Paper cuts are quite frustrating. As a writing tutor, I’ve handled several papers and experienced many paper cuts over the years. Often it’s the minor injuries that hurt the most. Whether thumbing through a stack of papers or a book, paper cuts are inevitable.

A paper cut doesn’t necessarily need to be caused by paper. Other thin, stiff materials can slice your skin similarly—blades of grass, aluminum foil and so on.

Although similar to a cut from a razor blade, paper cuts leave behind chemical material (the substance that coats the paper) such as bleach that can sting. This material as well as bacteria and other particles stay in the wound and stimulate the skin’s pain receptors. The cut is normally shallow and doesn’t bleed much, but that means the pain receptors are exposed to air which only adds to the pain.

Paper Cut Symptoms

A paper cut can easily become red, infected, swollen and may throb if not properly treated.

Home remedies for Paper Cuts

Here’s the initial course of action for paper cuts:

1. Wash the area thoroughly with water and antibacterial soap
2. Apply antibiotic ointment—reapply 3 times daily
3. Bandage

Use iodine to cut down the pain and help heal the wound.

Try a slice of raw potatoe—hold it on the cut for a while to draw out the inflammation and reduce your discomfort.

Some dermatologists think that Krazy Glue is safe to use for small cuts (and in small quantities) for a limited amount of time. There is however, the obvious downfall to this method—don’t get yourself stuck to something!

Despite my strange addiction to Chapstick, I’ve only recently heard of people rubbing Chapstick on their paper cuts to heal them right away. Seem like it might work, but I probably wouldn’t use one with a lot of chemicals or fragrances.

—Nolan

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I was about 6 years old or so when my oldest brother was bit by my neighbor’s dachshund. I don’t think he provoked Heidi, the dachshund, other than we were playing tag in my neighbor’s yard and she may not have liked her owner being chased after. There was no warning bark, surprising for these incessant yelpers, and so came as a big surprise to my brother when she took a bite at his leg as he ran across the yard. I know it scared the heck outta me, I can’t tell you how it affected my then 12 year old brother.

I don’t know how he got to the hospital, one of my parents must have been home, but I do remember him lying miserably on the couch later that evening telling us about the shots he had to get in his stomach. That sounded more painful than the dog bite. I avoided going over to my neighbor’s as much as possible, and avoided Heidi even more. She was just one of three ankle-biting steady-yelping dachshunds. I had no desire to tempt Gabby and Gretchen to try their luck at “tag.”

About Dog Bites

More than 4 million Americans are bitten by dogs each year, and about 800,000 of these people, of which 44% are younger than 14 years old, seek medical attention. One dozen or more dog bite related fatalities occur each year in the US, and most of these are children. Most dog bites aren’t provoked, but there are still some precautions adults and children can take to reduce the likelihood of being bitten. In the case of a dog bite, your family physician must know what to do to treat the bites effectively.

In 1994, an estimated 34 million American families had a dog as a family pet, making the canine population in the United States in excess of 55 million. There are some dogs that are considered more aggressive than others like Rottweilers, German Shepherds, Pitt Bulls, Doberman Pincers, Chows, Malamutes and Wolf hybrid breeds. Even though most dogs never bite a human, any dog is capable of inflicting harm under certain circumstances. Children are the most common victims of dog bite, especially those proving to be fatal. Most reported cases of dog bite involve the dog owned by the victim’s family or neighbors, and are from unprovoked attacks. For example, neonatal deaths from dog bite most frequently happen to sleeping babies.

Steps to Prevent Dog Bite

• Never leave a young child alone with a pet.

• Do not try to separate fighting animals.

• Avoid sick animals and animals that you don’t know.

• Leave animals alone while they’re eating.

• Keep pets on a leash when in public.

• Select your family pet carefully, and be sure to keep your pet’s vaccinations up-to-date.

How to Treat a Dog Bite

Knowing first aid procedures for dog bite can help you or your family member avoid a more serious wound, or at the very least, help to prevent infection or serious lasting damage. If an animal bites you or a friend or family member, follow these guidelines:
For minor wounds:

• If the bite barely breaks the skin and there is no danger of rabies, treat it as a minor wound. Wash the wound thoroughly with soap and water. Apply an antibiotic cream to prevent infection and cover the bite with a clean bandage. Keep the injury elevated above the level of the heart to slow swelling and prevent infection. Apply antibiotic ointment to the area 2 times every day until it heals.

