Since light travels faster than sound, isn’t that why some people appear bright until you hear them speak?
If all the world is a stage, where is the audience sitting?
Why is it that when you transport something by car it is called a shipment but when you transport something by ship it is called cargo?
If you choke a Smurf what colour would it turn?
Why do people who know the least know it the loudest?
If a vampire can’t see himself in a mirror, why is his hair always so neat?
If the #2 pencil is so popular, why is it still #2?
When I erase a word with a pencil where does it go?

Many years ago, The Simpsons produced a memorable episode that had Homer and his nuclear plant co-workers striking against Mr. Burns in order to get back the company's dental plan. The reason Homer led the charge was because he could not afford to pay for daughter Lisa's braces otherwise. While this was one of the show's more engaging episodes, it did spark some food for thought. Many of us have the option to take dental insurance as part of our employee benefits, and there are supplemental plans available we could purchase on our own. Yet, is dental insurance something we really need?

Before you say no to the dental option when you get your work benefits settled, you may wish to research what dental insurance covers for you and your family, and if you anticipate needing this type of coverage. If you have had a history of dental problems like periodontal disease, for example, you may have just answered the question. However, if you are unfamiliar with this type of coverage let's take a look at some of the things that a plan typically covers.

1) Cleanings. The standard cleaning, part of your twice-a-year routine when you visit the dentist's office, may fall under general care and may be covered by your plan. Usually what you pay for insurance - which could amount to about $1000 a year - is enough to cover these visits, and if you keep up with the brushing and flossing at home you hopefully don't need to visit the dentist for anything else.

2) Denture repair. Maintenance of dentures may also be covered in your plan, though not every insurance company may handle 100% of the cost. Be sure to read the policy.

3) X-rays. If x-rays are part of your routine visits. These may be covered in your plan as well.

4) Oral surgery. It is important to note that coverage for a needed operation like a root canal or tooth extraction may not take effect until several months after you purchase the policy. This is so the insurance company is assured that people aren't trying to obtain a quick fix to a problem they have recently discovered.

Unlike the events that transpired on The Simpsons, not all dental insurance plans cover braces, mainly because it is not considered preventative care. Other procedures like cosmetic dentistry - which can include teeth whitening and bonding - are also not likely to be covered by insurance. Keep this in mind as you decide whether or not to add a dental plan to your healthcare expenses.

Dental insurance can be useful if your family has a history of teeth problems, or if you are observant about preventative care. Research your options before you enrol.

Click the link below and see what the very near future has in store. Dentures, Bridges and Implants will be a thing  of the past.

If nothing happens when you click then you have to copy and paste it to the Address Bar at the top .

Thanks

http://emmottontechnology.com/theraputics/regrow-your-own-teeth/

Among more than 100,000 people, those who had their teeth scraped and cleaned (tooth scaling) by a dentist or dental hygienist had a 24 percent lower risk of heart attack and 13 percent lower risk of stroke compared to those who had never had a dental cleaning. The participants were followed for an average of seven years.

Scientists considered tooth scaling frequent if it occurred at least twice or more in two years; occasional tooth scaling was once or less in two years.

The study included more than 51,000 adults who had received at least one full or partial tooth scaling and a similar number of people matched with gender and health conditions that had no tooth scaling. None of the participants had a history of heart attack or stroke at the beginning of the study.

The study didn't adjust for heart attack and stroke risk factors — such as weight, smoking and race — that weren't included in the Taiwan National Health insurance data base, the source of the information used in the analysis.

"Protection from heart disease and stroke was more pronounced in participants who got tooth scaling at least once a year," said Emily (Zu-Yin) Chen, M.D., cardiology fellow at the Veterans General Hospital in Taipei, Taiwan.

Professional tooth scaling appears to reduce inflammation-causing bacterial growth that can lead to heart disease or stroke, she said.

Type of periodontal disease predicts degree of risk for heart attack, stroke, and heart failure

In a separate study, researchers found that the value of markers for gum disease predict heart attack, congestive heart failure and stroke in different ways and to different degrees.

Anders Holmlund, D.D.S., Ph.D. Centre for Research and Development of the County Council of Gävleborg, Sweden, and senior consultant; Specialized Dentistry, studied 7,999 participants with periodontal disease and found people with:

-- Fewer than 21 teeth had a 69 percent increased risk of heart attack compared to those with the most teeth. -- A higher number of deepened periodontal pockets (infection of the gum around the base of the tooth) had a 53 percent increased risk of heart attack compared to those with the fewest pockets. -- The least amount of teeth had a 2.5 increased risk of congestive heart failure compared to those with the most teeth. -- The highest incidence of gum bleeding had a 2.1 increased risk of stroke compared to those with the lowest incidence.

