Medical Tourism

Medical tourism is a new trend helping those who usually could not afford medical treatment to get the procedures they want or need at a more affordable price. Medicine in the U.S. is extremely expensive so people have taken to getting treated in other countries because of how much less expensive it is. A cardiac surgery that costs 30,000 dollars in America is 87 percent cheaper in India. The procedures performed in these hospitals are done by qualified medical staff and there is actually a higher doctor to patient ratio in many of these hospitals than in the U.S. The procedures performed are not limited to heart surgery either. You can get a nose job and a triple bi-pass at the same hospital and for much cheaper.
I think this is a step in the right direction because everyone should have access to medical treatment. However, I know that the general population of India and other countries where medical tourism is becoming popular cannot afford these procedures. Unfortunately there is a large gap between the income of rich countries and poor countries and medicine has a  long way to go if we want to make accessible health care a reality.

-Alex Wallace

Herrick, Devon. "Medical Tourism: Global Competition in Health Care" NCPA, www.ncpa.org/pub/st304?pg=5, 30 oct. 2016

Genetic Engineering

Engineers have greatly transformed the world from sand to sky crappers, from water to power and many other things. Have you ever wondered what biologists and engineers would achieve if they combine their knowledge and work together...?
Recently, engineers and biologists have been working together to solve world challenges; They refer to this new field as the 'synthetic biology'. Let's take for example Christopher Voigt  a biological engineer who is researching on a programing language for cells and engineering cellular sensors. Imagine what will happen if he becomes successful on the programming language of cells.
Most world problems would be addressed by creating the genes/cells through programming that will specifically target eliminating the threat or dangers. Think about the climate change. through programming language of the cells, scientists can create a plant that produces substantial amount f sugar to be used as a raw material in the production of biofuels, biochemicals and in many other applications. This way, we would have fought the increased global warming since biofuels do not cause pollution as fossil fuels does. Again, don't worry about you future because technology has got your back.


Erika Check Hayden, Biology software promises easier way to program living cells, Nature, http://www.nature.com/news/biology-software-promises-easier-way-to-program-living-cells-1.19671,  31st March 2016.

Expery

Plant's Internal Thermometer

In a recent article that I read, scientists have finally discovered what controls plant growth at various seasonal times.  Molecules called phytochromes, which help the plant locate light during the day, change during the night, acting as an internal thermometer.  These molecules become active during the day when sunlight hits them, they bind to the DNA in the cell and slow the growth of the plant.  When a plant is in the shade, growth is sped up, in the search for light again, this explains the competition between plants for light. The level that these phytochrome function is directly related to the temperature and high temperatures can cause stress for certain plants, in agriculture this leads to smaller yields, the discovery of this molecule's function will help scientists to focus on crops that are more resistant to these stresses to produce larger yields.  This is especially important with climate change and the need to feed a constantly growing population.  Recent advancements in plant genetics allows scientists to find the genes responsible for phytochrome function and be able to increase the rate that they function and alter the genes themselves. The discovery of phytochromes will be very useful in the years to come.

https://nsf.gov/news/news_summ.jsp?cntn_id=104655

University of Cambridge. "Plant 'thermometer' discovered that triggers springtime budding by measuring night-time heat." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 27 October 2016. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/10/161027142952.htm>

Garrett Mulanix

Brushing Your Teeth Could Save Your Life. Literally.

This week I found an article that not only relates to oral hygiene but also connects to a broader category than just the mouth. Not only will brushing your teeth give you a gorgeous smile as I have talked about in previous posts, but it may also keep you alive longer!

(Picture from Medical News Today)

The article, “Beyond Tooth Decay: Why Good Dental Hygiene is Important” found on medicalnewstoday.com, explains that brushing your teeth regularly and having good oral hygiene could  help prevent  Alzheimer's disease, pancreatic cancer, and heart disease. In each study, scientists concluded that gum inflammation is positively correlated with these deadly diseases and illnesses. The belief is that gum inflammation and bleeding allows bacteria from the mouth to enter the bloodstream which causes a plethora of issues. Bacteria from the mouth can also “crawl” up nerves that connect the brain to the roots of teeth. While most people don’t know, the mouth is the dirtiest place on the human body.

(Picture from Medical News Today)

Even though gum disease is positively correlated with Alzheimer’s disease, Pancreatic cancer, and heart disease it is unclear as to whether it is the main factor for those devastating illnesses. In each study, scientists also referenced obesity, smoking, and tooth loss. Many factors including genetics play a role in whether you will ever have any of these diseases or illnesses but it is always better to be safe than sorry.

