited or absent. In contrast, missionary staff lavished time and attention on religious observances, often  denigrating aboriginal spiritual traditions.

Posted by : Elvie C.

How did these schools impact aboriginal people with their parenting?
    The testimonies of hundreds of former students, whose list of abuses suffered includes

kidnapping, sexual abuse, beatings, needles pushed through tongues as punishment for speaking Aboriginal languages, forced wearing of soiled underwear on the head or wet bedsheets on the body, faces rubbed in human excrement, forced eating of rotten and/or maggot infested food, being stripped naked and ridiculed in front of other students, forced to stand upright for several hours – on two feet and sometimes one – until collapsing, immersion in ice water, hair ripped from heads, use of students in eugenics and medical experiments, bondage and confinement in closets without food or water, application of electric shocks, forced to sleep outside – or to walk barefoot – in winter, forced labour, and on and on. Former students concluded in a 1965 Government consultation that the experiences of the residential school were “really detrimental to the development of the human being.”     This system of forced assimilation has had consequences which are with Aboriginal people today. Many of those who went through the schools were denied an opportunity to develop parenting skills. They struggled with the destruction of their identities as Aboriginal people, and with the destruction of their cultures and languages. Generations of Aboriginal people today recall memories of trauma, neglect, shame, and poverty. Thousands of former students have come forward to reveal that physical, emotional and sexual abuse were rampant in the system and that little was done to stop it, to punish the abusers, or to improve conditions. The residential school system is not alone responsible for the current conditions of Aboriginal lives, but it did play a role. The Indian residential school, the systemic policy known as “aggressive civilization” has continued in other forms.
    Many of the abuses of the residential school system were,  exercised in deliberate promotion of a “final solution of the Indian Problem,” in the words of Deputy Superintendent of Indian Affairs, Duncan Campbell Scott. If development of the healthy Aboriginal human being meant respect of Aboriginal cultures, then indeed the regimented culture of the schools was designed  to be harmful.  the residential school “is where the alienation began” – alienation of Aboriginal children from family, community, and from themselves. Or to put the matter another way, the purpose of the schools was, like all forced assimilationist schemes, to kill the Indian in the Indian – an effort many survivors today describe as cultural genocide.

Posted by : Juliet

" I brought them up in a pretty horrible way-did'nt know how to parent, did'nt know how to show love".. peguis First Nation Elder Josie Bear . What is the significant of that statement ?
Elder Josie Bear (EJB) got her childhood taken away while growing up in residential school. EJB thought her parents were not their for her childhood teenage life and did not care about her. EJB though her parents allowed the residential school people to parent her. The people in residential school's did not show love or comfort or a safe environment , EJB brought up in a pretty horrible way and  experienced a horrible lifestyle while growing up in residential school. The memories stayed with her even still when she had children of her own, EJB maybe did not have any counselling than then  led to alcoholism the led to bad parenting skills. EJB was probably treating and discipline her children with the same attitude she was facing in residential school. Elder Josie Bear had no support , Today there is a lot of support to let her know it was not her fault and her children should respect her, show her love , forgiveness and be a family together.