Pick a loser

As a follow up to my last post regarding e-cigarettes I'd like to share another issue about tobacco.  I was catching up on episodes of The Daily Show with Jon Stewart and watched an excellent piece on tobacco farming and child labor laws.  This shocking situation has also been reported on by the BBC, NPR, various local news stations and is being monitored by Human Rights Watch.  Apparently children as young as 12 can legally work on farms.  There is NO minimum age on small farms.  Children are working ridiculously long hours in unsafe conditions and without personal protective equipment.  They are being sickened and poisoned by contact with the tobacco leaves and pesticides.  Yet under pressure from big agriculture in 2012, the Labor Department withdrew a proposal to more strictly regulate the age and conditions of child farm laborers.  The tobacco companies response to child laborers?  Well, they are certainly "concerned."  (Yep, that's pretty much it.)  It is sickening to know that children are working under terrible conditions, using dangerous equipment and being exposed to harmful chemicals.  It is even more disgusting that this occurs in an industry that grows a toxic product that destroys people's health and causes cancer while making billions of dollars in profit in the process. And, of course, the US government gets it share through taxes.  So what if a few kids get harmed?  After all, they get the benefit of helping their families make money and learning the value of hard work.  That's the farmers' perspective.  Well, whatever helps you sleep at night.  But I think that in an industry that makes this much money in a country where we claim we are so concerned about human rights, more can be done to protect these kids.  What do you think?

For a great summary of the HRW report and excellent video, (the boys featured are remarkable,) view the following BBC report:  http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-27350412

Up in Vape

Recently, on a beautiful day in Seaside Heights, I sat on a boardwalk bench waiting for my son and his friends and doing some people watching.  As I observed the variety of swimsuits, sundresses, piercings and tattoos adorning the bodies of early summer beach goers, (including a teen wearing a horse head mask,) activity at one particular store caught my eye.  It was a smoke shop selling e-cigs and other smoking paraphernalia.  What struck me was the number of young people, mostly in groups, stopping to purchase and browse.  The attraction of teens and young people to smoking is nothing new, of course, and as I age the range of people I consider to be “young” increases.  It is a fact, however, that there is still so much unknown about the effect of e-cigarettes and vaping on health.  E-cigs even eliminate the fear of “getting caught” because there is no smoke involved.  High school kids will vape in school, even in class.  Opportunities to “smoke” continue to grow, regardless of our lack of understanding of the long term consequences.  For adults who currently smoke and are considering quitting, e-cigs may be a viable “lower risk” alternative.   However, despite claims that e-cigs are safer than regular cigarettes and can help people quit there is little research yet to support this.  And more and more products are being developed all the time that stress lifestyle benefits over health benefits.  RJ Reynolds aims to make e-products that deliver a “satisfying” experience to smokers.  Philip Morris is developing a product that uses tobacco to deliver a tobacco flavor nicotine vapor claiming “reduced” risk.  There was a time when “light” cigarettes were marketed as such until it was found that these claims were untrue or murky at best.  And, if you are old enough to remember, there was a time when doctors were used to advertise the health benefits of cigarettes.  These new products contribute to the illusion that starting this kind of a habit is not at all harmful when this is far from true.  Smoking flavored tobacco using a hookah is also very much in vogue.  In the past year there has been a 21% increase in high school students who do this.  This is another practice where there is a huge misconception that it is safer than traditional cigarettes, just like it was once assumed that chewing tobacco was safer.  Finally, let’s look at the players in this industry.  These products are largely unregulated and there is a lot of money to be made.  E-cigarettes and vapor delivery systems have gained a lot of popularity with the public for a variety of reasons including the legalization of pot for medicinal and non-medicinal use in some states.  But don’t think for one minute that these companies are concerned about anything other than how to relieve you of your money.  They have a long history of just blowing smoke.

This information is not intended to treat or diagnose any dental or medical condition or illness.  Please visit your medical or dental health professional if you need medical or dental treatment.

Sources: http://www.ama-assn.org, http://www.rjrvapor.com, http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/malboro-man-peril-article-1.1369911, www.adha.org, www.cdc.gov

No Numbing Gel for Babies

Teething is a normal part of development.  Baby teeth start to erupt between 5-7 months of age and continue to come in until the child is about three years old.  Babies may seem fussy, cry, and chew on their hands.  A cold cloth or teething ring for baby to chew on or massaging the gums with a clean finger are the best ways to treat discomfort.  (Fever during teething is coincidental and use of products with acetaminophen should be used according to directions to avoid overdose in an infant.)  While parents may be distressed that their child is in pain, numbing gels are never recommended to treat teething pain.  Over the counter products can do more harm than good and can cause a rare but potentially fatal condition called methemoglobinemia in which the oxygen level of the blood drops.  Parents should also never use left over adult prescriptions to treat teething pain in babies. 

