Vitamin Information Center

Heart Attack

Heart disease affects your heart’s muscle, blood vessels, and electrical system and is the leading cause of death among women. The most common form of heart disease is coronary artery disease in which plaque (a fat-like substance) deposits on artery walls. Plaque build-up is called atherosclerosis. This is a chronic condition that occurs in people with risk factors such as diabetes, obesity, smoking, abnormal levels of blood fats, high blood pressure, a family history of heart disease and older age. When a plaque ruptures, it causes a blood clot to form and suddenly block an artery. If this happens in a heart artery, it results in a heart attack.

Treatment

Don’t smoke Control your blood pressure Control your cholesterol level. Maintain a healthy weight. Exercise regularly. Eat a low-fat diet. Take care of diabetes. Be aware of chest pain.

High Blood Pressure

High blood pressure (also called hypertension) occurs when your blood moves through your arteries at a higher pressure than normal. The heart is a pump designed to force blood through our body. Blood is pumped from the heart through the arteries out to our muscles and organs.

Pumps work by generating pressure. Put simply, too much pressure puts a strain on the arteries and on the heart itself. This can cause an artery to rupture or the heart to fail under the strain - in the worst case stopping altogether.

Treatment

Blood pressure is measured with a monitor called a sphygmomanometer. This is a digital box attached to a tube with a cuff on the end. The cuff is placed around the upper arm and inflated to a certain level, then deflated slowly. A sensor in the cuff provides information about the blood pressure or a doctor or nurse will listen to the blood flow using a stethoscope.

Hypertensive Heart disease

Hypertensive heart disease is any of a number of complications of arterial hypertension that affect the heart. It is one of the most common causes of death in western societies. Hypertensive heart disease is the No. 1 cause of death associated with hypertension and is actually a group of disorders that include heart failure, ischemic heart disease, and left ventricular hypertrophy

Treatment

Common medications include diuretics, beta blockers, calcium channel blockers, angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, angiotensin II receptor antagonists, and direct vasodilators. intravenous diazoxide or nitroprusside may be prescribed if hypertension is extremely severe and intensive care is necessary. Preventive measures against hypertensive heart disease emphasize control over weight, healthy diet (rich in fiber and vitamins), and abstinence from drugs and alcohol.

In cases of a severe heart problem, surgery may be required to restore the normal blood flow in the heart and/or blood vessels. In addition to medications, recommended lifestyle changes include weight loss, exercise, and dietary adjustments. Dietary recommendations include increasing fruits, vegetables, and low-fat dairy products. Whole grains, poultry, and fish are also generally recommended. Tran’s fats and saturated fats should be avoided. Patients may benefit from reducing salt intake. If you smoke, stop smoking — cigarettes are a major cause of hypertension and related heart disease. Reducing excessive alcohol consumption may also help.

Introduction

Patients may benefit from reducing salt intake. If you smoke, stop smoking — cigarettes are a major cause of hypertension and related heart disease. Reducing excessive alcohol consumption may also help. Massage is simply the manipulation of the soft tissues of the body - the muscles, tendons and ligaments. A massage therapist’s hands are his most important tool through which he not only treats the patient but also detects physical and emotional problems. Massage Therapy is a hands-on manipulation of the soft tissues of the body including muscles, connective tissue, tendons, ligaments and joints. It is also an alternative health option to help alleviate the soft tissue discomfort associated with everyday and occupational stresses, muscular overuse and many chronic pain syndromes. It can also greatly reduce the development of painful muscular patterning.

Styles of Massage

Deep Tissue-Works to loosen and lengthen fascia, the connective tissue surrounding muscles, thus creating more freedom of movement and release of tension. Often combined with other techniques which focus on the muscles to relieve tightness and trigger points. This is an effective technique for repetitive stress syndrome (i.e., carpal tunnel, TMJ), chronic low back, neck and shoulder stress.

Aromatherapy oil-.preferably one of the calming massage blends. Warm your massage oil for 30 seconds in the microwave (make sure the cap is open or off) or in a pan of warm water on the stove. This will not only diffuse the oil beautifully, but will feel incredible when rubbed into your subject’s body

Craniosacral Therapy - Via a gentle, noninvasive manipulative technique, this encourages your own natural mechanisms to improve the functioning of your brain and spinal cord to dissipate the negative effects of stress, promote good health, and enhance resistance to disease.

