Health

American Health Care System

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A BBC One’s Panorama, a TV documentary show, took on the dismal state of health care in the U.S. back in January 2009 (so it is a bit dated now).  Nick Cargo. BBC documentary takes on Obama’s plans for American health care system. January 25, 2009. http://rawstory.com/news/2008/BBC_documentary_takes_on_Obamas_plans_0125.html The documentary takes on the (now) 50.7 million uninsured citizens and the length they will go for healthcare, the..”pharmaceutical industry’s rigged pricing against the American patient, and the insurance industry’s efforts to deny care whenever possible.” Due to licensing restrictions the episode is only available for viewing by those who live in the U.K., however, it has been posted online. I have embedded the first of the three parts on YouTube below. The documentary opens up in rural Kentucy and shows many who have driven long distances in the middle of the night … Read more

Recent Developments of the iPad in Digital Dentistry

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This post is a guest post by Robert Milton. He blogs for Austin Dental Center, an Austin dentist, who specializes in mercury-free fillings and dental implants. Dr. Jonathan L. Ferencz In the fall of 2010, Apple, Inc., featured Dr. Jonathan L. Ferencz’s prosthodontics practice in one of its iPad in Business profiles, touting the numerous applications of the iPad in digital dentistry. In compelling detail, the profile outlined how Dr. Ferencz’s patients not only used the Adobe Ideas app to complete their intake forms electronically, but also engaged in leisure activities like checking email and surfing the Internet while in the waiting room. The profile also described Dr. Ferencz’s use of the iPad to display photographs and x-rays to patients during consultations, emphasizing the device’s high resolution and zooming features. And yet, Dr. Ferencz was by no means the first … Read more

How to Prevent Gum Disease and Cavities

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The following is a Guest Post by Dr. Richard Mitchell who has been a dentist for over 30 years and has experience in 6 different countries. Dr. Richard Mitchell has a website with excellent dental advice at  dental-health-advice.com It’s impossible to guarantee problem-free teeth,  but you can stack the odds in your favor by following a short routine each day! FIFTEEN MINUTES A DAY. That’s all it takes to really make a difference.  Can you find 15 minutes? Here’s a bonus. You don’t have to spend those fifteen minutes in the bathroom – with a little practice,  you can do most of the work sitting on the couch watching TV! OK,  what are the things to do? First of all,  don’t worry about the brand of toothbrush.  Like Lance Armstrong said,  “it’s not the bike”.  When we’re talking about getting … Read more

Adverse Sedation Events and Impact on Provider Specialty in Pediatrics

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Recently an article was published in Pediatrics titled Impact of Provider Specialty on Pediatric Procedural Sedation Complication Rates with authors Kevin G. Couloures, Michael Beach, Joseph P. Cravero, Kimberly K. Monroe and James H. Hertzog.   (2011, 127, pages e1154-e1160).  The conclusion presented in the abstract of the article is “In our sedation services consortium, pediatric procedural sedation performed outside the operating room is unlikely to yield serious adverse outcomes. Within this framework, no differences were evident in either the adjusted or unadjusted rates of major complications among different pediatric specialists.” The authors mentioned in this article another study conducted in Pediatrics which found over a 27 year period there were 60 cases identified in which death or severe neurological injury occurred of children 0.08 years to 20 years old. However, this study presented different conclusions in the abstract of the … Read more

How does Flouride really Protect Teeth from Cavities?

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A recent study that appeared in the journal Langmuir looked into the role of fluoride and their protection on teeth. The researchers who published the journal article found the protective shield fluoride forms on teeth is up to 100 times thinner than what was previously thought. It is well known that fluoride is found in toothpaste, mouthwash, and public drinking water in many areas in the world. The use of fluoride of course is to help prevent tooth decay which causes cavities to form. Researchers found the fluorapatite layer created by fluoride on the hard white substance covering teeth’s surface called enamel is only 6 nanometers thick. This layer is very small and over 10 times thinner than what was indicated in any prior studies. Hence the researchers raise questions about how a layer so thin can protect teeth from … Read more