Dental Hygiene Examination for Young Adults

Overview:
 A young adult need to protect their mouth and teeth by maintaining good oral health. Although
regular brushing is important, the oral health of those in this age group is also often associated
with risk factors such as diet, smoking and alcohol and mouth and tongue piercings.

 The young adult teeth can get cavities. Cavities are permanently damaged areas in the hard
surface of your teeth that develop into tiny openings or holes. Cavities, also called tooth decay
are caused by a combination of factors, including bacteria in your mouth; frequent snacking,
sipping sugary drinks and not cleaning your teeth well.

 If cavities aren't treated, they get larger and affect deeper layers of your teeth. They can lead to a
severe toothache, infection and tooth loss. Regular dental visits and good brushing and flossing
habits are your best protection against cavities and tooth decay.

Symptoms: signs and symptoms of cavities vary, depending on their extent and location such as:
 Toothache, spontaneous pain or pain that occurs without any apparent cause
 Tooth sensitivity
 Mild to sharp pain when eating or drinking something sweet, hot or cold
 Visible holes or pits in your teeth
 Brown, black or white staining on any surface of a tooth
 Pain when you bite down

Causes: cavities are caused by tooth decay a process that occurs over time. It develops by:
 Plaque forms. This is due to eating a lot of sugars and starches and not cleaning your teeth well.
When sugars and starches aren't cleaned off your teeth, bacteria quickly begin feeding on them
and form plaque.
 Plaque attacks. The acids in plaque remove minerals in your tooth's hard, outer enamel. This
erosion causes tiny openings or holes in the enamel — the first stage of cavities. Once areas of
enamel are worn away, the bacteria and acid can reach the next layer of your teeth, called dentin.
This layer is softer than enamel and less resistant to acid. Dentin has tiny tubes that directly
communicate with the nerve of the tooth causing sensitivity.
 Destruction continues. As tooth decay develops, the bacteria and acid continue their march
through your teeth, moving next to the inner tooth material (pulp) that contains nerves and blood
vessels. Because there is no place for the swelling to expand inside of a tooth, the nerve becomes
pressed, causing pain.

Factors that can increase the risk of getting cavities:

 Certain foods and drinks. Foods that cling to your teeth for a long time — such as milk, ice
cream, honey, sugar, soda, dried fruit, cake, cookies, hard candy and mints, dry cereal, and chips
— are more likely to cause decay than foods that are easily washed away by saliva.
 Frequent snacking or sipping. When you steadily snack or sip sugary drinks, you give mouth
bacteria more fuel to produce acids that attack your teeth and wear them down. And sipping soda
or other acidic drinks throughout the day helps create a continual acid bath over your teeth.
 Inadequate brushing. If you don't clean your teeth soon after eating and drinking, plaque forms
quickly and the first stages of decay can begin.
 Not getting enough fluoride. Fluoride, a naturally occurring mineral, helps prevent cavities and
can even reverse the earliest stages of tooth damage.

Complications of cavities may include:

 Pain
 Tooth abscess
 Swelling or pus around a tooth
 Damage or broken teeth
 Chewing problems
 Positioning shifts of teeth after tooth loss

When cavities and decay become severe, you may have:

 Pain that interferes with daily living
 Weight loss or nutrition problems from painful or difficult eating or chewing
 Tooth loss, which may affect your appearance, as well as your confidence and self-esteem
 In rare cases, a tooth abscess

Diagnosis: A dentist can usually detect tooth decay by:

 Asking about tooth pain and sensitivity
 Examining your mouth and teeth
 Probing your teeth with dental instruments to check for soft areas
 Looking at dental X-rays, which can show the extent of cavities and decay

Treatment: Treatment of cavities depends on how severe they are. Options include:
 Fluoride treatments.
 Fillings. Fillings, also called restorations, are the main treatment option when decay has
progressed beyond the earliest stage.
 Crowns. For extensive decay or weakened teeth, you may need a crown — a custom-fitted
covering that replaces your tooth's entire natural crown.
 Root canals. When decay reaches the inner material of your tooth (pulp), you may need a root
canal. This is a treatment to repair and save a badly damaged or infected tooth instead of
removing it.
 Tooth extractions.

Good oral and dental hygiene can help you avoid cavities and tooth decay as a young adult:
 Brush with fluoride toothpaste after eating or drinking.
 Rinse your mouth.
 Visit your dentist regularly.
 Avoid frequent snacking.
 Eat tooth-healthy foods.
 HIV/STI Examination for Young Adults

 There are different tests for different sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). The kind of test a
person gets will depend on the type of STD, symptoms (like sores, discharge, or pain), and his or
her medical and sexual history.

 To get this history, a doctor will ask about things like how many partners the person has had.
After that, the doctor will examine the person's genitals. For females who have symptoms of
STDs, this might include a pelvic exam.

 Based on what's learned from the interview and exam, the doctor may take one or more of these
samples:
 a blood sample (from either a blood draw or a finger prick)
 a urine sample
 a swab of the inside of the mouth
 a swab from the genitals, such as the urethra in male or the cervix in females
 a swab of any discharge or sores

 STDs can be tricky. These "hidden" STDs can still put a young adult at risk for health problems.
Any young adult who is having sex (or has had sex in the past) should get tested.

Diagnostic Testing For HIV/Sexually Transmitted Infections:

1. HIV/AIDS
Physical examination and thorough medical history, plus one or more blood tests in individuals:
Rapid HIV test completed on blood or saliva, ELISA (Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay)
antibody blood test. If the sample tests positive for HIV, the more-accurate Western blot
antibody blood test or an HIV nucleic acid test (viral load or HIV DNA) is performed to confirm
a diagnosis.

2. Chlamydia
Physical examination, including pelvic exam in young women, and thorough medical history,
plus laboratory analysis of cervical secretions or urine, to detect presence of C. trachomatis.