Acupressure is an ancient Chinese massage technique that uses the fingers to press key points on the skin that then release tension and increase energy flow and improve circulation. Applying pressure to these points is similar to acupuncture without the needles and has an excellent record for relieving headache, menstrual cramps, back ache, and a host of other ailments.

Sports Massage-Sports massage is specifically designed for people who are involved in physical activity. But you don’t have to be a professional athlete to have one-it’s also used by people who are active and work out often. The focus isn’t on relaxation but on preventing and treating injury and enhancing athletic performance. A combination of techniques are used. The strokes are generally faster than Swedish massage. Facilitated stretching is a common technique. It helps to loosen muscles and increase flexibility.

Clinical styles of massage differ from relaxation because they focus on therapeutic goals (for example releasing muscle spasms or strengthening or stretching specific muscles affected by an injury). They use more specific manipulation of the muscle and/or surrounding connective tissue and may address other systems in the body such as the lymphatic, circulatory, and nervous system

Facial Massage-A very relaxing massage to sooth the facial muscles that cause tension and lines. Using a combination of oils, creams and hot compresses the client is put into a deeply relaxed state while the skin and muscles of the face are replenished, relaxed and restored. More flowing and relaxing than conventional beauty therapy facials.

Most adolescents and young adults show evidence of acne. It is most prevalent between 15 and 24 years, and is more common and more severe in males than in females. Onset peaks early in puberty and usually resolves in males during their early 20s. Females can develop acne for the first time after puberty and are more likely to suffer ongoing acne, which can persist into their 30s and 40s. Acne mainly affects the face, neck, chest, shoulders and upper back; areas which have the highest density of sebaceous glands.

Types Of Acne

Acne vulgaris

Acne vulgaris is the most common type and involves the initial development of comedones which are blackheads and/or white heads. Blackheads are plugs of sebum that build up in affected hair follicles where the plug is open to the skin surface. Whiteheads are also plugs of sebum in hair follicle canals but in this case the hair canal is closed over by dead skin.

Acne Fulminans

Acne fulminans is characterized by a sudden occurrence of highly debilitating inflammation. This results in ulcerating acne, fever, inflammation and pain in the joints of hips and knees. Acne conglobata, when unsuccessfully treated, can give rise to this form of acne.

Causes Of Acne

Harmones.

For the majority of acne sufferers, the trouble begins at puberty, when the body begins to produce hormones called androgens. These hormones cause the sebaceous glands to enlarge, which is a natural part of the body’s development. In acne sufferers, however, the sebaceous glands are overstimulated by androgens, sometimes well into adulthood. Androgens are also responsible for acne flare-ups associated with the menstrual cycle and, on occasion, pregnancy.

Bacteria.

The bacterium Propionibacterium acnes is a regular resident of all skin types; it’s part of the skin’s natural sebum maintenance system.

Once a follicle is plugged, Oil secretions build up beneath the plugged pore gets blocked , providing a perfect environment for the skin bacteria

Propionibacterium acnes to multiply rapidly, creating the chemical reaction we know as inflammation in the follicle and surrounding skin.

Increased Skin Oil

Healthy skin and hair is naturally softened and lubricated by sebum, an oily secretion of the sebaceous glands. At puberty, changing hormone levels prompt various physical changes including an increase in the production of sebum by the sebaceous glands.

Sebaceous glands reside along the hair shaft. The excreted sebum normally travels up along the hair shaft and out through the opening of the hair follicle (pore) onto the skin’s surface.

Acne Treatment Products

Combination therapy acne treatment products are those acne treatment products that offer multi-pronged approach to acne cure. The composition of such combination acne treatment products include pills, injections, creams, facial masks, gels, etc. as one treatment. Several examples of combination therapy acne treatment products abound.

Combination therapy acne treatment products are good. Single therapy acne treatment products are equally good. Choose what works for you. The bottom line is that whichever acne treatment product you choose cures your acne without causing you unpleasant side effects and leaving acne scars behind. Type Of Acne Treatment

Acne treatments consist of reducing sebum production, removing dead skin cells, and killing bacteria with topical drugs and oral medications. Treatment choice depends upon whether the acne is mild, moderate, or severe. Alternative treatments for acne focus on self care: proper cleansing to keep the skin oil-free; eating a well-balanced diet high in fiber, zinc, and raw foods; and avoiding alcohol, dairy products, tobacco, caffeine, sugar, processed foods, and foods high in iodine, such as salt.