After reading this article it made me realize how important it is to floss regularly and brush twice a day. Most people, including myself, brush their teeth to have a white smile and to avoid the drill when they go to the dentist. I never would have thought that brushing my teeth could save my life! Thank you for reading and I hope to see you next week!

Robert Mora

McNamee, David, “Beyond Tooth Decay: Why Good Dental Hygiene is Important” Medical News Today, 8 Oct. 2014, http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/283649.php, accessed 28 Oct, 2016.

Brush your teeth it will save you time and money

     Many Americans today are suffering tooth-loss from tooth-decay. Today's technology has improved the use dental technology significantly. Meaning yesterday's technology was outdated and about as useless as the big dinosaur computer that your grandparent(s) hold on to. (As we both know they will never use it again, but let's steer back into the topic. Yesterday's dental technology involved dentures and bridges.

Bridges: A dental bridge will hold your other teeth in place and make everyday activities such as eating and talking easier.

                             

      The bridges take about two visits to complete. Just think how much time is usually spent at the dentist maybe 2 hours. If you are going for two visits that is going to take about 4-5 hours. You could be using those hours to study do homework or even just go to class.


The process is just a hassle that you will not enjoy. Also, the cost of a dental bridge is beyond ridiculous. Each tooth that apart of the bridge can cost you about 500-1500 a piece. Save yourself and just brush your teeth



-Jarrett Graham

Mountain Dew Mouth

Good evening, today I would like to talk about something your dentist and even your parents have been warning you about since you were a little kid. Have you ever heard your parents say, “You’re going to rot your teeth out if you keep drinking that” after you crack open an ice cold soda? Well, it seems that for once your parents were right.

(photo taken by healthline.com)

I read an article this week on healthline.com about a specific oral damage that is actually called “Mountain Dew Mouth”. MDM is tooth decays that is caused by frequent consumption of soda, specifically Mountain Dew. Recent studies on the East Coast of the United States have issued a statement that over 65% of children suffer from tooth decay.

Soda contains contents that are very, very bad for your teeth including: carbonation, sugars, and acids; Mountain Dew has particularly high levels of all three.   It contains more sugar than Coca Cola and Pepsi. In addition, a very large amount of citric acid  is needed to create the glowing green signature color of Mountain Dew.   Acid as you might imagine, is highly corrosive to tooth enamel causing damage to your teeth.

Experts say it is tough to determine if MDM is common or not but with the billion dollar soda industry growing annually it is easy to say that soda consumption is increasing which could cause an increase MDM.

(photo taken by healthline.com)

Image by UCR Strategic communications

If you are unable to stop drinking pop, especially Mountain Dew, experts have explained that you should drink the pop quickly instead of sipping on it slow.  When you drink the beverage slowly it coats your teeth with sugars and acids. Another solution to prevent MDM is to visit your local dentist. This will allow you to find out if you have a cavity and if tooth decay is already an issue.  Interestingly,  when I was thinking MDM and how I might be able to be proactive, the first thing that came to mind was to brush  my teeth  immediately after drinking a soda.  Surprisingly this is a really bad idea! Recent studies have shown that if you brush your teeth after drinking soda it causes even greater damage!

As a Pop and Mountain Dew consumer myself, this has taught me to lean away from the sugary drinks and stick to water. I always thought my parents told me not to drink Mountain Dew because it made my hyper, not because they were actually looking out for my health. If you take care of your body, especially your teeth by avoiding sugary beverages, you will save hundreds of dollars at the grocery store, and thousands of dollars at the dentist. Until next time.

Robert Mora

Pletcher, Peggy, “What Causes Mountain Dew Mouth” , Health Line, 25 Feb, 2015, http://www.healthline.com/health/dental-and-oral-health/mountain-dew-mouth#1, accessed 23 Oct, 2016

Bioprinting

Imagine being able to just print a new kidney for any person who needed it. The process of doing this is called bioprinting and it's not science fiction. It works similar to the way 3D-Printing does except they use cells to build tissue which could be used to save lives. Though not fully functional yet, the professionals working on it have been able to print some tissues. The machine builds these tissues layer by layer using hydrogels to support the structure or create voids. The machine will hopefully be able to create entire organs that could be transplanted into patients eventually, but this is not the only benefit this technology could have. If we were able to print tissues we need, it would eliminate the need for animal testing for drugs.

