Breast Cancer is the commonest cancer affecting women. On average, every 2 minutes a woman is diagnosed with breast cancer and 1 woman will die of breast cancer every 13 minutes. It is currently a global burden on the rise. Therefore, a whole month has been dedicated to informing women and raising awareness to ensure early detection which goes a long way in drastically increasing the chances of survival of an individual.A woman has about a 1 in 8 chance of being diagnosed with breast cancer in her lifetime, according to the National Cancer Institute. Breast Cancer is caused by a genetic abnormality.

It is caused by specific gene mutations that are hereditary. BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes being the most common mutations linked to the disease.Thus, women who have close blood relatives with breast cancer have a higher risk. Having a first-degree relative (mother, sister or daughter) with breast cancer doubles a woman’s risk.However, most women (about 8 out of 10) who get breast cancer do not have a family history of the disease. It can be just a spontaneous gene mutation occurring or associated with other risk factors.It was previously said to be only common in women above 40 years. However recently, the incidence in young women in their 20’s and 30’s is becoming increasingly alarming.

Other risk factors
Other risk factors apart from family history and genetic mutations are;

Dense breast tissue
More fibrous and glandular tissue rather than more fatty tissue can increase breast cancer risk up to twofold and can make visualizing early cancers on a mammogram more difficult.

Reproductive history.
Early menstrual periods before age 12 and starting menopause after age 55 expose women to hormones longer, raising their risk of getting breast cancer.

Previous treatment using radiation therapy.
Women who had radiation therapy to the chest or breasts (such as treatment of Hodgkin’s lymphoma) before age 30 have a higher risk of getting breast cancer later in life.

No pregnancies or a late first pregnancy
(after age 30) minimally raises overall risk, though pregnancy may increase the risk of specific breast cancer subtypes, like triple-negative disease.

Taking hormones.
Some forms of hormone replacement therapy (those that include both oestrogen and progesterone) taken during menopause can raise risk for breast cancer when taken for more than five years. Certain oral contraceptives (birth control pills) also have been found to raise breast cancer risk.

Not being physically active.
Women who are not physically active have a higher risk of getting breast cancer.

Being overweight
(particularly after menopause) increases risk. Losing weight helps reduce this risk by reducing the amount of oestrogen in the body; breast cancer feeds on oestrogen, and levels of this hormone are higher in people who are obese.

Drinking alcohol.
Studies show that a woman’s risk for breast cancer increases with the more alcohol she drinks.

Smoking.
Most of the chemicals inhaled during smoking are carcinogenic.

A lot of research and progress have been made in battling and treatment of breast cancer.And these vary from Surgery, Radiation, Hormonal therapy. The modality of treatment used on a person vary from individual to individual. And this depends a lot on the stage at which the disease was initially diagnosed.Thanks to new treatments and early detection, the five-year relative survival rate for women with breast cancer is about 90 percent. The Key to increasing your chances of survival upon diagnosis is early detection. And this can only be achieved through regular routine self breast examination. At least once every month.Once you notice any signs or changes in your breast, Go see a doctor.Warning signs include:

• New lump in the breast or underarm • Thickening or swelling of part of the breast• Irritation or dimpling of breast skin• Redness or flaky skin on the breast• Pain or pulling in of the nipple area • Nipple discharge other than breast milk, including blood • Any change in the size or shape of the breast • Pain in any area of the breastAre you concerned about any abnormality in the breast? Visit Advocate healthcare for an examination and evaluation of the condition. Remember early detection is critical to survivial((Insert here) a Picture showing the steps of a self-breast examination. )

Background
Quality life and good health have been identified to be influenced by a person’s physical, mental state and a supportive social environment. The perception of a supportive social environment by individuals positively affects one’s way of life. Conditions which are stigmatized in the society are often identified to negatively affect the way of life of people affected and as a result leads to delay in seeking professional help, with halitosis commonly known as bad breath identified as been one of such conditions.

Causes and health impact
Majority of the causes of bad breadth or halitosis are from the mouth, as a result of poor oral hygiene. Conditions that usually present as bad breadth or halitosis include gum disease and dental caries or tooth decay. Other causes include sinus infections, nose infections, throat infections, gastric reflux, diabetes, smoking, dry mouth, liver and lung conditions.  It has been estimated that about 1 out of every 4 individuals suffer from some form of bad breadth to some degree. Halitosis has also been associated with loss of confidence, social embarrassment, anxiety, isolation, reduction in performance at school and/ or work and in rare cases had led to divorce.

