adplus-dvertising
Connect with us

Health

Dentist's urgent warning as link found between not brushing your teeth and deadly disease – Express

Published

 on


A dentist has issued an urgent warning about brushing your teeth after new research revealed a link between poor oral hygiene and a deadly disease. Dentist Dr Ferakh Hamid from Aesthetique Dental Care shared his top tips for keeping your mouth healthy as a study found an association between the mouth and bowel cancer.

In the new study, published in the journal Nature, researchers discovered a specific microbe typically found in the mouth in about 50 percent of bowel cancer cases.

Scientists at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Centre in the US learnt how microbes found in the mouth could travel to the lower gut, withstand stomach acids, and then grow within colorectal tumours.

As part of the research they examined 200 cases of bowel cancer and found that about half of the cancers contained the microbe.

They also discovered the microbe in many stool samples taken from people with the cancer.

According to the study, the microbes drive cancer progression and can lead to poorer outcomes.

Speaking to Express.co.uk , Dr Hamid explained more about what this means.

“New studies have shown a surprising connection between how we care for our teeth and the risk of colon cancer,” he said.

“It seems that a certain kind of bacteria, which is normally found in our mouth, can end up in our colon if we don’t brush our teeth properly. This can increase the risk of colon cancer.

“It turns out that what happens in our mouth can affect other body parts, too. Not caring for our teeth can lead to unexpected problems, like making other organs sick.

“This bacteria, known as Fusobacterium nucleatum, can make things worse for people who already have colorectal cancer.

“There are different types of this bacteria; the kind usually found in our mouth isn’t the same as the kind found in colon tumours.

“Finding this bacteria in colon tumours has been shown to lead to worse health for those people.”

He therefore stressed the importance of keeping your teeth and mouth clean and healthy.

“This shows us just how crucial it is to clean our mouth through regular brushing and dentist visits. It’s not just about avoiding cavities; it’s about keeping our whole body healthy,” he said.

“The link between the health of our mouth and our overall health is really strong.

“Problems like gum disease can make other health issues worse, like diabetes and heart disease.

“This reminds us why it’s so important for people of all ages to go to the dentist regularly and keep up with brushing and flossing.”

How to look after your teeth

Dr Hamid added: “Preventive dental care, including regular brushing, flossing, and dental check-ups, is essential.

“It’s not just about avoiding pain or discomfort; it’s about maintaining your overall health. A proactive approach to dental care can save you from complex health issues down the line.

“Brushing your teeth twice a day is a defence mechanism against diseases both oral and systemic.

“This simple yet vital activity can significantly reduce the risk of harmful bacteria travelling from your mouth to other body parts.”

Adblock test (Why?)

728x90x4

Source link

Continue Reading

Health

Canada to donate up to 200,000 vaccine doses to combat mpox outbreaks in Africa

Published

 on

 

The Canadian government says it will donate up to 200,000 vaccine doses to fight the mpox outbreak in Congo and other African countries.

It says the donated doses of Imvamune will come from Canada’s existing supply and will not affect the country’s preparedness for mpox cases in this country.

Minister of Health Mark Holland says the donation “will help to protect those in the most affected regions of Africa and will help prevent further spread of the virus.”

Dr. Madhukar Pai, Canada research chair in epidemiology and global health, says although the donation is welcome, it is a very small portion of the estimated 10 million vaccine doses needed to control the outbreak.

Vaccine donations from wealthier countries have only recently started arriving in Africa, almost a month after the World Health Organization declared the mpox outbreak a public health emergency of international concern.

A few days after the declaration in August, Global Affairs Canada announced a contribution of $1 million for mpox surveillance, diagnostic tools, research and community awareness in Africa.

On Thursday, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention said mpox is still on the rise and that testing rates are “insufficient” across the continent.

Jason Kindrachuk, Canada research chair in emerging viruses at the University of Manitoba, said donating vaccines, in addition to supporting surveillance and diagnostic tests, is “massively important.”

But Kindrachuk, who has worked on the ground in Congo during the epidemic, also said that the international response to the mpox outbreak is “better late than never (but) better never late.”

“It would have been fantastic for us globally to not be in this position by having provided doses a much, much longer time prior than when we are,” he said, noting that the outbreak of clade I mpox in Congo started in early 2023.

Clade II mpox, endemic in regions of West Africa, came to the world’s attention even earlier — in 2022 — as that strain of virus spread to other countries, including Canada.

