HOSA Digestive Description

Missing teeth

permanent teeth are missing

Impacted third molars

an impacted third molar is malpositioned, thereby preventing normal eruption

Dental caries

an infection resulting in erosion of the tooth surface.

Discolored teeth

teeth are discolored

gingivitis

inflammation and swelling of the gums.

periodontitis

also called periodontal disease, is a destructive gum and bone disease around one or more of the teeth

Oral tumors

oral neoplasms, classified as benign or malignant and localized or invasive.

malocclusion

specific angles of malposition and contact of the maxillary and mandibular teeth.

temporomandibular joint disorder

symptom complex related to inflammation, disease, or dysfunction of the temporomandibular joint.

Tooth abcesses

a pus-filled sac that develops in the tissue surrounding the base of the root

Mouth ulcers

an ulcer in the mouth is a lesion on the mucous membrane, exposing the underlying sensitive tissue.

Herpes simplex

a contagious, recurrent viral infection that affects the skin and mucous membranes.

Thrush

Candidiasis of the oral mucosa, involving the mouth, tongue, palate, and gums.

Necrotizing periodontal disease

a common infection affecting the gums and anchoring structure of the teeth

oral leukoplakia

hyperkeratosis, or epidermal thickening of the buccal mucosa, palate, or lower lip.

Oral cancer

includes squamous cell carcinoma, or adenocarcinoma of the lips, cheek mucosa, anterior tongue, floor of the mouth, hard palate, and upper and lower gingiva.

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)

refers to the clinical manifestations of regurgitation of stomach contents, and duodenal contents into the esophagus, frequently occuring at night. mild episodes may be described as heartburn.

Esophageal varices

dilated submucosal veins that develop in patients with underlying portal hypertension and may result in serious upper GI bleeding.

Esophagitis

inflammation and tissue injury of the esophagus.

Esophageal cancer

two main forms. squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus lining, and adenocarcinoma of the columnar epithelium near the esophagogastric junction.

Gastric and duodenal peptic ulcers

if the protective mucous membrane of the stomach or upper intestinal tract is damaged the lining underneath is prone to ulceration. these lesions can be acute or chronic, clustered or singular, and shallow or deep. deep sores develop within the deep muscle layer of tissue.

Gastritis

inflammation of the lining of the stomach.

Gastric cancer

malignant tumors that occur in the stomach

Acute appendicitis

inflammation of the appendix, a narrow pouch around 3 1/2 inches long that extends from the first part of the large intestine.

Hiatal hernia

defect in the diaphragm that permits a segment of the segment of the stomach to slide into the thoracic cavity.

abdominal hernia

condition in which an organ protrudes through an abnormal opening in the abdominal wall.

crohn disease (regional enteritis)

crohn disease is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the Gi tract that affects up to 480,000 persons in the US. also called regional enteritis.

ulcerative colitis

chronic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), affecting the mucosa and submucosa of the rectum and colon. a common cause of serious bowel disease.

Gastroenteritis

general term for acute inflammation of the lining of the stomach and intestines.

Intestinal Obstruction

mechanical or functional blockage of the intestines.

Diverticulitis

infection of one or more of the diverticula

Colorectal cancer

a cancer that arises in any part of the colon or rectum. the third most common site for cancer, and the third most common cause of cancer death.

pseudomembranous enterocolitis

acute inflammation wit a plaquelike adhesion of necrotic debris and mucus to the damaged superficial mucosa of the small and large intestines.

Short-Bowel syndrome

the small bowel fails to absorb nutrients because of inadequate absorption surface.

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)

a functional bowel disorder characterized by chronic abdominal pain or discomfort, bloating, and erratic dysfunction of bowel habits.

Peritonitis

Inflammation of the peritoneum, can be acute or chronic, and local or generalized. the peritoneum is the lining of the abdominal cavity. without immediate action, this condition is life threatening.

Hemorrhoids

varicose dilations of a vein in the anal canal, or the anorectal area.

Cirrhosis of the liver

a chronic degenerative disease that is irreversible. it brings low deterioration of the liver, resulting in the replacement of normal liver cells with hard, fibrous scar tissue, known as hobnail liver. if left untreated, hepatic failure and death eventually follow.

Viral hepatitis

a systemic infection causing symptoms ranging from mild inflammation of the liver to severe involvement with destruction of hepatic cells. most cases are caused by one of several viral agents described by letters of the alphabet. some cases lead to chronic viral hepatitis,the tenth leading cause of death in the US. transmission of the disease varies with the type of virus. A is fecal-oral, B and C are blood borne.

Hepatitis A

a highly contagious viral infection, causing mild acute liver infection. incubation period varies from 15 to 50 days. symptoms can be mild to severe. in most cases, infection is self-limiting, liver function is fully recovered, and lifelong immunity to hepatitis A is conferred. A is the only viral hepatitis that causes spiking fevers.

Hepatitis B

symptoms can mimic flu, and are similar to those mentioned previously. onset is more insidious, and aminotransferase levels are higher than in HAV. liver inflammation causes destruction of liver cells, and necrosis. these changes can be detected in abnormal liver profile studies. primarily transmitted sexually.

Hepatitis C

considered a widespread epidemic, the most common bloodborne infection in the US. many of those infected with HCV, often young adults, are asymptomatic, and may unknowingly infect others. incubation period varies from 2-6 weeks. when present, symptoms resemble those of Hep A, but are less severe. chronic HCV results in gradual, insidious liver disease. over a period of years, the infection causes necrosis, fibrosis, and cirrhosis of the liver. abnormal laboratory findings include elevated serum levels of liver enzymes, and bilirubin.

Cancer of the liver

hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a primary tumor of the liver that usually arises in the setting of chronic liver disease. hepatoblastoma is a childhood cancer that arises in an otherwise normal liver.

Cholecystitis

acute or chronic inflammation of the gallbladder, usually associated with obstruction of the cystic duct.

Cholelithiasis (gallstones)

A common condition in which there is an abnormal presence of calculi or gallstones that form in the bile.

Acute and Chronic pancreatitis

acute or chronic inflammation of the pancreas, with variable involvement of adjacent and remote organs.

Pancreatic Cancer

neoplasm, usually an adenocarcinoma, and occurs more often in the head of the pancreas. most neoplasms arise from exocrine cells, and the remaining 1-2% involves the endocrine cells.

Malnutrition

disorder of nutrition used by primary deprivation of protein-energy, or secondary to deficiency disease (cancer or diabetes).

Malabsorption syndrome

a group of disorders in which intestinal absorption of dietary nutrients is impaired.

Celiac Disease (gluten enteropathy

Celiac sprue, is a disease of the small intestine that is characterized by malabsorption, gluten intolerance, and damage to the lining of the intestine.

Food poisoning

illness resulting from the eating of food that contains bacterial toxins, and viral, chemical, or toxic substances. the CDC estimates that there of 33 million cases of food poisoning in the US every year.

Anorexia nervosa

an eating disorder, linked to a psychological disturbance in which hunger is denied by self-imposed starvation, often resulting from a distorted body image, and a compulsion to be thin.

Bulimia

behavioral disorder characterized by recurrent episodes of binge eating, followed by self-induced vomiting or purging, usually in secret. incidence is much lower in men than women.

Motion sickness

loss of equilibrium experienced during motion.