Root canal treatment

Root canal therapy refers to the process by which a dentist treats the inner aspects of a tooth, specifically that area inside a tooth that is occupied by its "pulp tissue."
Most people would probably refer to a tooth's pulp tissue as its "nerve." While a tooth's pulp tissue does contain nerve fibers it is also composed of arteries, veins, lymph vessels, and connective tissue.

nerve:

Teeth are hard calcified objects but their inner aspects are not completely solid. Inside every tooth there lies a hollow space which, when a tooth is healthy, contains the tooth's nerve tissue.

The pulp chamber:

This is a hollow space that lies more or less in the center of the tooth.

The root canals:

Each tooth's nerve enters the tooth, in general, at the very tip of its root(s). From this entry point the nerve then runs through the center of the root in small "root canals" which subsequently join up with the tooth's pulp chamber.

Function of a tooth's nerve tissue:

A tooth's nerve tissue plays an important role in the growth and development of the tooth, but once the tooth has erupted through the gums and has finished maturing the nerve's only function is sensory (it provides the tooth with the ability to feel hot and cold).

Dentists realize that on a practical level it is pretty much academic whether a tooth has a live nerve in it or not. If a tooth's nerve tissue is present and healthy, wonderful. But if a tooth has had its nerve tissue removed during root canal treatment that's fine too, you will never miss it

The Reasons For A Root Canal Treatment:

Root canal therapy has three purposes:
Stop the toothache
Prevent bacteria and pain from spreading into the jaw
Maintain the original tooth instead of replacing it with a denture or bridge.

Avoiding Root canals:

The best way to avoid root canals is to take good daily care of your teeth to prevent the growth and spread of bacteria.
Brushing and flossing are important.
Just as important are regular trips to the dentist, to check for the first sign of decay or cracks that could eventually lead to an infected tooth. In this case, an ounce of prevention really is worth a pound of cure!

Non-Surgical Root Canal Treatment (NSRCT):

Non-surgical root canal treatment is a procedure directed towards saving an endodontically failing tooth. At times, the patient's existing artificial crown must be removed. In other instances, access through the crown may be possible.
The access opening is created in order to give the dentist non-surgical access into the root canal space through the biting surface of the tooth. Once this has been accomplished, a non-surgical retreatment procedure oftentimes requires: Locating and treating previously missed canals.Removing old filling materials from the root canal space.Removing posts and broken instruments.Enhancing existing root canal treatment.
Negotiating blocked canals and bypassing canal ledges.Repairing mechanical and pathological perforations in the root. Once these objectives have been accomplished, the root canal system is re-cleaned, re-shaped, disinfected, and three-dimensionally sealed. A protective restoration can then be placed and the tooth restored to a state of health and function.

Surgical Root Canal Treatment (SRCT):

Surgical root canal treatment is a procedural effort in which it is necessary to elevate a small flap of tissue adjacent to the involved tooth in order to gain access to and treat root canal disease. Surgical root canal treatments are usually minor, in-office procedures performed under local anaesthesia.
Once the pathological area is exposed, the doctor performs a "curettage" to remove the diseased tissue from around the root. This is usually followed by an "apicoectomy," a procedure in which the diseased portion of the root is removed.
A small filling is then usually placed to seal the remaining portion of the root. Surgical root canal treatment will oftentimes result in a good long-term prognosis for the tooth if the cause of pathology can be effectively eliminated. Unfortunately, on occasion, retreatment efforts may not be possible or cost-effective and extraction may be the only alternative.
However, saving a tooth that has been previously treated endodontically and is failing is usually possible, can be very predictable, and is typically the most conservative option for the patient.

Think Before Giving Your Dog A Bone!!

Everybody used to feed dog bones. Then veterinarians deemed them dangerous. Now, there's disagreement: Some veterinarians warn against bones, others claim they're essential.

Bones improves dental health:

When your dog chews on bones, the chewing action scrapes away plaque, controls tartar buildup, and helps stimulate gums. This diminishes bad breath, keeps teeth whiter, and reduces the risk of potentially serious dental problems.

While all our bones offer dental benefits, Dental bones are specially designed to promote clean, healthy teeth and gums in even the most aggressive chewer. They're also often flavored to prevent bad breath.

