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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…
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…
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.…

Diabetic Retinopathy

Diabetes is a disease that affects small blood vessels throughout the body. The retina is the nerve tissue lining the back of the eye, and it is this nerve tissue that lets us see. Small blood vessels run through the retina, supplying it with blood. When diabetes affects these retinal vessels, it can affect your…
Crowns in One Day? Yes, it’s Possible with CEREC Technology

by GERALD V. CERDAN, DMD Modern dental care has made some amazing advances in recent years, and one such innovation is the CEREC technology that makes same-day crowns possible. CEREC, also called CERamic REConstruction, has revolutionized the way dental crowns are constructed and placed. If you’ve had a crown put on in the past, it…
Support Systems and Cancer

Breast cancer is one of those conditions which frightens everyone just by the mention of the words. This certainly frightened one family of four from the time the diagnosis was made until the family was splintered by tragedy. When the knot in the breast was first diagnosed, the news terrorized not only the mother of…