Lasers bring relief to West Milford cold sore sufferers

Modern dentistry now has another tool to relieve patients discomfort. Dental lasers can stop cold sore pain and reduce their duration. The procedure is quick and comfortable. Patients get immediate relief. Dental lasers offer many options for the patient and doctor. These include desensitization of teeth and removal of tissue covering 3rd molars. When 3rd molars only partially erupt a "flap" of tissue lies over the 3rd molar. Very often food is trapped under the tissue and an infection occurs. Before the laser, removal of the "flap" was not suggested as they would grow back with prior methods. This changed with the laser. When the "flap" is removed with a laser it does not grow back.

Other uses include cosmetic contouring of the gums especially in the anterior region and frenectomies to prevent and stop the gums being pulled off a tooth. Healing is fast and there is very little post operative discomfort.

Many kinds of mouth ulcers

"Comprehensive dental examinations that include a screening for oral cancer will save

lives," says Dr. Louis Amendola, D.D.S., Chief Dental Director at the California-

based dental HMO.

Screenings for oral cancer are a routine part of dental exams at the company, which

has 250 company-managed offices in California, Arizona and Nevada.

The exam takes less than five minutes and involves a careful visual inspection of

your lips, cheeks, gums, tongue and throat. The dentist will check for swelling or

any changes in the color or texture of mouth tissues, says Dr. Amendola. The dentist

also will feel the floor of the mouth, the tongue and areas beneath the jaw bone to

check for growths or other abnormalities, he says.

"Many kinds of mouth ulcers, minor injuries or sores can resemble an early state of

cancer," says Dr. Amendola. "But if what you think is a cold sore or an injury from

biting your cheek doesn't heal in two weeks, have it examined by a dentist who can

determine the next steps," he says. "Typically, we'll refer any potentially

suspicious case to a specialist who may order a biopsy."

"Annual oral cancer screenings are one of the best methods we have to help control

the rate of the disease," says Samuel H. Gruenbaum, Western Dental President and

Chief Executive Officer. "It's a fast and painless exam that aims to discover any

health issues while they're minor and easily treatable," he says.

According to the Oral Cancer Foundation, oral cancers that are detected in their

early stages offer a survival rate of 80 to 90 percent.

Research and Markets: Adult Mouth Care - USA

In 2010, adult mouth care witnessed little innovation or new developments. Del Pharmaceuticals, the category's leading player, released a variety of new products in 2010 including new Baby Orajel SmartDose, Orajel Toddler Training Toothpastes and Orajel Instant Cold Sore Relief. However, none of these new Orajel releases fall under Euromonitor International's adult mouth care category.

The Adult Mouth Care in USA report offers a comprehensive guide to the size and shape of the market at a national level. It provides the latest retail sales data 2006-2010, allowing you to identify the sectors driving growth. Forecasts to 2015 illustrate how the market is set to change.

Data coverage: market sizes (historic and forecasts), company shares, brand shares and distribution data.

Why buy this report?

Get a detailed picture of the Adult Mouth Care market;

Pinpoint growth sectors and identify factors driving change;

Understand the competitive environment, the market's major players and leading brands;

Use five-year forecasts to assess how the market is predicted to develop.

German Superheroine Battles Cold Sores With Herpotherm [Video]

The super set rarely concerns itself with cold-sores, what with all their healing factors and magic powers and whatnot, but what of the less immune civilians they fight to protect? Who will save your average leather jacket wearing fellow with an infected mouth from a fuzzy puppet representing a date-ruining affliction?. Why, a blonde superheroine brandishing a giant tube of Herpotherm medication, of course!

As far as many Chinese are concerned, traditional medicine derives largely from simple common sense, plus a way of life to which they've become accustomed. Those of us who are not of Chinese ancestry, however, might benefit health-wise by incorporating some of their theories about medicine into our daily lives.