Prevents negative chewing behavior:

Bones satisfy your dog's innate urge to chew. They also help to relieve teething pain, giving your puppy a beneficial (and acceptable) item to chew on when teething. If you encourage your dog to chew on bones from puppyhood on, chances are he'll choose a bone over your shoes, books, television remote, and so on. Offer a variety of bones to maintain your dog's interest.

"low-calorie" bone:

Healthy Edibles dog chews and Booda Velvet Chews are all good choices for dogs on weight-loss plans. These all-natural, low-calorie chews are made from healthy ingredients and taste great.

The Good Choice:

• Try beef tails and ribs, or necks from lamb, chicken, turkey, and beef.
• Select bones with meat attached and most fat removed.
• Choose bones too large for your dog to swallow hole.

The Bad Choice:

• Sharply angled, sawed bones.
• Bones cut in small pieces or without much meat.
• Heavy leg marrowbones.
• Bones from baked, broiled, or barbecued meat.

Tips To Safer Chewing :

If you think your dog would benefit from chewing bones:

• Supervise all bone chewing.
• Teach your dog to release objects willingly so you can safely take the bone away if necessary.
• Discard after two days; raw bones spoil quickly.
• Bones for older dogs
  Provided that your older dog has healthy teeth, bones are extremely appropriate. Bones provide entertainment and mental stimulation that can be very beneficial to older dogs - especially those who are not extremely active.

Raw vs Cooked :

Cooked bones are harder to digest and give rise to increased risk of obstruction or penetration of the bowel.

If you prefer to give your dog cooked bones, boil them rather than roasting; dry heat makes bones more brittle.

For your own safety, be aware that raw meat and bones can harbor salmonella and E.coli; pregnant women who handle them risk exposure to toxoplasmosis, an organism that can cause miscarriage.

Dogs face less bacterial risk than people do.Dogs usually recover on their own, but see your veterinarian of your dog experiences diarrhea for more than 24 hours, bloody diarrhea, or diarrhea and vomiting.

Nylon - safe for dogs:

Nylon is a harmless plastic used in dog bones for its strength. If your dog ingests small pieces of nylon, it simply passes through the digestive system and is eliminated in the stool.

Pet care

Grooming

Regular brushing, bathing, and nail care are essential. Protect your pet's eyes and ears when bathing, and don't allow the pet to become chilled after bathing.

Pet food:

Table Scraps -Dangerous to pets:

Some people think a food that they eat is good for their pets. Not true. Some human foods, in fact, may be dangerous to pets. "Most pet owners simply do not know that small amounts of chocolate, onions, macadamia nuts and bread dough can be fatal if ingested by a dog," says Steve Hansen, D.V.M., senior vice president of the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center. "And cats, in particular, have a body chemistry quite different from ours," and so are susceptible to poisoning from a number of human foods. Also because of their different body chemistry and nutritional requirements, cats should not be fed dog food, says Burkholder.

Keeping Pet Food Fresh

Always keep canned pet food refrigerated after opening.If you store dry pet food in a container other than its original bag, be sure to wash the empty container with soap and water before adding food from a new bag. The residual fat that settles on the bottom of the container can become rancid beyond its shelf life (the date stamped on the bag). This spoiled fat may contaminate fresh food added to the container, causing vomiting or diarrhea when fed to your pet.

Think before adopting pet:

Before adopting or purchasing any pet, talk to all family members, discuss expectations and responsibilities, and take a realistic look at your family's lifestyle. Consider asking yourselves these key questions before making the leap into pet ownership:

How much care will the pet require?

What role will each family member play in the pet's care?

who will feed the pet?

Who will bathe it?

Who will clean its living space?

Who will take it for a walk it?

What kind of medical care will the pet need?

How big will the pet grow to be?

Do you have enough space in your home for the pet to live?

If you're thinking about getting a dog, do you have a yard, preferably a fenced one? (Cats, birds, rabbits, and other small animals can generally adapt to any space, but dogs need lots of room to run and jump.)

Do you have another pet? How do you think it will get along with a new pet?

Who will care for the pet when you or your family aren't home?