Back pain is common and the largest single cause of sickness absence in the UK. Although it can be very painful, it is normally not serious. Lower back pain, also known as lumbago, affects 7 out of 10 people at some time in their lives. Low back pain means a pain, or ache, anywhere on your back, in between the bottom of the ribs and the top of the legs.

Types Of Back Pain

Acute pain comes on quickly and often leaves just as quickly. To be classified as acute, pain should last no longer than 6 weeks. Acute pain is the most common type of back pain.

Chronic pain, on the other hand, may come on either quickly or slowly, and it lingers a long time. In general, pain that lasts more than 3 months is considered chronic. Chronic pain is much less common than acute pain.

Low back pain can be further divided into two main categories:

* Specific low back pain (SLBP) where there is a defined cause (etiology).

* Non-specific low back pain (NSLBP) or back pain of undetermined cause. (The latter does not mean that there is no specific cause of your pain–there may in fact be one or more causes that your physician cannot yet find due to the limitations of medical science.)

Symptoms of a back sprain or strain generally include:

* Muscle spasms, cramping, and stiffness.

* Pain, mostly in the back and buttocks. The pain may develop quickly or over a longer period of time. Pain generally occurs in episodes. It is aggravated by weight-bearing or specific movements and is relieved by rest. The most severe pain usually lasts 48 to 72 hours and may be followed by days or weeks of less severe pain. The back is easily reinjured during this time.

looking for real, long-term, lasting relief:

* Address both the cause and the symptom - the best approach is a combination of treating the symptoms for pain relief while also addressing the underlying cause.

* Be aware - many people suffering from back pain are not in tune with their bodies and during their treatment they do not realize what is working and what is not. In order to achieve long-term relief you have to understand how your body works, what’s causing the problem, and what changes have to be made to correct it.

Back Pain Treatment

* Physical therapy and exercise. A physical therapist can apply a variety of treatments, such as heat, ice, ultrasound, electrical stimulation, and muscle release techniques, to your back muscles and soft tissues to reduce pain. As pain improves, the therapist can teach you specific exercises to increase your flexibility, strengthen your back and abdominal muscles, and improve your posture. Regular use of these techniques will help pain from recurring.

* Prescription medications. Your doctor may prescribe nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or in some cases, a muscle relaxant, to relieve mild to moderate back pain that doesn’t get better with over-the-counter pain relievers.

Skin is an important part of human body. It is an outer covering or shell that protects human body organs from environmental hazards. In a common man’s language skin is a cover for internal organs in human body.

We can find people around us who are curious about their skin and people who neglect their skin. Being enthusiastic and eager to put efforts and attain a beautiful and healthy is good but one needs to move in right direction.

For most of us, when we refer to skin care, we mean caring for the face. It is true that face, more than any other, needs care and attention. The face is constantly exposed to the elements, even in severe winter when the rest of the body is well wrapped. Hence, the face is one of the first parts of the body to show signs of aging.

Types Of Skin Care

1. Normal skin

* You possess a perfect balance of natural oils and moisture which results in a soft, supple & firm skin.

* Normal skin has to be treasured and preserved. Even normal skin is liable to change, if neglected. Keep your eyes open for any changes in skin, which must be dealt with promptly.

2. Dry skin is dull, feels tight on washing, even with the mildest of soaps, flakes, Scales and chaps easily.

3. Oily Skin feels relaxed and supple, but thicker, looks shiny and is much more Prone to outbreaks of spots. .

Treatment For dry Skin

A Sheilding Lotion is far more effective as a dry skin care treatment than mere moisturizing lotions or protective creams. If you suffer from dry skin, you know that just using a moisturizing lotion doesn’t solve the problem.

Skin MD Natural™ is promptly absorbed, without the slightest hint of any greasy or oily feeling or residue, transforming the outer layer of skin into a hydrating invisible shield.

Treatment For Oily Skin

It is important that oily skin is kept thoroughly clean. Stay away from harsh cleansers. Instead choose a pure soap, with no artificial additives. Antibacterial cleansing lotions can be effective in cleansing oily skin.

Astringents that contain acetone are good for oily skin, as acetone dissolves oil.