Two doses are recommended for mpox vaccination, so the donation may only benefit 100,000 people, Pai said.

Pai questioned whether Canada is contributing enough, as the federal government hasn’t said what percentage of its mpox vaccine stockpile it is donating.

“Small donations are simply not going to help end this crisis. We need to show greater solidarity and support,” he said in an email.

“That is the biggest lesson from the COVID-19 pandemic — our collective safety is tied with that of other nations.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.

Canadian Press health coverage receives support through a partnership with the Canadian Medical Association. CP is solely responsible for this content.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

Source link

Continue Reading

Health

How many Nova Scotians are on the doctor wait-list? Number hit 160,000 in June

Published

 on

 

HALIFAX – The Nova Scotia government says it could be months before it reveals how many people are on the wait-list for a family doctor.

The head of the province’s health authority told reporters Wednesday that the government won’t release updated data until the 160,000 people who were on the wait-list in June are contacted to verify whether they still need primary care.

Karen Oldfield said Nova Scotia Health is working on validating the primary care wait-list data before posting new numbers, and that work may take a matter of months. The most recent public wait-list figures are from June 1, when 160,234 people, or about 16 per cent of the population, were on it.

“It’s going to take time to make 160,000 calls,” Oldfield said. “We are not talking weeks, we are talking months.”

The interim CEO and president of Nova Scotia Health said people on the list are being asked where they live, whether they still need a family doctor, and to give an update on their health.

A spokesperson with the province’s Health Department says the government and its health authority are “working hard” to turn the wait-list registry into a useful tool, adding that the data will be shared once it is validated.

Nova Scotia’s NDP are calling on Premier Tim Houston to immediately release statistics on how many people are looking for a family doctor. On Tuesday, the NDP introduced a bill that would require the health minister to make the number public every month.

“It is unacceptable for the list to be more than three months out of date,” NDP Leader Claudia Chender said Tuesday.

Chender said releasing this data regularly is vital so Nova Scotians can track the government’s progress on its main 2021 campaign promise: fixing health care.

The number of people in need of a family doctor has more than doubled between the 2021 summer election campaign and June 2024. Since September 2021 about 300 doctors have been added to the provincial health system, the Health Department said.

“We’ll know if Tim Houston is keeping his 2021 election promise to fix health care when Nova Scotians are attached to primary care,” Chender said.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 11, 2024.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

Source link

Continue Reading

Health

Newfoundland and Labrador monitoring rise in whooping cough cases: medical officer

Published

 on

 

ST. JOHN’S, N.L. – Newfoundland and Labrador‘s chief medical officer is monitoring the rise of whooping cough infections across the province as cases of the highly contagious disease continue to grow across Canada.

Dr. Janice Fitzgerald says that so far this year, the province has recorded 230 confirmed cases of the vaccine-preventable respiratory tract infection, also known as pertussis.

Late last month, Quebec reported more than 11,000 cases during the same time period, while Ontario counted 470 cases, well above the five-year average of 98. In Quebec, the majority of patients are between the ages of 10 and 14.

Meanwhile, New Brunswick has declared a whooping cough outbreak across the province. A total of 141 cases were reported by last month, exceeding the five-year average of 34.

The disease can lead to severe complications among vulnerable populations including infants, who are at the highest risk of suffering from complications like pneumonia and seizures. Symptoms may start with a runny nose, mild fever and cough, then progress to severe coughing accompanied by a distinctive “whooping” sound during inhalation.

“The public, especially pregnant people and those in close contact with infants, are encouraged to be aware of symptoms related to pertussis and to ensure vaccinations are up to date,” Newfoundland and Labrador’s Health Department said in a statement.

Whooping cough can be treated with antibiotics, but vaccination is the most effective way to control the spread of the disease. As a result, the province has expanded immunization efforts this school year. While booster doses are already offered in Grade 9, the vaccine is now being offered to Grade 8 students as well.

Public health officials say whooping cough is a cyclical disease that increases every two to five or six years.

Meanwhile, New Brunswick’s acting chief medical officer of health expects the current case count to get worse before tapering off.

A rise in whooping cough cases has also been reported in the United States and elsewhere. The Pan American Health Organization issued an alert in July encouraging countries to ramp up their surveillance and vaccination coverage.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 10, 2024.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

Source link

Continue Reading

Trending