Does anyone in your family have a history of allergies or asthma? If so, talk to your doctor about the possibility of pet allergy tests to determine ahead of time whether anyone might be allergic to certain animals

Teach Your kids to handle Pet:

• Teach kids how to handle and pick up pets — to never squeeze them too tight, drop them, fall on them, or pick them up too fast.
• Teach kids never to tease animals or pull their tails or ears.
• Teach kids never to bother animals while they're eating, sleeping, or tending to their young.
• Teach kids never to take a toy or bone away from a dog.
• Teach kids never to pet or try to play with an animal they don't know, even if it's someone's family pet.
• Closely supervise pets and kids. Never leave an infant or toddler alone with a pet.
• Don't put pets into scary situations. For example, if you know your cat gets nervous around too many people, then put the kitty in another room during parties.
• Teach kids to wash their hands with soap and water after handling pets.
• Don't keep undomesticated animals as house pets.

Tips for Preventing Pet Behavior Problems

• Set rules immediately and stick to them.
• Avoid situations that promote inappropriate behavior.
• Observe the pet and provide what it needs to be cared for and attended to.
• Supervise the new pet diligently through undivided individual attention and training, and restrict the pet's access to a limited area of the house until training is complete.
• Encourage good behavior with praise and attention.
• Correct bad behaviors by providing positive alternatives. (A toy for a slipper, scratching post for the sofa.)
• Never physically punish or force compliance to commands. This may lead to fear biting or aggression.
• Don't play rough or encourage aggression or play biting.
• Expose pets to people, animals, and environments where you want them to live.

Rabies

Rabies (Latin, rabies, "madness, rage,fury") is a viral zoonotic disease that causes acute encephalitis (brain swelling) in mammals. In non-vaccinated humans, rabies is almost invariably fatal after neurological symptoms have developed, but prompt post-exposure vaccination may prevent the virus from progressing.

The virus is usually transmitted by a bite from a rabid animal.

Prompt and appropriate treatment, after being bitten and before the disease develops, can stop the infection and prevent the disease in people.

Not all rabid animals foam at the mouth and appear mad. Infected animals can be very calm and tame.

Only mammals get rabies. Birds, fish, reptiles and amphibians do not.

Humans

Improved rabies vaccination and animal control programs and better treatment for people who have been bitten can reduce the number of human rabies cases .

Dogs are still a significant source of rabies in many countries. Most cases of rabies occur in wild animals, mainly skunks, raccoons, bats and foxes

Controlling Rabies

Have your veterinarian vaccinate your cats, dogs, ferrets, and selected livestock. Keep the vaccinations up-to-date. Your veterinarian will advise you on the recommended or required frequency of vaccination in your locality.

Reduce the possibility of exposure to rabies by keeping your animals on your property. Don't let pets roam free. Don't leave garbage or pet food outside because it may attract wild or stray animals.

Wild animals should not be kept as pets. They are a potential rabies threat to their owners and to others. Observe all wild animals from a distance, even if they seem friendly.

A rabid wild animal may act tame. Don't go near it. If you see a wild animal acting strangely, report it to the city or county animal control department.

What to do - If You Have Been Bitten

Don't panic — but don't ignore the bite either. Wash the wound thoroughly and vigorously with soap and lots of water.

If possible, capture the animal under a large box or can, or at least try to identify it before it runs away. Don't try to pick the animal up. Call the local animal control authorities to come and get the animal.

If it is a wild animal, try to capture it if you can do so safely without being bitten again. If the animal cannot be captured and it must be killed to prevent its escape, don't damage the head. The brain will be needed to test for rabies.

Call your physician immediately. Explain how you were bitten and follow the physician's advice.

Report the bite to the local health department.

What to do -If Your Pet Has Been Bitten

Immediately consult your veterinarian.

Report the bite to the local animal control authorities.

Dogs, cats and ferrets that are currently vaccinated should be revaccinated immediately, kept under the owner's control, and observed for a period as specified by state law or local ordinances (normally 45 days or more).

Animals with expired vaccinations will need to be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

Unvaccinated dogs, cats and ferrets exposed to a rabid animal may need to be euthanatized immediately. Alternatively, the animal should be checked and immediately placed in strict isolation for 6 months and vaccinated 1 month before being released.