Chinese people tend to prefer drinking tea to coffee. I assumed this was merely a cultural thing until scientists found out that tea contains more antioxidants than coffee. So, by drinking tea, the Chinese still get caffeine to boost their energy levels, but they also increase their antioxidant intake at the same time.

If the Chinese suspect that they're coming down with a cold - if they have symptoms like nasal congestion, clear nasal discharge, headaches, muscular aching - they immediately brew some fresh ginger tea to warm up their bodies and induce perspiration; they believe that this action wards off the organisms that are making them ill. But if they are having flu symptoms (fever and a sore throat), they start drinking chrysanthemum tea or mint tea, which have cooling properties, to relieve the sore throat and make the fever subside more quickly.

The Chinese also believe that different foods have different properties, with each falling into one of five categories: cold, cool, neutral, warm or hot. These categories refer to the effect that a particular foodstuff or beverage has on your body; its temperature at the moment that you consume it is irrelevant. For example, coffee is regarded as hot, so even if you drink an iced coffee, afterwards you will feel more alert and energetic; so the "hot" coffee has elevated your yang energy levels. The Chinese eat more cool and cold foods (like watermelon and bean sprouts) in summer and more warm and hot foods (pumpkin, spices) during the winter months.

Much more complex is the traditional Chinese concept of balancing yin and yang for optimum health. Yin includes foods with cold properties, or those of dark colour; in general, it refers to substances that we can see and touch. Yin, on the other hand, can refer to body parts which are regarded as having that quality in abundance (like flesh, bones, internal organs, and blood). Yang can mean light-coloured foods or those with hot properties; it encompasses the energy in our bodies that helps us carry out the activities of everyday life. We cannot see it and cannot touch it but we can feel its energy all around us. Yin and yang have a very close relationship; they are interdependent. Yin produces and carries yang and yang moves and warms up yin.

In theory, our body should have yin and yang in balance, have both in almost equal amounts. When we are working hard or for long hours, we use up more of our yang energy. But when you work hard and for a long time, your yin levels will also decline. When you work hard, at first only your yang is reduced, so you could use ginseng to boost your yang levels. But when you work hard for many months, both your yin levels and your blood will become deficient, and then it's time to consume some of that famous black-chicken soup as a restorative.

Yin and yang theory actually applies to everything. Men, compared to women, are more yang, and women are comparatively more yin. As men get older they are more venerable to yang deficiency, which leads to a decline in overall energy, including sexual drive. As women get older they suffer from yin deficiency; this condition produces "empty heat", which is expressed as hot flushes, night sweats, mood swings and a feeling of being overheated, especially at night. Since the Chinese knew that this "change of life" was a normal part of growing older, they started to prepare for it and to seek out herbs that would help ensure a smoother transition to old age. Black-chicken soup and dang gui were used for women because they can nourish yin the best. Ginseng and young deer horn were used for men because they can be good for raising yang levels and solving sexual problems.

Just For Expecting Dads – Sex and Pregnancy

Some men love sex with their pregnant partners, while others view it as a complete turn-off. Regardless of whether your desire increases or decreases due to the pregnancy, your partner may not feel sexual at all. Your mother-to-be may feel fatigued and nauseous during the first 12 weeks, also called the first trimester, of pregnancy. Her thoughts and desires may not include a desire for sexual intimacy, or if they do, the nausea and general malaise she experiences during this phase of pregnancy will probably interfere with her ability to follow through on thoughts of sex.

Patience and Understanding Can Lead to Second Trimester Rewards

During this time, she needs emotional support and may need help completing tasks around the house if the nausea lasts past the morning hours or includes some vomiting. She will appreciate your patience and understanding. Spend some time listening to her talk about the physical and emotional challenges she has faced in the first trimester. Unless she has a relatively uncommon, but more severe type of nausea, called hyperemesis gravidarum, she will feel markedly better during the second trimester, or second twelve weeks. Changes in certain hormone levels during pregnancy will increase lubrication and blood flow to the genitals, making thoughts of sexual intimacy more alluring.

