Monday, March 28, 2011
Chew your calories and drink water: Industrial beverages and tooth erosion
Dental erosion is a different problem from dental caries. Dental erosion is defined as the removal of minerals from the tooth structure via chemicals. Dental caries are the result of increased site-specific acidity due to bacterial fermentation of sugars.
Still, both have the same general result, destruction of teeth structure.
Losing teeth probably significantly accelerated death among our Paleolithic ancestors, as it does with modern hunter-gatherers. It is painful and difficult to eat nutritious foods when one has teeth problems, and chronic lack of proper nutrition is the beginning of the end.
The table below, from Ehlen et al. (2008), shows the amount of erosion that occurred when teeth were exposed to beverages for 25 h in vitro. Erosion depth is measured in microns. The third row shows the chance probabilities (i.e., P values) associated with the differences in erosion of enamel and root. These are not particularly enlightening; enamel and root are both significantly eroded.
These results reflect a broader trend. Nearly all industrial beverages cause erosion, even the “healthy” fruit juices. This is due in part, but not entirely, to the acidity of the beverages. Other chemicals contribute to erosion as well. For example, Coke has a lower pH than Gatorade, but the latter causes more erosion of both enamel and root. Still, both pHs are lower than 4.0. The pH of pure water is a neutral 7.0.
Coke is how my name is pronounced, by the way.
This was a study in vitro. Is there evidence of tooth erosion by industrial beverages in people who drink them? Yes, there is quite a lot of evidence, and this evidence dates back many years. You would not guess it by looking at beverage commercials. See, for example, this article.
What about eating the fruits that are used to make the erosion-causing fruit juices? Doesn’t that cause erosion as well? Apparently not, because chewing leads to the release of a powerful protective substance, which is also sometimes exchanged by pairs of people who find each other attractive.
Reference
Leslie A. Ehlen, Teresa A. Marshall, Fang Qian, James S. Wefel, and John J. Warren (2008). Acidic beverages increase the risk of in vitro tooth erosion. Nutrition Research, 28(5), 299–303.
Still, both have the same general result, destruction of teeth structure.
Losing teeth probably significantly accelerated death among our Paleolithic ancestors, as it does with modern hunter-gatherers. It is painful and difficult to eat nutritious foods when one has teeth problems, and chronic lack of proper nutrition is the beginning of the end.
The table below, from Ehlen et al. (2008), shows the amount of erosion that occurred when teeth were exposed to beverages for 25 h in vitro. Erosion depth is measured in microns. The third row shows the chance probabilities (i.e., P values) associated with the differences in erosion of enamel and root. These are not particularly enlightening; enamel and root are both significantly eroded.
These results reflect a broader trend. Nearly all industrial beverages cause erosion, even the “healthy” fruit juices. This is due in part, but not entirely, to the acidity of the beverages. Other chemicals contribute to erosion as well. For example, Coke has a lower pH than Gatorade, but the latter causes more erosion of both enamel and root. Still, both pHs are lower than 4.0. The pH of pure water is a neutral 7.0.
Coke is how my name is pronounced, by the way.
This was a study in vitro. Is there evidence of tooth erosion by industrial beverages in people who drink them? Yes, there is quite a lot of evidence, and this evidence dates back many years. You would not guess it by looking at beverage commercials. See, for example, this article.
What about eating the fruits that are used to make the erosion-causing fruit juices? Doesn’t that cause erosion as well? Apparently not, because chewing leads to the release of a powerful protective substance, which is also sometimes exchanged by pairs of people who find each other attractive.
Reference
Leslie A. Ehlen, Teresa A. Marshall, Fang Qian, James S. Wefel, and John J. Warren (2008). Acidic beverages increase the risk of in vitro tooth erosion. Nutrition Research, 28(5), 299–303.
Thursday Night Film Screening at MMU
This Thursday evening at MMU in room JD CO-14 in the John Dalton Building (opposite the BBC see linked map building number 11 http://www.mmu.ac.uk/travel/maps/mmu_maps_allsaints_aytoun.pdf)
Starting 6:00 prompt till 8:30.
The Lost Generation Project is about finding the lost stories of people with intellectual disabilities, many institutionalised for most of their lives. It is about hearing these stories and recognising and celebrating people who have traditionally been socially isolated and aims to assist these people to connect to their communities through arts and culture. The Lost Generation Project has found unique people from across Australia and provided them with the technology and skills to tell their stories on film. Each core project participant or storyteller is offered the opportunity to make a short film that tells their story.
Simone Flavelle is the Manager/Executive Producer of this project and she will be giving us the opportunity to see some of these films and engage in a discussion.
To register for this event, email artsforhealth@mmu.ac.uk There will be a small charge on the evening of £2.00 on the door to cover costs for this event.
Thank you to all those who have registered so far.