If bitten by a rabid animal, other animals should be euthanatized immediately.

What to do - If Your Pet Has Bitten Someone

Urge the victim to see a physician immediately and to follow the physician's recommendations.

Report the bite to the local health department and animal control authorities. If your pet is a cat, dog or ferret, the officials will confine the animal and watch it closely for 10 days. Home confinement may be allowed. Immediately report any illness or unusual behavior with your pet to your local health department and veterinarian. Don't let your pet stray, and don't give your pet away. The animal must be available for observation by public health authorities or a veterinarian.

Check with your veterinarian to be sure your pet's vaccinations are up-to-date.

After the recommended observation period, have your pet vaccinated for rabies if it does not have a current rabies vaccination.

Avoiding Dog Bites:

Never approach a strange dog, especially one who's tied up or confined behind a fence or in a car.

Don't pet a dog, even your own, without letting him or her see and sniff you first.

Never turn your back to a dog and run away. A dog's natural instinct is to chase and catch fleeing prey.

Don't disturb a dog while he or she is sleeping, eating, chewing on a toy, or caring for puppies.

Be cautious around strange dogs. Always assume that a dog who doesn't know you may see you as an intruder or as a threat.

When dog try to attack you:

Never scream and run. Remain motionless, hands at your sides, and avoid eye contact with the dog.

Remain motionless with your hands at your sides until the dog loses interest in you, then slowly back away until he or she is out of site.

If the dog does attack, "feed" him or her your jacket, purse, or anything that you can put between yourself and the dog.

If you fall or are knocked to the ground, curl into a ball with your hands over your ears and remain motionless. Try not to scream or roll around.

Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee's 25-day fasting

Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee has reportedly ended her 25-day fast following an appeal from Prime Minister Manmohan Singh tonight.

The Prime Minister had sent a letter to Mamata, asking her to end the fast she began in protest against the 'forceful' acquisition of land for the Tata Motors project in Singur, West Bengal. In a personal letter written to Mamata, the PM promised that the Chief Minister will discuss all issues with her.

Earlier on Thursday, Chief Minister Buddhadev Bhattacharya had also sent a letter to Mamata with a compromise formula. The move came after the Chief Minister held a meeting with key ministers including Industries Minister Nirupam Sen.

In a parallel move, an NDA delegation, led by former prime minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, also met President A P J Abdul Kalam and presented a memorandum asking him to personally intervene in the matter.Kalam expressed serious concern at the deteriorating health of Mamata and spoke to Manmohan Singh. (Agencies)

She is undergoing treatment in the Intensive Care Unit of a city hospital as her heart and pulse rates are low. She is being treated to correct her dehydration, hypoglycaeamia and other nutritional deficiencies, Kakoli Ghoshdastidar, a doctor attending on her, said on Friday morning. "She is on oxygen unit and intravenous fluid correction," she said.

Investigation was also being carried out to ascertain whether any of her vital organs had failed or not. Anxious party supporters gathered outside the south Kolkata nursing home to know about the health condition of Mamata.

"I am ending the fast because the country's top leaders, including President APJ Abdul Kalam and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, have requested me to do so", Mamata had said at the stroke of midnight, announcing her decision to end her fast.

Chinese New year

Chinese calendar has been in continuous use for centuries, which predates the International Calendar (based on the Gregorian Calendar) we use at the present day which goes back only some 425 years. The calendar measures time, from short durations of minutes and hours to intervals of time measured in months, years and centuries, entirely based on the astronomical observations of the movement of the Sun, Moon and stars.

February 18, 2007, is the first day of the Chinese New Year.

January 29, 2006, is the first day of the Chinese New Year.

There are three ways to name a Chinese year:

1. By an animal (like a mascot).

This year is known as the Year of the Dog.
There are 12 animal names; so, by this system, year names are re-cycled every 12 years.

2. By its Formal Name (Stem-Branch).
   The new year is the year of bingxu.

In the 'Stem-Branch' system, the years are named in 60-year cycles, and the Name of the Year is repeated every 60 years.
2006 is the 7th year in the current 60-year cycle.