Concerned About the Baby During Sex?

If your partner is healthy with an uncomplicated pregnancy, sex is very safe. Your developing baby lies in a cushioned position in the uterus, far out of the reach of your penis during intercourse. Many moms-to-be report higher satisfaction and intensified orgasm during pregnancy. During the second trimester, your partner's abdomen usually has not grown large enough to hinder face-to-face intercourse. However, pain or bleeding during and after intercourse merits an immediate visit to your partner's OB/GYN.

What If She's Still Not Interested?

Some women may feel 'fat' or unattractive during pregnancy; depression, poor body image, and low self-esteem affect sexual desire in all women whether pregnant or not. Try connecting with her through some of her favorite activities or by talking with her about what you find beautiful and attractive about her pregnant figure. Regardless of whether she responds to these overtures, the pregnancy only lasts three trimesters. While your sex life will forever change once baby arrives, you and your partner can come up with an intimacy plan that works for the whole family and creates positive, rather than negative change.

Positions and Oral Sex

While you and your partner may feel willing to engage in sex during the third trimester, her abdomen will have grown markedly, making many positions unrealistic or impossible. At this point, a side by side position or entering from behind represent the best choices and most comfortable for mom. Oral sex offers a relatively safe alternative for both partners, but never blow air into your pregnant partner's vagina when performing it on her. This can create an embolus (air bubble) in her blood stream, which may travel to the lungs and could result in death. Avoid oral sex if you have a cold sore, active oral herpes, or other infection.

High-Risk Pregnancies

Gestational diabetes, placenta previa, and other complications may cause your partner's OB/GYN to order complete bed rest. This means rest and no sex. Some women with higher risk pregnancies can engage in limited sexual activity, but only her physician can make the decision as to how much and what type, if any, is allowed.

Final Considerations

If you had a strong and satisfying intimate life with your partner prior to pregnancy, chances are it will return sometime during the first six months of baby's arrival. If your pre-pregnancy sex life was sparse or non-existent, it won't get better after the baby is born. Seeking couples counseling from a therapist who specializes in couples sexual therapy may help. Ask your partner's OB/GYN if he or she has pamphlets especially for new fathers that detail sexual intimacy and your baby's impact upon it in terms men can relate to easily.

Pre-chewed baby food common in HIV-positive households, study suggests

Here's a particularly disturbing stat: 31 percent of babies in households where the mom is HIV-positive get at least some pre-chewed food. In most cases the surveyed caregivers who reported doing that pre-chewing were the infected moms. Or so reports the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In 2009, I blogged about a paper in Pediatrics that reviewed three instances of HIV transmission to babies through pre-chewed foods. That report had suggested such "premastication" of baby food was not common. The new study challenges that assessment.

CDC's study was carried out in nine clinics around the country and in Puerto Rico. Each surveyed family had a child who was at least 6 months old and its mother infected with HIV. During a clinic visit, researchers asked the primary caregiver of each child, which 80 percent of the time was the mom, about a host of issues, including whether the child received pre-chewed food.

A 2008 Pediatrics paper had indicated rates of premastication in the United States might be as high as 14 percent. The new study finds the rate at least twice as high among caregivers of at-risk children in the 154 households it surveyed.

Eighty percent of those surveyed had been the child's biological mothers. But regardless of who the primary caregiver was, younger individuals proved most likely to share food from their mouth. Some 44 percent of caregivers under 20 premasticated a baby's food compared to just 13 percent of caregivers who were at least twice that age. The frequency of offering kids pre-chewed foods was almost twice as high among black caregivers as among non-blacks (although at 66 percent, blacks were also over-represented among the surveyed caregivers).

"Similar prevalences of premastication were found regardless of the sex of the child and the primary caregiver's country of origin, education level, and income," report Natella Y. Rakhmanina of Children's National Medical Center in Washington D.C. and her colleagues in the March 11 Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

When asked why people shared their food, premasticators said a child had begged for it, that the adult didn't want a child to choke or that it was just a common family practice. Not all foods were pre-chewed (meat, fish and fruits most commonly were), and most adults that adhered to the practice did it only a few days a week. However, some began sharing food with babies as young as one month old and continued doing so until a child was over a year old (sometimes as old as 3).

