.It is possible to feed a dog a vegetarian diet, but it is much easier to be wrong than to do it right, according to the president of the British Veterinary Association. But the case of cats is much more complex.

In June 2016, a Tumblr user posted a photo of the dinner he was about to serve his labrador.

Tonight, on Maggies menu is sweet potato puree (also known as sweet potato or sweet potato), brown rice puree, organic sprouted tofu, chia seeds, and digestive enzymes. Do you look excited? It is! Sfveganyogi wrote.

Actually, Maggie was most likely much less excited about her food than the large number of users who responded to the post.

Many of them were outraged that the owner of a dog decided to feed their pet with mashed tubers and tofu instead of the meat-based foods, which dogs generally eat with such relish.

The publication, and especially a response that highlighted the apparent apathy Maggies went viral.

And the vegan blogger, author of the controversial post, finally decided to abandon her account.

.Without essential amino acids like taurine, cats can die.

As veganism increases according to recent research, it grew 600% in the United States alone between 2014 and 2017 so has the idea that feed our animals with products Different from lfrom the meat industry It is a good idea.

The carbon footprint left by pet food is considerable. It is estimated that in 2017 the carbon emitted by the meat consumed by the animals threw the equivalent of around 64 million tons of CO2 per year into the air, which is the same as driving 13 million cars during the same period.

That figure includes only the carbon emitted by animals that end up being pet food. Apart from this, it must be taken into account the water used to grow food that they consume, in addition to the drinking water they drink, from the cleared forest in order to create their grazing land, and more and more land and water contaminated by its residues.

As the pet population increases, pet ownership is on the rise in countries like China, for example, and owners are turning to foods intended for both human aesthetics and animal nutrition, so it is likely that footprint keep growing.

In 2017, the scientific journal Plos One published an article that estimated cats and dogs in the U.S. they ate the caloric equivalent to the diet of 63 million Americans.

.British law requires animal owners to feed their pets a proper diet.

This has led many to ask the following question: Can our cats and dogs stop eating meat and become completely vegan?

Aside from the debate over nutrition facts, the personal opinions of a pet owner may face specific legislation designed to protect the welfare of the creatures.

In the UK, according to the Animal Welfare Act, the owner has an obligation to feed the animal with a proper diet, explains Daniella Dos Santos, president of the British Veterinary Association (BVA).

If you dont want to consume any animal protein because of your personal belief system, thats fine, but that diet is not designed to meet your pets wellness standards.

Cats are obligate carnivores. They need certain amounts of amino acids to be healthy and the lack of these can cause health problems, adds Dos Santos.

For that reason, I would not recommend a vegetarian diet, and much less a vegan

Cats are a particular challenge because they cannot produce certain proteins, such as taurine, on their own.

Instead, they have to absorb it from their food, and beef, chicken, and fish are particularly rich sources of protein.

Cats without enough taurine are at risk of developing a life-threatening disorder called dilated cardiomyopathy, according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA).

.Cats need essential nutrients that only meat can provide.

In cats with dilated cardiomyopathy, the heart muscle becomes very thin and weak, preventing them from pumping blood and supplying oxygen to the body.

If its not treated from the start, this disease can be fatal, says the ASPCA in an article about cats and vegan diets.

Cats need a particularly high protein diet, which is more difficult to find with a vegan diet. In fact, it could even cause them trouble processing carbohydrates. It does not allow them to digest plant material well, and they need essential nutrients that only meat can provide, says the association.

All that has not stopped some companies from creating vegan cat food.

One of them is Italy-based Ami, which sells vegan cat food. enriched with taurine and other essential proteins.

But the general consensus of all but a handful of vets is that cats are unlikely to grow up healthy on a meatless diet.

AND dogs? Here, science seems to qualify a bit.

.Some companies have created vegan cat food, but most vets say cats are unlikely to grow up healthy on a meatless diet.

Part of the reason that dogs They went from being wild species to becoming animals of company It was because of the food offered to them as they approached the bonfires.

This meal was not always meat.

In the wild, wolves obviously eat meat, but they are also known to eat eggs, berries, and even grass, if they lack vitamins.

Dogs may have adapted to a diet with less meat and more plant starch. Crucially, they have amylase genes, this means they can digest the starch from plants, an adaptation that may have evolved as they ate the debris left behind by humans in prehistoric fires.

