Health

Lactobacillus Reuteri Helps Oral Health

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A recent study by researchers at Malmö University in Sweden show that the lactic acid bacteria called Lactobacillus reuteri improves oral health. Lactobacillus reuteri was first discovered in the 1960s and at this time 30-40% of the population had it naturally in their bodies. Today this number is down to around 10-20% of the population and this is believed to be due to changes in lifestyle and food consumption. Many preservatives found in foods today kill the bacteria. Gabriela Sinkiewicz a researcher at Malmö University also found that Lactobacillus reuteri occurs naturally in breast milk of women but that on average women in Japan and Korea have higher concentrations. Gabriela Sinkiewicz says that Lactobacillus reuteri is important for infants as it help’s their intestinal system and immune system. In addition, she determiend that that the occurrence of both plaque and … Read more

Thirteen Year Old Girl Dies After Dentist Visit

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I was sad to hear about the death of a 13 year old girl recently after she had a visit to the dentist. Marissa Kingery visited Dr. Henry Mazorow, an 80 year old dentist, who has been in practice since 1956, to remove two baby teeth and uncover an impacted tooth. The tentative cause of death is lack of oxygen to the brain following the administration of anesthesia. Marissa died in early January 2011 after being on life support for nearly two weeks. She was an eighth grade honor student and her fellow classmates and staff recently held a vigil to remember her along with a moment of silence. This occurred in Ohio. In May of 2010  a six year old boy who died during a dentist visit. For additional details visit http://www.morningjournal.com/articles/2011/01/07/news/doc4d27207bd2d5d011029191.txt and http://chronicle.northcoastnow.com/2011/01/08/court-records-show-dentist-settled-wrongful-death-lawsuit-in-1997/

Darvon and Darvocet banned in U.S.

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I find it interesting to hear that the drug commonly known as Darvocet and also similarly Darvon has been banned in the U.S. as of November 19, 2010. The formal name of the drug is Dextropropoxyphene and is in the opiod category of drugs. If you know someone who wants to help a drug addicted friend or loved one, refer them to this website so they can see what they can do to help. This ban came by the FDA in response to research that suggests the drug Darvocet can lead to heart problems such as heart arrythmias. The drug is also known to be addictive and is associated with some deaths. It is commonly prescribed in the treatment of pain. I personally was prescribed darovcet in 2008 in an attempt to treat my chronic 24/7 headache caused by the … Read more

Fish Oil Supplements Lower Risk of Gum Disease

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New research shows that consuming  polyunsaturated fatty acids can lower the risk of developing periodontitis. Periodontitis is a gum infection that can lead to tissue and bone loss around teeth. The specific studies I am referring to found that n-3 fatty acid intake such as docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) are inversely associated with periodontitis in a U.S. sample size of over 9,000 adults. This is useful to know because it is quite easy to incorporate a supplement like fish oil in your diet. However, I do have issues with dietary supplements as they typically do not have to meet tough standards to make it on your local pharmacy store’s shelf. Therefore you need to be careful about which brand you may purchase. There are also others ways to obtain polyunsaturated fatty acids such as by eating nuts, … Read more

One in Four Children Living in California Have not been to a Dentist

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I found this new study called “Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Dental Care for Publicly Insured Children” to be quite discouraging which recently appeared in the July issue of the journal Health Affairs.  The study says 25% of children in the state of California (U.S.)  have never seen a dentist. It also goes on to address  disparities which exist across type of insurance coverage, ethnicity, and race. This is not good news as lack of dental care can of course cause children to have to miss school for treatment. The study looks at California kids who are age 11 and under and uses data from the 2005 California Health Interview Survey which contains over 10,000 children. So of course this is slightly dated data that was used. Some highlights on the study include African American and Latino American children with … Read more