Influenza (Flu) occurs at a seasonal pattern. While influenza cases are present all year, rising number of cases usually peak between December to February. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has found that flu activity can sometimes even last up till May.

Flu is extremely contagious and lead to respiratory illnesses that can be fatal to vulnerable populations such as elderly, young children or immunocompromised people. It is important to note that flu is caused by viruses and not bacteria, therefore antibiotics are not effective in treating flu.

There are more than 100 types of viruses documented with vaccines available. However, the current COVID-19 outbreak is a zoonotic virus (passed from animal to humans) that shows new characteristics. The world is not well enough prepared for this emerging viral outbreak, and vaccines that we know from before does not work anymore.

Having said that, it is our duty as a global citizen to contain this virus and prevent spread to more people. So what can we do to prevent contracting viruses?

FIGHT to prevent flu:

SCREEN!

Here is a simple checklist activity for you to do to detect early signs of flu.

• Fever of 38^oC and above
• Headache
• Shortness of breath / breathing problems
• Cough and sore throat
• Stuffy nose
• Body ache and tiredness

Only your healthcare provider can determine if you are sick with cold or flu. If you are concerned about signs of the flu or the cold, contact your healthcare provider.

Are you struggling to find a mouthwash that prevents periodontal diseases, reduces caries and targets gingivitis? Mouthwash is the go-to solution as topical analgesic and anti-inflammatory agent for oral health. However, most of the time we find ourselves standing in front of the shelf with an array of mouthwashes with special ingredients such as Chlorhexidine, Thymol etc, and have no idea what to do with them.

First off, find out what your oral conditions are:

Cavities

Cavities or caries are small holes that appear on your teeth due to decay. These openings usually form on the chewing surface of your teeth, but in some instances it can form on root cavity. Cavities are common and affect people of any age group, and usually they are easily treated when detected earlier. When you do not treat your cavities, the holes get bigger and affect more layers of your teeth, leading to infection, severe toothache and tooth loss.

Symptoms: Toothache, sensitive tooth, pain when you bite down, visible holes on teeth

Periodontal Diseases

Periodontal Diseases, as the name suggests, is a group of diseases the affect the areas surrounding the teeth; these areas include the bacterial infections to gums, periodontal ligament and alveolar bones. It is caused by a few factors including inadequate brushing, diet that is rich in sugary foods, and family history. At early stages, infection affects gums and this condition is more commonly known as gingivitis.

a) Gingivitis

Gingivitis is gum inflammation caused by buildup of bacteria. You can be more susceptible to gingivitis if you have plaque buildup. Plaques form when your diet is rich in sweets and carbohydrates (eg raisins, cakes, 3in1 beverages, kuih, milk), and these foods get left on the teeth without proper cleaning. If left untreated, gingivitis develops into more serious forms of infection affecting the root of the teeth.

Symptoms: Swollen gums, bright red or darker gums, painful gums, bad breath (halitosis).

b) Periodontitis

Periodontitis is a gum disease that leads to gum and bone pulling away from the teeth. This forms pockets around the teeth, and they collect dirt and food debris that can lead to serious bacterial infections. Bacteria will product toxins that further damage the gum tissues, and you can find that these “pockets” get deeper, which leads to irreversible damage such as teeth falling off and teeth bone damage.

Symptoms: Receding gum, buildup of plaque and tartar around teeth, pain when chewing, bad breath, red and swollen gums, loose teeth, change in position of your teeth

MOUTHWASH SOLUTION

Mouthwash can be recommended to treat every stages of infection from mild to severe, reduce swelling and pain, and reduce halitosis (bad breath). There are a few groups of mouthwashes with specific actions to help with these symptoms:

References:

https://www.webmd.com/oral-health/guide/gingivitis-periodontal-disease#1

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/cavities/symptoms-causes/syc-20352892

Cholesterol Is A Natural Substance

Checking Google will show us that cholesterol is present in food; Organ meats, full fat yoghurt, certain commercial potato chips are some of the things that contain cholesterol. But what if cholesterol is not what we eat, but it is what we MAKE?

Yes that’s right, our body naturally makes cholesterol, which is actually a type of fat that helps in metabolism. We actually need cholesterol to survive! If our body makes a normal level of cholesterol, that is good for our health in many ways, including:

Making bile salts for us to digest fat normally,	One of the key ingredients to making hormones,	Helps in transmission of nervous signals.

Good & Bad Cholesterol: What is the difference?

In your blood test, there are 2 main types of cholesterol that make up the total cholesterol: LDL cholesterol and HDL cholesterol. LDL is known as the bad cholesterol because when in excess, it triggers formation of plaques in our artery walls. On the other hand, HDL is known as the good cholesterol because it removes LDL.

Medications for Cholesterol

Statins are a group of medications used to treat high cholesterol levels. They go by popular brands such as Crestor (Rosuvastatin), Lipitor (Atorvastatin), and Zocor (Simvastatin). There are 2 key functions to statins:

1. Stop production of cholesterol in the body
2. Reabsorb cholesterol that forms plaques in the artery

Usually doctors will prescribe statins for long term use as these medications are very effective in reducing cholesterol level. In addition, there is also a wide breadth of studies that found statin’s preventive effect against heart attack and stroke.

Stopping Statins

The most obvious consequence of stopping statins abruptly will be the effect on cholesterol levels. People who are long term statin users may experience a change in their cholesterol levels, some have reported an even higher LDL level than before the start of statin. Meanwhile, HDL levels can decrease be reduced after stopping statin medications.

This can also increase the risk of unwanted heart diseases. If you are above 45 years old, have a strong family history of heart conditions, have poor control over your diet, and are skipping cholesterol medications, this can increase your risk of heart attack by as much as 50%!

Newer Forms of Cholesterol Medications

As we progress in medical advancement, this brings about fresh perspective on cholesterol medications. Different types of cholesterol medications are available in the market:

1. Fenofibrate – Reduces LDL cholesterol and increases HDL cholesterol
2. Ezetimibe – Reduce storage of cholesterol in liver, increases clearance of cholesterol in blood

Your Doctor can advise you on these medications, so don’t feel shy to ask your Doctor if you have concerns over your current prescription.