scurvy

Scurvy is a deficiency disease caused by not getting enough Vitamin C in the diet for a long time.

• Why Vitamin C matters: It helps the body make collagen, a “natural cement” protein that keeps gums, skin, blood vessels, and wounds strong and healthy.
• What happens in scurvy: Without enough collagen, gums can bleed, teeth may feel loose, wounds heal slowly, and a person may feel weak and tired.
• Who can get it: Anyone whose diet lacks fresh fruits and vegetables for weeks to months—especially if meals are mostly packaged or limited in variety.
• It does not spread: Scurvy is not caused by germs, so it is non-communicable and cannot pass from one person to another.
• Prevention and cure: Regularly eating Vitamin C–rich foods like amla, guava, oranges, lemons, tomatoes, and capsicum prevents it, and improving the diet (sometimes with supplements) helps people recover.

Scurvy is a good reminder that even one missing nutrient can affect many parts of the body, because nutrients work like essential “tools” for building and repairing tissues.