Usually, halitosis has been home managed with increased frequency and duration of tooth brushing, use of mint flavored mouth wash and gums due to the transient fresh breath they provide as a form of self care or self help. What these substances do is to mask the condition temporarily without eliminating the underlying cause hence can lead to the problem persisting. The persistence had occasionally resulted in a psychological situation known as halitophobia (fear of halitosis) even after the proper treatment of halitosis; that is patient who genuinely have no halitosis.  Psychogenic halitosis is a person perceiving he or she has bad breadth when in reality there is no such condition or it has been successfully treated

Management
Management of halitosis usually involves multidisciplinary approach. This will include treating the underlying disease or eliminating the cause (Dental management), proper patient counselling and reassurance (psychosocial) and in special cases offer a social support group/ third party confirmation (can be spouse/ family, with patient consent). Dental management usually involves scaling and polishing (cleaning), removal of tooth decay and tooth filling, extraction of badly broken-down teeth, to maintain good oral environment just to mention a few. Other medical specialist may be contacted if cause of halitosis is determined by the dentist to be from conditions not in the mouth like diabetes, liver or lung problems

Prevention
Halitosis can be prevented by maintenance of good oral hygiene. Good oral hygiene could be achieved by regular dental visits, proper toothbrushing, flossing, eating healthy and avoid the excessive taking of strong scented like food items such as garlic.Are you worried about bad breadth personally or in a friend or loved one? Visit Advocate healthcare for a quick diagnosis and efficient management.By: Dennis Appiah Bolfrey
References
Newman T (2018). “Everything you need to know about bad breath”. Medical News Today. http://www,medicalnewstoday.com/articles/166636.php. Accessed 9 Oct. 2018American Dental Association (2018). “Halitosis”. Mouth Healthy. http:// www.mouthhealthy.org/en/az-topics/h/halitosis.

Hypertension is another name for high blood pressure. It can lead to severe complications and increases the risk of heart disease, stroke, and death.Here are 5 fun facts you should know:

1. Nicknamed Silent Killer.
a. Your blood pressure (BP) can be dangerously high but you may feel perfectly well. Do not rely on headaches, chest pain etc. Very often hypertension is “silent”; The ONLY way to determine your blood pressure is to have it checked
b. Too many times, the first evidence a person has been living with hypertension is when he is rushed to the emergency room because he has had a stroke or a heart attack etc.
c. So if you have not checked your blood pressure in the last 3-6 months, kindly have it checked IMMEDIATELY!!Come to Advocate Healthcare for a complete medical exam including a blood pressure check with a detailed report on your current health status.

2. Exercise must be regular and appropriate
a. Exercise is great both at preventing and managing high blood pressure BUT the benefits last for 72 hours per an appropriate session. This essentially means we should exercise regularly to reap the benefits exercise or physical activity has on blood pressure.
b. Find out which exercises are most appropriate for people living with high blood pressure.

3. Hypertension belongs to that group of diseases we refer to as lifestyle diseases
a. Due to our inappropriate way of life, we are often predisposed to such lifestyle diseases and they often attack in multiples. These are diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol, obesity and mild depression.
b. These dangerous lifestyles include:  Lack of physical activity & exercise, Diet high in fats and oils, sugar and salt but low in vegetables & fruits, Smoking, Excessive alcohol intakec. Your prevention or management of this disease must include lifestyle changes.

4. Uncontrolled high blood pressure can lead to organ damage and death
a. Organs such as the brain, eye, heart and kidneys among several others can be damaged by this silent killer.
b. Once you are diagnosed with hypertension, your doctor will carry out several tests to determine if your hypertension is “partnering” with other disease conditions or if there has been any organ damage.

5. Do not 'play doctor' with your health
a. Keep appointments with a medical doctor. It is criminal to skip doctor's review dates and just go to a pharmacy shop and refill your BP medication.
b. Your doctor may sometimes need to carry out tests to monitor progress of your state of health and in turn modify your medication (either by changing medications, increasing or lowering doses); make time to see a doctor as advised.Visit Advocate Healthcare clinics and see our friendly and caring doctors for a review on the state of your blood pressure.
c. Do not stop prescribed medications and place your trust in supplements etc. Supplements or fruits and vegetables do exactly what their name implies; they supplement our health state. They do not replace medications.