Because of this, dogs have an advantage when it comes to bringing them on a meat-free diet. But Dos Santos, the president of the British Veterinary Association, warns that It is not so simple.

It is theoretically possible to feed a dog a vegetarian diet, but it is a lot easier to make mistakes than to do it rightIt would have to be done under the supervision of a veterinary nutritionist.

But certainly there are also companies joining the challenge of meatless dog food.

Wild Earth is one of them. Its creator, Ryan Bethencourt, is a scientist who had previously been heavily involved in new signatures of food of the futurelike Memphis Meats and Gelzen.

.Wild Earth dog food includes mushrooms like koji, which gives it a meaty flavor.

Bethencourt was inspired to create a food free of animal products in part due to a series of recalls, some of them due to the high levels of pollutants they produced in the United States.

In 2018, 100 million units of pet food were recalled, in part because some had very high levels of a euthanasia drug, pentobarbital.

Bethencourt said additional research showed her that many pet foods were made from animal by-products that they did not have to meet the same standards as those intended for human consumption.

I was also concerned about the increasing carbon footprint of pet foodAs the number of pets was increasing, it was necessary to raise more animals to feed them.

In San Francisco, there are believed to be more dogs than children, says Bethencourt, who lives in California, USA.

.The carbon footprint left by the pet food industry is growing.

At first, Bethencourt tried to get other peoples attention to act accordingly, but failed. If you cant find someone who does, you end up realizing that maybe you have to be that person, he says.

He and his partner, Ron Shigeta, officially launched Wild Earth in March 2018. This entrepreneur says he always intended for food to become a complete diet rather than a supplement. The first criticism of plant-based diets is that they are low in protein, so we wanted to make sure it was a protein-rich food.

The kibble, which can be bought online, contains all kinds of herbal ingredients, including seaweed (which Bethencourt says are rich in essential fats).

A great ingredient is yeast. When you look at the biomass, yeast is about 40% protein, and a good steak is about 30%, he says. Then it contains other mushrooms, specifically the koji, which is one that grows on wheat.

Bethencourt says that fungal cells are much more related to animal cells than to plants. The other benefit of mushrooms is that they can add a umami flavor with a hint of meat, which dogs enjoy.

.Chippins Haley Russell says crickets contain the 10 essential amino acids that dogs need.

Those who hesitate to feed their animals a completely plant-based diet, but at the same time they want reduce carbon footprintThey may have other options.

Haley Russell and Laura Colagrande are the creators of a pet food company called Chippin.

The couple discovered at university the extraordinary nutritional composition of the most notable ingredient in their products: crickets.

These small animals are a food resource worth turning to. Already millions of people, mainly in East Asia, eat crickets as part of their daily diet.

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization, insects like crickets constitute a good alternative source protein.

Crickets have up to 65% protein by weight, and are also rich in unsaturated fats, dietary fiber, vitamins, and minerals.

Furthermore, these insects give very real benefits as to sustainability.

Beef cattle need 8 grams of feed to produce one protein, while crickets only need two grams of feed to create one gram of this macronutrient. Similarly, crickets spend much less water, a resource that worries farmers in many regions of the world.

.Crickets are a good alternative source of protein, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization.

They provide the 10 essential amino acids your dog needs they are the 10 building blocks without which your dog cannot thrive, says Russell.

And dogs love the taste of crickets. We wanted to create a food that was healthy and delicious but also nutritious. (From the beginning) it was about finding ingredients that meet the health and flavor requirements, but also they contained something that would help with sustainability.

Crickets do not emit methane, a powerful greenhouse gas, and produce far fewer agricultural discharges, something that can pollute water and arable land. From a dumping point of view, crickets are really interesting because they dont create the same manure management problem, says Russell.

In research published in the Journal of Cleaner Production in 2017, a group of researchers found that cricket farmers in Thailand used almost 25% less water than those who raised chickens in that country (note that in other countries, chicken farms may use less water).

In the future, crickets too they could be a source food for cats, according to Russell.

Insects can help with the challenges of cat food diets because they are complete proteins. But we are focused on dogs for now, he adds.

Although one is vegan and the other uses cricket protein, Chippin and Wild Earth have one thing in common: Both Bethencourt and Russell have tested their products.

I eat it all the timeBethencourt says. I dont think people should sell dog food unless they eat it themselves.