I think this technology would have an enormously positive effect on medicine especially if it was affordable. Organovo is the company that has been developing this process over the past few years. The only concern I have about this process would that it would be so revolutionary that a company that developed it could control the price and make it inaccessible to people who couldn't afford it.  Medicine is a field that has evolved because of technology and I'm hopeful that bioprinting is another step in the right direction.

-Alex Wallace

"Bioprinting Process," organovo, 22 Oct. 2016, organovo.com/science-technology/bioprinting-process/ 

Engineering with synthetic biology in Cyanobacteria

Hey guys,

Today I will be talking about how scientists are planning to use a new bacteria to solve some of the world's problems. Most of you may have heard about Cyanobacteria but may have not researched in depth about it. Cyanobacteria is a prokaryote which accounts for 30% of CO2. This makes it to be responsible for photosynthesis in both land and water bodies.
Cyanobacteria can act as an alternative crop species because they have a lot of material found in plants. Scientists have recently found out that cyanobacteria if engineered can produce sufficient amount of sugar to drive the planned bio-economy. Because it naturally secretes sucrose, by exposing the cyanobacteria  cells in a salty environment, it will definitely produce sugar to compensate the atmospheric pressure caused by the salt. By inserting genes to act as transporters, the sugar produced can be siphoned from the media and be used as a raw material for bio-energy production. In this case, starch will no longer be used as a raw material for bio-energy production since it has proved to cause a scenario where the need for raw materials compete with the plant's food production.
This may just be a solution to the world climate saga.

Robert F Service"Algaes second try" science vol 333, 2nd September 2011, www.sciencemag.org

Expery.

Prompt #8

As a plant biologist, a majority of your work is done within a lab experimenting and using results to better the plant world.  Recently, I have had the opportunity to work within a lab.  The style of learning is completely hands on and is much more applicable to what my major is all about.  Within the lab I have learned different ways to pipette, how to design and carry out an experiment, how to dilute substances to test them, and create standard curves in order to compare results. Planning for a lab is mostly work outside the laboratory itself, filling out lab notebooks, creating graphs and tables, and designing an experiment and carrying out the scientific method.  Compared to learning within the classroom, you have to know exactly what you have to do before you walk into the lab.  This style of learning allows you to take knowledge you have and apply it, rather than just being tested on it.  For me, this revealed the truth of plant biology that most of the work is done in the lab.  I've learned how to apply my knowledge and has given me a better idea of the work that a plant biologist does.

Garrett Mulanix

Periodontics explained a little more:

A BETTER VIEW OF PERIODONTICS 

A few of my fellow classmates gave my team feedback on our blog. They explained in the feedback that they did not fully understand some of the career choices. After fully reading through my blog post that explained my field, I came to the conclusion that I did not fully explain. 

Let's start off with the basics, I am currently majoring in Pre-dental and Microbiology. The field of dentistry I want to be part off is Periodontics, Periodontics is the study of gum related issues and dental prosthetic s. I would be the dentist you see for fake teeth or if you believe you have gum disease. 




To become a Periodontist you must complete around 11 years of schooling. You must obtain a Bachelor's Degree in a scientific field. Then, you have to receive a DMD/DDS, to even get those you have to take the DAT test. The DAT test is you need to take to submit scores to dental schools. Once finished with dental school you must register for periodontics residency. After you complete about 3 years there you can set up your own practice and network with other periodontist. There are many other things that you have to do; but, by the time I explain all of them I'll lose your interest and my blog will be off-topic. 

I hope that my post today will help you understand a little bit more about my career field. Please do not be discouraged to ask me any questions. I love talking about Periodontics, because it makes me think more, causing me to research my field more. 