3. Gonorrhea
Physical examination, including pelvic exam in young women, and thorough medical history,
plus laboratory testing of cervical, vaginal or penile secretions.

Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID)

Physical examination, including pelvic exam in young women, and thorough medical history,
plus one or more laboratory tests of cervical or vaginal secretions, ultrasound imaging exam.

4. Genital Warts/Human Papillomavirus (HPV)

Physical examination, including pelvic exam in young women, and thorough medical history,
plus a Pap smear. If the Pap smear is abnormal, colposcopy and cervical biopsy may be done.

5. Genital Herpes
Physical examination, including pelvic exam in young women, and thorough medical history,
herpes virus blood test and culture.

6. Syphilis
Physical examination, including pelvic exam, and thorough medical history, plus one or more of
the following blood tests: VDRL (Venereal Disease Research Laboratory) blood test or RPR
(Rapid Plasma Reagin) blood test.
 Skin Examination for Young Adults

Although there are no guidelines for the early detection of skin cancer, knowing your own skin is
important to finding skin cancer early. Be aware of your normal pattern of moles, freckles, and
blemishes. Regular skin exams are especially important for people who are at higher risk of skin
cancer, such as people with reduced immunity, people who have had skin cancer before, and
people with a strong family history of skin cancer

Checking your own skin:

 A young adult can check their own skin, preferably once a month. A skin self-exam is best done
in a well-lit room in front of a full-length mirror. A spouse or close friend or family member may
be able to help you with these exams, especially for those hard-to-see areas like your back.

 The first time you examine your skin, spend time carefully going over the entire surface. Learn
the pattern of moles, blemishes, freckles, and other marks on your skin so that you’ll notice any
changes next time.

Follow these step-by-step instructions to examine your skin:

1. Face the mirror

Check your face, ears, neck, chest, and belly. Women will need to lift their breasts to check the
skin underneath.

Check your underarm areas, both sides of your arms, the tops and palms of your hands, in
between your fingers, and your fingernails.

2. Sit down

Check the front of your thighs, shins, tops of your feet, in between your toes, and your toenails.

Now you can use a hand mirror to look at the bottoms of your feet, your calves, and the backs of
your thighs, first checking one leg and then the other.

Use the hand mirror to check your buttocks, genital area, lower and upper back, and the back of
the neck and ears. Or it may be easier to look at your back in the wall mirror using a hand mirror.

Use a comb or hair dryer to part your hair so that you can check your scalp.
 The best time to do this simple monthly exam is after a bath or shower. Check any moles,
blemishes, or birthmarks from the top of your head to your toes. If you look at your skin
regularly, you will know what’s normal for you.

Skin Cancer
Skin cancer is by far the most common type of cancer. If you have skin cancer, it is important to
know which type you have because it affects your treatment options and your outlook
(prognosis).

Melanoma Skin Cancer

Melanoma is less common than some other types of skin cancer, but it is more likely to grow and
spread.

Skin Cancer Prevention and Early Detection

Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the United States. Most skin cancers are caused by too
much exposure to ultraviolet (UV) rays. Most of this exposure comes from the sun, but some
may come from man-made sources, such as indoor tanning beds and sun lamps. You can do a lot
to protect yourself from UV rays, as well as to catch skin cancer early so that it can be treated
effectively.
You don’t need x-rays or blood tests to find skin cancer early – just your eyes and a mirror.
 Blood Pressure Examination for Young Adults

Overview:
Blood pressure measurement baseline and periodically, unless hypertension or cardiac disease
exists. Measurement shpuld begin in childhood and should continue throughout life. A blood
pressure test measures the pressure in your arteries as your heart pumps. You might have a blood
pressure test as a part of a routine doctor's appointment or as a screening for high blood pressure
(hypertension) or low blood pressure (hypotension) heart disease or other conditions.

Tests for High Blood Pressure:

 The only way to tell whether you have high blood pressure is to have it measured with a blood
pressure cuff (sphygmomanometer).

 Blood pressure (BP) is classified as follows by the American Heart Association:

 Normal BP: Systolic less than 120 mm Hg; diastolic less than 80
 Elevated BP: Systolic is between 120 and 129 mm Hg; diastolic less than 80

 Tests may be ordered by your health care provider to check for causes of high blood pressure and
to assess any organ damage from high blood pressure or its treatment. These tests may include
the following:
 Blood tests, including measurement of electrolytes, blood urea nitrogen, and creatinine
levels (to assess kidney involvement)
 Lipid profile for levels of various kinds of cholesterol
 Special tests for hormones of the adrenal gland or thyroid gland
 Urine tests for electrolytes and hormones
 Ultrasound of the kidneys, CT scan of the abdomen, or both, to assess damage or
enlargement of the kidneys and adrenal glands

The following may be performed to detect damage to the heart or blood vessels:
 Electrocardiogram (ECG) is a noninvasive test that detects the electrical activity of the heart and
records it on paper. ECG is helpful for evaluating for damage of the heart muscle, such as heart
attack, and/or thickening/hypertrophy of the heart wall/muscle, common complications of high
blood pressure

 Echocardiogram is an ultrasound examination of the heart taken through the chest. Sound waves
take a picture of the heart as it beats and relaxes and then transmits these images to a video
monitor. The echocardiogramcan detect problems with the heart such as enlargement,
abnormalities in motion of the heart wall, blood clots, and heart valve abnormalities.

 A chest X-ray primarily provides an estimate of the size of the heart, but it is much less specific
than echocardiography, which provides more detail.

 Doppler ultrasound is used to check blood flow through arteries at pulse points in your arms,
legs, hands, and feet. This is an accurate way to detect peripheral vascular disease, a common
finding in people with high blood pressure.