I challenged Nestl and Mars executives to try their own dog food and none of them have accepted it yet!

MORE NEWS ON MSN:

Human foods that are dangerous to your pet

A balanced human diet is not always adapted to animals, and in fact can be highly toxic to them. So the next time you feast on your pet by feasting on your favorite food, think again. Here are some foods to avoid giving your pet, according to the ASPCA (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals).

Chocolate contains a chemical called theobromine, which is toxic to pets if eaten in large quantities. It can cause vomiting, diarrhea, tachycardia, or an irregular heartbeat and restlessness. Dark chocolates are worse since they contain higher levels of the substance.

Consuming salt in large amounts can cause excessive thirst and urination, or even sodium ion poisoning in pets. It can cause diarrhea, tremors, elevated body temperature, and can even lead to death. Avoid feeding them products like chips, pretzels, and salty popcorn.

Alcoholic beverages and any type of food products that contain alcohol can cause vomiting, decreased coordination, and abnormal blood acidity. If you suspect that your pet has consumed alcohol, contact your veterinarian, since consumption in large quantities can even be fatal.

Raw meat contains bacteria like Salmonella and E. coli that can cause stomach infections in pets. Ingesting bones can cause suffocation, intestinal blockage, or tears in the animals digestive tract. Whenever possible, give them cooked minced or boneless meat.

They contain chemicals that can damage red blood cells, particularly in cats and to some extent in dogs, and cooking them does not reduce their potential toxicity. Onion and garlic can also cause gastrointestinal irritation.

Coconut milk and meat contain oils that are not adapted to animals. When consumed in large quantities, coconut and coconut-based products can cause stomach upset and loose stools.

Raw eggs can contain bacteria like Salmonella and E. coli and have an enzyme called avidin that can affect the absorption of biotin (a B vitamin), which can lead to skin and coat problems.

Coffee contains substances called methylxanthines that can cause diarrhea in pets, as well as panting, thirst and excessive urination, abnormal heart rhythm and, in extreme cases, even death.

Although the harmful element within grapes has not been identified, they can be highly toxic to most pets and cause sudden kidney failure. In addition to grapes, foods such as fruit salads, cereals, granola bars, and raisin cookies should also be kept away from them.

Xylitol is an artificial sweetener that is used in many products, such as chewing gum, candy, baked goods, and toothpaste. It can cause insulin release in most pets, which can lead to hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) and liver failure.

Nuts, such as almonds, pecans, and walnuts, include significant amounts of natural oils and fats that can be heavy to digest and can cause vomiting, diarrhea, and pancreatitis.

Avocado consumption can be a problem for most animals, including rabbits, birds, horses, donkeys, and sheep. Certain elements in avocados can be particularly toxic to birds, causing shortness of breath and severe cardiovascular damage.

These contain varying amounts of citric acid, essential oils that can cause irritation and depression of the nervous system if taken in significant amounts. Even small doses are capable of causing stomach upset.

Pets have lower levels of the lactase enzyme that helps break down lactose. It is preferable to keep them away from milk and other lactose-based products, as they can cause digestive problems such as diarrhea and vomiting.

Eating yeast dough can cause gas in a pets digestive system, which can lead to bloating and even twisting of the stomach. If a dog eats raw bread dough, he can get drunk as the yeast releases a chemical called ethanol, a form of alcohol.

16/16 SLIDES

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Why feeding cats and dogs a vegan diet is a bad idea - Explica

The coronavirus outbreak has upended a sense of normalcy and daily routines, which may be affecting your typical health and wellness regimen as well.

And while health experts say maintaining a healthy weight is important, you dont have to go overboard to avoid gaining weight right now.

Im not suggesting starting a strict diet or intense exercise program while sheltering in place, but there are some simple things you can do to prevent weight gain and protect yourself not only from Covid-19-related complications, but also from diseases such as diabetes and heart disease, Dr. Melina Jampolis wrote in an article for CNN.

Make stress management a priority

Amid the coronavirus outbreak, its important to take care of your mental health as well as your physical health, experts note.

I know, it isnt easy. Balancing homeschooling, financial challenges, cabin fever, social isolation and illness is stressful, but stress can contribute to poor eating choices and increase fat deep in your belly (underneath the muscle) that can contribute to heart disease and diabetes, Dr. Jampolis wrote in the CNN article.