For deep wounds:

• If the animal bite creates a deep puncture of the skin or the skin is badly torn and bleeding, apply pressure with a clean, dry cloth to stop the bleeding and see your doctor.

For infection:

• If you notice signs of infection, such as swelling, redness, increased pain or oozing, see your doctor immediately.

For suspected rabies:

• If you suspect the bite was caused by an animal that might carry rabies — including any wild or domestic animal of unknown immunization status — see your doctor immediately.

Make sure you report the incident to the appropriate official in your community (e.g. police or animal control).

What to expect from your Physician in the case of Dog Bite

• Examine the wound for possible nerve or tendon damage, or bone injury. He or she will also check for signs of infection.

• Clean the wound with a special solution and remove any damaged tissue.

• May use stitches to close a bite wound, but often the wound is left open to heal, so the risk of infection is lowered.

• May prescribe an antibiotic to prevent infection.

• May give you a tetanus shot if you had your last shot more than 5 years ago.

• May ask you to schedule an office visit to check your wound again in 1 to 2 days.

• If your injury is severe, or if the infection has not gotten better even though you’re taking antibiotics, your doctor may suggest that you see a specialist and/or go to the hospital, where you can get special medicine given directly in your veins (intravenous antibiotics) and further treatment if necessary.

-Anne

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I remember when my niece got oral thrush as an infant. It was, up until then, the grossest thing I’d ever heard of. Now that I know it’s pretty common among infants and what causes it, it doesn’t seem quite so bad.

What is Oral Thrush?

Oral thrush is an overgrowth of the fungus Candida albicans. It accumulates on the lining of the mouth—tongue, cheeks, and can sometimes spread to the lips, gums, and roof of the mouth or back of the throat.

Oral thrush is characterized by creamy white lesions that can be painful and may even bleed if they’re scraped or with teeth brushing.

Oral thrush can affect anyone, but is most common in infants and toddlers, older adults and in people with compromised immune systems where symptoms can become more serious, widespread and difficult to control. In other words, the Candida albicans fungus may infect other parts of the body simultaneously and more severely.

Symptoms of Oral Thrush

White lesions that resemble cottage cheese on the inside of the cheeks and tongue are signs of oral thrush. As mentioned above, the lesions can be painful and may bleed slightly. The symptoms commonly develop all of a sudden and may continue for quite some time.

If it’s a severe case, the lesions may spread into the esophagus (Candida esophagitis), and swallowing becomes difficult and it may feel like food has become lodged in the throat.

Healthy infants who develop oral thrush usually develop it in the first few weeks of life. Nursing mothers need to treat themselves as well as the infant; otherwise they will continue to pass the fungus back and forth between the nursing infant and the mother’s breast. The signs that a mother’s breasts are infected with candida are:

• Unusually red or sensitive nipples

• Shiny or flaky skin on the areola

• Unusual pain during nursing or painful nipples between feedings

• Stabbing pains deep within the breasts

Causes of Oral Thrush

Microorganisms live in and on your body. These viruses, bacteria and fungi in the “right” balanced proportions stimulate your immune system, create essential vitamins, and help protect against the harmful viruses and bacteria. When the relationship becomes unbalanced, the “bad” microbes overtake the “good” ones and cause an infection. A weakened immune system caused by disease or drugs (like Prednisone), or antibiotics are some factors that may cause an imbalance of microorganisms in the body. The reason it’s so common in infants is because they’re immune systems aren’t yet fully developed.

Home Remedies for Oral Thrush

The primary goal of oral thrush remedies is to stop the growth of the fungus.
Home Remedies for adults:

• Mix two teaspoons of apple cider vinegar to one cup cool water. Gargle with solution. Do not swallow. After gargling, dip a cotton swab in undiluted apple cider vinegar and apply directly on to the oral sores. Do not rinse. Allow to stand overnight.

• Mix a few drops of tea tree oil (approximately 5 to 8 drops) into a glass of either warm or cold water. Gargle the mixture for about a minute. Let the solution touch all the parts of the mouth (throat, palate, cheek lining). Be careful not to swallow the solution. Gargle two times a day (preferably once in the morning and once before sleeping).

• Drinking buttermilk is a traditional oral thrush home remedy.

