Fellow Wichitan, do you have a question about community water fluoridation?

Posted on October 15, 2012 by drlesliegreenberg

A former CDC Oral health expert is in Wichita… so here is your chance to have questions answered by one of the nation’s leading water fluoridation experts.  Stop by in person or submit questions online.
WHAT: Attend a discussion lead by Bill Maas, a policy advisor to the Pew Children’s Dental Campaign and former director of the division of oral health at the CDC, to learn about water fluoridation from an expert in oral health. Questions for Maas to address during the discussion can be sent to the hash tag #FluorideICT on Twitter, posted to our Facebook page or by email to info@wichitansforhealthyteeth.org

 

WHEN:  Tuesday, Oct. 16 at 6:00 to 7:00 p.m.

 

WHERE:  Via Christi Family Medicine/Specialty Clinics – 707 N Emporia, Wichita.  Please use south entrance. Door-side parking available.

 

WHO:  Bill Maas is a policy advisor to the Pew Children’s Dental Campaign.  For 11 years, he served as director of the Division of Oral Health at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. From 1997 to 2001, Maas served as the chief dental officer of the U.S. Public Health Service and as an Assistant Surgeon General. Today, he is a clinical professor at the University of Maryland Dental School’s department of health promotion and policy. Maas is considering one of the nation’s leading experts on community water fluoridation.

Stay involved.  Educate yourself.

 

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Wound care 101

Posted on October 4, 2012 by drlesliegreenberg

We all get wounds–which heal most of the time without problems.  Our bodies are amazing and can heal most wounds under the right conditions.

The ideal conditions are a clean, moist and friendly environment.

  • Keeping wounds “clean” does NOT mean using hydrogen peroxide, isopropyl alcohol or an antiseptic spray as these can harm proper wound healing.  Saline and mild soap is more ideal.  A moist environment is best.
  • If there is a scab on the wound, leave the scab alone.
  • Antibiotic ointment is okay to use for a short time but if used for a long period of time an allergic reaction could occur.  Petroleum jelly helps keep the surface of the wound moist and cover.  Then top it with a clean dressing (like gauze) that can absorb the moisture.

Conditions that need to be treated to heal a wound. . .

  • Infection.  See your doctor
  • Swelling.  Raise the extremity above the heart, if possible.  Use a compression wrap.

Hope this helps.

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A new obesity drug approved! Read on. . .

Posted on October 3, 2012 by drlesliegreenberg

The FDA approved an obesity drug despite concerns that it might increase the risk of heart valve problems.  This release is in response to more than 1/3 of Americans are considered obese (a BMI of at least 30).  This drug, lorcaserin hydrochloride (Belviq) is a scheduled drug meaning no more than a 30 day prescription.  Patients taking lorcaserin for up to a year had an average weight loss of 3.7%.  This drug is not allowed during pregnancy.  Side effects may include problems with thinking, confusion, sleepiness, and in higher doses, hallucinations, euphoria or dissociation.

Consider weight loss and exercise.  Side effects and risks are better.

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Early glucose control important in prediabetes

Posted on September 27, 2012 by drlesliegreenberg

flickr.com/photos/ funadium/ 553343932

Reach the goal of fasting blood sugar under 100!  Bringing down blood sugars as soon as possible in prediabetes provides the best shot at preventing disease progression.  This comes into play when a patient has a fasting blood sugar that is between 100 and 126.  Within this range, it shows that the patient’s body is having a hard time controlling blood sugars.   A landmark Diabetes Prevention Program study was performed which showed regardless if blood sugars were brought down by lifestyle intervention or drug therapy the importance is that blood sugars were normalized.  Even transient reversion to normal blood sugars was associated with a significantly reduced risk of diabetes.

Overall, this study showed that the strategy is unimportant as long as at the intervention is early (when someone has prediabetes) and can restore normal blood sugar, even if just transiently.   Weight loss and exercise have been shown to help keep blood sugars down.

Hope this helps.