Additionally, the CDC recommends the following measure to look out for your mental health during the coronavirus outbreak:

Pay attention to what youre buying

When you go to the grocery store, or order supplies to be delivered, pay attention to what youre adding to your cart. Try to stay away from having too much junk food in the house to avoid temptation.

Getting enough water and servings of fruits and vegetables is also recommended.

More tips on cooking amid the pandemic can be found here.

Get a good nights rest

If youve been having trouble sleeping lately, a new study shows that youre not alone.

The study, commissioned by Sleep Standards, found that nearly 77% of Americans have lost sleep over the coronavirus pandemic.

Sleep is an essential part of all-around health.

Both excess sleep and inadequate sleep have been linked to weight gain, increased appetite and worsening blood sugar control, so try your best not to completely abandon your sleep schedule, according to CNN.

Stay social

Just because youre sheltering in place, doesnt mean you have to be socially isolated. In fact, the World Health Organization even encouraged experts to move away from calling it social distancing and instead opt for physical distancing.

Maintaining a sense of connection with people in your life can help keep a sense of normalcy, which can help keep you healthier all around.

It occurred to me from the beginning that this was an unfortunate choice of language to talk about social distance, when actually what was meant was physical distance, Martin W Bauer, a London-based sociology professor told Al Jazeera. It is good that WHO finally tried to correct an early error of mistaking physical distance for social distance. In these strange times of the virus, we want clear physical distance, but at the same time, we want people to remain close to each other socially.

Read more here:
Ways other than diet, exercise to stay healthy while at home - Greater Milwaukee Today

This is a restrictive diet that requires a person to reduce their daily intake to 1,200 calories. For some people, 1,200 calories are too low and can lead to malnourishment.

Most nutrition labels base their recommendations on a 2,000 calorie diet. So, consuming 1,200 calories a day may involve a significant reduction in daily calories or may represent a slight reduction, depending on a persons usual calorie intake.

Larger people, males, active individuals, breastfeeding or pregnant women, or those with certain medical conditions typically need more calories each day than other people. For those who need fewer calories, a 1,200 calorie diet is usually safe and potentially effective.

The number of calories a person needs each day depends on several factors, including their age, sex, activity level, and body size.

The average adult needs 1,6003,000 calories every day to sustain their body weight. When a person consumes fewer calories than they need, the body begins to shed weight. It does this first by burning fat, and then eventually, other tissue, including muscle.

Most people need significantly more than 1,200 calories a day. Therefore, individuals who cut their daily intake to 1,200 calories can expect to lose some weight. This can be beneficial for people who are overweight or obese.

Some research suggests that a low calorie diet, such as a 1,200 calorie diet, offers additional health benefits. The National Institute of Health (NIH) note that in animal studies, lower calorie diets helped animals live longer and reduced the risk of diseases, such as cancer. Observational studies of groups that consume fewer calories suggest they are healthier.

However, this data is incomplete. Not all research on animals applies to humans. It is also possible that other factors, such as the specific foods that people eat when following a low calorie diet, may be responsible for improved health.

Some research also suggests that weight loss is about more than the calories a person consumes and burns. The body may change the rate at which it burns calories depending on how many calories a person eats. Therefore a person on a 1,200 calorie diet may burn fewer of them. This can slow weight loss.

It is possible that some people might not lose any weight or will need to remain on a restricted calorie diet for a significant time before seeing results. Weight loss will vary between people. For some people, an alternative approach, such as getting more exercise or consuming less sugar, might be a better option.

People on a 1,200 calorie diet need to eat nutrient dense food to avoid feeling hungry and prevent malnourishment. Lean proteins tend to be very dense in nutrients and low in calories. White carbohydrates, such as white bread, by contrast, contain more calories and fewer nutrients.

The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) provide menu plans and other information about which foods to choose when following a 1,200 calorie diet.

Some other meal and food ideas are as follows:

Following a 1,200 calorie diet does not necessarily mean that a person has to avoid any specific foods entirely.

Allowing an occasional small treat may make it easier to stick to this restrictive diet. However, very high calorie foods, such as large muffins or slices of cake, can make it difficult to stay under 1,200 calories for the day while maintaining nutritional needs.