Effective Natural Packs For Oily Skin

Mix 60 grams flour of gram pulse, half teaspoonful of turmeric powder and raw milk and 8-10 drops of mustard, sesame or olive oil and make a thick paste. Now apply this on the face, neck, arms, hand, feet, elbows and knees. After 5-10 minutes when this face starts drying up rub it with the palms and remove. Wash all the parts of the body with warm water and wipe with a soft towel. This makes the skin clean, silky, soft, shining and bright. The paste of turmeric and flour of gram pulse removes freckles from the face. Wrinkles, blackness of the skin and unwanted facial hair are also removed. Do not apply on eyebrows, eyelashes and lips.

Snoring is a sound made when you breathe through your mouth and nose when you are asleep. It happens when air doesn’t move smoothly through your air passages making tissue in your mouth, nose and throat vibrate as the air passes through. The flow of air can be blocked because of excess tissue in the nose, mouth and throat, the position you sleep in or because of a health condition.

Most commonly, however, the soft tissue in your upper palate or throat starts vibrating as you sleep — even if you are breathing easily through your nose, even if your uvula and tonsils are normal size. These noisy vibrations may occur for several reasons, the most simple being that your throat muscles relax during sleep. When you are a child, you typically have good muscle tone and do not snore, but as you get older, you put on weight and your throat tissues get flabbier. Alcohol and overeating before bedtime make the problem worse.

Symtoms Of Snoring

Obstructive sleep apnea is an extreme form of snoring in which your upper airway closes while you are asleep, causing an obstruction that prevents you from breathing for a brief period.

The negative pressure of inhaling pulls harder on your soft tissues, sealing the airway even more tightly.

Snoring is a noise that you may make while breathing during sleep. Snoring can be soft, loud, raspy, harsh, hoarse, or fluttering. Your bed partner may notice that you sleep with your mouth open and that you are restless while sleeping. If snoring interferes with your or your bed partner’s sleep, either or both of you may feel tired during the day.

Snoring causes

Following are the major snoring causes:

1. Muscle tone of the tongue 2. Blockage of airway 3. Increasing age 4. Alcoholic beverages and smoking 5. Overweight

Snoring Treatment

SNORING TREATMENT TIP 1. Take a look at your diet. Although this probably won’t be the complete snoring treatment answer, it is worth starting with what you’re eating and drinking. You could well have intolerance to certain foods which affects your breathing, especially when lying on you back. For example, too much (or an intolerance to) dairy produce is likely to cause you to become blocked up with mucus, when horizontal, this collects causing heavy breathing and snoring. Alcohol is another common offender.

SNORING TREATMENT TIP 2. Being overweight is another significant contributor. Excess weight in the neck and chest puts pressure on the breathing passage.

Certain measures which are suggested to snorers are

- To exercise regularly and lose weight. - To sleep on your side rather than your back. - Avoid taking alcoholic drinks before going to bed.

The skin is the largest and one of the most intriguing organs of the body, accounting for 16 per cent of body weight.

The skin is continually repairing and renewing itself. When you are young, the main skin complaints are greasy skin and acne. But as you grow older, the skin gets dry and the challenge is to counteract the dryness of the skin. However, you can have beautiful skin no matter what your age, race or color. The secret is to understand how your skin functions, and to take care of it properly.

Winter Skin Care Tips

1. Use a humidifier. With the heat on and the windows closed, the air inside can become very dry in the winter, making the dryness and itching of eczema even worse. Use a humidifier to place moisture in the air. If you don’t want to invest in an expensive humidifying system, smaller, relatively inexpensive humidifiers can be obtained at a local drug store. Placing two or three of these around your home will help to humidify the dry air. This can keep skin from drying and becoming cracked and itchy.

2. Exfoliate

A good boy scrub and facial exfoliant can help remove dead skin cells from your body. Add this to your cleansing routine once a week. Not only will you feel fresh but your skin will be free from all that old dry cells. Now you’re ready to moisturize!

3. Oil bath

Now how does a jojoba oil or sweet almond bath sound to you? Relaxing isn’t it! You don’t have to keep these for holidays. Nourish you skin by adding a few drops of these oils into your every day bath. It will do wonders for your skin.

4. Drink Water

Drink a glass of hot water with lemon. This Chinese herbal remedy is a sure-fire method of energizing your body. It will de-tox your entire system, including the liver and gall bladder. This means that your body will be able to clean the blood faster to get rid of toxins responsible for bad skin.