-Jarrett Graham

Prompt #7

 The documentary "Forks Over Knives" highlights a controversy within the medical field. The message of the documentary is, we need to see our battle against disease in a different light. The documentary followed several people who had changed their diet in response to health problems. Throughout the piece, different information about the dangers of surgery and how a more natural approach can be equally if not more effective. The evidence provided to support their claims is the improvement of several individuals that the documentary follows. These people are switched to a plant based diet which is tailored to their body's needs and this improves their ailment enough that they no longer need surgery. The other side of this controversy is the popular opinion that going under the knife is a more guaranteed way to deal with illness. Surgery directly deals with a problem in the body, however, it is a reactive strategy to medicine. Changing a patient's diet to better suit their body's needs is a proactive solution to dealing with disease. This approach to medicine is not as well researched and does not guarantee a result. Both of these techniques have been used to cure patients of various illnesses, but a big part of medicine is how affordable and available it is. Nutritious and fresh food are not available in every community, but neither is surgery. The more affordable of the two is a change in diet because surgery can cost upwards of 100,000 dollars. The source takes a stance that is definitely biased toward changing a person's diet as a better medical alternative to surgery and traditional medicine. It is ultimately the patients decision and being well informed about your options is important when treating any kind of ailment.

-Alex Wallace

Forks Over Knives, Lee Fulkerson, 2011

What determines the color and odor of the urine

Hey guys,

 Today i'll be talking about what most people tend to assume in their daily normal lives "what determines the color and odor of your urine." Normally, most people never care or even look at the color of their urine or the odor unless by chance they notice a significant difference. This ignorance has led to some of the infections in man that could have been prevented at an early stage before they became an epidemic.

Image by TRW

A normal urine may have a yellow to amber color. A general cause of change in color and odor of your urine is your geographical location i.e, if you live in a hot and humid location, you may have a different urine color compared to someone living in a cold and chilly area. The major causes include:

•      UTI's(Urinary track infections)-It is very common and affects about half of all women once in their lifetime(Harvard women's health watch, para 6)
• Diabetes- Your urine may at times have a sweet smell. This is because when your body cannot process sugar, it's level rises both in the body and the urine too.
• Vegetables, fruits and vitamins
• Over the counter medication- If the drugs administered affects your urinary system, it may also change you urine's color and odor.
• Prostate and testosterone cancer

As a biochemist major student, I advice all of you to always keep track of any changes that you may see when you pee. Once you notice a change, you should never assume because you may never know what causes the color change or the weird odor until you consult a doctor. Next time you make a trip to your toilet, always make sure you always check your urine

I hope this article gave you a reason to care about changes in your urine.

Harvard women's health watch, Harvard health publications,http://www.health.harvard.edu/diseases-and-conditions/urine-color-and-odor-changes.

Expery.

Does Having White Teeth Mean They are Healthy?

For most people, the goal when brushing their teeth is to have a white smile. A big white smile is certainly a thing of beauty, but does having white teeth mean that your teeth are healthy?  Given the current cultural obsession in the US with white teeth, most people will at the very least change to whitening toothpaste and brush harder if their teeth are not meeting their expectations of whiteness. This can cause major oral problems in the future.

An article on Dentistrytoday.com, explains that the goal of white teeth can honestly be a recipe for oral disaster. Toothpaste commercials have convinced viewers to believe that they are using the wrong toothpaste and that there is a problem with their current smile if it is not sparkling and bright. Whitening toothpaste, for example, can be extremely dangerous for your enamel. These whitening toothpastes have an extreme amount of relative dentin abrasivity (RDA). The recommended amount of RDA in toothpaste is under 250 but in most whitening tubes it exceeds the limit. The amount of toothpaste used per brush is also a leading factor in enamel loss.  Toothpaste should not be slathered, it should be used in moderation in fact if you read the instructions you will see that you should be using an amount that is the size of a pea.  This is certainly much much less than the huge amount with the little curl on the end that is seen in advertisements. Most people are unaware of both what toothpaste to use and the amount that should be used.

The thought that more is better is a common belief for most people. Unfortunately, when brushing your teeth more is not better, in fact more causes enamel damage.  The combination of too much toothpaste, whitening agents and aggressive brushing can actually lead to exposed   dentin.   Dentin is one of the tissues on the inside of your teeth.  Exposed dentin causes pain and sensitivity as well yellow near the gums and discoloration. Most people will not realize the damage they have done until their teeth hurt near the gum line or their dentist sees it during their check-up.

(Picture from dentistrytoday.com)

This article is very interesting because most people, including myself, want to have white teeth and the first thing we think of is to get whitening toothpaste and brush harder. I would have never realized that I was hurting my teeth.  In fact, I was under the impression that I was  making them healthier. After reading this article I will now buy a toothpaste with the recommended amount of RDA and will put the correct amount on my toothbrush. This will also save me money at the dentist because I am taking care of my teeth at home. Hopefully after reading this you will understand that the end result of healthy, white teeth can be accomplished without heavy whiteners and aggressive brushing. Be gentle with your teeth they are the only ones you have!