Treats that could work within a 1,200 calorie diet can include:

Eliminating empty calories from the diet can free up more space for treats. Some sources of empty calories include:

It is more difficult to get essential macronutrients, such as proteins and fats, and micronutrients, such as vitamins and minerals, on a low calorie diet. Therefore, it is important to read nutritional labels and talk to a doctor before trying this method of eating.

A dietitian can often help with creating a personalized eating plan.

People who should not eat very low calorie diets include:

A 1,200 calorie diet can potentially be unhealthful for some people. For example, a person who receives all of their calories from sweetened cereal, potato chips, or cookies may suffer from malnourishment.

Reducing the number of calories a person consumes can help them lose weight. Low calorie diets may also reduce the risk of certain diseases, and help a person see weight loss that encourages them to stick with the diet.

Weight is not the only or best measure of health. A person will not necessarily get healthier merely by losing weight. In some cases, weight loss can even make a person less healthy, especially if they eat unhealthful foods or do consume enough essential nutrients.

Also, sticking to a very low calorie diet can prove difficult, especially for people who struggle with food cravings. No matter what weight loss plan a person chooses, it is vital to choose a diet and exercise program that they can manage for the rest of their life.

A doctor or dietitian can help with planning a custom diet and nutrition plan that offers the right balance of treats and nutrient dense food.

See the rest here:
1,200 calorie diet: Safety and how to do it

There is a lot of misinformation about low-carb diets.

Some claim that its the optimal human diet, while others consider it an unsustainable and potentially harmful fad.

Here are 9 common myths about low-carb diets.

The term fad diet was used for crash weight loss diets that enjoyed short-term popularity.

Today, its often misused for diets that dont have common cultural acceptance, including low-carb diets.

However, a low-carb way of eating has been shown to be effective in over 20 scientific studies.

Plus, it has been popular for decades. In fact, the first Atkins book was published in 1972, five years before the first set of low-fat dietary guidelines in America.

Looking even further back, the first low-carb book was published by William Banting in 1863 and was wildly popular at the time (1).

Considering the long-term and scientifically proven success of low-carb diets, dismissing this way of eating as a fad seems far-fetched.

Opponents often claim that low-carb diets are unsustainable because they restrict common food groups.

This is said to lead to feelings of deprivation, causing people to abandon the diet and regain weight.

Still, keep in mind that all diets restrict something some certain food groups or macronutrients, others calories.

Following a low-carb diet has been shown to reduce appetite so that you can eat until satisfied and still lose weight (2, 3).

In contrast, on a calorie-restricted diet, youre less likely to eat until youre fully satisfied and may end up being hungry all the time which is unsustainable for most people.

Scientific evidence does not support that low-carb diets are harder to stick to than other diets.

Your body stores a lot of carbs in your muscles and liver.

It uses a storage form of glucose known as glycogen, which supplies your body with glucose between meals.

Stored glycogen in your liver and muscles tends to bind some water.

When you cut carbs, your glycogen stores go down, and you lose a lot of water weight.

Additionally, low-carb diets lead to drastically reduced insulin levels, causing your kidneys to shed excess sodium and water (4, 5).

For these reasons, low-carb diets lead to a substantial and almost immediate reduction in water weight.

This is often used as an argument against this way of eating, and its claimed that the only reason for its weight loss advantage is the reduction in water weight.

However, studies show that low-carb diets also reduce body fat especially from your liver and abdominal area where harmful belly fat is located (6, 7).

For example, one 6-week study on low-carb diets showed that participants lost 7.5 pounds (3.4 kg) of fat but gained 2.4 pounds (1.1 kg) of muscle (8).

Low-carb diets tend to be high in cholesterol and fat, including saturated fat.

For this reason, many people claim that they raise blood cholesterol and increase your risk of heart disease.

However, some studies suggest that neither dietary cholesterol nor saturated fat have any significant effect on your risk of heart disease (9, 10, 11, 12).

Most importantly, low-carb diets may improve many important heart disease risk factors by (13):

Whats more, levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol generally don't increase. Plus, these particles tend to change from harmful, small, dense shapes to larger ones a process linked to a reduced risk of heart disease (22, 23).

Still, keep in mind that these studies mostly look at averages. Some individuals may experience major increases in LDL (bad) cholesterol on a low-carb diet.

If this is the case for you, you can adjust your low-carb way of eating to get your levels down.

