Health

Dental Tips For Teens

Caring for your child’s teeth when they’re little is a challenge. However, don’t think you get a free pass when they reach their teenage years.

Teenagers can be prone to problems with dental health thanks to plentiful opportunities to sneak sugary drinks and unhealthy snacks at school. Some even engage in tobacco use.

Poor dental hygiene will lead to bad breath, irritated gums, and yellowing teeth. A little prevention and a strong dental hygiene routine can help them have plenty to smile about, even during their teenage years.

According to R+R Dental, these dental tips for teens are a great place to start to ensure healthy oral care habits are in place.

Watch Their Food Choices

You won’t win if you force your child to become health-conscious overnight. However, you should pay attention to what they’re eating. The occasional treat shouldn’t be a concern, though if you find your child consuming excessive amounts of sugar, it’s important to help them make healthier choices.

Foods like chips and pretzels can stick to the teeth and cause plaque to build up. Encourage your teen to rinse their mouth after having a snack. You can also get them to alternate with healthier snack options for better balance.

You won’t be able to stop your teen from eating junk food when they go to school. But at home, you can stock the fridge and pantry with healthier snack options. Cut up fresh fruits and veggies and put them directly in their line of sight on the fridge’s shelves. They’ll be more inclined to grab these healthier snacks if there’s no prep work involved.

Get More Hydration

Teens love their sodas, sports drinks, and energy drinks. Of these, energy drinks may have them beat for the most harmful beverage for teeth since they cause more enamel loss.

You may think fruit juice is a healthier option, but many brands are also loaded with sugar and only some juice. It’s far better to have your teen eat whole fruits rather than drink juice. Whole fruit also contains more fiber which can benefit your teenager’s health.

If your teen is a coffee drinker, remind them that coffee stains teeth. The best choice that kids in this age group and everyone else can make when it comes to beverages is water. Proper hydration ensures that saliva does its job in the mouth and helps remove food particles from teeth between brushing.

Never Skip Flossing or Brushing

When going through a morning or evening routine, brushing and flossing are among the most important things a teen can do for oral health. You may see your teen standing in front of the bathroom mirror with their toothbrush in hand, but are they brushing properly?

The same goes for flossing, as plenty of adults struggle with this part of dental hygiene. Have your dentist teach your teen how to use dental floss properly, and they’ll be better equipped to do it themselves at home. While everyone should brush at least twice daily, flossing may be done once daily.

Talk to your kids about the consequences of skipping brushing for a night. The plaque buildup that can form is astounding. If you’re worried about how well they’re brushing, get them an electric toothbrush to help them keep their smiles bright and healthy.

Sometimes, all it takes is reminding teens about what is universally uncool among other teens, like bad breath or a yellow smile. These reminders may inspire them to step up their oral care.

Get Regular Dental Cleanings and X-Rays

Dentists recommend that everyone, including teens, have a dental cleaning and checkup twice per year. Generally, X-rays are taken once a year, though, in each visit, the dentist will check for tooth decay, gum disease, and other oral health concerns. The dentist can spot minor problems before they become big ones and add a fluoride treatment to help protect teeth.

Watch Out for Wisdom Teeth

During the teenage years, wisdom teeth usually develop behind the back molars. These teeth tend to grow unevenly and can cause damage to the surrounding teeth. They can also cause oral infections.

X-rays will reveal if wisdom teeth are coming in and whether or not they are a problem. In many cases, your dentist will keep watch on these teeth. If your teen’s wisdom teeth are causing problems, you will be referred to an oral surgeon to have them removed.

Always Wear Protective Gear During Contact Sports

The teenage years are filled with opportunities to engage in sports. Football, soccer, basketball, and hockey are just a few of these contact sports where your teen could sustain dental trauma.

Broken, chipped, or knocked-out teeth are painful and can be expensive to fix. If a tooth cracks, infections or abscesses may form without treatment. Make sure your teen always wears a mouthguard during these sports to reduce the risk of these types of injuries.

Look Out for Gum Disease

If gum disease runs in the family, it often shows warning signs during the teenage years, especially for girls. Keep watch for inflamed, red, or sensitive gums in your teen, and make sure you express your concerns about these symptoms to your dentist to prevent this problem before it spirals out of control.

Follow All Orthodontic Advice

Not everyone is born with a smile that is perfectly aligned. Your teen may have gaps, an overbite, or other issues requiring orthodontic care. Whether you choose braces or Invisalign, make sure your teen knows the proper way to care for their teeth.