Tooth impaction is a when a tooth fails to grow out from the gum or bone. Third molars are the most commonly impacted teeth. This is due to the fact that they are the last teeth to grow into the mouth and as a result may have limit space to erupt. Most cases of third molar impaction occur in thelower jaw. The impaction of a third molar may be partial or complete. Partial impactionis when part of the tooth is within the gum whilst total/ complete impaction iswhen the tooth is fully embedded in bone.Problems arising from impacted wisdom tooth are mostly associated with the partially impacted type with the complete impacted type contributing to a few.
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Conditions associated with impacted wisdom teeth include; Pericoronitis, trismus, periodontal/ peri coronal abscess,submandibular abscesses, dental caries which may also affect the second molar,Ludwig’s angina, and tumors such as Ameloblastoma.Conditions such as pericoronitis may be recurrent and maypresent as pain, swelling, limited mouth opening, arises as a result ofinflammation of the gums around the wisdom tooth that may be due to foodpacking underneath the gum or constant trauma from the opposing wisdom tooth.If this condition is left untreated it may progress to submandibular abscessand some near fatal dental conditions such as Ludwig’s angina or fasciitisManagement of impacted wisdom teeth may be by extraction oroperculectomy based on the nature of impaction. Other advanced surgicalprocedure may be done if the impaction is associated with conditions such astumors, cysts or spreading infection and abscesses. Visit Advocate Healthcareto have your dentist check out your wisdom teeth.

Pre-conception health is a woman’s health before she becomes pregnant. It means knowing how health conditions and risk factors could affect the woman or her unborn baby if she becomes pregnant. For example certain foods, habits and medicines can harm the baby even before the baby is conceived.
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What Should A WomanPlanning To Concieve Do?
‍• Healthy eating • Taking folic acid supplement • Healthy weight • Avoiding alcohol abuse, smoking and taking of unprescribed drugs and caffeine• Talk to a health care provider eg midwife or a doctorManagement of chronic diseases, sexually transmitted infections (STIs) such as chlamydia, gonorrhea, HIV and syphilis.

What is Pre-Conception Care?
Pre-conception care is care you receive before you get pregnant. Your healthcare provider can help you figure out which steps to take such as finding out and taking care of problems that might affect you and your baby later. eg. diabetes or high blood pressure.Why is Pre-conception Health & Care Important?It is to improve pregnancy outcomes and women’s health in general through prevention of disease and management of risk factors that affect pregnancy outcomes.

Conclusion
Pre-conception care offers a simple means of improving the preparedness of women and men for pregnancy. This will benefit not only the health of the future child, but certainly also that of the prospective parents. It would be therefore advisable to visit Advocate Healthcare for couples working on conception to receive this very essential service in preparation for conception.

The supporting structures of the teeth are collectively referred to as the periodontium, so a healthy periodontium means better teeth support. Periodontal diseases also known as gum diseases are bacterial infections of the gum and or the bony structures surrounding the teeth, which can manifest in various symptoms such as as bleeding gums, gum pain, loose teeth, bad breadth (halitosis or mouth odour) and even loss of teeth.

In Ghana, some communities believe that each pregnancy or childbirth should normally be accompanied by the loss of a tooth. This belief however is wrong. Loss of a tooth during pregnancy is not normal but rather an indication of a severe form of gum disease resulting from hormonal changes during the period of pregnancy which is preventable. Clinical studies have shown an association between Pregnancy and periodontal health and indicate that pregnancy affects the progress of gum disease. This may lead to women loosing their teeth during pregnancy.

Furthermore, it was shown that women with gum disease during pregnancy are at high risk of having complications such as pre term birth, low birth weight of child and pre-eclampsia. Also, gum disease may worsen diabetes and cardiovascular disease.Therefore it is recommended that all pregnant women maintain healthy gums by regular brushing with a soft to medium textured brush and fluoride-containing toothpaste, flossing and visiting the dental clinic as part of their regular antenatal care.Visit Advocate Healthcare when pregnant for your regular scaling and polishing and gum care (cleaning) and enjoy a 20 % discount exclusively for pregnant women.
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Women are offered prenatal laboratory testing during pregnancy to determine whether a baby is likely to have specific genetic condition or birth defect. The results can help you make the best health care choices before and after your child is born.