To protect the skin, keep baths and showers short and the water temperature warm - not hot.

Beautiful Skin Care Tips

To make or keep your skin beautiful, it’s best to work from the inside. Eating the right kind of food can do you more good than any medicine, and go a long way in helping your body’s own healing forces. Eat a balanced diet that includes raw foods, plenty of yellow and orange vegetables (they contain beta carotene - a precursor to vitamin A). Foods high in sulfur such as garlic, onions, asparagus and eggs. Include fruits, seeds, grains and nuts.

Some Protective Measures

Healthy skin is young looking skin. There are preventative techniques that can promote the best skin possible and keep it looking its best longer.

Avoid over exposure to the sun. Sun damage leads to hyper pigmentation (brown spots) which can develop into serious skin disease. Excessive exposure can also exaggerate and thicken fine lines. Use an SPF 15 or higher on all exposed skin, especially on the face.

Acne primarily affects adolescents whose skin secretes an excessive amount of oil or sebum — from the sebaceous glands — caused by the hormonal changes of puberty. Beginning in the teen years and through adulthood, your body produces hormones called androgens, which are male hormones that are present in both men and women.

Acne is the most common and chronic disease of the skin. It is an inflammatory condition of the sebaceous (oil) glands and hair follicles usually found on the face, neck, chest and shoulders. Almost eight out of ten young people aged between 12 and 24 suffer from some degree of acne. It is closely related to the disruption of the experience of hormones at puberty.

There are also different kinds of acne and the most common are:

* Nodules - solid and very noticeable bumps that are deep in the skin. These nodules are often very painful and may become red and swollen.

* Cysts - these are very deep, like nodules, but are more open like a lesion. They are usually filled with pus rather than with a solid like a nodule.

* Papules - very small and dense inflamed skin patches that appear almost rash-like.

Type Of Acne

Not all acne is the same. Simplistically, acne can be divided into red bumps and blackheads/whiteheads. This division is important because each type is treated differently. Blackheads and whiteheads, known as comedones, can be more numerous on the face and shoulders than red bumps filled with pus. Good, consistent skin hygiene can help improve this condition.

Causes Of Acne

Causes of adult acne and teen acne may include hormones, diet, evolutionary biology, vitamin deficiency, stress, and more. The real explanation may be a complex mix of many of these factors.

Blockage Of The Skin Pores

Oily skin occurs when an overactive oil gland enlarges and overproduces oil. Acne develops when some of the pores (through which oil normally flows from the oil gland to reach the skin surface) become blocked, resulting in trapping of oil within the skin pores.

Acne Treatment

The goals of treatment are to heal existing lesions, stop new lesions from forming, prevent scarring, and minimize the psychological stress and embarrassment caused by this disease. Drug treatment is aimed at reducing several problems that play a part in causing acne: abnormal clumping of cells in the follicles, increased oil production, bacteria, and inflammation. Depending on the extent of the person’s acne, the doctor will recommend one of several over-the-counter (OTC) medicines or prescription medicines that are topical (applied to the skin) or systemic (taken by mouth).

isotretinoin (eg Roaccutane) is a medicine known as an oral retinoid, which also exists in a topical form (see above). Isotretinoin works by drying up oily secretions. It tends to be prescribed to people with severe forms of acne that have proved resistant to other treatments. There a number of serious side-effects of this drug, such as liver disorders and depression. You should not take isotretinoin if you are pregnant, as it is very dangerous to an unborn baby. For safety reasons, isotretinoin is only prescribed under the supervision of dermatology specialists

Allergies stem from an inappropriate reaction of the immune system to certain proteins. These proteins are known as allergens, and they are usually common and harmless substances such as pollen, mold spores, animal dander, dust, various foods, insect venoms, or medicines.

Any substance that triggers an allergic reaction is called an allergen. There are many different types of allergens; three of the most common are pollen, dust mites and nuts. Allergens contain protein, which is found in all living organisms, and it is the protein that causes the reaction. Some drugs such as penicillin can also cause allergic reactions. They do not contain protein, but they can cause a reaction if they bind to proteins in the body.

Cause Of Allergy

An allergic reaction occurs when the body’s immune system overreacts to an allergen, in this case a food protein.

* The white blood cells produce an antibody to this allergen, called immunoglobulin E or IgE.

* Any food has the potential to trigger an allergic reaction, but a few foods account for most food allergies.