3. It is Year 4703 by the Chinese calendar.

Special about the Chinese New Year in 2006

It was a Leap Year! Unlike the western calendar, where one extra day is added in February, one whole leap month is added in a Chinese Leap Year.

Just think. If you get paid by the month, instead of working an extra day for nothing, you will get an extra month's pay!!!

This time around, the Leap Month comes after the regular 7-th Month. The "Leap Second Month" begins on August 24,2006.

12 Animals

Each year is also designated by one of the 12 Animals For instance,2003 is Year of Ram and 2004 is Year of Monkey. 2005 is Year of Rooster.2006 is Year of Dog, and 2007 will be Year of Pig.

• Rat
• Ox
• Tiger
• Hare
• Dragon
• Snake
• Horse
• Sheep
• Monkey
• Rooster
• Dog
• Pig
  

This system is extremely practical. A child does not have to learn a new answer to the question, "How old are you?" in each new year. Old people often lose track of their age, because they are rarely asked about their current age. Everyone just have to remember that he or she was born in the "Year of Dog" or whatever.

Since this is the Year of Dog, anyone who was born in the Year of Dog is now either 0 or 12, 24, 36, 48, 60, 72, 84 or 96 years old.

Top Ten New Year Resoultions

New Year's is the only holiday that celebrates the passage of time. Perhaps that's why, as the final seconds of the year tick away, we become introspective. Inevitably, that introspection turns to thoughts of self-improvement and the annual ritual of making resolutions, which offer the first of many important tools for remaking ourselves.

The following list is the result of our extensive survey, which consisted of over 300,000 responses worldwide.

1. Lose Weight and Get in Better Physical Shape

Physical activity builds physical vitality. With every year of your life, you have more to gain from being physically active; as your age-related risks of chronic disease increase, regular exercise generally slows or reverses that trend.

In fact, you're even more likely to notice the benefits of regular exercise if you already have a chronic condition.

2. Stick to a Budget

It’s been said that the best defense is a good offense. Developing and sticking to a realistic budget is a brilliant offensive move as it prevents overspending and ensures peace of mind.

Many people find it very difficult to stick to a budget. It does take hard work and a lot of self-discipline, at least in the beginning.

3. Debt Reduction

One of the first things you have to do before any debt can be eliminated is to stop using charge accounts. If you continue to use the accounts, you are only fueling the problem, and building on it, not solving it.

Make a resolution now to stop charging anything and to get financially stable. If you can't pay cash for it, you don't need it, make it just that simple and you will find yourself out of debt in no time at all.

Keep a diary of all money spent, whether it is by cash, check, credit card, etc. Once you know where your money is going, then, and only then, can you take the steps needed to prepare a good budget that you can live with and make huge strides to budgeting your debt away.

4. Enjoy More Quality Time with Family & Friends

More and more people are resolving to spend more quality time with family and friends this year. This means you must consciously decide to actively and purposely work on improving your family situation every day.

5. Find My Soul Mate

Soul mate relationships are the sort of romantic relationships most of us dreamt of when we were young and innocent: loving and erotic, committed and inspiring and best of all - lasting.

Soul mate relationships give both partners the fulfillment that deeply satisfies them and makes them feel that they have found the most wonderful person in the whole universe.

6. Quit Smoking

Becoming a non-smoker is probably one of the best decisions you can ever make, and is a life changing as well as a life saving decision.

7. Find a Better Job

A new year provides a sense of getting a free do-over, so you can try again and get it right. Many people resolve to find better jobs or to take a new approach to the jobs they've already got.

It's corny, but true -- most of us get reflective at this time of year and if we are in jobs already, we begin thinking: Am I on the right path? Do I like where my position and my company are headed? Am I even in the right career?

So you've been hearing that voice again, the one that says you're not doing what you were born to do. That may be true, but how do you figure out what you should be doing?

To begin answering this question, examine whether your current career path matches your core interests, beliefs, values, needs and skills. Resolve to ask and answer those essential questions before making any new career changes.