With braces, you may need to get a water flosser for them to clean between their teeth. If they wear Invisalign, make sure they’re wearing them as instructed to get the best results.

By teaming up with your dental practitioner and talking to your teen about these dental tips, you can help them have more to smile about in the coming years.

Health

Report Causes Pfizer Stock to Climb Approximately $1 Billion Acquired by Starboard

(VOR News) – According to a rumor that activist investor Pfizer Starboard Value has taken a holding in the struggling pharmaceutical business that is expected to be worth around one billion dollars, the stock of Pfizer (PFE) is on the increase in premarket trading on Monday.

This comes after the report was made public. The report was made available to the general public following this. Starboard Value was successful in moving forward with the acquisition of the position.

Starboard is said to have approached Ian Read, a former chief executive officer of Pfizer, and Frank D’Amelio, a former chief financial officer, in order to seek assistance with its goals of boosting the performance of the company, according to the Wall Street Journal. Read and D’Amelio are both former Pfizer executives.

The purpose of this is to facilitate the accomplishment of its objectives, which include enhancing the overall performance of the firm.

In their previous jobs, D’Amelio and Read were chief financial officers.

It is stated in the report that the hedge fund is of the opinion that Pfizer, which is currently being managed by Albert Bourla, who succeeded Read as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) in 2019, does not demonstrate the same level of mergers and acquisitions (M&A) discipline that Read did. Bourla took over for Read in 2019. Read was succeeded by Bourla in the year 2019.

Pfizer, a multinational pharmaceutical conglomerate, has made substantial investments in the acquisition of more companies that are involved in the research and development of cancer medicines.

These businesses have been acquired for billions of dollars. The biotechnology company Seagen, which was acquired by Pfizer in the previous year for a price of $43 billion, is included in this category. One of the businesses that can be classified as belonging to this category is Seagen.

In spite of the fact that the S&P 500 Index experienced a 21% increase in 2024.

No major trading occurred in Pfizer stock that year.

Due to the fact that the demand for Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccines fell after the firm reached its pandemic peak in 2021, the share price of the corporation has decreased by over fifty percent since that time.

This drop has occurred ever since the company’s shares reached their maximum peak, which was during the time that this decline occurred. Not only have they not changed at all, but they have also remained essentially stable. This is in contrast to the S&P 500, which has gained 21% since the beginning of this year.

Recently, the corporation was forced to take a hit when it decided to recall all of the sickle cell illness medications that it had distributed all over the world.

Fears that the prescription could lead patients to experience severe agony and possibly even death were the impetus for the decision to recall the product. In spite of the fact that Pfizer’s stock is increasing by almost three percent as a result of the news that followed the company’s decision, this is the circumstance that has come about.

SOURCE: IPN

Health

New Study Reveals Drinking Soda Pop Increases the Risk of Stroke

If you drink too much soda, fruit juice and coffee, beware!

A recent report from global research indicates that excessive consumption of coffee or soda pop is associated with an increased risk of stroke, although the intake of black and green tea is correlated with a reduced risk. Excessive consumption of soda pop or coffee warrants caution!

Recent research indicates that it may substantially elevate the risk of stroke.

Consuming four cups of coffee daily elevates the risk of stroke, according to studies, although ingesting 3-4 cups of black or green tea daily typically offers protection against stroke. Additionally, consume more coffee; it may reduce your risk of mortality.

Recent findings from global research studies co-led by the University of Galway and McMaster University, alongside an international consortium of stroke researchers, indicate that soda, encompassing both sugar-sweetened and artificially sweetened variants such as diet or zero sugar, is associated with a 22 percent heightened risk of stroke. The risk escalated significantly with the consumption of two or more of these beverages daily.

Stroke Risk Fizzy Drinks and Soda Pop

The correlation between fizzy drinks consumption and stroke risk was most pronounced in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and South America. Women exhibit the most elevated risk of stroke from bleeding (intracranial hemorrhage) associated with fruit juice beverages. Consuming over 7 cups of water daily diminishes the likelihood of stroke due to a clot.

Researchers observed that numerous items advertised as fruit juice are derived from concentrates and have added sugars and preservatives, potentially negating the advantages often associated with fresh fruit and instead elevating stroke risk.