Details of this work and 5 films are available to view on line at: http://www.disseminate.net.au/lost_generation_project_2
IT'S A RAP
DATE FOR YOUR DIARY:
Thursday 30th June: International Arts and Health HEAD to HEAD (part of the Northern Uproar and m a n i f e s t o events)
Details of this unique event at MMU (which will offer members of the North West Arts and Health Network the opportunity to meet key figures from the Arts and Health field from the UK, USA, Ireland, South Africa and Australia) and will be advertised shortly.
Please note at this stage we are not able to take reservations, but details will be posted on the BLOG asap.
MoMA the Arts and Dementia
Arts Funding, Austerity and the Big Society: Remaking the case for the arts John Knell and Matthew Taylor
http://www.thersa.org/__data/assets/pdf_file/0011/384482/RSA-Pamphlets-Arts_Funding_Austerity_BigSociety.pdf
AND FINALLY...
Recent weeks have seen much action towards the m a n i f e s t o, with events in Cumbriia planned...more details soon…
Sunday, March 27, 2011
DEMAND BETTER
Dr Sanjay Kumar and I are very pleased to announce that our brand new book, entitled DEMAND BETTER,is now available. DEMAND BETTER is the result of nearly two years of planning and writing....it comes at a time when the nation needs real leadership for real health reform. We carefully lay out the key "myths" surrounding healthcare in our country and then we debunk them with the evidence. The book covers all the important topics such as unexplained clinical variation, the lack of an evidentiary basis to much of medicine, and it lays out specific tools for reform. It is provocative, engaging and altogether a great read. It should appeal to everyone in the nation who cares about improving health at a price that we all can afford. You can order the book right now at SecondRiverHEalthcare.com or call 406-586-8775.We are anxious to hear your feedback as well so do be in touch!! DEMAND BETTER, something everyone ought to be doing regarding our current dysfunctional healthcare system...........DAVID NASH
Monday, March 21, 2011
Health markers varying inexplicably? Do some detective work with HCE
John was overweight, out of shape, and experiencing fatigue. What did he do? He removed foods rich in refined carbohydrates and sugars from his diet. He also ditched industrial seed oils and started exercising. He used HealthCorrelator for Excel (HCE) to keep track of several health-related numbers over time (see figure below).
Over the period of time covered in the dataset, health markers steadily improved. For example, John’s HDL cholesterol went from a little under 40 mg/dl to just under 70; see chart below, one of many generated by HCE.
However, John’s blood pressure varied strangely during that time, as you can see on the chart below showing the variation of systolic blood pressure (SBP) against time. What could have been the reason for that? Salt intake is an unlikely culprit, as we’ve seen before.
As it turns out, John knew that heart rate could influence blood pressure somewhat, and he also knew that his doctor’s office measured his heart rate regularly. So he got the data from his doctor's office. When he entered heart rate as a column into HCE, the reason for his blood pressure swings became clear, as you can see on the figure below.
On the left part of the figure above are the correlations between SBP and each of the other health-related variables John measured, which HCE lists in order of strength. Heart rate shows up at the top, with a high 0.946 correlation with SBP. On the right part of the figure is the chart of SBP against heart rate.
As you can see, John's heart rate, measured at the doctor's office, varied from 61 to 90 bpm. Given that, John decided to measure his resting heart rate. John’s resting heart rate, measured after waking up using a simple wrist watch, was 61 bpm.
Mystery solved! John’s blood pressure fluctuations were benign, and caused by fluctuations in heart rate.
If John's SBP had been greater than 140, which did not happen, this could be seen as an unusual example of irregular white coat hypertension.
If you are interested, this YouTube video clip discusses in more detail the case above, from HCE’s use perspective. It shows how the heart rate column was added to the dataset in HCE, how the software generated correlations and graphs, and how they were interpreted.
Reference
Kock, N. (2010). HealthCorrelator for Excel 1.0 User Manual. Laredo, Texas: ScriptWarp Systems.
Over the period of time covered in the dataset, health markers steadily improved. For example, John’s HDL cholesterol went from a little under 40 mg/dl to just under 70; see chart below, one of many generated by HCE.
However, John’s blood pressure varied strangely during that time, as you can see on the chart below showing the variation of systolic blood pressure (SBP) against time. What could have been the reason for that? Salt intake is an unlikely culprit, as we’ve seen before.
As it turns out, John knew that heart rate could influence blood pressure somewhat, and he also knew that his doctor’s office measured his heart rate regularly. So he got the data from his doctor's office. When he entered heart rate as a column into HCE, the reason for his blood pressure swings became clear, as you can see on the figure below.
On the left part of the figure above are the correlations between SBP and each of the other health-related variables John measured, which HCE lists in order of strength. Heart rate shows up at the top, with a high 0.946 correlation with SBP. On the right part of the figure is the chart of SBP against heart rate.
