Q.1. Due to which characteristics of toothpaste it is
applied on burning site?
- Nitesh Sahoo, Odisha
Ans.Using toothpaste for minor burns is a common home remedy,
as applying toothpaste helps in the healing process and
provides immediate relief by alleviating pain. Toothpaste
can be used when burns are not very severe. Person is
advised to apply toothpaste on the affected area because
it contains compounds menthol and isopentane which
have a low boiling point. So, when these liquids evaporate,
they reduce the temperature of the surrounding skin, the
process also called evaporative cooling. Mint content of
toothpaste produces a numbing sensation which helps in
masking the pain. Thus, applying toothpaste on burnt skin,
makes us feel better.
Although this common home remedy is often reported to
take away the painful stinging sensation of minor burns,
still doctors do not generally recommend using toothpaste
on burns as it is not sterile, and it could be dangerous if skin
is damaged severely. Toothpaste may also prevent blisters
from healing properly. Toothpaste or other non-sterile
substances should never be put on second or third degree
burns. These types of burns result in damage to some or
all layers of skin as well as to tissues immediately under
the skin. Introducing bacteria or other contaminants from
toothpaste on these burns is highly dangerous. Furthermore,
severe burns require treatment by a medical professional,
which may become more complicated and painful if the
patient has already tampered with the wound. Although,
people suggest that mint and antibacterial agents present
in toothpaste can relieve pain, inflammation and infection
from first degree (mild) burns. Triclosan or zinc chloride is an
antibacterial agent and is a common toothpaste ingredient.
But there is lack of significant data regarding anti-bacterial
and anti inflammatory properties of toothpaste.
Q.2. Whenever we dream of falling from a cliff or
getting hit by something, we get a jerk in reality
while sleeping. Why does this happen?- Sayan Chaudhuri
Ans.We have all experienced that whenever we dream of
falling from a height or cliff or getting hit by something,
our body suddenly jerks and we wake up from our fantasy
land. Apparently this is a common occurrence, and scientists
have finally figured out what this means.
What we experience is known as a hypnic jerk, hypnagogic
jerk, sleep start, sleep twitch or night start. These jerks
usually occur before we enter the deeper stages of sleep
and are completely normal. Doctors and scientists are not
really sure why this happens, but they have a few theories.
Some of these theories are described briefly.
It is an involuntary twitch which occurs just as a person
begins to fall asleep, often causing them to awaken
suddenly for a moment. Physically, hypnic jerks resemble
the “jump”, experienced by a person when startled, often
accompanied by a falling sensation. Hypnic jerks are
associated with a rapid heartbeat, quickened breathing,
sweat, and sometimes “a peculiar sensory feeling of
‘shock’ or ‘falling into the void.’ A higher occurrence
is reported in people with irregular sleep schedules.
Dreaming about falling from height or being hit by
something can lead to a person reinterpreting the whole
sensation as falling, because the sudden change in position
splayed out without feeling any direct support under the
hands or feet and we wake up with a jerk.
Scientists also believe that the sensation of falling comes
from the act of relaxing itself, especially if the person is
anxious or unable to get comfortable. As the muscles relax
into sleep, the brain stays awake, monitoring the situation.
The slackness of the muscles and the fact that a person
generally “settles” as their muscles relax can be interpreted
by the brain as a sudden sensation of the entire body
falling. The brain then jerks the body awake.
(^)
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