‘How do I clean the inside of my ears?’ Dr Dulcy answers your questions

Dear doctor
What causes brown teeth stains in adults, especially the ones that don’t seem to come off?

It is usually the high iodine content in the water that causes the discolouration of the teeth. Unfortunately very difficult to fix but please do consult your dentist for further management. It does not represent a pathology you should worry about. The only issue is how they look which may cause distress.

Dear doctor
My daughter’s toenails keep coming off. She does a lot of sport. Does she have a fungus?

As you say, there could be fungal infections causing this. Also connective tissue disorders may be responsible. Some dietary modifications and foot hygiene may help correct the situation. Please visit your doctor for a full history and physical examination.

Dear doctor
How do I clean the inside of my ears? They feel as though something is inside.

Since you do not have direct vision of your inner ear and middle ear it is best not to introduce foreign objects into it, including ear buds. This may be dangerous because they may push wax or objects deeper into the ear and inflict harm. Please visit your doctor for an examination and, if indicated, they will do an ear syringing to clean out whatever is inside and should not be there.

About the author

Dr Dulcy holds a MBBCH degree from Wits University, a diploma in occupational health, a diploma in HIV management, travel medicine diploma, masters of science in sports medicine, and a masters in business administration degree from GIBS  and is here to help! A social entrepreneur with a passion for providing healthcare and wellness solutions for low and middle-income communities in South Africa.

As the 2016 Social Entrepreneurship Regional Business Achiever award winner for Business Women’s Association, she started Accessible Quality Healthservices (AQH) in 2013 after being a general practitioner in Vryburg then Carletonville for 11 years.

In 2015, she partnered with Pascal Frohlicher and we founded U-Care Medical Centres which focused on building private medical centres and providing world-class health services at an affordable cost. This company evolved in 2019 to become quadcare, which is a network of medical centres in areas where they are needed the most providing access to affordable healthcare. Currently, the centres are in Edenvale, Fox Street Johannesburg, Meadowlands, Carletonville, University of Johannesburg, and Park Station.

Dr Dulcy said her life’s purpose was to make an impact on how healthcare was delivered in this country, especially to the poor.

*Always consult your paediatrician, gynaecologist or health-care provider for all health matters relating to you and your children.

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