8. Learn Something New

People throughout the world are realizing that a strong resolve to lifelong learning is more than just education and training beyond formal schooling. A lifelong learning framework encompasses learning throughout the life cycle, from cradle to grave and in different learning environments, formal, non-formal and informal.

9. Volunteer and Help Others

A popular, non-selfish New Year's resolution, volunteerism can take many forms such as spending time helping out at your local library, mentoring a child, or building a house to name a few.

Volunteering has risen sharply in the years since we began collecting resolutions. This suggests the possible emergence of a new civic generation and a resolve to make a bigger and better difference with your life.

10. Get Organized

Resolve this year to plan your days, reduce interruptions, clean off your desk, say "No", and make detailed lists. The benefits of getting more organized include being able to save time, as you no longer look for the same things over and over again or need to replace things you can’t find at all.

History of New Year's Resolutions

The tradition of the New Year's Resolutions goes all the way back to 153 B.C. Janus, a mythical king of early Rome was placed at the head of the calendar.

With two faces, Janus could look back on past events and forward to the future. Janus became the ancient symbol for resolutions and many Romans looked for forgiveness from their enemies and also exchanged gifts before the beginning of each year.

The New Year has not always begun on January 1, and it doesn't begin on that date everywhere today. It begins on that date only for cultures that use a 365-day solar calendar. January 1 became the beginning of the New Year in 46 B.C., when Julius Caesar developed a calendar that would more accurately reflect the seasons than previous calendars had.

The Romans named the first month of the year after Janus, the god of beginnings and the guardian of doors and entrances. He was always depicted with two faces, one on the front of his head and one on the back. Thus he could look backward and forward at the same time. At midnight on December 31, the Romans imagined Janus looking back at the old year and forward to the new. The Romans began a tradition of exchanging gifts on New Year's Eve by giving one another branches from sacred trees for good fortune. Later, nuts or coins imprinted with the god Janus became more common New Year's gifts.

In the Middle Ages, Christians changed New Year's Day to December 25, the birth of Jesus. Then they changed it to March 25, a holiday called the Annunciation. In the sixteenth century, Pope Gregory XIII revised the Julian calendar, and the celebration of the New Year was returned to January 1.

The Julian and Gregorian calendars are solar calendars. Some cultures have lunar calendars, however. A year in a lunar calendar is less than 365 days because the months are based on the phases of the moon. The Chinese use a lunar calendar. Their new year begins at the time of the first full moon (over the Far East) after the sun enters Aquarius- sometime between January 19 and February 21.

Although the date for New Year's Day is not the same in every culture, it is always a time for celebration and for customs to ensure good luck in the coming yea

34 Interesting facts!

• Coca-Cola was originally green.

• The most common name in the world is Mohammed.

• The name of all the continents ends with the same letter that they start with.

• The strongest muscle in the body is the tongue.

• There are two credit cards for every person in the United States.

• TYPEWRITER is the longest word that can be made using the letters only on one row of the keyboard. * Women blink nearly twice as much as men!!

• You can't kill yourself by holding your breath.

• It is impossible to lick your elbow.

• People say "Bless you" when you sneeze because when you sneeze, your heart stops for a millisecond.

• It is physically impossible for pigs to look up into the sky.

• If you sneeze too hard, you can fracture a rib. If you try to suppress a sneeze, you can rupture a blood vessel in your head or neck and die.

• Each king in a deck of playing cards represents great king from history.

• Spades - King David

• Clubs - Alexander the Great

• Hearts - Charlemagne

• Diamonds - Julius Caesar.

• 111,111,111 x 111,111,111 = 12,345,678,987,654,321

• If a statue of a person in the park on a horse has both front legs in the air, the person died in battle. If the horse has one front leg in the air, the person died as a result of wounds received in battle. If the horse has all four legs on the ground, the person died of natural causes.

• What do bullet proof vests, fire escapes, windshield wipers and laser printers all have in common? Ans. - All invented by women.

• Question - This is the only food that doesn't spoil. What is this? Ans. - Honey

• A crocodile cannot stick its tongue out.

• A snail can sleep for three years.

• All polar bears are left-handed.

• American Airlines saved $40,000 in 1987 by eliminating one olive from each salad served in first-class.

• Butterflies taste with their feet.

