Topic: dental health

Dental X-Rays Linked To Brain Tumors–I Knew It!

Dental X-Rays Linked To Brain Tumors--I Knew It!

My dentist must hate me. Every time I go and she wants to do X-rays, I refuse. Nope, I don’t want them, they can’t be good for you, I don’t want that radiation in my body. To which she responds by trying to tell me it’s perfectly safe and can help detect any issues. Unless there’s a problem that you can see, I’m not budging, I say. This goes back and forth for a few minutes (don’t they make a note of this in their charts or something?), and then she finally concedes. I know they all think I’m a freak, but next time, I want to bring a new research study that suggests people who had certain kinds of dental X-rays in the past may be at an increased risk for brain tumors. I knew it! More »

Worried About Your Teeth Post-Halloween? Here’s The Down-Low On Oral Health

Worried About Your Teeth Post-Halloween? Here's The Down-Low On Oral Health

With Halloween comes fear, mainly of cavities and weight gain. But if you’re not careful, you could end up with a real horror show on your hands: Gum disease. It’s something that is surprisingly easy to develop, even if you’re a devoted gym rat and eat a totally clean, low-sugar diet. E, a successful executive in Toronto who prides herself on her pristine physical health, told us that she visited her dentist only to get shocking feedback from her hygienist: That while she appeared to take great care of her health, her oral health was in shambles, and would require serious attention to get back on track. She’s been able to repair the damage done from forgetting to floss, but often, the outcome isn’t so pretty. (Remember our story about the 34-year-old with the gums of an 85-year-old? She had to have incredibly painful oral surgery.) More »

I Am 34. With The Gums Of An 85 Year Old.

I Am 34. With The Gums Of An 85 Year Old.

I never thought I would have to worry about my gums until I was 85, around when my liver failed so I’d be inching toward the grave anyway. At a certain age, mouths are overrated. I knew there might be a root canal here and there before then, a crown for good measure. But I didn’t get more cavities than the next chick. More »

Morning Links: Mark Bittman Critiques McDonald’s Oatmeal

Morning Links: Mark Bittman Critiques McDonald's Oatmeal

Mark Bittman Slams McDonalds Oatmeal – Bittman says McDonald’s makes oatmeal wrong, even if you are okay with the calorie count. (New York Times)

Noisy Hospitals Might Be Killing People – Studies show that the numerous alarms and beeps may wear on health care providers, creating confusion about how to care for patients. (GOOD)

Getting On Your Nerves – Researchers found that hyperactive nerve cells may contribute to depression in mice, hopefully revealing more about the cause and treatment options for depressive disorders. (ScienceDaily) More »

Go Bright: The Best Teeth Whiteners

Go Bright: The Best Teeth Whiteners

Check out this post from Cat Marnell at Lemondrop.

Continuing the Lemondrop bad-teeth debate: If you ever want to feel really depressed, go visit a celebrity dentist! I found this out the hard way a couple years ago when, as a magazine editor, I visited the famous Dr. Fang, DDS, renowned for his glamorous celebrity clients, glossy veneers, and E!-network-worthy fake tan.

His tony uptown Manhattan office was extra-sexy, with sleek white leather furniture like a Palm Springs porno set and random Playboy magazines scattered amidst the Ws and Allures. The message? This was not a dentist’s office for your dumb kids and their lame cavities, OK? Hygiene = out! Looking sexy = in, and if you forgot it, the weird framed photos of Karolina Kurkova looking gape-mouthed everywhere would certainly remind you. More »

Cheerios Save the Rain Forests and Don’t Forget Your Gums: Morning News Round-up

Cheerios Save the Rain Forests and Don't Forget Your Gums: Morning News Round-up

Get Fit With Foursquare — And their new RunKeeper partnership. (via FitSugar)

Your Gums Get No Love — But they could affect the rest of your body’s health. (via Vitamin G)

Texting While Driving — Killed 16,000 people from 2001 to 2007. (via MSNBC)

General Mills — Takes steps to save the rain forests. (via Huffington Post) More »

Brain Food: Daily Health Quiz

Brain Food: Daily Health Quiz

Our Daily Health Quiz test your know-how. Answer our question, below, and check back tomorrow for the answer and your pop quiz.

Today’s Question: You might feel like whether or not you become senile in old age is out of your control, but there are some things you can do to help protect yourself. Choline is a nutrient that might protect against senility. Which of the following foods has the most choline? More »

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