Entries from October 2008 ↓

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The number of American adults with high

High Blood Pressure

blood pressure has climbed to almost one in three over the past decade, putting more people at risk of a stroke, heart attack or kidney failure, government researchers said on Monday.

A little more than a decade ago, the number was closer to one in four.

”It’s not surprising because we’ve seen that Americans are getting fatter, and we know that blood pressure goes up when people gain weight,” said Dr. David Goff, an epidemiology expert at the Wake Forest University School of Medicine, who was not involved in the analysis, of Census Bureau and health statistics.

About 65 million American adults have high blood pressure — 30 percent more than the 50 million who did in the previous decade, according to the report in Hypertension: Journal of the American Heart Association.

The report did not specifically examine reasons for the spike, but experts said the aging American population and the growing proportion of overweight and obese Americans were probably major contributors.

The risk of hypertension, or high blood pressure, increases with age, excess weight and lack of physical activity. High blood pressure is defined as 140 over 90 or higher. Blood pressure less than 120 over 80 is generally considered ideal. People in between these categories are called prehypertensive.

The study found that Americans either have blood pressure in the high range, take blood-pressure-lowering medicines or have been told at least twice that they had high blood pressure.

High blood pressure adds to the workload of the heart and arteries. Over time it can mean the heart and arteries do not work as well as they should.

High blood pressure can be treated with medicine and changes in habits, including eating less fat and more fruits and vegetables, becoming more physically active and limiting salt intake.

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PRNewswire-USNewswire via COMTEX/ — Millions of people have periodontal (gum) disease and many don’t even know they have it. Are you one of them?
Periodontal disease is an infection of the tissues that support your teeth. It is caused by the plaque-forming bacteria in your mouth. While brushing and flossing removes most plaque, it is impossible to remove all of it. The remaining plaque hardens into tartar. When this tartar forms under the gumline, it can irritate and infect the gums, leading to gum disease.
The good news is that periodontal disease is easily preventable. The Pennsylvania Dental Association (PDA) reminds the public about the importance of maintaining healthy teeth and gums.
Periodontal disease has two stages: gingivitis and periodontitis. The first stage, gingivitis, is the early stage of periodontal disease, where the bacteria get in between the tooth and gum, causing inflammation. During this early stage, daily brushing and flossing can likely reverse periodontal disease.
If left untreated, periodontitis, the more advanced stage of periodontal disease, can develop, causing irreversible damage to the gums, teeth and surrounding bones. Periodontitis is more serious because the tissue that holds the teeth to the bone is destroyed, causing tooth roots to be exposed and increasing decay, inflammation and receding gums, resulting in possible tooth loss.
There are several factors that can increase your risk of developing periodontal disease, including the use of tobacco; certain systematic diseases, such as diabetes; some types of medication, including steroids and various anti-epilepsy drugs, cancer therapy drugs, calcium channel blockers and oral contraceptives; bridges that no longer fit properly; crooked teeth; fillings that have become defective and pregnancy.
“Researchers have found that people with gum disease are almost twice as likely to suffer from coronary artery disease,” said Dr. David Shemo, a PDA member and general dentist from Wilkes-Barre. “Their theory is that oral bacteria can affect the heart when it enters the blood stream, attaching to fatty plaques in the heart’s blood vessels and contributing to clot formation.”
PDA offers the following tips to maintain optimal dental health and prevent periodontal disease:

— Brush your teeth twice a day and floss daily. Brushing and flossing
helps to remove the plaque and food particles from the surface of the
teeth and between the teeth where a toothbrush can’t reach. Replace
your toothbrush every few months or when the bristles become frayed or
worn. Using a fluoride toothpaste and antibacterial mouthrinse is
another way to help keep tooth decay at bay.

— Eat a nutritious and well-balanced diet. Choose a variety of nutritious
foods from the five main food groups: grain, dairy, fruits, vegetables
and meat/poultry.

— Visit the dentist at least every six months for oral health checkups and
professional cleaning.

— Contact your dentist immediately if you notice any symptoms of
periodontal disease, as early detection is key. Symptoms of periodontal
disease include red, swollen or tender gums or gums that bleed easily or
are pulling away from the teeth; chronic bad breath or bad taste in the
mouth; permanent teeth that are loose or separating; pus appearing
between the teeth and gums when gums are pressed; changes in teeth
alignment when you bite and changes in the fit of partial dentures.

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It might be easy to think of teeth as unrelated to the rest of our bodies. Likewise, some might believe that dental health is only about maintaining healthy teeth and gums. Dental health, however, is far more connected to overall health than many people realize.

In particular, two diseases – periodontitis and oral cancer – can pose serious health risks and even death.

Periodontitis

Most people recognize that periodontal disease can have devastating effects for teeth and gums. You might have seen photos of people with advanced periodontitis, which, according to the Mayo Clinic, is “a serious infection that destroys the soft tissue and bone that support your teeth, and eventually may cause tooth loss.” But were you aware that periodontitis can lead to even more serious problems affecting the heart, brain, and other parts of the body?

Having straight teeth is important. Teeth that are crooked or out of place (misaligned) affect the way a person chews and talks and how their smile looks. Because they have unnatural spaces, crooked teeth are harder to clean and are more likely to have cavities.

In some cases, crooked teeth can affect the way the jaws line up and can cause pain and discomfort.

One method to correct this is to have Orthodontic treatment (or braces and retainers as they are sometimes called). Orthodontic treatment works by exerting a gentle pressure over time to straighten teeth that are growing, or have already grown, out of place.

Braces have three basic parts:
1) Brackets – brackets that are attached to each tooth
2) Bonding or band – the material that attaches the bracket to the tooth
3) Arch Wire – a thin metal wire that runs from bracket to bracket

Braces have come a long way from the “train track” look of years ago. Today, many orthodontic patients can get braces that attach to the backs of the teeth, or use transparent brackets.

A retainer is a custom-made, removable appliance that helps keep teeth in their new, straightened position after braces have been removed. Retainers can also be used to treat more minor orthodontic problems.

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Drinking at least one sugar-sweetened soft drink or fruit punch daily nearly doubles the risk of diabetes, according to the first large study to examine the suggested link.

Women who drank fewer than one of the beverages a month had half the risk of developing diabetes than those who drank one a day, according to the study of 91,000 nurses. The results are published in today’s issue of The Journal of the American Medical Association.

Women who increased the amount of sugar-sweetened drinks they consumed from one or less a week to one or more daily also were most likely to gain weight, picking up 17 pounds in eight years. The study provides more grist for a long-standing debate among nutritionists, government panels and the food and beverage industry about whether added sugars contribute to obesity and chronic diet-related diseases.

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