An estimated 13 percent of HIV infections among children 12 and under develop after birth, often from unknown sources, CDC notes. Clearly, this is likely to be an underreported source.

As part of the new study, CDC cautioned caregivers after the survey was over about risks of HIV transmission that pre-chewing can pose. But owing to how widespread the practice appears to be — even among adults who knew they were infected — CDC cautions that pediatricians make a point to regularly discuss the topic with parents and caregivers where at least one household member is infected with the virus. The new data also point to a need for targeting prevention messages at moms who are especially young, CDC says.

Of course, fear of HIV shouldn't be the only reason to steer clear of this practice. Plenty of other germs can also be shed by saliva, including those responsible for cold sores, hepatitis infections, dental cavities and stomach ulcers.

it could save your life

I recently visited my dentist to have a checkup and cleaning. At the end of my cleaning and

exam, he performed an oral cancer screening with a device called a Velscope. The Velscope

projects a blue light on the soft tissues of your mouth and tongue and assists the dentist in

finding oral abnormalities. Discovering soft tissue abnormalities is particularly important

in the fight against oral cancer. It only took two minutes and I didn`t feel a thing. I felt

better knowing I had been screened for oral cancer.

Someone dies from oral cancer every hour of every day in the United States alone, according

to The Oral Cancer Foundation. More than 300,000 new cases of oral cancer are diagnosed every

year, worldwide. This serious disease, which pertains to the mouth, lips or throat, is often

highly curable if diagnosed and treated in the early stages.

Oral cancers usually involve the tongue, lips, floor of the mouth, soft palate, tonsils,

salivary glands or back of the throat. In the United States, more than 90 percent of oral

cancer occurs in individuals older than 45, with men more likely than women to develop it.

The primary risk factors for oral cancers in this country are tobacco and alcohol use, and

for lip cancer, exposure to the sun.

Many older adults do not visit their dentist every year, which puts them at a higher risk for

oral cancer. Many have dentures and feel they do not need a dental visit, but many, many more

just can not afford dental care.

Broomfield Senior Services has partnered with Dr. Robert McBride from McBride Family Dental

in Broomfield to offer free oral cancer screenings from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday. McBride,

along with two dental hygienists, will do a quick exam of your mouth and let you know if you

need to follow up with your dentist.

In its early stages, oral cancer can go unnoticed. Oral cancer could look like a common

ulcer, cold sore or a discoloration of tissue. Fortunately, your dentist can see or feel if a

lesion looks cancerous. Although the number of deaths each year from oral cancer is

astounding, it is highly curable if diagnosed early.

Pharmacists asking for power to treat

The proposed changes include extending prescriptions, treating simple health issues such as

cold sores and allergies, ordering certain lab tests, and showing patients how to use some

medications, such as asthma inhalers.

Diane Lamarre, president of the Order, said doctors are overworked - the average wait in

emergency rooms is 17 hours - and pharmacists are perfectly placed to help ease the pressure

on the healthcare system.

"Patients are suffering from this lack of access," said Lamarre. "We have to make a change

and these are changes that the pharmacist may afford."

Lamarre said most Canadian provinces already allow their pharmacists to carry out these

duties.

The Order is calling on Quebec to be able to do the same by the end of this year.

Patient rights' advocate Paul Brunet calls it a "refreshing" and "positive" initiative which

makes a lot of sense.

"They are the professionals that we see the most," said Brunet.

