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3 dangers of tooth loss and poor fitting dentures

Danger #1: Dentures increase your risk of heart disease and oral cancer While tooth loss may seem like a small problem compared with other health issues, it is often the first sign of bigger problems for many people and can put them at higher risk for heart disease and oral cancer. When dentures don’t properly…
Kicking the soda habit, kid style

Help your children consume better beverages When a soda can is an appendage to a child’s hand and the water faucet is squeaky from disuse, parents should probably start enforcing a break in the soft-drink habit. Today, they’ve got lots of support. Sugar-sweetened beverages are among the foods to consume less of in the 2010…
Fitness tips for pregnant women

Expert advice about why moms-to-be want to keep moving and the best ways to do it risk-free After seeing a positive sign on a pregnancy test, some women might begin planning repeated dates with Ben & Jerry’s spent lounging in bed. Sure, getting plenty of rest is important when expecting, but does a new pregnancy…

Publisher’s Note: Update on Florida Health Choices

In early March, www.myfloridachoices.org became live. It is the website devoted to Florida Health Choices (the state’s health insurance marketplace, separate from the federal plans under the Affordable Care Act). The state’s health insurance marketplace offers a few options for discounted plans under dental, vision, telemedicine, and prescription coverage. It’s important to note that this…
Medical Advice: Awareness is key to stopping upward trend of STDs

Every year in April, we observe STD Awareness Month. This is an opportunity for individuals, doctors, and communities to address ways to prevent some of the nearly 20 million sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) that occur in the United States each year. Half of all new infections occur among people between the ages of 15 to…
Ask a Nurse: Dental plaque & arterial plaque

Have you ever wondered what the dentist scrapes off of your teeth when you go in for your annual cleaning? Several studies over the past few years have found some surprising results. In 2010, Cornell University and the University of Gothenburg, Sweden collected samples from the mouth, gut, and arteries of 15 heart disease patients.…