As you can see, John's heart rate, measured at the doctor's office, varied from 61 to 90 bpm. Given that, John decided to measure his resting heart rate. John’s resting heart rate, measured after waking up using a simple wrist watch, was 61 bpm.
Mystery solved! John’s blood pressure fluctuations were benign, and caused by fluctuations in heart rate.
If John's SBP had been greater than 140, which did not happen, this could be seen as an unusual example of irregular white coat hypertension.
If you are interested, this YouTube video clip discusses in more detail the case above, from HCE’s use perspective. It shows how the heart rate column was added to the dataset in HCE, how the software generated correlations and graphs, and how they were interpreted.
Reference
Kock, N. (2010). HealthCorrelator for Excel 1.0 User Manual. Laredo, Texas: ScriptWarp Systems.
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Guest Commentary: Population Health and Care Coordination Colloquium 2011
Patrick Monaghan
Director of Communications
Jefferson School of Population Health
Anyone at all skeptical about the watershed changes transforming health care in the United States need only have been in Philadelphia this week. The Eleventh Population Health and Care Coordination Colloquium, hosted by the Jefferson School of Population Health (JSPH), demonstrated how more Americans are gaining or retaining access to care, as well as a new focus on health promotion, wellness and prevention strategies as the way to improve quality of life.
The transformation of health care was on the minds of many of the authors who spoke at Sunday evening’s health policy dinner and book signing event. Michael Christopher Gibbons, MD, MPH, author of “eHealth Solutions for Healthcare Disparities,” discussed emerging trends in cyber-health technology, and how concerns are mounting about racial and ethnic disparities in health care utilization outcomes.
Sanjaya Kumar, MD, MPH, who co-authored “Demand Better! Revive Our Broken Healthcare System,” with JSPH Dean David B. Nash, MD, MBA, explained how their book synthesizes the many trends, initiatives, reports, organizations and policies that look beyond our healthcare myths and stand on the front lines of the quality and safety revolution.
I was impressed by the presentations around “Integrating Technology and Population Health,” which touched on everything from stem cell research to the numerous innovations mobile technology has introduced to health care. Should I be “banking” my stem cells today so they can be used to help heal my body in the future? Can’t say I’ve considered that one before, but I’m thinking about it now.
As for mobile technology, NIH grants for mobile phone related research have been rising rapidly, thanks to the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act. There were about 150 awards in 2010, and those numbers are expected to grow in the coming years. Mobile technologies have enormous potential as tools to promote healthy behavioral change, to transform the caregiver-patient relationship, and to revolutionize the way healthcare is delivered in the U.S. and around the globe.
These are just a few of my observations from the time I spent at the Colloquium. Did you attend? What were your impressions? What sessions were standouts for you? As always, your feedback is encouraged.
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Guest Commentary: Capitol Hill - An MPH Student's Perspective
Brittany Wright
MPH Candidate, 2011
Thomas Jefferson University
Attending the 14th Annual Health Education Advocacy Summit in Washington, DC was a great learning experience. I left Capitol Hill with a new found interest in policy and advocacy. I am nearing the end of the MPH program and am exploring future career options, and as a result of this visit, policy and advocacy opportunities rank high on my list. This opportunity provided a completely different outlook of public health and for that I am grateful.
I took part in scheduling and preparing for visits with Senate and House of Representative legislative aides. Alongside fellow New Jersey classmates, I met with Dennis Sendros, legislative aide to Senator Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ). As a supplement to my visit, I accompanied professors and classmates to their meetings with legislative aides to Delaware Senators Christopher Coons (D-DE) and Thomas Carper (D-DE). At all the meetings, we discussed the PHYSICAL act, CDC prevention and health promotion funding, and the Affordable Care Act.
Overall, the weekend summit was a success. One of my take-home moments exemplified what it was like to be on Capitol Hill; I witnessed citizens exercising their First Amendment rights to petition in the Senate building, Russell Hall.
MPH Candidate, 2011
Thomas Jefferson University
Attending the 14th Annual Health Education Advocacy Summit in Washington, DC was a great learning experience. I left Capitol Hill with a new found interest in policy and advocacy. I am nearing the end of the MPH program and am exploring future career options, and as a result of this visit, policy and advocacy opportunities rank high on my list. This opportunity provided a completely different outlook of public health and for that I am grateful.
I took part in scheduling and preparing for visits with Senate and House of Representative legislative aides. Alongside fellow New Jersey classmates, I met with Dennis Sendros, legislative aide to Senator Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ). As a supplement to my visit, I accompanied professors and classmates to their meetings with legislative aides to Delaware Senators Christopher Coons (D-DE) and Thomas Carper (D-DE). At all the meetings, we discussed the PHYSICAL act, CDC prevention and health promotion funding, and the Affordable Care Act.
Overall, the weekend summit was a success. One of my take-home moments exemplified what it was like to be on Capitol Hill; I witnessed citizens exercising their First Amendment rights to petition in the Senate building, Russell Hall.
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