"Every month we meet with them, why wouldn't they be used at better purposes and more often

everywhere the system might need them," he said.
Doctors open to idea

Quebec's College of Physicians is open to some of the proposals, such as allowing pharmacists

to renew prescriptions, but the College's Yves Robert doubts the changes would reduce the

burden on the healthcare system. Yves Robert with Quebec's College of Physicians says doctors

are open to the idea of pharmacists taking on more duties.Yves Robert with Quebec's College

of Physicians says doctors are open to the idea of pharmacists taking on more duties. (cbc)

"One of the biggest shortages we face in the health system is the shortage of pharmacists in

hospitals," said Robert.

"Why increase the spectrum of [duties] ... in the community if they cannot meet the needs of

the healthcare system in the hospital?"

Robert added there needs to be more discussion in the area of diagnosis and treatment.

"The reason why the professional pharmacists [exist] was to place the physician where he is

not in conflict of interest," he said.

In other words, "trading drugs and making diagnoses at the same time," said Robert.

What's Up, Doc? Q: What is the best OTC treatment for cold sores on the lips?

Humans are vain. We love beauty. We shrivel away from lesions and wounds and gaping body

parts. When we see a cold sore on someone's lip, we don't think, "Oh, well 90 percent of

adults in the U.S. have antibodies to the Herpes Simplex Virus and 40 percent get cold sores

so that's pretty much normal.

No, we say to ourselves, "Ew."

Let's just say that one has a cold sore and is proud of it and perhaps enjoys the attention.

Still, it is easier to spread the cold sore to others during this active phase. Viral

shedding of the Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV), the cause of cold sores, occurs via direct

contact. Modes of direct contact can be kissing, sharing straws/cups, touching ones mouth and

then touching another part of the body such as the eyes, nose or...nevermind that.

Okay, so let's say one has no problem with avoiding sharing straws or kissing others for a

couple of weeks during an active infection. Well, complications of HSV may occur if it

spreads from the lip to the nose, eye or even the brain. Recent brain research showed a

connection between cold sores and Alzheimer's disease. In these studies, patients with cold

sores and Alzheimer's disease were found to also have a Vitamin D deficiency. In follow up

studies it is postulated that Vitamin D has an antimicrobial component in fighting infections

such as HSV infections in the brain.  It may even be the case that chronic HSV infections in

the brain cause or predispose one to Alzheimers disease. Undoubtedly we will be hearing more

about this recent, cutting-edge brain research.

So, if you are one of the 40 percent of Americans who get cold sores, my recommendation is to

wave aside the OTC creams and treat it aggressively with an oral medication called

valacyclovir. This medication is taken in only one three gram dose and can be repeated in 12

hours if the cold sore appears to be progressing.

Why the green light for the 3 a.m. call to me for the prescription? Because the trick to

halting the viral replication and development of the cold sore is to treat as soon as the

redness and tingly feeling appears on the lip. Waiting 5 hours for the doctor's office to

open and another hour for the pharmacy to open will be too late to prevent the cold sore from

forming at all.

Prevention is always the best medicine, and you can prevent cold sores year round by using

lip balms which contain at least SPF 15 sunscreen at all times. Keep your immune system

strong by ensuring that you sleep seven to nine hours on average every night. Get regular

exercise. Nourish your body with whole foods.

Oh, and I have a Disclaimer: Please note that other doctors may not agree with my top three

emergency-in-the-middle-of-the-night list, so if you tend to get cold sores, you might want

to ask your doctor during regular banking hours for a prescription to keep on hand just in

case. Otherwise they will hang up with you and call me!

Gayle suffers a sore throatCold Sore

CHANDIGARH: West Indies explosive batsman Chris Gayle suffered from sore throat and cold on

Monday but the team manager confirmed he will be fit to play against Ireland at Mohali on

Friday in their Group B encounter of the cricket World Cup. "He had a sore throat and we

advised him some medicine for that," a doctor who attended on Gayle said.

Gayle on Monday came out for practice but returned to the dressing room at Sector 16 cricket

stadium, only to return later. But the Caribbean did not take to the field and kept sitting

on the sidelines and watching his teammates play.

