conditions

#Herpesvirus infections #Mouth diseases and conditions

Cold sores

By Dr. Ahmed Hafez

Key facts Cold sores are small blisters, usually near the mouth. Cold sores are caused by the herpes simplex virus. Cold sores should heal on their own within 2 weeks. You can’t cure cold sores, but medicines can help ease the symptoms. Cold sores don’t cause complications in most people, but newborn babies and people with weakened immune systems have a higher risk. What are cold sores? Cold sores are small blister-like spots that appear in or around the outside of the mouth and are caused by infection with the herpes simplex virus. There is no cure for cold sores,

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#Health topics - T #Parasite conditions

Toxoplasmosis

By Sama Mohamed

What is toxoplasmosis? Toxoplasmosis is a very common disease caused by a parasite. You can have toxoplasmosis and have no symptoms. If you’re pregnant, it can harm your baby. What are the symptoms of toxoplasmosis? You can have toxoplasmosis and have no symptoms. You might feel like you have the flu, with fever, swollen glands, headaches, fatigue or muscle pains. It can last for months. Some people get seriously ill with it. It can affect their eyes, brain or other organs. If it affects your eyes, you might notice your vision is blurry or that your eyes are red, sore or watering. If have

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#Health topics - T #Mouth diseases and conditions

Tongue-tie division (infant)

By Sama Mohamed

What is a tongue-tie? As a baby develops in the womb, the tongue separates from the floor of the mouth. A tongue-tie happens when the tongue does not separate enough. Some tongue-ties are thin while others may be chunky. Some tongue-ties do not cause problems — babies can feed and older children can talk normally. Other tongue-ties do cause problems. What are the benefits of tongue-tie division? Your baby should be able to feed better and their oral hygiene should improve. A tongue-tie. Are there any alternatives to tongue-tie division? Some tongue-ties divide on their own or tear on the lower teeth

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#Health topics - T #Parasite conditions

Threadworms (pinworms)

By Sama Mohamed

Key facts Threadworms are tiny white worms that can live in your intestines. They are most common in children, and cause itching around the anal area. You can catch threadworm if you get worm eggs on your hands and put your hands in your mouth. You can treat threadworm with a single dose of medicine available over-the-counter from the pharmacy. To prevent the spread of threadworm, treat the whole family at the same time and encourage good hygiene. What are threadworms? Threadworms, also called pinworms, are tiny parasites that grow to about 1cm in length and look like tiny pieces

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#Health topics - T #Parasite conditions

Tapeworm

By Sama Mohamed

Key facts Tapeworms (taeniasis) are a type of parasite that live in the intestines of animals.   Humans can become infected by eating or drinking tapeworm eggs or larvae (immature tapeworms) in contaminated meat or water. People with tapeworm infection often have no symptoms, but if you do have symptoms, they will depend on the type of tapeworm you have and where it is in your body. Tapeworm infection can be diagnosed with a stool (poo) sample and/or a blood test. Tapeworm infection is usually treated with medicine. What is worm infection in humans? Many types of worm can cause

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#Health topics - P #Parasite conditions

Primary amoebic meningoencephalitis

By Sama Mohamed

What is primary amoebic meningoencephalitis? Primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM), also called amoebic meningitis, is a serious illness. It causes inflammation of the brain. An amoeba (Naegleria fowleri) causes PAM. The amoebas live in warm, fresh water and soil. Infection often happens during water-based recreational activities. Although many people have contact with the amoebas, only a small number of people develop PAM. What are the symptoms of primary amoebic meningoencephalitis? The symptoms of PAM are the same symptoms as those for meningitis. The first symptoms are: headache high fever nausea (feeling sick) vomiting These symptoms start about 5 days after infection. Later symptoms are: neck

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#Fungal infections #Health topics - O #Mouth diseases and conditions

Oral thrush

By Sama Mohamed

Key facts Oral thrush, also known as oral candidiasis, is a mouth infection caused by a yeast fungus. Many people have candida present in their mouth without experiencing any problems. There are many risk factors for developing oral thrush including diabetes, chronic illness and poor dental hygiene. Oral thrush can be treated with antifungal mouthwashes, ointments or medications. See your doctor if you have severe symptoms of oral thrush or your symptoms return after treatment. What is oral thrush? Oral thrush, also known as oral candidiasis, is an infection of the mouth caused by yeast (a type of fungus) known

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#Dental problems #Health topics - M #Mouth diseases and conditions

Mouth cancer

By Sama Mohamed

Key facts Mouth cancer is an aggressive type of cancer that can affect your lips, tongue or inner mouth. Risk factors include smoking, drinking alcohol, poor mouth hygiene and chewing betel nut. Symptoms may include a painless lump in your mouth or a mouth ulcer (sore) that won’t heal. Mouth cancer is often diagnosed at a late stage, but your chances of treatment success are greater the earlier it is detected. What is mouth cancer? Mouth cancer, also known as oral cancer, develops when abnormal cells grow and divide inside your mouth. Mouth cancer usually begins in your lips, tongue

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#Health topics - M #Mouth diseases and conditions

