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Diabetes Mellitus
By Zaimi Alban, General Practitioner
Cretan Medicare
More than
700,000 Greeks have diabetes.
Diabetes Mellitus or
Sugar Diabetes is a chronic, metabolic illness with its main characteristic
the increased blood sugar or hyperglycaemia. If hyperglycaemia exists for an
extended period, it can cause serious alterations in the small vessels of
the eyes, the neurons and the kidneys, as well as in the big vessels of the
heart, the brain and the surrounding arteries. These chronic complications
constitute the enormous problem of this illness.
The glucose is an energy substance that is taken from foods, and, via the
blood, is channelled to all vital organs. The hormone that is essential for
the normal use of glucose is called insulin. The partial or total weakness
of our organism to produce sufficient quantity of insulin, leads to the
accumulation of glucose in the blood (hyperglycaemia). Because our organism
cannot tolerate big quantities of sugar in the blood, when it exceeds the
180mg/dl, it is passed out through urine resulting in glucosuria. The
expulsion of glucose through urine takes along large quantities of water (polyuria)
causing the candidate diabetic to consume enormous quantities of liquids (polydipsia).
Also,
the cells, because of partial or total lack of insulin, cannot take glucose
from the blood, hence remaining without energy, creating a continuous
feeling of hunger (excessive eating). In serious cases, despite this
excessive eating, a serious weight loss occurs within a short time.
Consequently, the need to urinate far too often, the need to drink huge
amounts of liquids, the excessive consumption of food, as well as a general
feeling of weakness, are the characteristic symptoms of diabetes mellitus.
Juvenile insulin-dependent diabetes:
It mainly concerns children and young people under 20 and it is due to the
total inability of the organism to produce insulin. The precise cause of
appearance of this type of diabetes is virtually unknown. This type of
illness has a multitude of causes and usually appears quite suddenly. Its
frequency amounts to five percent of the cases. Heredity is rare, about two
to four percent. In Greece, we have about 500 new cases a year in
contrast with northern Europe where the
incidents are multiples.
Non-insulin-dependent diabetes of adults:
It
constitutes the 80-90 percent of cases and it is mostly accompanied by
obesity, and mainly appears in overweight individuals, 40-60 years of age,
or to women who during pregnancy showed signs of diabetes, or to women who
gave birth to overweight babies. In the past few years it has begun to
appear in overweight children between 12-16 years of age.
Every diabetic must systematically measure his blood sugar, depending on the
type, duration, type of treatment, complications (if any), and difficulty in
regulating it. In each person the blood sugar goes up and down about 8,500
times daily!
Depending on work, diet and activity, at least in the beginning, the blood
sugar should be measured at least four to six times a day, that is, before
and two hours after the main meals. Afterwards, and with the doctor's
advice, measuring the blood sugar can be adapted.
These days, diabetes is not considered an illness but a way of life that
needs care and continuous updating.
People with a burdened hereditary background must be very careful and
observant while self control is very important.
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DENTAL FRACTURES
By Nikos Papadakis
Dental Surgeon
What is it:
It's the detachment of a part of the tooth from the visible part of the
tooth or its root.
Causes:
a) Banging of teeth on solid surfaces or with each other during accidents.
b) Decay that gradually undermines the interior of the tooth resulting in
the collapse of their exterior walls even while chewing soft food. c) Tooth
grinding – see previous months – leads to dental fractures. d) Root canal
work sometimes leads to fractures because so much dental substance is
removed that teeth become weak. e) Underdeveloped teeth and/or their roots,
whether they are hereditary or due to organic causes render teeth prone to
fractures.
Treatment:
In treating these fractures we
must take into account the case. More specifically, fractures caused by
accidents are often very painful and require urgent treatment. If the
fracture is limited to the exterior part of the tooth without involving the
nerve, a simple capping of the tooth will suffice. If the nerve is exposed,
then a root canal is done first and then a cap follows. If, however, the
fracture extends to the root, then in some cases the tooth must be
extracted. In cases of decay, usually a simple filling will suffice, unless
the decay is extensive where root canal is warranted. In cases of bruhism,
we pointed out the usefulness of a special night brace. In cases of teeth
that have undergone root canal treatment, we often must support the tooth's
interior with a pin, and cap then cap it. Finally, underdeveloped teeth are
treated with porcelain caps, which are as aesthetically good as they are
functional.
Conclusion:
No matter how scary teeth fractures might appear, they can be treated
effectively as long as the root is strong. Prevention is equally important
and that's why early treatment of decay, capping of root canalled teeth and
a night brace for grinding teeth syndrome is recommended.
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