Many people claim that the only reason people lose weight on low-carb diets is due to reduced calorie intake.

This is true but doesnt tell the whole story.

The main weight loss advantage of low-carb diets is that weight loss occurs automatically.

People feel so full that they end up eating less food without counting calories or controlling portions.

Low-carb diets also tend to be high in protein, which boosts metabolism, causing a slight increase in the number of calories you burn (24, 25).

Plus, low-carb diets are not always about losing weight. Theyre also very effective against certain health conditions, such as metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, and epilepsy (26, 27, 28, 29).

In these cases, the health benefits go beyond reduced calorie intake.

A low-carb diet is not no-carb.

Its a myth that cutting carbs means that you need to eat fewer plant foods.

In fact, you can eat large amounts of vegetables, berries, nuts, and seeds without exceeding 50 grams of carbs per day.

Whats more, eating 100150 grams of carbs per day is still considered low-carb. This provides room for several pieces of fruit per day and even small amounts of healthy starches like potatoes and oats.

Its even possible and sustainable to eat low-carb on a vegetarian or vegan diet.

There is a lot of confusion about ketosis.

When you eat very few carbs such as fewer than 50 grams per day your insulin levels go down and a lot of fat is released from your fat cells.

When your liver gets flooded with fatty acids, it starts turning them into so-called ketone bodies, or ketones.

These are molecules that can cross the blood-brain barrier, supplying energy for your brain during starvation or when you dont eat any carbs.

Many people confuse ketosis and ketoacidosis.

The latter is a dangerous metabolic state that mainly happens in unmanaged type 1 diabetes. It involves your bloodstream getting flooded with massive amounts of ketones, enough to turn your blood acidic.

Ketoacidosis is a very serious condition and can be fatal.

However, this is completely unrelated to the ketosis caused by a low-carb diet, which is a healthy metabolic state.

For example, ketosis has been shown to have therapeutic effects in epilepsy and is being studied for treating cancer and brain diseases like Alzheimers (28, 29, 30).

Many people believe that your brain cannot function without dietary carbs.

Its claimed that carbs are the preferred fuel for your brain and that it needs about 130 grams of carbs per day.

This is partly true. Some cells in your brain cannot use any fuel besides carbs in the form of glucose.

Yet, other parts of your brain are perfectly capable of using ketones.

If carbs are reduced sufficiently to induce ketosis, then a large part of your brain stops using glucose and starts using ketones instead.

That said, even with high blood ketone levels, some parts of your brain still need glucose.

This is where a metabolic pathway called gluconeogenesis becomes important. When you dont eat carbs, your body mostly your liver can produce glucose out of protein and byproducts of fat metabolism.

Therefore, because of ketosis and gluconeogenesis, you dont need dietary carbs at least not for fueling your brain.

After the initial adaptation phase, many people report having even better brain function on a low-carb diet.

Most athletes eat a high-carb diet, and many people believe that carbs are essential for physical performance.

Reducing carbs indeed leads to reduced performance at first.

However, this is usually only temporary. It can take your body a while to adapt to burning fat instead of carbs.

Many studies show that low-carb diets are good for physical performance, especially endurance exercise, as long as you give yourself a few weeks to adapt to the diet (31, 32, 33, 34).

Other studies indicate that low-carb diets benefit muscle mass and strength (34, 35).

Low-carb diets can have powerful health benefits. Theyre very effective for people with obesity, metabolic syndrome, and type 2 diabetes.

Nonetheless, theyre not for everyone.

Still, many common notions about low-carb eating are simply untrue.

Read this article:
9 Myths About Low-Carb Diets - Healthline

Beyond daily brushing and flossing, it's rare that we take much notice of our teeth. Until, that is, toothache strikes. Of course, a quick trip to the dentist fixes most teeth woes, but with dental surgeries closed during the coronavirus pandemic, some people are taking things into their own hands. The Daily Mail online reported that last month, "desperate dad" Bill Taylor, 33, from Devon, England, took it upon himself to pull out his own tooth after suffering from excruciating toothache (editor's note: please don't be like Bill.) But is it really impossible to get a dentist appointment right now? Dr Rhona Eskander, multi-award-winning dentist, shed some light on the situation.