• Garlic has anti-fungal properties, and tablets from the health food store may help during an outbreak of thrush.

Home Remedies for Infants and toddlers:

• Treating oral thrush in toddlers may involve the use of antibiotics or the addition of unsweetened yogurt to the diet to balance the body’s bacteria.

-Anne

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I know of very few people who haven’t wet their bed at least once throughout their childhood. For some of us, bed-wetting is more of a chronic problem. This was the case for most of my siblings, and for a family with eight kids that’s a lot of dirty laundry. I don’t think I had much guilt over it since all of my sisters and two of my brothers wet the bed either frequently or on occasion. It became routine to get up and change my sheets and pajamas. Sometimes it was bad enough that I would take a quick bath as well. We became pretty efficient at handling the problem; 7 or 8 year old veterans of cleaning up after a bed-wetting episode.

My brothers, who happened to be twins, struggled with enuresis throughout middle school. My parents made a decision to put them on medication to aid in the gaining of bladder control. That seemed to work for them. They seemed to have the bed-wetting problem under control by the time they were 14, not soon enough for enuresis suffers I’m sure, but just in time for high school.

What is Bed-Wetting?

Bed-wetting, medically known as enuresis, is common among kids under the age of 5 as they grow and learn to control their bladder. Approximately 5 million to 7million children wet the bed. Bed wetting is more common in boys than it is in girls. 5-10% of children from the age of 3-5 wet their beds. Most children gain full bladder control by the age of 7.

There are two types of enuresis—primary and secondary. Primary enuresis occurs when children are toddlers, and are learning to gain bladder control. Secondary enuresis is when a child, after at least six months of a dry bed in the morning starts to wet the bed again. This type of enuresis usually indicates an underlying problem and should be addressed.

Causes of Enuresis

There are many varied reasons for bed-wetting. Some factors for primary enuresis may include:

• Genetic factors (it tends to run in families)
• Difficulties waking up from sleep
• Slower than normal development of the central nervous system—this reduces the child’s ability to stop the bladder from emptying at night
• Hormonal factors (not enough antidiuretic hormone–this hormone reduces the amount of urine made by the kidneys)
• Abnormalities in the urethral valves in boys or in the ureter in girls or boys
• Abnormalities in the spinal cord
• Inability to hold urine for a long time because of a small bladder

Causes for secondary enuresis include:

• Urinary tract infections
• Arrival of a younger sibling
• Conflict between parents within the home
• Other emotional factors

Treatment

Generally, children will outgrow bed-wetting by the age of 5-7. Bed-wetting beyond that age may specify an underlying problem, and you may want to consult with your physician to rule out any medical causes. There are things you can do for your children who wet the bed to make enuresis easier to deal with emotionally.

What ever you do, don’t shame your child for wetting the bed. Children wet the bed for many reasons; disobedience, laziness, and stubbornness are not any of them. Patience, compassion and understanding are necessary in helping children who wet the bed make a transition that is free of guilt and shame.

Primary Enuresis:

• Praise your child on dry mornings—this will tell him/her that it is possible not to wet the bed and give them hope; particularly important for school-aged children.
• Have your child help you strip and launder the soiled sheets and make the bed—this shows him/her that he or she is still responsible even though they’re not at fault. It enables your child to contribute to a part of the solution, thus feeling less powerless.
• Limit the amount of liquids your child drinks an hour before bedtime—although this isn’t a cause of bedwetting, it will lessen the amount of waste that will be held in the bladder throughout the night.
• Make sure your child uses the toilet every night before bed—again, not a significant cause of bedwetting, but the affects of enuresis may be lessened by emptying the bladder just before bedtime.
• Make sure your child is getting plenty of rest to aid in your child’s ability to wake up if he/she feels the urge to urinate.

Secondary enuresis:

• Consult with a physician if you suspect a medical condition such as urinary tract infection, enuresis is merely a symptom and the chief problem must be addressed
• Consult with a mental health professional if you suspect an emotional problem related to situational factors such as grief from a death in the family, adjusting to the arrival of a new sibling, divorce or separation, conflict between parents in the home, etc. Children often just need to be comforted or validated. Specialists in juvenile therapy may be able to help your child when you can’t.