• Elephants are the only animals that can't jump.

• In the last 4000 years, no new animals have been domesticated.

• On average, people fear spiders more than they do death.

• Shakespeare invented the word 'assassination' and 'bump'.

• Stewardesses is the longest word typed with only the left hand.

• The ant always falls over on its right side when intoxicated.

• The electric chair was invented by a dentist.

• The human heart creates enough pressure when it pumps out to the body to squirt blood 30 feet.

• Rats multiply so quickly that in 18 months, two rats could have over million descendants.

• Wearing headphones for just an hour will increase the bacteria in your ear by 700 times.

• The cigarette lighter was invented before the match.

• Most lipstick contains fish scales.

• Like fingerprints, everyone's tongue print is different.

How to find your BMI?

Body Mass Index (BMI) is the preferred method of measurement for doctors and researchers studying obesity. The formula used to calculate an individual's BMI is weight (in kilograms) divided by height (in meters) squared. There are also differences in the interpretation of the BMI score of children as they grow.

Typically, the BMI will decrease in preschoolers and increase in adults. With children, the chart shows the percentile for the age of the child. For example, if a boy who is 2 years of age has a BMI of 19.3, he is in the 95th percentile for his age, meaning that 95 percent of children have a lower BMI score than he does.

BMI measurement is an efficient way to measure weight status as compared to the rest of the population, and is used to predict the risk for weight-related health problems. Although it is correlated with body fat, its implications differ according to age and sex.

Women generally have more body fat than men, for example. Furthermore, a muscular athlete and an out-of-shape person can have the same BMI score. Older people tend to have more body fat than younger adults with the same BMI. Interpretation of the BMI scores, therefore, is not an exact science.

How is BMI related to overall health?

The BMI rates show the effect that greater body weight has on increased risk for: cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, osteoarthritis, certain cancers, and ultimately, premature death.

In adults over 20 years of age, the BMI chart shows BMI scores of less than 18.5 as underweight, while the normal range should be between 18.5 and 24.9. Those with scores falling between 25.0 and 29.9 are deemed overweight, while those at 30.0 and above are classified as obese. Another measurement used to assess health risks is waist measurement.

When coupled with the BMI chart score, women with waist measurements of greater than 35 inches, and men with greater than 40 inches in circumference, are considered to be at even greater risk for health problems than those with lower waist measurements -- even if their BMI scores are merely in the overweight as opposed to the obese range.

It is important to note that BMI is only one indicator of relative health or risk for disease. With weight control and exercise, BMI scores can be brought into the healthy range, and overall health can be considerably improved.

BMI (kg/m2)	19	20	21	22	23	24	25	26	27	28	29	30	35	40
Height (in.)	Weight (lb.)
58	91	96	100	105	110	115	119	124	129	134	138	143	167	191
59	94	99	104	109	114	119	124	128	133	138	143	148	173	198
60	97	102	107	112	118	123	128	133	138	143	148	153	179	204
61	100	106	111	116	122	127	132	137	143	148	153	158	185	211
62	104	109	115	120	126	131	136	142	147	153	158	164	191	218
63	107	113	118	124	130	135	141	146	152	158	163	169	197	225
64	110	116	122	128	134	140	145	151	157	163	169	174	204	232
65	114	120	126	132	138	144	150	156	162	168	174	180	210	240
66	118	124	130	136	142	148	155	161	167	173	179	186	216	247
67	121	127	134	140	146	153	159	166	172	178	185	191	223	255
68	125	131	138	144	151	158	164	171	177	184	190	197	230	262
69	128	135	142	149	155	162	169	176	182	189	196	203	236	270
70	132	139	146	153	160	167	174	181	188	195	202	207	243	278
71	136	143	150	157	165	172	179	186	193	200	208	215	250	286
72	140	147	154	162	169	177	184	191	199	206	213	221	258	294
73	144	151	159	166	174	182	189	197	204	212	219	227	265	302
74	148	155	163	171	179	186	194	202	210	218	225	233	272	311
75	152	160	168	176	184	192	200	208	216	224	232	240	279	319
76	156	164	172	180	189	197	205	213	221	230	238	246	287	328