I hope to you see all next week!

Kohler, Craig, “The Quest for Whiter Teeth Can Lead to Unintended Dental Disasters” Dentistry Today, 06 Oct 2016, http://www.dentistrytoday.com/news/todays-dental-news/item/1279-the-quest-for-whiter-teeth-can-lead-to-unintended-dental-disasters, accessed 16 Oct 2016

Stem Rust

Stem rust is a disease that is significantly affecting wheat and other cereal grains.  The fungus Puccinia graminis is responsible for causing the illness.  It attacks the green parts of the stock above ground by forming a pustule, or blister, on the outer part of the stem and infecting the plant.  The fungus takes nutrients away and disrupts the transpiration process making it so the plant ends up drying out, and in extreme cases, dying.  When plants are infected they will produce much less grain and become ineffective for farming.  The disease is a large concern for farmers throughout Africa and Asia.  Scientists are working on breeding strains of plants that are resistant to the fungus, but throughout different regions of the world the disease has mutated to be more adapted to the environment it is in.  This requires scientists to test various strains in each region where the fungus has been found and requires extensive work.

https://www.sciencenews.org/article/genes-wheat-relatives-help-stave-stem-rust?mode=magazine&context=4557

For more information on Stem Rust and other plant diseases, please click here.

https://www.cropscience.bayer.us/learning-center/articles/disease-management-in-cereal-crops?xtor=SEC-281-[GOO]-[Solutions_Based_Content]-[na]-S-[stem%20rust%20of%20wheat]&xts=519127&sc_camp=5B1FD467742540808584224775027B34

Garrett Mulanix

The Cost of Producing a drug

Have you ever asked yourself how much it costs to produce a drug?

People tend to think that producing a drug can only take hours if scientists work on it but this view is just so wrong. The cost of producing a drug is approximately 2-11 billion dollars(Aaron E Carroll, The New Health Care posted on Nov 18th 2014). This cost is calculated from the tedious procedure any pharmaceutical company has to undergo to produce a single drug.

The process itself takes about 10-12 years. In these years; there are specific factors the researcher has to experiment with his/her drug to prevent any setback when the drug is introduced to pharmaceuticals. Some of these factors are:

• The drug has to be non-toxic and should not have any side effects to the patient.
• The drug should be selective to target the area of interest.
• The drug should be mostly orally absorbed for it to reach the brain efficiently to act effectively
• The geographical origin may also be confirmed because it does affect the effectiveness of a drug
• The drug should be stable by being able to be stored for long without expiring.

After the researcher tests for this factors, he/she may need 10 compounds of which only one will become a drug. Failing at the end can be a very big blow and loss of a lot of dollars.

This costs and tedious procedures has since discouraged scientist from being innovative and actively trying to discover anything. I hope you learnt a thing or two from this article.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/19/upshot/calculating-the-real-costs-of-developing-a-new-drug.html?_r=0

Expery.

Why Are Pharmaceuticals in America so Expensive?

Many people in America view medical professionals in a very positive light, however, there are others that view the American medical system as a leech. The main points that people like to refer to are the outrageous profit margin on prescription drugs in America. The other point being that health insurance companies squeeze every penny out of their customers that they can. The way the American medical system works is largely due to the fact that we are a capitalist society. The governments of Europe that offer free health  care are welfare states so their hospitals are not as reliant on profit from patients as those in America. Based upon how large the disparity is between the price of similar procedures and drugs, America seems like it's charging much more than it should for these services. An example is a medication for hepatitis that costs 30 dollars in America and 50 cents in India. This drug was the exact same medication from the same company, but in America the price is inflated by 6000%. This gap is due to the difference in wealth between America and India. It makes sense to charge less for something in a poorer country, but the fact that these companies still make money selling their medication at 50 cents a dose raises a few questions. Who can't afford it in America because of higher prices? I don't agree with prices being raised 6000% but I can understand the need to inflate them somewhat because pharmaceuticals are a business. For the most part, I feel that we need to make healthcare more affordable and available worldwide. This can't be achieved by making them harder to attain by raising prices. 