"COVID-19 hit and, all of sudden, we had to close," said Dr Eskander. "We were told that there were dedicated NHS centres, located in different places across the country, designated for people with dental emergencies. So, for example, you can go to Guy's Hospital if you have a toothache, but a lot of patients don't want to go to a hospital right now. Many of the treatments that are being done at these centres are general patching up of teeth, so they can be fixed when dentists reopen and in many cases pulling them out as there are no other options. But delaying some dental treatments can cause long-term issues; infections can turn into abscesses."

"Some patients are in tears begging me to see them," Dr Eskander added. "Infections can become life-threatening, so we are having to prescribe antibiotics which we would prefer to avoid."

Dental surgeries have been closed due to a lack of PPE equipment, but Dr Eskander told POPSUGAR that dentists have been working to source PPE so they can safely reopen. "I came across a group of dentists called Pandora Dental who have been lobbying the government to get dentists safely and swiftly opened up again," explained Dr Eskander. "They sent a letter containing details of a new seven-point plan with supporting evidence to allow practices to open safely and sooner directed to Matt Hancock, secretary of state for health and social care. We want the health minister to have dentists on board to help make new rules and regulations, because we know, more than anyone, what's realistic."

Dr. Eskander told us that, of course, there are bigger things going on right now than dental problems, but by reopening dentists, it will alleviate the added stress on the NHS of running these emergency dental locations at hospitals. "We're fully prepared to deal with patients. We've bought disinfection machines, air purifiers, gowns with sleeves, and headgear, amongst other things, to ensure we are minimising the risks our evidence shows that with all seven elements advocated in place, the risk to patients and dental professionals is 0.1 percent."

While we await more detailed guidelines following Boris Johnson's address to the nation on the country's lockdown exit strategy, Eskander hopes that the issue of dental offices reopening will be addressed and dentists will able to get back to work soon. In the meantime, she revealed what you need to do if you're suffering from these eight common dental problems.

All you can really do is manage the pain until you can get to a dentist. Take over-the-counter paracetamol in preference of ibuprofen, especially if you have COVID-19 symptoms. For severe pain, you can try codeine or Co-Codamol, but this can leave you drowsy or knock you out.

Switch to Sensodyne toothpaste (15). You can rub it onto affected areas and leave it there, without rinsing, for a targeted treatment. Also, try using Orajel, which is an anaesthetic gel that can numb the sensitive area.

Thorough cleaning is key if you have wisdom tooth pain, explained Dr Eskander, so make sure to diligently clean in and around your gums. Try using Corsodyl mouthwash (8) for one week and switch to a softer diet. A warm saltwater wash can also help to keep the area clean. "If you are having difficulty swallowing, call your dentist or 111, as you may need antibiotics," she added.

If your gums are bleeding, or look very red and inflamed, gum disease is probably to blame. To help, use a fluoride toothpaste and an electric toothbrush for two minutes, twice a day. Be sure to brush the bleeding and inflamed area it's your body's way of telling you that the area needs cleaning and use dental floss or TePe Interdental Brushes (4) daily.

It's unlikely the emergency dental centre will see you for a broken filling or crown. There are temporary filling kits that you can buy, and while they don't do much damage, they also don't last that long, as they are meant to fill the tooth for up to 48 hours while you await an appointment. If left for too long, a broken filling or lost crown could require a root-canal treatment. On that note, if you were half way through a root-canal treatment, this will have been delayed. If you have any questions about next steps, it is best to contact your dentist directly.

If a tooth is sharp, grating against your gums or tongue, or you notice ulcers in the area, then switch to a soft diet. You can use warm saltwater as a mouthwash, and try analgesic and anti-inflammatory Difflam Spray (8). Painkillers and Bonjela can help, too. "Some of my patients have had excellent care at the emergency centres, so call 111 if you think you need an appointment," Dr Eskander added.

"If you're noticing a build-up of plaque and tartar, then try switching to an electric toothbrush and flosser. I recommend Philips Sonicare Electric Toothbrushes (105, originally 299) to my patients," said Dr Eskander.

"As for the electric flosser, both the Philips AirFloss (80) and the WaterPik (55) are good options," said Dr Eskander. "And as for mouthwash, I always say it's like using deodorant without having a shower: you need to make sure your teeth are cleaned properly first."

If you're in the middle of your Invisalign treatment and you have run out of aligners, ask your dentist to contact Invisalign. They will send you three identical sets of your last aligner, which will allow you to pause treatment without regressing.

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