When Are Prenatal Screening Tests Done?
Most of these tests are noninvasive. They’re usually performed during the first (10 weeks) and second (14 and 18 weeks) trimesters, although some are performed during the third. Prenatal tests are useful, but it’s important to know how to interpret the results. Some prenatal genetic tests are screening tests. They tell you if your baby has a higher risk of having a certain disorder or disease, but they can’t tell you for sure that he’ll be born with it. Other “diagnostic” tests will give you an additional definite answer. Usually, you’ll get this kind after you have a positive result on a screening test.

Who Is Offered Testing?
All pregnant women, regardless of age, have the option to undergo prenatal testing. However, as women age, the chance of having a baby with a birth defect or a genetic problem increases. So the age of the mother is the most common reason for prenatal testing.Other reasons that a woman may be offered prenatal testing include:

• Are over age 35 • Have had premature baby or a baby with a birth defect before • Have a genetic disorder or one that runs in your family or your partners family • Have a medical condition like diabetes, high blood pressure, a seizure disorder, or an autoimmune disorder such as lupus • Have had miscarriages or stillborn babies in the past • Have had gestational diabetes or preeclampsia when you were pregnant before

Routine Prenatal Tests
There are different prenatal tests you can get in your first, second, and third trimester. Some check your health and others get information about your baby.Throughout your pregnancy, you’ll get routine exams to make sure you’re healthy. Medical laboratory Scientist will check samples of your blood and urine for certain conditions, including:

HIV I & II Hepatitis B and C Syphilis Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) (stool) Urinary Tract Infections (urine) Sugar (gestational diabetes) Glucose-6-Phosphate Dehydrogenase (G6PD) Sickling Blood group Gonorrhea

Prenatal screening (laboratory) tests can be an important source of information for many people. While a lot of these tests are routine, some can be a much more personal decision (visiting the clinic to check before pregnancy).  If you’re not sure if you should be screened or if you’re feeling anxious, talk to your healthcare team.  At Advocate Healthcare, your healthcare team can discuss the risks and benefits with you and help you decide whether prenatal screening is right for you.

Therefore the next time you make a visit to the hospital, be sure to have yourself tested for these test if you’re expecting a baby or if you want to become a mother.

By Collins Amponsah (MLS)

Source:1. WebMD.www.webmd.com/baby/your-guide-prenatal-testing#42. American Pregnancy Association. americanpregnancy.org/pregnancy-complications/group-b-strep-infection/

Few minutes after tooth brushing saliva forms a thin layer over tooth surfaces. This film of saliva sticks to and serves as substrates or habitat for food particles and bacteria in the oral cavity. These bacteria tend to act on food particles to form dental plaque on teeth surfaces. This plaque is well organized and is adsorbed onto the teeth which traps more bacteria of different species which may be more virulent.

Due to the organized nature of plaque it can only be destroyed by teeth brushing. Over a period of time the dental plaque becomes calcified to form Calculus/ tartar due to the mineral ions it absorbs from saliva. Calculus cannot be removed by tooth brushing.

Calculus on their own do not contain living bacteria and cannot cause any dental disease, however they trap plaque on their surfaces which contains active bacteria that cause dental infections diseases such as periodontal disease and or dental caries. Dental plaque accumulation can also lead to halitosis.

To be able to effectively remove calculus and also destroy dental plaque, a procedure known as scaling and polishing or root debridement is done. This dental procedure is both therapeutic a; as a treatment for periodontal (gum diseases) and prophylactic; prevention for dental diseases. Regular dental visits for scaling/cleaning does not only prevent people from developing dental diseases, but also saves patients the cost of treating dental diseases.

Usually your dental professional will recommend scale and polish every six months. However, some people who have active periodontal disease may require this treatment more regularly and so your dentist will in that case give you a customized recall interval for scaling and polishing unique to your needs. Visit Advocate Healthcare for your customized dental scale and polish regimen unique to your needs.

Call Advocate Healthcare today on 0501583744/3