-Anne

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I have been one of those unfortunate people who collected tartar like an adult even as a young child. Even with the excessive tartar build-up, as an intermittent smoker, coffee and tea drinker, my teeth remain fairly white. My parents get most of the credit for remaining diligent about regular visits to the dentist throughout my childhood, and making sure we used proper dental hygiene. We were also tortured with a lack of junk food as a regular part of our diet.

My siblings and I were entitled to two sandwich cookies a day with lunch, and maybe a bowl of ice cream for dessert after dinner. Holiday candies were doled out sparingly throughout the course of the year, but our Christmas stockings principally contained nuts and fruits with only a small amount of candy. Easter baskets contained only a few jelly beans, and even fewer chocolate or marshmallow treats. On Halloween, we thought we’d hit the jackpot—until our candy was poured into a community bag and disbursed at the discretion of Mom and Dad. So I owe the state of my fairly pearly whites primarily to my parents, hereditary factors included.

Why do Teeth Stain?

Teeth are protected by an outer protective coating called enamel. As enamel breaks down or erodes the underlying layer of yellowish dentin shows through. In addition, the same foods and drinks that stain our clothes if spilled on them also begin to seep into the weak enamel and stain our teeth.

Other stains are intrinsic; they stain from the inside out. Children who took certain antibiotics such as tetracycline or whose mothers took tetracycline while they were pregnant, may have intrinsic stains on their teeth. Silver fillings may also leach out and stain the surrounding teeth. Root canals are another cause of intrinsic stains. Tooth enamel naturally wears over time, so age is another factor that leads to yellowing of teeth as well as hereditary factors.

How to Prevent the Yellowing of Teeth

The best treatment for anything is prevention. Proper dental hygiene will help diminish the build-up of tartar which aids in the breakdown of dental enamel. Dental professionals recommend brushing your child’s teeth as soon as the first one starts to break through the gums. This will get your child used to brushing at a very young age, and a positive habit will already be formed by the time long-term memory develops. Brushing every morning and every night is a must. Whenever possible, brushing after meals will go a long way to help reduce the amount of sugar in the mouth that may eat away at the enamel. When brushing after meals isn’t possible, rinse your mouth by swishing a swig of water and then swallowing. Floss in the morning and before you go to bed to remove any plaque that may collect between the teeth. Visits to the dentist should occur at least every six months for care and cleaning of the teeth.

Avoid:
• Drinking sodas, coffee and tea as rule
• Tobacco of any kind, including smokeless
• Candy and chocolate as a rule
• Foods made with refined sugars
• Laying your child down to sleep with a bottle. The liquid that isn’t swallowed if the child falls asleep with the bottle in his/her mouth will slowly erode the teeth, even before they have broken through the gums.

How to Treat Yellowing Teeth

Besides trips to the dentist and expensive dental bleaching processes, there are some things you can do at home to help whiten your teeth. Home remedies won’t be as effective if you continue to use tobacco and drink coffee, tea, and sodas. These are obviously the main teeth staining culprits.

Home Remedies for stained teeth:
• Baking soda—use no more than 2-3 times a week. Baking soda is and abrasive, and while it will remove the stains on your teeth, it will also aid in wearing away the enamel, potentially making it easier for more stains to form. Dip toothbrush in soda, and brush thoroughly. Rinse and follow with regular toothpaste.
• Hydrogen Peroxide—dilute with water and swish around mouth daily. Be sure to spit it out—do not swallow solution. Follow by brushing teeth with regular toothpaste. It can also be combined with baking soda. Dip your toothbrush into peroxide followed by baking soda. Brush teeth thoroughly. Rinse and follow with regular toothpaste.
• Lemon or strawberries rubbed on the teeth. Must brush after using to remove the excess natural sugars. I’ve also heard the inside of a rind of an orange will help. I have never tried this, so don’t know if it’s an old wife’s tale or not.
• Use an antibacterial mouthwash—this will reduce the amount of stain-catching plaque on your teeth

Some over-the-counter teeth bleaching products have been shown to work. Check with your family dentist or pharmacist for recommendations of safe and effective teeth whitening products. Some suggest drinking through a straw whenever possible so that the liquid drawn into the mouth is directed to the back over the tongue, and not over all the teeth. I didn’t find any evidence to conclusively support this, but it does seem logical depending on what you are drinking.

Above all, proper dental hygiene will help in keeping those pearly whites as white and pearly as possible.

-Anne

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