Cirrhosis

When thinking about cirrhosis I most commonly associate this liver disease with alcoholism. Cirrhosis is “a condition in which the liver slowly deteriorates and is unable to function normally due to chronic or long lasting injury.” What this means is that our healthy liver tissue is ultimately replaced with scar tissue causing blockage for blood flow. The liver plays a large role in our body’s ability to metabolize food which is the process of turning food into energy. Because the liver has many functions it is necessary for it to be healthy. Scar tissue is formed when the liver is subject to severe or long lasting damage and is unable to regenerate its cells back. This process of scar tissue accumulation happens over a long time span. Depending on the stage that the individual is in with the cirrhosis diagnosis their liver will still function, but as time goes on and the buildup gets worse the liver could end up failing. If an individual’s cirrhosis is this severe they would most likely be placed on the organ transplant list, in hopes of receiving a new liver that will be able to perform all of the functions. 

Cirrhosis can be caused by many diseases. As previously mentioned alcoholism is a leading cause. The excessive consumption of alcohol can cause liver disease, however for an individual to develop cirrhosis from alcohol consumption it has to be over years of abuse of the substance. Another disease that is commonly associated with causing cirrhosis is hepatitis C this disease causes the liver to swell. Hepatitis C is spread through blood contamination. Just like alcoholism, it takes a long time for signs of cirrhosis to be seen if the individual has hepatitis C. The last cause that will be discussed is that of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease this is fat buildup within the liver. This can be caused by high blood pressure, diabetes and even individuals who are considered to be overweight. 

If diagnosed with cirrhosis an individual can expect many complications due to the disease. Furthermore, many individuals do not realize that they have cirrhosis until they are either experiencing symptoms or being examined for something else. People should be aware of their family medical history to see if other members have suffered from cirrhosis. This could lead to their potential diagnosis and can provide insight. Cirrhosis can also be determined if someone is getting blood work done, their blood will show abnormal liver enzyme levels indicating further examination. Cirrhosis can lead to complication and possibly being diagnosed with other diseases or illnesses. Liver cancer is commonly correlated with cirrhosis. Another symptom that cirrhosis can lead to is "bleeding and easily being bruised", this is because the production is delayed or working slowly potentially stopping the proteins necessary for blood clotting. 

People can take preventive measures that could reduce chances of cirrhosis. One of the major things that people can do to prevent cirrhosis is be cautious of what you are consuming, whether it be alcohol consumption to your eating habits and nutritional intake. This is probably the most important thing that someone can due which could not only prevent cirrhosis but also many other diseases.  

However, if diagnosed with cirrhosis people may experience loss of appetite possibly leading to malnutrition. Another symptom is constantly feeling weak and tired. The liver is one of the most important organs in our body it “removes harmful substances from your blood.” Having cirrhosis can delay the functions that the liver does and therefore cause complications. 

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Fluoride

What is fluoride? When an individual hears the word fluoride they probably think about their dentist office, and the treatment that they put on their teeth. Fluoride is defined as a salt of hydrofluoric acid consisting of two elements, fluorine as sodium fluoride and fluorine as methyl fluoride. What this means is that fluoride is used to prevent tooth decay and, we are not only exposed to fluoride at the dentist office but in our everyday lives. 

Is fluoride bad for you? According to the American Dental Association fluoride that is in our drinking water is safe and beneficial because it works.  Fluoride in drinking water prevents up to 25% of tooth decay in children and adults. It is believed that because fluoride is natural it is good for our health and because it prevents tooth decay and cavities it has to be good. However, if you look on the back of your tube of toothpaste one of the warnings listed is that if you accidentally swallow toothpaste the individual should call their nearest poison control center. This raises many concerns, and has people questioning whether or not fluoride actually is good for you. When researching it is crucial to look not only at dental sites but also published research. Fluoride is toxic at certain concentrations.

Where does fluoride come from: toothpaste and drinking water? Fluoride is a natural mineral that is found in bodies of water, such as streams, lakes and the ocean. Fluoride is dissolved into the ground and that is where we get our drinking water from, therefore our drinking water used to contain about 1 part per million, however it was recently changed to a safer level of .7 parts per million. According to ilikemyteeth.org where there is not enough fluoride in water, local water operators add just enough to ensure the optimal level to protect our teeth. Crest was the first company who introduced fluoridated toothpaste in the 1950’s. Fluoride was added in an attempt to reduce cavities and prevent tooth decay for all individuals.  Is fluoride that is in toothpaste and water the same? Yes, fluoride that is in drinking water is the same as fluoride that is in toothpaste. However, there is a different amount that is contained in both. Toothpastes contain about .15% of fluoride.

What is the history of fluoride use? Fluoride started being used for oral health in the 40’s. It was 1945 that fluoride was added to water supply in Grand Rapids, Michigan for a study to see if it would have an effect on individuals oral health. This study was a breakthrough and now billions of people are benefiting from a somewhat free oral care that is helping reduce cavities and working as a preventative for tooth decay. How does Ohio look at fluoride? Ohio has a fluoridation law that mandates adding fluoride to all water providers who supply a population of 5,000 people or more when the level is less than .8 mg/L. Ohio does allow communities to exempt themselves from complying to the law if they do not wish to take part in the health measure.

Does fluoride affect the brain or other organs? The Harvard School of Public Health states that fluoride seems to fit in with lead, mercury and other poisons that cause chemical brain drain.  Studies have shown that fluoride is known to damage the developing brain and can cause serious disorders is exposed to high levels. What are the benefits of fluoride? There are many benefits to fluoride, one being that fluoride is natural in our soil and to our water supply, however, it the amount of fluoride can vary depending on the source of water.