Allergic reactions occur when the immune system misidentifies harmless foreign substances and reacts to them as if they were as harmful. These substances are called allergens. Common pollens, mold spores, house dust mites, cockroaches, and animal dander (shed skin, fur, or feathers) are among the allergens that most frequently cause problems. Allergic reactions to allergens such as insect venom, latex, and certain types of food or medications are more rare.

Symptoms Of Food Allergy

Reactions to foods are usually rapid, appearing within an hour (or sometimes even seconds) of consumption, although in some cases they may be delayed and appear up to four hours after eating.

Skin rashes, such as nettle rash (also called urticaria or hives) can appear which are generally short lived, disappearing within a few days. Longer lasting, chronic skin reactions (such as scaly patches) can also be experienced. Some of these longer lasting rashes are called atopic dermatitis.

The complex process of digestion affects the timing, location, and particular symptoms of an allergic reaction to food. All of the symptoms of food allergy occur within a few minutes to an hour of eating. A food allergy can initially be experienced as an itching in the mouth and difficulty swallowing and breathing. Then, during digestion of the food in the stomach and intestines, symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain can start

You may also get some or all of the following symptoms:

* skin reactions, such as swelling and itching, eczema and flushing * vomiting and/or diarrhoea * coughing, wheezing or a runny nose * swelling of the lips * sore, red and itchy eyes

Home Treatment

* For localized hives or other mild skin reactions * Take cool showers or apply cool compresses. * Wear light clothing that doesn’t irritate your skin. * Take it easy. Keep your activity level low. * To relieve the itching, apply calamine lotion or take over-the-counter antihistamines, such as diphenhydramine (Benadryl) or the nonsedating antihistamine, loratadine (Claritin).

Babies start to develop teeth before they are born. The first teeth (also known as milk teeth or deciduous teeth) normally start to break through the gum from at around six to nine months old. Most children will have around eight teeth by their first birthday, although this is just an average. The complete set of twenty milk teeth is usually through by 2 and a half years.

Healthy teeth are important to your child’s overall health. From the time your child is born, there are things you can do to promote healthy teeth. For babies, you should clean teeth with a soft, clean cloth or baby’s toothbrush. Avoid putting the baby to bed with a bottle and check teeth regularly for spots or stains.

For all children, you should

* Brush teeth with a fluoride toothpaste

* Provide healthy foods and limit sweet snacks and drinks Teeth are some of your children’s most important possessions. How you look after their teeth from the time they are babies will make a difference to how they grow and how healthy they are. This means not only how you clean them but also how you protect tham from things that can harm teeth. Tooth decay is preventable.

Teeth Problem

Cavities are holes that are formed in the teeth when bacteria (germs) in your mouth use the sugar in food to make acid. This acid eats away at the teeth. Good oral hygiene care can keep cavities from happening in your child.

Treatment Of Cavities

One has to differentiate between treatment of cavities and treatment of the disease process resulting in cavities. The normal treatment of a tooth with a cavity is a filling or, if the cavity is large, a crown. A variety of materials are used globally: composites, amalgam, gold, porcelain, and others. Moreover, a filling does not affect the disease process causing the cavities. Treatment must be directed against the causative factors (described earlier). For the individual case, several options are available in addition to the various fluoride programs mentioned: dietary counseling, sugar substitutes, antimicrobial agents to reduce plaque and specific bacteria, and the use of saliva-stimulating products.

Tips For Children Dental Care

* Schedule your child’s first trip to the dentist by the time he or she is one year old.

* Use a child size toothbrush with soft bristles. Replace the toothbrush every three months

* Select a fluoride toothpaste and use a pea-sized amount on the toothbrush after every meal and before bed. If the child swallows the toothpaste this small amount should not hurt him

* Once all primary teeth are in, begin flossing your child’s teeth. When the child is ready, teach him or her to floss before brushing.

* Children under the age of three can use a smear of family toothpaste containing at least 1,000ppm (parts per million) fluoride. Any less and it won’t be as effective at preventing decay. Children aged from three to six should use a pea-sized blob of toothpaste containing 1,350-1,500ppm fluoride. Make sure your child doesn’t eat or lick the toothpaste from the tube.

* Take your child to the dentist when they’re as young as possible, and be sure to have taken them at least once by the time they’re two. This is so they become familiar with the environment and get to know the dentist.