So there you go: Keep’m clean!

The Reboot Poem

Don’t you wish when life is bad

and things just don’t compute,

That all we really had to do

was stop and hit reboot?

Things would all turn out OK,

life could be so sweet

If we had those special keys

Ctrl, Alt, and Delete

Your boss is mad, your bills not paid,

your wife, well she’s just mute

Just stop and hit those wonderful keys

that make it all reboot

You’d like to have another job

but you fear living in the street?

You solve it all and start a new,

Ctrl, Alt, and Delete.

The term oral cancer includes cancers of the mouth and the pharynx, part of the throat.  About two-thirds of oral cancers occur in the mouth and about one-third are found in the pharynx. Below are facts from the USA but Canada is similar.

• Oral cancer kills one American every hour of every day.
• Oral cancer strikes 3 times as many victims as cervical cancer and is as common as leukemia.
• Oral cancer claims more lives than melanoma (skin cancer).
• Two-thirds of oral cancer cases are detected in late stages
• When detected in late stages, the 5-year survival rate is only 22%
• When detected in early stages, the survival rate can be 80% or higher
• Even if you don’t use tobacco, you may still be at risk for oral cancer
• Studies have linked oral cancer to exposure to the sexually transmitted human papilloma virus (HPV-16) which means that everyone, men and women from the age of 18 years old and up needs to be screened annually for oral cancer. It is now believed that 25-30% of oral cancer is linked to the human papilloma virus.
• The death rate for oral cancer is higher than that of cancers which we hear about routinely such as cervical cancer, leukemia, Hodgkin’s lymphoma, laryngeal cancer, cancer of the testes, and endocrine system cancers such as thyroid, or skin cancer (malignant melanoma).

Incidence and Mortality

• Oral cancer strikes an estimated 34,360 Americans each year.  An estimated 7,550 people (5,180 men and 2,370 women) will die of these cancers in 2007.
• More than 25% of the 30,000 Americans who get oral cancer will die of the disease.
• Oral cancer is as common as leukemia and claims more lives that either melanoma or cervical cancer.
• On average, only half of those diagnosed with the disease will survive more than five years.
• The sad news is that oral cancer is one of the few cancers whose incidence has gone up over the last 30 years as opposed to other cancers which have effective screening technologies which have reduced their incidence. With new oral cancer screening technologies, we can immediately start to turn the tide of this dreaded disease.

The Deadly Statistics

• Every hour of every day, one American dies of oral cancer.
• The mortality rate associated with oral cancer has not improved significantly in the last 40 years.
• More than 30,000 Americans will receive an oral cancer diagnosis this year. In five years, less than 57% will still be alive.
• 8,000 Americans will die each year of oral cancer. Oral cancer is far too often detected in late stage development -- the primary reason for the high death rate. Oral cancer can have potentially disfiguring effects on patients, seriously compromising their quality of life. Early detection of abnormalities can make a large difference in life expectancy; oral cancer is 90% curable when found early. Unfortunately, 70% of oral cancers are diagnosed in the late stages, and 43% of those diagnosed will die within five years.
• The American Cancer Society projects that almost as many women will be diagnosed with oral cancer this year as they will be with cervical cancer (approximately 10,000).
• There are almost as many cases of HPV-related oral cancer as cases of HPV-related cervical cancer.

Toothbrush Disinfection

This study investigated various methods for disinfection of toothbrushes that maybe highly contaminated by viruses and bacteria. The products tested were chlorhexidine, Listerine antiseptic, plastic caps, antimicrobial containing spray solutions, 3% hydrogen peroxide and the Violight ultraviolet toothbrush sanitizer.

Researchers soaked 20 Oral-B manual toothbrush heads in saliva for 48 hours and a colony of bacteria and biofilm were allowed to grow for 24 hours. Brushes were rinsed with tap water and then exposed to the ultraviolet toothbrush sanitizer or one of the selected antiseptics for seven minutes. Five brushes were simply rinsed with water for 20 seconds to serve as controls. Samples were incubated aerobically as well as anaerobically and the results showed:

·       3% hydrogen peroxide was the most effective sanitizing agent.

·       Listerine was the second most effective.

·       Violight was the least effective, with results close to the control levels.

Patients should be encouraged to disinfect toothbrushes as well as change brushes frequently. The method should be easy to perform and available at home.

Not Just the Bottle’s Fault

Baby Teeth Matter

Minimizing Cold Sore Outbreaks

How to Avoid Spreading Cold Sores

Keeping Cold Sores to Yourself