-Alex Wallace 

http://www.bbc.com/news/business-28212223 

Brushing Teeth and Selfies

This week I was browsing the web and I found an article that I thought could relate to every person who owns a cell phone. Smart cell phones are predominantly used for texting, checking social media  and making calls.   The trend over  the past few years has been selfies! The selfie is  a self-portrait often used on social media posts like twitter and Instagram.  What most people don’t know is that  they can actually be used for a lot more! The article I came across it explains a study that was conducted on selfies and brushing teeth. Who would’ve thought these two things would ever be put in the same sentence.

The article “Study: Recording selfies while brushing teeth can improve oral health care skills” concludes if you record yourself while brushing your teeth it will increase your accuracy of the brush strokes and the number of strokes a person uses without an increase in time. The study also explains that many humans, including myself, have a brushing technique that is engraved in their head through muscle memory that may not be the most effective. By recording yourself while brushing your teeth you will be able to critique the little things you wouldn't do in a mirror. It is true people do change when the record button is on!

Even though the study had a small sample size I still found it very interesting and plausible.   As one of my main topics for this blog is to find cheap techniques for oral health this could be one of the most helpful and the least expensive. The article later explained that an application for smartphones is being made that will capture your recording and will review it to see if the brushing technique is correct. As applications for smartphones are generally inexpensive and often free,  using this type of it might save patients thousands of dollars. And for the people who can not afford to schedule their six month check up it may save them a few teeth!

I hope you found this article as interesting as I did and are now anticipating the release of the app! Can’t wait to see you next week.

-Robert Mora

"Study: Recording selfies while brushing teeth can improve oral health care skills", Medical News Today, 12 Aug, 2016, http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/312283.php, accessed 9 Oct 2016

Hater, Hilton, "Miley Cyrus Brushes Teeth, Doesn't Wear Pants, Loves Her Life", The Hollywood Gossip, 2 Dec 2014, http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2014/12/miley-cyrus-brushes-teeth-doesnt-wear-pants-loves-her-life/, accessed 9 Oct 2016

Johnson, Sandy, "Songs for Kids about Brushing Your Teeth", Bright Now! Dental, 12 Nov, 2012, http://www.brightnow.com/our-blog/songs-kids-about-brushing-your-teeth, accessed 9 Oct 2016

Life of a Biologist

Biologists have a love for science, most of the daily tasks done by a biologist involve the scientific method.  The scientific method is a series of steps taken by a scientist to carry out some sort of experiment.  It starts by asking a question about whatever it may be that you are interested in, followed by developing a hypothesis.  Next you would design an experiment having a control and a test group.  Once the experiment is complete you would observe your results and see if they match your hypothesis and see if you can develop some sort of theory as to why this took place.

http://www.ariadnewealth.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Scientific_Method_Trans1.jpg

Using the scientific method, biologists conduct many experiments to gather data for research in order to prove or disprove various theories.  Biologists work any almost any field in the macroscopic and microscopic levels. Most of the work is done in a laboratory applying the scientific method.  The daily life of a biologist is one that involves lots of science and a passion for the scientific world.

Garrett Mulanix

You can seal your teeth?!

             Believe it or not you can seal your teeth! Many people do not understand that just everyday foods and drinks can corrode your teeth. Smoking, drinking, greasy foods, and drugs can harm the natural sealant on your teeth Sealant replacement can cost up to thousands of dollars and can be also nerve racking. 

Unhealthy teeth due to smoking and not brushing. 

         If you discover that you have a weak tooth or achy gums it may not be too late to stop the pain. Once you discover that you have tooth pain when eating, go get checked out. Many dentist will be able to seal the tooth before it gets too late. If it is too late it would be pointless to get a sealant. The sealant process is painless and easy to complete if you are wondering. The process will go as followed:

1) The dentist will start by cleaning off your dry tooth. 

2)An acidic gel will be placed on top of the said tooth to make sure there is a good seal on it. 

3)Once the seal is semi dry, the dentist will clean off the surface.

4)And lastly, the dentist will use a special blue light to make sure that the sealant is completely dry so you can use the tooth anyway you would like. 

After the dentist has finished all of these steps they will recommend certain treatments and toothpaste to keep the sealant effective. 

Now a few of you may be wondering is this safe will the harm me... No it will not! In fact, you are more likely to harm yourself from touching receipt paper. Also, sealants may not even cost you a dime. Many insurance plans will cover the procedure so check with your insurance provider before you go in. 

So, remember, before you decide to put anything your mouth that may harm your teeth, think about if you should get a sealant. The sealant may help you enjoy the activities way more. Besides, who wouldn't want to have a pair of shiny teeth.

