Chapter 6 Personal health

Chapter 6Personal health Page 144

Lesson 1Your Teeth, Skin and Hair • Looking Your best- caring for appearance means caring about your hygiene (actions you take to improve or maintain your health), affects your health triangle • Healthy Teeth and Gums- teeth chew and grind food, aid in forming speech sounds, shape and give structure to your mouth- gums anchor your teeth in your mouth, about ¾ of each tooth is below the gum line- page 145

Teeth • Tooth and Gum Problems- proper care can prevent tooth decay, if untreated you can loose your teeth- tooth decay begins with PLAQUE ( soft, colorless, sticky film containing bacteria that grows on your teeth)- plaque causes bad breath- if plaque is not removed it eventually hardens and becomes tartar (only a dentist can remove tarter)- page 145 • Keeping Teeth and Gums Healthy- brush, floss, eat right (calcium), limit sugar intake

Teeth • Regular Dental Checkups- get a checkup TWICE A YEAR- will get an examination, clean your teeth, if need teeth straightened may refer you to an orthodontist (straighten teeth, correct irregularities of teeth and jaw) • Healthy Skin- SKIN is the BIGGEST organ of your body- waterproof shield protects your body against germs, senses pressure and temperature

Skin • Health Skin- EPIDERMIS- thinner outer layer of the skin DERMIS- thicker inner layer of the skin- keep skin clean and smelling fresh- use deodorant- protect skin from sun using sunscreen (SPF15+/ reapply every 2 hours or after swimming) and clothing- avoid direct sun between 10am-4pm- increases risk of sunburn, wrinkles and skin cancer • ACNE- (condition caused by overly active oil glands)- due to hormone production- wash your face with soap, don’t squeeze pimples (scars)- may need to see a dermatologist- page 148

Hair • Healthy Hair- hair is made of keratin- roots of hair are in dermis- housed in small pockets called follicles- as new hair is formed old ones are forced out- the part of the hair you see is called the shaft- hair gets its color from the pigment melanin and determined by heredity- wash hair regularly with shampoo and conditioner- allow to dry by itself- use low heat for hair dryer- brush hair daily to remove dirt and help spread natural scalp oil down the hair shaft

Hair • Hair- shampoo can help with dry or oily scalp, read the label- pool chlorine can damage hair, special shampoos can help- DANDRUFF- flaking of the outer layer of dead skin cells- wash hair regularly and may try dandruff shampoo- head lice (tiny, wingless insects that live in hair) is itchy and get from other people- do NOT borrow hats, brushes, combs- can kill lice with medicated shampoo- wash all bedding, towels, combs, brushes, clothing- everyone in same house should do the same

Nails • Nails- finger and toenails are made of keratin- CUTICLE (nonliving band of outer skin)- wash hand with warm water, use cuticle stick to push back cuticle, clip your nails, cut toenails straight across, use file to round fingernails, never bite your nails, putting fingers in your mouth spreads germs

Lesson 2Protecting Your Eyes and Ears • Eye Care- take a break from screen time and reading to prevent from getting eye strain, don’t sit to close to screen- should be 2 feet from face, read in a well-lit room, light should come from above reading surface, wear safety goggles from sports and science lab, watch for sharp objects, wear UV approved sunglasses, don’t rub eyes, blink or let tears wash debris from eyes- if doesn’t work rinse with water, don’t share eye make up or products, get eye check ups – page 152

Eyes and Ears • Vision Problems- Farsightedness (ability to see objects at a distance while close objects look blurry) NEARSIGHTEDNESS (ability to see objects close while distant objects look blurry) ASTIGMATISM (misshaped cornea or lens causing objects to look wavy or blurred)- vision problems can be corrected with contacts or glasses • Healthy Ears- inner ear helps with balance- middle ear infections are common and can be treated- hearing loss/deafness can result from injury, disease and birth defects- ringing in ear is called tinnitus- can be a sign of inner ear nerve damage- page 153

Ears • Ears- protect ears from loud noises- loudness of sound is measured in units called decibels- normal conversations measure 60 decibels, repeated exposure to over 85 decibels is harmful- keep volume down- don’t use cotton swabs to clean inside of ear, clean outside of ears with water and allow inside to dry on its own

Lesson 3Choosing Health Products • Many factors influence your decision to buy- likes and dislikes, cost, media (tv radio, internet, newspapers), advertising- FIRST STEP IS TO UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU ARE BUYING (do research and read product labels)- What is the purpose of the product? What are the directions? (how much and how often use product) If problems occur when using product, stop using it and tell a trusted adult- SECOND STEP IS TO COMPARISON SHOP- compare several products by different manufacturers, what are the benefits of one product over the other, what offers more of what you need/want, brand reputation, do you know anyone who has used it before, does it have a guarantee (promise of refund if it doesn’t work)

Choosing Health Products • Factors to buying a product- It’s also important to check the UNIT PRICE (cost per unit of weight or volume)- usually on tab on shelf beneath product- THIRD STEP IS TO SAVE MONEY- comparing unit prices can save money, use discount stores, clip coupons found in newspapers and store flyers, use GENERIC brands (imitate name brand products but are sold in plain packages)- they cost less because spend less money on advertising- FOURTH STEP IS SPOTTING FALSE CLAIMS- some ads are misleading, some commit FRAUD (deliberately trying to trick consumers into buying a product/service)- report fraud to FDA (Food and Drug Administration)

Lesson 4Using Medicines Responsibly • Medicines- drugs used to treat, cure or prevent diseases or other medical conditions- used to be taken from plants leaves- today most medicines are pills, liquids, injected, inhaled or rubbed into the skin- PRESCRIPTION MEDICATION- medicines sold only with a written order from the doctor- OVER THE COUNTER (OTC)- medicines available without a written order from the doctor- different medicines have different jobs- vaccines protect from getting certain diseases- ANTIBIOTICS (kill or stop the growth of bacteria and other germs)

Medicine • Medicine- Medicines affect people differently (age, weight, health)- combining medicine may affect how they work, some don’t mix well with other medicine and may cause harmful reactions- some have side effects (any reaction to a medicine other than the one intended)- common side effects are drowsiness, dizziness or upset stomach- make sure doctors/pharmacists know all the medications taking including OTC- if take a medicine for a long time may build a tolerance (body becomes used to the medicine and no longer has the same effect)

Medicine • Medicine- read the label before taking medicine (name, instructions, dosage needed, expiration date)- OTC medicines have labels on the front and back- if you have questions ask your doctor or pharmacist- medicines can help but they can also harm you- taking a drug in a way that is not intended is drug misuse: ask doctor if not sure how to take medicine, only take medicine prescribed to you, use only as instructed, don’t use previously prescribed medicine, don’t use expired medicine

Health Care • Sources of Health Care- government agencies oversee the health community, ensure food/water are safe, fund research- Voluntary Health Agencies- organizations that work to treat and eliminate certain diseases (American Heart Association, American Cancer Society)- don’t receive money from government but through private donations- education the public about diseases and fund research • Paying For Health Care- Health Insurance- insurance policy that covers most health care costs- pay a monthly fee- Managed Care- health insurance plan that saves money by limiting choice of doctors- Medicaid is for people with limited income- Medicare is for adults of 65 or people with certain disabilities

Lesson 5Health Care in Your Community • Health Care- any services provided to individuals or communities that promote, maintain or restore health- Primary Care- treatment of illness/disease that don’t require hospitalization (check ups, immunizations) • Annual Physical Check Ups- doctor checks height/weight, heart/lungs, vision/hearing, immunizations • Specialists- doctor trained to handle particular health problems

Chapter 6 Personal health