Ranking the Top Health Blogs

by

For those who are interested in learning about health, using blogs in addition to more tradition forms of media is a great idea. I have personally been interested in learning about other health bloggers. Last month I found a great rescource that ranks the top 100 health blogs based on a number of factors. Some of the factors that go into the rankings are Google page rank, yahoo inlinks, bloglines subscribers, alexa ranking, and technorati. The rankings are provided by eDrugSearch.com. If you have a blog, you can add it to their database so that it can start to be tracked according to the above metrics. I checked out the blogs in the top 100 and was not particulary impressed. I feel their algorithm still could use some work. For example, I am not sure why they are not looking … Read more

Dental Hygiene Prevents Heart Infection

by

Good dental hygiene and health may be crucial in preventing heart valve infection, according to research reported in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association. In a study of 290 dental patients, researchers investigated several measures of bacteremia (bacteria released into the bloodstream) during three different dental activities — tooth brushing, a single tooth extraction with a preventive antibiotic and a single tooth extraction with a placebo. Researchers found bacteria in the blood more often with the two extraction groups than with the brushing group. However, the incidence of bacteremia from brushing was closer to an extraction than expected. “This suggests that bacteria get into the bloodstream hundreds of times a year, not only from tooth brushing, but also from other routine daily activities like chewing food,” said Peter Lockhart, D.D.S. In 2007, the American Heart Association modified its recommendation … Read more

Perfect Looking Teeth

by

A new measuring technique determines the effect of dental care products and helps  them so they polish the rough tooth surfaces until they are perfectly smooth, while preserving the tooth enamel. The tooth surface wears down and gets uneven – and the problem is that dental plaque adheres particularly well to a rough surface. Dentists therefore offer professional cleaning services, removing plaque and discoloration with abrasive prophylactic pastes. This renders the tooth surface beautifully smooth, making it difficult for bacteria to gain a foothold. Yet there is a risk that the polishing treatment will also grind away precious tooth enamel and dentin at the exposed necks of teeth. The manufacturers therefore have to find the happy medium when developing their prophylactic pastes: The pastes should be just abrasive enough to remove superficial discoloration and plaque, but preferably not wear down … Read more

Family Doctor’s Not Happy and How to Boost your Immune System

by

I found two great articles. The first deals with how (primary-care) family doctors are not happy with the current bussiness in the U.S.  According to a recent survery “49 percent [of family doctors] said they’d consider leaving medicine. Many said they are overwhelmed with their practices, not because they have too many patients, but because there’s too much red tape generated from insurance companies and government agencies.” There is expected to be a shortage in the tens of thousands within the next 15-20 years. In addition current medical students are not interested in pimary care and want to enter other alternatives. To read the entire article visit http://www.cnn.com/2008/HEALTH/11/17/primary.care.doctors.study/index.html A current practicing primary care physician named James Hubbard has cited “anxiety and hassel” as the reasons he is currently part time. He publishes his own magazine called Family Doctor Mag. On … Read more

Teeth and Jewlery Do Not Mix

by

Researchers from Tel Aviv University have found good reasons to think twice about piercing one’s tongue or lip. Dr. Liran Levin, a dentist from the Department of Oral Rehabilitation, School of Dental Medicine at Tel Aviv University has found that about 15 to 20 percent of teens with oral piercings are at high risk for both tooth fractures and gum disease. Resulting tooth fractures as well as periodontal problems, he says, can lead to anterior (front) tooth loss later in life. High rates of fractures due to piercings are not found in other age groups, and cases of severe periodontal damage in teens without oral piercings are similarly rare, says Dr. Levin, who conducted the study with partners Dr. Yehuda Zadik and Dr. Tal Becker, both dentists in the Israeli Army. Their initial study was done on 400 young adults … Read more