-Jarrett Graham 

   

Smoking Marijuana and Periodontal Disease

Welcome back! This week I have an interesting topic that every user and potential users of marijuana should should read.  I know what you are thinking - what does marijuana have to do with dental health? Generally, marijuana use is associated with the short term feelings  that it produces. Unfortunately,  periodontal disease is something that particularly long term users need to keep in mind.  Since recreational marijuana usage is very common among young adults, I decided to share this information with you.  

(thelibretarianrepublic.com)

According to Medicalnewstoday.com, smoking marijuana may increase your risk of getting periodontal disease. Periodontal disease characterized by infection and inflammation of the gums and the bone surrounding the teeth. In extreme cases the bone around the tooth is lost which causes the tooth to fall out (medicalnewstoday.com). A study conducted New Zealand researched civilians for 38 years and received regular health and lifestyle assessments. Compared with participants who did not use marijuana, the researchers found persistent marijuana use for up to 20 years were associated with greater risk of periodontal disease at the age of 38 (medicalnewstoday.com).

(tedhainesdds.com)

As I found this article very interesting, however, I also have a lot of follow up questions. My first question is marijuana usage a direct or indirect determinant of periodontal disease? So many other factors including:

•  the number of times the participant brushed and flossed their teeth
•  the types of food the participant ate in his or her 38 years,
•  family background other activities that the participant was doing that may contribute to periodontal disease. 

No matter what the participant is doing in his or her lives if they are not brushing their teeth and other oral procedures they will have issues with their mouth later on. The article did mention that marijuana users tend to have poor oral hygiene habits and tend to abuse alcohol. Even if they are brushing  and flossing perhaps poor dietary habits  are the real cause of their gum damage. Family background also plays a big role in the cause of diseases such as periodontal. If family members who are not cannabis users,  also had periodontal disease could genetics also  be a factor?  

In fairness, the researchers identified several limitations to this study. For example, marijuana use was self-reported; many others in the study may not have reported their usage for fear of legal ramifications. In addition, the study only looked at the effect of marijuana use on specific health problems, there may have been other health problems that contributed to the dental problems.  

While there may be  a positive correlation between smoking marijuana and later being diagnosed with periodontal disease, I do not think it is the only factor in this health outcome.   With so many unanswered questions I do not feel that a direct link between periodontal disease and marijuana usage was established. More research is clearly needed. In the meantime, if you do occasionally partake in an occasional smoke or even if you don’t - remember to brush twice daily and floss regularly. These are the only set of teeth you have and you want them to last a lifetime.  

-Robert Mora

http://thelibertarianrepublic.com/colorado-marijuana-prices-drop-significantly/

http://tedhainesdds.com/snohomish-cosmetic-dentist/tag/periodontal-disease/

prompt #3 DRUG BINDING KINETICS AND PATHWAYS AND ITS EFFECTS

You may wonder how a drug functions when injected into the body or even after taking the drug orally. Today i'll be taking you through the whole process in detail.

Image by Christina

In the biochemistry and pharmacology fields, they refer to drugs as ligands. When the ligand is introduced to the body, it specifically goes to the targeted area which causes the pain or discomfort. After it binds with the protein, it tries to find the best pose for that specific receptor such that they can stably bind and allow the drug to function effectively.

Recently there has been concerns that drugs no longer function possibly because of mutation in the hosts body. When mutation occurs in the hosts' body, it makes it complex for the ligand to find a perfect pose to function. Scientists are currently trying to figure out how these mutations can be reversed to make it easy for the drug to function.

After interviewing Dr Alex Dickson, he was clear that pharmaceutical companies are exploiting their customers by producing inefficient drugs. He concluded by saying that the best way to avoid this exploitation would be to communicate directly via social media and through known scientists for these companies to stop producing these drugs until the solution is found.

Although the research has been ongoing for more than 11 years now, it is challenging to come up with perfect findings since the field is relatively immature.

Personally, I think pharmaceutical companies should stop producing more drugs until the solution is found because if they continue, there will come a time when all the infections will be mutants to the produced drugs and that may just be the beginning of serious epidemics.

I hope this post helped you understand how a drug functions and possible effects of using drugs.

RXList, The international drug index, Antibiotic resistance, http://www.rxlist.com/antibiotic_resistance-page3/drugs-condition.htm.

Thank you,

Expery.