Mouth and tongue cuts

By Sama Mohamed

Key facts Cuts to the mouth or tongue commonly happen after a fall or knock to the head. If you or someone else has is bleeding from the mouth after a fall or injury, check for other injuries. Apply firm pressure to a cut on the mouth or tongue to help stop the bleeding. Most mouth and tongue cuts heal on their own without stitches. Use saltwater rinses and cold compresses to relieve mouth pain and swelling and to reduce the chance of infection.   When might I get a cut on my mouth or tongue? You might get a

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#kid's health #Parasite conditions #School exclusion periods

Scabies

By Sama Mohamed

Scabies What is scabies? Scabies is a very itchy skin condition caused by a tiny mite (bug). Scabies is contagious and spreads quickly. If you have scabies, the whole family may need to be treated. What are the symptoms of scabies? Scabies causes intense itching and sometimes a rash. It looks like tiny red lumps and threadlike tracks on the skin. The rash is due to an allergic reaction to the mite. The scabies mite prefers to burrow and lay its eggs in skin that is soft and protected. So common areas to get scabies are the wrists, between the

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#Hair problems #Health topics - H #kid's health #Parasite conditions #School exclusion periods

Head lice

By Sama Mohamed

beginning of content   What are head lice? Head lice are tiny wingless insects about the size of a sesame seed that live in the hair of humans and animals where they feed on blood by biting the skin. Head lice commonly affect children but adults can also have lice. What are the symptoms of head lice? Lice often cause itching of the skin. Bites can cause the skin to become red and irritated, which can be made worse by scratching. You can see the lice and nits (eggs) if you look closely at your head and scalp. Nits look

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#Health topics - G #Malabsorption syndromes #Parasite conditions

Giardiasis (giardia)

By Sama Mohamed

Key facts Giardiasis is an infection of the small intestine, spread by hand to mouth contact with the giardia parasite from infected water or faeces. You may have no symptoms, but some people can have diarrhoea, stomach cramps and nausea that may last for months. If you have giardiasis, you should drink plenty of water. You may need to take antibiotics. You can prevent giardiasis by practicing good hygiene and boiling untreated water before drinking, for example if you travel to countries with poor water quality. What is giardiasis? Giardiasis is an infection of the small intestine caused by a

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#Dental problems #Health topics - D #Mouth diseases and conditions

Dry mouth syndrome

By Sama Mohamed

Key facts Dry mouth syndrome, also called xerostomia, is a health condition where your body does not make enough saliva. Dry mouth syndrome can cause tooth decay, mouth ulcers, oral thrush or general health problems. Medical conditions or medicines can cause dry mouth syndrome. Treatment options include switching medicines that can cause dry mouth syndrome, taking medicines to stimulate saliva production, artificial saliva and lifestyle changes. If a medicine is causing your dry mouth, do not make any changes to your doses without first talking with your doctor. What is dry mouth syndrome? Dry mouth syndrome refers to when you

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#Health topics - C #Parasite conditions

Cryptosporidiosis

By Sama Mohamed

Key facts Cryptosporidiosis is a bowel infection caused by a parasite. You can catch it from infected people or animals, or from contaminated food or water, including swimming pools. It usually gets better by itself, but it can cause dehydration. It can be dangerous for people with a weak immune system. Hand washing and good hygiene can prevent it from spreading. What is cryptosporidiosis? Cryptosporidiosis (sometimes called ‘crypto’) is a bowel infection. It is caused by a parasite called cryptosporidium. This parasite can infect humans and animals. It lives in their faeces (poo) from when they first get sick until a

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#Health topics - C #Mouth diseases and conditions

Cleft lip and cleft palate

By Sama Mohamed

Key facts A cleft lip or palate happens when parts of your lip, upper jaw or the roof of your mouth don’t join properly during development in the womb. A cleft lip or palate can lead to problems with breast or bottle feeding, and later with speech. Surgery can resolve these issues as well as help the child’s appearance and speech to develop normally. What is cleft lip or palate? Cleft lip or palate develops when parts of the lip, upper jaw or roof of the mouth don’t join properly in early pregnancy, resulting in a ‘cleft’ or opening. While

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#Health topics - B #Parasite conditions

Bed bugs

By Sama Mohamed

  What are bed bugs? Bed bugs are small oval-shaped and flat insects. They can grow up to 5mm long, changing colour from cream to brown as they mature. While they need to feed on blood to grow, they are resilient and can live for up to a year without a feed. Bed bugs tend to live in cracks and crevices in and around your bed, especially in mattress seams and travel on clothing, furniture, bedding and luggage. They prefer to feed on humans but will also feed on other warm-blooded animals. They mainly feed at night. While they do

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#Health topics - B #Mouth diseases and conditions

Halitosis – bad breath

By Sama Mohamed

Key points Halitosis is the medical name for bad breath. Bad breath is normal when you wake up, and generally disappears after you clean your teeth. If bad breath continues throughout the day, it may be a sign of a dental or other health condition. If bad breath is a problem, see your dentist who can check your mouth for common causes of halitosis, advise you about oral hygiene, and if necessary, refer you to your doctor. What is halitosis? Halitosis is the medical name for bad breath. It’s normal to have bad breath when you first wake up. It

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