Sweating is our body’s way of cooling down, a bit like an internal air conditioner.

When our core temperature rises (because it’s hot outside, or you’re exercising), sweat glands all over our skin release a watery fluid. As that fluid evaporates, it takes heat with it, keeping us from overheating.

But sweating can vary from person to person. Some people might just get a little dewy under the arms, others feel like they could fill a swimming pool (maybe not that dramatic, but you get the idea).

So what’s a normal amount of sweat? And what’s too much?

Why do some people sweat more than others?

How much you sweat depends on a number of factors including:

• your age (young kids generally sweat less than adults)
• your sex (men tend to sweat more than women)
• how active you are.

The average person sweats at the rate of 300 millilitres per hour (at 30°C and about 40% humidity). But as you can’t go around measuring the volume of your own sweat (or weighing it), doctors use another measure to gauge the impact of sweating.

They ask whether sweating interferes with your daily life. Maybe you stop wearing certain clothes because of the sweat stains, or feel embarrassed so don’t go to social events or work.

If so, this is a medical condition called hyperhidrosis, which affects millions of people worldwide.

People with this condition most commonly report problematic armpit sweating, as you’d expect. But sweaty hands, feet, scalp and groin can also be an issue.

Hyperhidrosis can be a symptom of another medical condition, such as an overactive thyroid, fever or menopause.

But hyperhidrosis can have no obvious cause, and the reasons behind this so-called primary hyperhidrosis are a bit of a mystery. People have normal numbers of sweat glands but researchers think they simply over-produce sweat after triggers such as stress, heat, exercise, tobacco, alcohol and hot spices. There may also be a genetic link.

OK, I sweat a lot. What can I do?

1. Antiperspirants

Antiperspirants, particularly ones with aluminium, are your first line of defence and are formulated to reduce sweating. Deodorants only stop body odour.

Aluminum chloride hexahydrate, aluminium chloride or the weaker aluminum zirconium tetrachlorohydrex glycinate react with proteins in the sweat glands, forming a plug. This plug temporarily blocks the sweat ducts, reducing the amount of sweat reaching the skin’s surface.

These products can contain up to 25% aluminium. The higher the percentage the better these products work, but the more they irritate the skin.

2. Beat the heat

This might seem obvious, but staying cool can make a big difference. That’s because you have less heat to lose, so the body makes less sweat.

Avoid super-hot, long showers (you will have more heat to loose), wear loose-fitting clothes made from breathable fabrics such as cotton (this allows any sweat you do produce to evaporate more readily), and carry a little hand fan to help your sweat evaporate.

When exercising try ice bandanas (ice wrapped in a scarf or cloth, then applied to the body) or wet towels. You can wear these around the neck, head, or wrists to reduce your body temperature.

Try also to modify the time or place you exercise; try to find cool shade or air-conditioned areas when possible.

If you have tried these first two steps and your sweating is still affecting your life, talk to your doctor. They can help you figure out the best way to manage it.

3. Medication

Some medications can help regulate your sweating. Unfortunately some can also give you side effects such as a dry mouth, blurred vision, stomach pain or constipation. So talk to your doctor about what’s best for you.

Your GP may also refer you to a dermatologist – a doctor like myself who specialises in skin conditions – who might recommend different treatments, including some of the following.

4. Botulinum toxin injections

Botulinum toxin injections are not just used for cosmetic reasons. They have many applications in medicine, including blocking the nerves that control the sweat glands. They do this for many months.

A dermatologist usually gives the injections. But they’re only subsidised by Medicare in Australia for the armpits and if you have primary hyperhidrosis that hasn’t been controlled by the strongest antiperspirants. These injections are given up to three times a year. It is not subsidised for other conditions, such as an overactive thyroid or for other areas such as the face or hands.

If you don’t qualify, you can have these injections privately, but it will cost you hundreds of dollars per treatment, which can last up to six months.

5. Iontophoresis

This involves using a device that passes a weak electrical current through water to the skin to reducing sweating in the hands, feet or armpits. Scientists aren’t sure exactly how it works.

But this is the only way to control sweating of the hands and feet that does not require drugs, surgery or botulinum toxin injections.

This treatment is not subsidised by Medicare and not all dermatologists provide it. However, you can buy and use your own device, which tends to be cheaper than accessing it privately. You can ask your dermatologist if this is the right option for you.