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Recommendations to Decrease SIDS risk

Posted on September 25, 2012 by drlesliegreenberg

SIDS, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, is a life-altering, grief-filled event.  There are some ways to decrease the risk.

  • Infants should be placed on their back to sleep until 12 months of age.  Side sleeping is not suggested.
  • Sleep on a firm surface, like a firm mattress covered with a fitted sheet.
  • Sharing a room with an infant, without sharing a bed, can reduce the risk of SIDS by up to 50%
  • Soft objects (loose bedding, stuffed animals, and pillows) should be kept out of the crib.
  • Pregnant women should receive prenatal care
  • Avoid smoke exposure during pregnancy and after birth.
  • Avoid alcohol and illicit drug use during pregnancy and after birth
  • Breastfeeding reduces SIDS risk.
  • Do not use home cardio respiratory monitors (like apnea monitors) as a means of reducing the risk of SIDS.
  • Offer the infant a pacifier at naptime and bedtime.
  • Avoid overheating of infants.

Hope this helps.

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Hear ye! Hear ye! Kansas is the 13th fattest state.

Posted on September 19, 2012 by drlesliegreenberg

Wow!  What a front page article for the Wichita Eagle today.  29.6% of Kansans were obese in 2011.  Obesity is considered a BMI (basal metabolic index height versus weight) more than 30.  Check yours! http://www.nhlbisupport.com/bmi/ 

Obesity increases your risk of cancers, heart disease, diabetes, and joint pain… just to name a few bad complications.  Let’s go Kansans… turn this around!  Watch your diet and pump up your exercise!

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Diverticulosis rarely progresses to diverticulitis

Posted on September 18, 2012 by drlesliegreenberg
What does this mean?  Diverticuli are outpouches in the bowel.  Diverticulosis is the condition of having diverticuli.  Diverticulitisis when these diverticuli get inflamed. 
Diverticulitis may present as right lower abdominal pain.  Diverticuli are more common as we age and with history of constipation.We used to think that 25% of diverticulosis patients would have an episode of inflammation of diverticuli.  (Diverticulitis episodes are dreaded—incapacitating pain can occur.)  We now know after a study of over 2,000 patients the rate is really 1%.
Furthermore. . . if you are 30 when diagnosed with diverticulosis the chance is greater that in your lifetime you may have an episode of diverticulitis compared to someone diagnosed with diverticulosis at age 60.
 
Hope this helps.
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Report: Teenagers who engage in “sexting” have more sex. Hmmmm….

Posted on September 11, 2012 by drlesliegreenberg

Did you know that more than half of American teens have been asked to send a “sext.”  This information is from nearly 1000 high school students.

Sexting is sending explicit electronic messages.  In all, 28% of the teens reported sending photos of themselves naked via text or email.  31% reported asking others to send a sext.  More boys than girls ask someone to sext them.  More girls than boys report having been asked to sext.

Those who send sext messages are more likely to be engaging in sex.  82% of boys who sext are engaging in sex compared to 77% of girls.

I discuss this issue with my teenaged patients.  What is sent by email/text may go where the sender does not intend. “Go viral” or “go to future employer”– Don’t both of these sound frightening?

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Fluoride. A hot topic here in Wichita.

Posted on September 4, 2012 by drlesliegreenberg

.flickr.com/ photos/ jcolman/ 4196672998

In November we, Wichitans, have the opportunity to vote.  The question is should fluoride be added to the water.  Here is a link to some interesting information which has been fact-checked.

You have two choices.  Will you research the question of fluoridation?  And, will you vote come November?

http://fluoridevoterguide.com/

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Newly-found risk of older sperm

Posted on August 24, 2012 by drlesliegreenberg

flickr.com/ photos/mav16/ 4613775099

This is an interesting overview on an article in Nature which addresses older men having children.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/23/health/fathers-age-is-linked-to-risk-of-autism-and-schizophrenia.html?src=me&ref=health

Hope this helps.

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