By Kleovoulos Chandanos, Paediatrician

When To Introduce Solid
Foods To The Baby

The reason for this article is the "urgency" that mothers display (usually prompted by grandmothers) to introduce solids to the baby's diet.  Many times at the surgery, grandmothers ask me: "When can the baby finally eat solid food? At four months I was feeding mine spaghetti with mincemeat!"

I'm listing some guidelines, hoping to answer this question. Regarding the baby's nutrition, in the two first years of life, we distinguish the milk-nutrition period (0-6 months), the transient period (6-12 months) during which we progressively introduce foods, and the period of adaptation to the new dietary habits (12-24 months). In the first months of life, milk constitutes an exclusive food for the baby, which has the neuro-muscular ability to nurse and receive only liquids, its peptic system has the functional efficiency to digest only proteins, fats and lactose contained in the milk, and it has an immature renal function.

During the transient period we begin introducing solids to the baby's diet. The international health organizations recommend this to begin in the sixth month and certainly no earlier than the fourth month. This is determined by the neurophysiologic maturation of the Central Nervous System, the τη διαβατότητα του εντερικού βλεννογόνου σε μακρομοριακές ενώσεις passing of the intestinal mucosa into macromolecular compounds, its enzyme sufficiency and the gradual development of adequate renal function.  

An essential condition is to suppress the reflex "sticking-out' of the tongue during feedings. This must be accomplished around the fourth to sixth month while simultaneously the baby gets the ability to chew and swallow non-liquid foods.  At the same time the baby can and does support its head, sits with support and recognizes the spoon. At the same time, its ability to digest and absorb fats and carbohydrates has matured, the intestine has developed defensive mechanisms and the kidneys have the ability to respond to osmotic loads using less water. From the fifth month, the baby displays hunger and the wish to eat as well as showing when it has had enough by opening its mouth or moving its head away, respectively. In the eighth month the baby uses its fingers to pick up objects, wants to eat by itself with its spoon, and drinks water from a cup. In the 10^th month the baby acquires chewing and ingesting adult-like functions. In the 12^th month the baby learns to feed itself.

During the last period (adaptation), the child develops further and totally adapts to chewing solids.

This is the period where particular gravity must be given to the quality of food.

By Nikos Papadakis, Dental Surgeon

Bruxism – Part One

Bruxism is the scientific term for the fairly common malady of teeth grinding. Studies reveal that bruxism affects up to 20 percent of the people, regardless of age or sex.  More often, grinding the teeth and tightening the jaw takes place during sleep. The sufferer is usually not aware of it, though the mate sleeping next to him or her definitely knows it.

It is not an involuntary movement of the jawbones, like chewing. It's something more. In bruxism, the force with which someone can grind his teeth and tighten his jaw can be six times greater than the pressure exerted on them during the day. This force is not only excessive, but can last until 40 minutes per hour of sleep. This excessive pressure can be harmful for the teeth, the face muscles, the jawbones and the temples. The extent of harmful results depends on the intensity of the pressure and from the duration. Bruxism can go on for weeks, months or years.

It can go away on its own, but when it continues, and mainly when problems begin, the patient should seek medical help from a dentist.

Causes:

The brain never stops working. Even during sleep it subconsciously processes the problems and stress that it faced during the day or it deals with the problems that must be faced the next day.

While stress is considered to be a main factor, all the causes of teeth grinding are still not known. However, we do know the condition gets worse during periods of increased stress.

An aggressive, hasty or competitive personality is more prone to teeth grinding. The use of caffeine and alcohol, particularly right before going to bed, can worsen the situation.

Nocturnal bruxism is the third most common sleep disturbance after talking during sleep and snoring. And while the first two disturbances do not leave any apparent scars or obvious marks, bruxism, though it can appear as an innocent deviant behavior, can cause big problems.

In the dental sense, factors that can contribute to teeth grinding include teeth extractions, crooked teeth, ill-fitting bridges and dentures.

In a non dental sense, contributing to bruxism includes side effects from certain drugs like antidepressants, complications from some cerebral damage and some rare neuromuscular illnesses which attack the facial region.

To be continued