6. Surgery

There is a procedure to cut certain nerves to the hands that stop them sweating. This is highly effective but can cause sweating to occur elsewhere.

There are also other surgical options, which you can discuss with your doctor.

7. Microwave therapy

This is a newer treatment that zaps your sweat glands to destroy them so they can’t work any more. It’s not super common yet, and it is quite painful. It’s available privately in a few centres.

Michael Freeman, Associate Professor of Dermatology, Bond University

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

Just over half of Australian adults saw a dental practitioner in the past 12 months, most commonly for a check-up.

But have you been told you should get a check-up and clean every six months? Perhaps your dental clinic’s or health insurance policy’s default is to ask you to book these services twice a year.

Let’s look at whether this advice is based on evidence or opinion.

Why do you need regular check-ups and cleans?

A regular oral health checkup usually involves a dentist or oral health practitioner (dental therapist, dental hygienist, oral health therapist) examining the teeth, gums and surrounding structures of the mouth. This helps identify signs of tooth decay or gum disease, in addition to any changes to soft tissues.

In most instances, you will have your teeth professionally cleaned in the same visit, with a “scale and clean”, along with dental x-rays to identify issues that aren’t visible to the eye.

Regular brushing with fluoride toothpaste and cleaning between teeth (for example, by flossing) at home can’t reach all the surfaces of the teeth and gums. Professional cleaning is needed to remove the remaining plaque and tartar (calcified dental plaque) and the bacteria they contain, which cause tooth decay and gum disease.

What does the research evidence say?

Not all research is equal: some types of evidence are more reliable than others.

Cochrane systematic reviews are the most trusted because they use rigorous methods to collect and evaluate all available research evidence on a specific health question. These reviews judge how strong the evidence is and whether the studies might be affected by bias.

For adult oral health check-ups, a 2020 Cochrane review found strong evidence that six-monthly check-ups did not offer any additional benefit in preventing tooth decay or gum bleeding, compared to those whose frequency of check-ups was risk-based.

Risk-based means dental practitioners set the time between dental check-ups depending on the individual’s risk of dental disease.

The review, which looked at data over four years, also found there wasn’t enough good research to know how different dental check-up schedules affected children’s and teenagers’ teeth and gums.

On the issue of six-monthly professional cleaning, a 2018 Cochrane review found strong evidence that having regular professional cleaning made little or no difference to signs of gum disease (gingivitis or bleeding gums), or to levels plaque deposits, compared to adults with less regular professional cleaning.

There was a small reduction in tartar levels, however it’s unclear if this is meaningful to consumers and dental practitioners.

Participants who had six- or 12-monthly cleans reported their teeth felt cleaner than those who didn’t have scheduled cleans, but there was no difference between groups in reports of quality of life.

Based on these reviews, six-monthly visits and cleans don’t seem to consistently lead to better oral health for adults compared to check-ups and cleans based on individual risk.

So can you forgo six-monthly visits?

Regular professional dental check-ups are important throughout life, starting from the eruption of the first tooth.

But everyone has different oral health needs and risk levels which should be reflected in the frequency of their check-ups.

Some people who are at high risk of oral disease do need to see a dental practitioner more regularly: every six months or even more often – such as every three months – to treat severe gum disease or tooth decay.

Those with good oral health might only need to visit a dental practitioner every year or two years.

Others still may be willing to pay for six-monthly check-ups and cleans for peace of mind, despite their lower oral health risk profile.

How else can I keep my teeth and gums healthy?

Maintain your oral health by brushing twice a day with fluoridated toothpaste. The evidence shows children and adults who brush less than twice daily are at high risk of tooth decay.

Cleaning between your teeth can also help reduce gum problems and dental plaque – more than brushing alone. You can use traditional dental floss or a flossing tool. Interdental brushes, which have a tiny bristled head that fits between teeth, can also be more effective than flossing.

For people who lack manual dexterity and for children, water flossers can be an effective alternative to traditional flossing.

Finally, avoiding sugars added to foods and drinks, as well as the sugars naturally found in honey, syrups and fruit juices, helps protect teeth from tooth decay.

Tan Nguyen, Casual Research Fellow in Oral Health, Deakin University and Santosh Tadakamadla, Professor and Head of Dentistry and Oral Health, La Trobe University

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.