Fruit juice beverages were associated with a 37 percent heightened risk of stroke resulting from bleeding (intracranial hemorrhage). Consuming two of these beverages daily increases the risk thrice.

Consuming over four cups of coffee daily elevates the risk of stroke by 37 percent, although lower consumption levels do not correlate with stroke risk. Conversely, tea consumption was associated with an 18-20 percent reduction in stroke risk. Additionally, consuming 3-4 cups daily of black tea, such as Breakfast and Earl Grey varieties, excluding green and herbal teas, was associated with a 29 percent reduced risk of stroke.

Consuming 3-4 cups of green tea daily was associated with a 27 percent reduction in stroke risk. Notably, the addition of milk may diminish or inhibit the advantageous effects of antioxidants present in tea. The lower risk of stroke associated with tea consumption was negated for individuals who added milk.

Disclaimer: This article is intended solely for informational reasons and should not be considered a replacement for professional medical counsel. Consistently consult your physician regarding any inquiries pertaining to a medical problem.

Starbucks Faces Sales Decline Amid Price Fatigue and Rising Competition

Starbucks Faces Sales Decline Amid Price Fatigue and Rising Competition

Health

Following a Diagnosis of Breast Cancer, What Else Should You Know?

(VOR News) – Even though breast cancer affects one in eight American women, receiving a diagnosis can make a woman feel isolated.

Experts in breast cancer from the American College of Physicians (ACS) advise patients on how to manage their disease so that they may better cope with this awful information.

First, the kind and stage of breast cancer dictates the course of your care.

In addition to immunotherapy and chemotherapy, there are various surgical options available for the treatment of breast cancer.

Women of African descent are disproportionately affected by triple-negative breast cancer, an extremely aggressive form of the disease that has never proven easy to treat.

According to the American Cancer Society, pembrolizumab (Keytruda), an immunotherapy, has been shown to be helpful when combined with chemotherapy and is currently the recommended course of treatment for certain combinations of triple-negative breast cancer.

In her presentation, Dr. Katharine Yao said, “It’s really important that the patient and physician discuss the patient’s preferences and values when deciding what type of treatment to pursue and that they have an honest, individualized discussion with their care team.”

She is currently responsible for developing breast cancer treatment recommendations for more than 575 hospitals and institutions nationwide in her role as chair of the American College of Surgeons’ National Accreditation Program for Breast Institutions (NAPBC).

Yao, vice chair of research at Endeavor Health NorthShore Hospitals in New York, pointed out that each decision made about a patient’s treatment plan should take her preferences and diagnosis into consideration.

She ought to think about whether she would prefer a mastectomy—a surgical procedure that involves removing the entire breast with or without reconstruction—or a lumpectomy, which involves a surgical procedure that spares part of the breast tissue.

She stated that “the breast cancer you have may be very different from the breast cancer you hear about in your neighbor, colleague, or friend” in a press release issued by the American Cancer Society (ACS).

“Consider that while discussing breast cancer with others.”

Throughout your journey, it is critical that you look after your emotional health because having breast cancer may have a detrimental impact on your mental health.

“Getting a cancer diagnosis does not mean that everything in your life stops to be normal.” Director of the Fellowship in the Diseases of the Breast program at the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute at the University of Arkansas and state head of the American Cancer Society Commission on Cancer for Arkansas, Dr. Daniela Ochoa She thinks adding the burden of a cancer diagnosis and treatment to all the other pressures in life may be taxing.

“Managing stress and emotional health is vital component of a treatment plan.”

Ochoa recommends clinically trained psychologists and social workers who have assisted people in coping with cancer to anyone receiving treatment. Learning coping techniques might also be facilitated by joining cancer support groups or cancer wellness initiatives.

Breast cancer specialists say your care team is crucial.

The American Cancer Society (ACS) defines comprehensive care as having support at every stage of the procedure from surgeons, oncologists, patient navigators, nurses, social workers, psychologists, and other specialists.

After receiving a breast cancer diagnosis, women should see a surgeon or medical oncologist to explore their options; nevertheless, treatment shouldn’t be discontinued after just one appointment or after surgery is over.

Additionally, you can ask trustworthy friends or family members to accompany you to appointments and aid you with research or notes. They could serve as a network of support for you.

Yao stated in his talk that “one of the most important things is that patients should search out a team they have confidence in, that they trust will have their back when they need it, and a team they feel they can get access to and that will help them when they are in need.”

SOURCE: MP