For more information about the products in question and to read the FDA's warning, please go to:
http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm385817.htm 

Now a word about the use of numbing gels for adults.  Pain in the mouth that is so severe you find yourself applying numbing gel is not normal.  Cavities or infections in the mouth do not get better, they only get worse.  At best numbing gel will only temporarily alleviate pain and then you may find yourself in a more painful or potentially dangerous situation.  If your teeth or a tooth hurts, see a dentist! 

This information is not intended to diagnose or treat any disease or condition.  Please visit your medical or dental professional for treatment.

Bad Breath and Sniffing out Lung Cancer

I have patients who are diligent about brushing and use mouthwash yet complain of bad breath.  There are several causes of bad breath but I usually address flossing habits first.  Flossing gets in between the teeth where the toothbrush can't reach.  Plaque, which is made of germs, live and grow all over the mouth.  Not flossing is like taking a shower and washing your face but not washing your hair or your ears - you're not doing the whole job.  Plaque stinks and unfortunately there is no other way to effectively get the plaque out from between the teeth.  Even new electronic devices, which are like mini water-picks, still recommend flossing in their instructions.  There simply is no substitute.  When investigating reasons for bad breath, other things to look at are medications, tooth alignment, mouth breathing and other health considerations.  Some medications can cause dry mouth, a common side effect of certain meds, which can lead to bad breath.  Supplements like fish oil or garlic, foods like onions or other odiferous foods can also cause it.  Tooth alignment can cause the mouth not to fully close, leading to drying of the mouth tissues and again, bad breath.  Mouth breathing at night or snoring, sometimes a sign of a serious health issue like sleep apnea, can also cause this problem as can life style habits, like smoking and drinking.  Bad breath certainly can be troublesome so it is best to discuss the issue frankly with your medical or dental professional especially since chronic bad breath may indicate underlying health problems.  It was also reported recently that the breath in general may even reveal other important information about a person's health.  At a conference of the American Society for Clinical Oncology new research revealed some amazing results.  Researchers reported that they have developed a machine using nanotechnology that can "smell" the breath of patients with lung cancer and other lung ailments.  Simply by breathing into a tube subtle changes in the body chemistry of the person are detected.  While this technology is still being tested the initial results seem promising.  (Please see the original article at http://www.livescience.com/46108-breath-test-lung-cancer.html ) Perhaps someday your doctor, dentist, or dental hygienist will be able to administer a simple breath test that can save your life or the life of your loved one.  That sure smells sweet.
This information is not intended to treat or diagnose any dental or medical problem or illness.  Please visit your medical or dental health professional if you need medical or dental treatment!

For Brighter Smiles

There is nothing like being with friends to make me feel like a million bucks.  Friday night it was at a formal, lavish affair to celebrate our town's anniversary and honor community members who make it a great place to live.  It was a little daunting to walk by myself into this throng of people dressed to the nines, laughing, talking and drinking.  Making my way through the crowd I saw my friends across the room and social anxiety faded to relief!  These are the friends I have made since moving to town twenty years ago.  (Where has the time gone!?)  Some of them I have known for more than a decade and others met more recently but all are cherished.  One who knows my kids well and whom we affectionately called "Crossing Guard Lady" for years.  We now paint sets together for our community theater show and I so appreciate her common sense and no nonsense advice.  Another who simply cracks me up with her wit and uncommon humor.  She's that person who makes you feel like you're in 4th grade again.  And several more friends each of whom evoke such wonderful memories and have a special spot in my heart.  It makes me feel so blessed.  On Saturday, it was by contrast a very informal affair - girls night out at a friend's home.  Just pull up a chair and grab a glass of wine or a beer.  We know each other so well that when we see each other it's almost as if the conversation picks up where it left off.  These are the women I have known since I was a teen and who know where the bodies are buried!  (What happens in the Poconos stays in the Poconos.)  We've gotten in trouble together, had a blast together, and celebrated the specials times in each other's lives together.  We joke and laugh so hard it's hard to breathe.  We talk about our lives, jobs, families, various gynecological and medical procedures, and everything else we can think of to talk about.  We can say anything to each other and we do.  I find that so amazing.  I can't imagine my life without these people in it.  So driving home today, I was smiling.  I was ear to ear grinning just thinking about this weekend, the many past weekends and days, and more I hope to come.  Nothing makes my smile brighter than my friends.