Health

Healthy Teeth and Gums with Green Tea

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Origins of green tea consumption believe that it could cure disease and heal wounds. With recent scientific studies showing that there are health benefits of drinking green tea, especially in weight loss, heart health, and cancer prevention. A study recently published in the Journal of Periodontology, states that routine intake of green tea may also help promote healthy teeth and gums. The study  found that those who regularly drank green tea had superior periodontal health than subjects that consumed less green tea. Male participants aged 49 through 59 were examined on three indicators of periodontal disease: periodontal pocket depth (PD), clinical attachment loss (CAL) of gum tissue, and bleeding on probing (BOP) of the gum tissue. Researchers observed that for every one cup of green tea consumed per day, there was a decrease in all three indicators. Green tea’s ability … Read more

Real Time Swine Flu Map

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With all the hype of the swine flu lately it is important to stay in the know… Google is currently tracking the swine flu on a up to date Google Map which shows suspected and confirmed cases across the world. It is worth a look if you are concerned… http://ow.ly/47bL Apparently though, some government officials are not taking the swine flu very seriously as a recent FML post indicates Today, I was pulled over by a police officer for speeding. After writing the ticket, he asked me why I was wearing a surgical mask. I told him that swine flu was found in our area and I was scared. He thought that I was insulting him and wrote me another ticket. *UPDATE visit http://swinemap.org/ for up to date swine flu information.

New 3D Dental Scan Guidelines

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Three-dimensional imaging systems now have new new guidelines for dentists. This has been extended to scanners  for UK and European practitioners. Cone Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT), which gives a similar kind of image as a medical CT scan, is now available in high-street dental practices to give high-definition, three-dimensional scans of patients’ jaws and teeth. However, CBCT carries an increased risk associated with greater radiation dose than traditional dental X-rays. The guidelines hope to serve to establish the safe and ethical use of CBCT. In many European countries, dentists can purchase and use CBCT without any additional training. This caused for many to want to establish some guidelines. Among the guidelines about are when CBCT examinations may be justified, as well information about training, equipment and safety measures. Adapted from materials provided by University of Manchester, via AlphaGalileo.

Childhood Exposure to Anesthesia linked to Learning Disabilities

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Mayo Clinic researchers have found that children undergo multiple surgeries with anesthesia during their first three years of life are at higher risk of developing learning disabilities. Using data from the Rochester Epidemiology Project, researchers studied the medical records of over 5,000 children fromwho were born between 1976 and 1982. The research team, led by Robert Wilder, M.D., Ph.D., a Mayo Clinic anesthesiologist, found that although one exposure to anesthesia was not harmful, more than one almost doubled the risk that a child would be identified as having a learning disability before age 19. The risk also increased with longer durations of anesthesia. Even so it is unclear whether the anesthetic, the physiological stress of surgery, or the medical problems that required surgery necessary are responsible for the increased risk of learning disabilities. The general anesthesia chemicals in use during … Read more

Dentists Fight Review Sites

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A new article by the ADA was published a few days ago about dentists fighting online websites where some seek to damage their name. The article can be found at http://www.ada.org/prof/resources/pubs/adanews/adanewsarticle.asp?articleid=3529. The article focuses on the review site Yelp and how one doctor found terrible ratings of herself online. The doctor went so far as to have her attorney sue the person who posted the rating on the site for libel. The doctor’s attorney states that “The parameters of the First Amendment weren’t intended to protect defamatory speech. If there were no limits whatsoever, we could charge anyone with anything. We can’t use speech in a way that is intended to hurt someone.” I personally believe that free speech protects our interests in giving our reviews of doctors, dentists, businesses, whatever you name it. I’m sure if we were to … Read more