Health News
Features
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Q&A on the most lethal form of dementia
Dr. Gordon J. Rafool shares the symptoms and treatment options of Alzheimer’s disease Alzheimer’s disease is the sixth leading cause of death in America. In Polk, 11.8 percent of Medicare beneficiaries were treated for Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia in 2013, according to Healthy Tampa Bay. We interviewed Dr. Gordon J. Rafool, a geriatrician…
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Pop Quiz: Establishing a solid oral care foundation
Will your child have a future Filled with healthy smiles? Teeth add to your smile, allow you to enjoy delicious foods, and rip apart that plastic wrap off your new DVD. However, as a parent, you might be wondering whether you’re setting up proper oral hygiene habits for your child, or if the little tike…
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To smile or not to smile
Dr. Karen Teston and other local experts on oral hygiene and your overall health Some folks are afraid of pain. Some know they haven’t done a good job of taking care of their teeth, and don’t want to be lectured. Still others lack cash. Whatever the reason, many avoid the dentist until an emergency arises.…
Columns
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“There’s a fly in my soup!”
“There’s a fly in my soup!” No… wait, that’s not a fly. It’s a floater. What are floaters? And why do we get them? Floaters are a symptom of the natural aging of the vitreous gel in the eye. Our eyeballs are filled with gel, and as we grow older, the gel becomes more liquid.…
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The Connection Between Lifestyle, Vascular Disease
I cannot really believe that the holidays are upon us already. This year has been a unique one with another surge of Covid, and its usual mix of pain and pleasure. I would like to take this opportunity to emphasize the role of lifestyle in the management of vascular disease, which can lend a sense…
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Diabetes — the Leading Cause of Blindness
October may be National Diabetes Month, but for me as an eye doctor, every month is diabetes month. Complications from diabetes are the leading cause of blindness in adults in the United States. For my patients who are diabetic, I am always on the lookout for bleeding inside the eye as well as internal swelling,…