Media manager Phillip Spooner said it was nothing serious or to be worried about. he will be

fit and play in the next match. "He had it from Dhaka. The infection is a mild one and he is

doing fine," he said, adding that Gayle will be fit to play in the next game.

Meanwhile, some members of the Ireland team who were not in the playing XI in the Bangalore

match came for a practice session at the Sector 16 cricket stadium and gave their heart out.

Coach Phill Simmons was along with them and helped them in practice for more than two hours.

Team manager Barry Chambers said, "Trent Johnston, who was injured in the match had undergone

a scan, which showed some bruises." The hotel where two teams are staying has been put under

tight security, with police personnel deployed in strength, both inside and outside the

hotel.

NPI to Partner with Natures Innovation

one of the largest privately held companies in the nutraceutical industry, has

announced its partnership with Dermisil, a market leader in natural and homeopathic

skin care products.
Through the partnership, NPI will be responsible for distributing the Dermisil line

of products to consumer markets across the United States.

"When it comes to completely natural skin products, it is tough to beat what Dermisil

offers," said Mitch Gould, Director of Operations for NPI. "We are proud to

distribute the very fine line of natural products to people who need it all over the

U.S."
Dermisil, founded in 2004, is a Georgia-based company providing products that deliver

100 percent natural treatments for common skin conditions such as acne, eczema,

ringworm, warts, nail fungus, cold sores and more. The company's consumer base spans

across 24 countries worldwide, with over half a million customers. Dermisil also

recently launched a new distribution center in Manchester, England.

In addition, the company markets naturally focused pet care products to help with

issues like pet mange and fleas through herbal shampoos and more. All of the Dermisil

products are backed by medical research and supported by a 60 day money-back

guarantee.

"Dermisil is already well-known throughout the world, and so we will work hard to

continue that outstanding reputation," Gould said.

NPI (Nutritional Products International) provides sales and marketing solutions for

worldwide companies, enabling them to be successful in the American marketplace. The

company maintains strong relationships with key buyers all over the U.S., providing

foreign brands with a fast track to the world's most important market.

Dermisil is driven by Founder & CEO Bill Carlson's vision of creating natural skin

treatment products that do not test on animals, are small-batched and hand-crafted,

use organic botanicals whenever possible and support worthwhile humanitarian efforts.

Westmeath revealed as Ireland's worst kissers

The results are in, Westmeath has some of the worst kissers in Ireland. Westmeath

suffered from more outbreaks of the cold sore virus in 2010 than most other counties,

according to a new all-Ireland study conducted by A.Vogel herbal remedies.

The study looked at health of the nation's lips, based on the popularity of the cold

sore barrier ointment, Bio-Propolis, a natural anti-septic used to inactivate the cold

sore virus and prevent a secondary infection.

Westmeath ranked 22nd with more outbreaks than 21 other counties. Offaly claimed the

title for 'worst kissers in Ireland' with the largest number of infections, closely

followed by Dublin and Sligo, highlighting their need for more kissable lips. Laois

claimed the title of having Ireland's most luscious lips recording the fewest

outbreaks with Kilkenny and Wexford coming a close second and third.

Commenting on the results, A.Vogel Herbal Adviser Nicola Murphy said Westmeath appears

to suffer from more cold sore infections than most counties. "Unfortunately, outbreaks

of this painful and unsettling virus also tend to increase at this time of year," he

remarked of the results.

"The virus targets weak immune systems across the country that have been affected by

our changeable springtime weather conditions. It can also be brought on by both

physical and mental stress which can further lower your immunity," she added. "If you

do suffer from cold sores I would definitely recommend Bio-Propolis. It creates a

protective barrier that speeds up the skin's natural healing process and soothes any

discomfort caused by the painful blisters," she added.

The Herbal Advisor said that Bio-Propolis can reduce the healing time of a cold sore

by 50% and prevent you suffering from another unwanted infection.

"It can also help stimulate the rebuilding of collagen, helping Westmeath's lips feel

kissable again in no time," Nicola Murphy concluded.