Nutrition. Vitamins. You.
Bromelain- The Power of Pineapple Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND Bromelain is an enzyme that has been written about many times in the past. In fact, there are even a few blogs on the Invite website itself! Yet, despite this, people still have a few unanswered …
Sinus Infections or Sinusitis Part 2 Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND In my last blog on sinusitis I started with a description of what the sinuses are, where they are and even what they do. I then talked about what the symptoms of sinusitis are. (1,2,3) …
Sinus Infections or Sinusitis Part 1
Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND
I wanted to talk about sinus infections for several reasons. Obviously, the location of the sinus cavities plays a role in the decision to talk about them during a review of dental health. In addition to location, the symptoms of a sinus infection can mimic other dental concerns. So, I thought a review on sinus infections was a great idea! Let us get into it, shall we?
What ARE sinuses? The paranasal sinuses are caves in the bones of our face that produce mucus. These caves are normally filled with air. Paranasal sinuses are arranged in pairs, 1 on the left and one on the right side of our face. I have attached a picture so you can see what this looks like. (1)
As I have said sinuses produce mucus. Now you might not expect me to say this, but mucus does a lot more than just making you blow your nose! Mucus can help fight infections. It also adds moisture and heat to the air you breathe. It is like a natural humidifier! In addition to making mucus the paranasal sinuses do quite a few other things! Since these cavities or caves are hollow, they also reduce the weight of your skull. The sinuses can also serve as “crash zones” that can absorb some of the force during head trauma which can help protect crucial structures such as the brain. Lastly the sinuses can influence how your voice sounds! (1)
Now that I have reviewed what and where the paranasal sinuses are let us get into the bulk of this blog. That is sinus infections. Now I have been using the term sinus infection but that is really a generic term that is applied to any form of sinusitis. Both acute and chronic sinusitis occur when there is inflammation or swelling in the tissues that line the sinuses. This inflammation can cause them to become blocked and filled with fluid. This is what causes the pressure and pain and other sinusitis symptoms. Please see the attached picture for what this looks like. (2)
As I alluded to there are 2 forms of sinusitis. These are acute sinusitis and chronic sinusitis. Simply put, acute sinusitis is typically caused by viruses and lasts less than 4 weeks. Chronic sinusitis is usually caused by bacteria and lasts more than 12 weeks. Sinusitis lasting between 4 to 12 weeks is usually called subacute sinusitis. If you have acute sinusitis symptoms that come back 4 or more times in 1 year and last less than 14 days (about 2 weeks) each time it is usually called recurrent acute sinusitis. (2)
Sinusitis is usually caused by viruses, bacteria, fungi, and allergens. Something interesting about sinusitis is that while it is not contagious the viruses, bacteria and fungi that lead to sinusitis are all contagious! What are some factors that increase the risk of sinusitis? Having allergies, asthma and nasal polyps all increase the risk of sinusitis. Having a deviated septum is also a risk factor. Smoking or having a weakened immune system can also increase the risk of sinusitis. (2)
What are the symptoms of sinusitis? First, you may feel pressure or pain in your teeth, ears, and face. You may have a stuffy nose, runny nose, and postnasal drip. You may have a cough, headache, fever and feel fatigued. Lastly you may notice bad breath. (2) Now sinusitis can mimic a number of dental issues. In my next blog I will be reviewing how sinusitis is diagnosed. I will also be reviewing how to tell you the difference between a concern with your dental health and with your sinus. Interestingly enough sinusitis can also mimic a cold so I’ll be including a brief description on how to distinguish between the 2 conditions. Lastly, I’ll be reviewing supplements such as Olive Leaf Extract, Green Tea, Black Seed and even my old favorite, NAC!
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Strontium Citrate for Bone Health Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND I wanted to talk about Strontium citrate because most people have either not heard of it or have some very interesting ideas about it. In fact I recently had a conversation with someone who wasn’t sure …
Dental Bone Loss Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND Bone loss is a topic that every woman has heard of once they reach a certain age. However, men must also be concerned with bone loss! Typically, when most people think of bone loss they usually think of …
Understanding Vitamin C
Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND
In my experience everyone has heard that Vitamin C is good for our health. In fact, it’s everywhere you look these days! But while you may have heard that using vitamin C is “good for the health of the body” do you really know why it is so important or even all the ways it works to keep you healthy? Let us get into it, shall we?
Vitamin C is a water-soluble nutrient, considered to be an essential nutrient. The reason it is essential is because it is a vital nutrient for certain bodily processes and yet our body is unable to produce it. An interesting fun fact about Vitamin C is that while most animals are able to produce their own Vitamin C humans, and our friend’s guinea pigs are not able to make it. Thus, we must get it in our diet. How much Vitamin C is the minimum needed to prevent Scurvy (Vitamin C deficiency)? Please see the attached link below. (1)
Now I bet I know what you are thinking! You are thinking something along the lines of Dr. Claire its 2025 nobody is low in Vitamin C anymore. That unfortunately would not be correct. In one study it was found that up to 26.7 out of every 100,000 children met the criteria for Scurvy! It was also found in the same study that up to 64% of those with scurvy had a diagnosis of autism. (2) According to the Cleveland clinic in the US 7.1% of people are at risk of developing a Vitamin C deficiency. (3)
What does Vitamin C even do for us? One of the many functions of Vitamin C is protein metabolism. It is also a required nutrient for the biosynthesis of collagen, connective tissues, L-Carnitine and even neurotransmitters. Studies have found that Vitamin C is also important because it helps to regenerate other antioxidants in the body. Vitamin C is also important because it helps improve the absorption of iron. Overall, you can think of Vitamin C as being important for the growth, development and even wound healing of the skin, bones and connective tissue. When I say connective tissue, I mean structures such as blood vessels. When it comes to our oral/ dental health Vitamin C is important for maintaining healthy teeth and gums! When I mentioned healing studies have found it can help heal burns and other wounds. (3) Studies have found that Vitamin C can help fight the inflammation that is associated with many chronic diseases. (4) One benefit of Vitamin C that you may not expect is it helps to relax the blood vessels and thus possibly help with blood pressure. (5) In fact, in 1 study Vitamin C was found to reduce systolic blood pressure by 3.8mmHg and diastolic by 1.5 mmHg on average. (6) In an analysis of 9 studies over 10 years those who took Vitamin C were found to have a 25% lower risk of heart disease. (7) In another study Vitamin C was found to significantly reduce LDL and blood triglycerides.
Vitamin C has been found to potentially help reduce uric acid build up. In fact, in 1 study over a 10-year period those who used Vitamin C had a 44% lower risk of developing gout.(8) Studies also support using Vitamin C to boost immune health. Lastly, studies have also found that Vitamin C has a protective effect on both thinking and memory.
As you can see Vitamin C is an amazing nutrient! It is much more than just that thing “you take for a cold”. You can find Vitamin C in Invite’s Buffered C 500mg and 1000mg as well as Immunity Hx and Macula Advanced!
Our next topic will be Dental Bone Loss.
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