Survey shows Americans are unprepared for dental emergencies

• Author: Health Informer
• Filed under: Health News
• Date: Sep 27,2009

Although 72 percent of Americans have fillings, caps or crowns and one in six had a dental emergency during the past 12 months, most are not prepared to deal with a dental emergency, according to a recent survey conducted by Majestic Drug Company, a leading provider of oral care products.

Interestingly, in the national survey of 1,000 Americans, those with a lower income (less then $35,000) were more likely to have had a dental emergency in the past 12 months (vs. 14 percent of those who make $100,000 or more).

Of those who had a dental emergency, 23 percent involved a loose crown or cap, 10 percent involved a lost filling, while 72 percent said their dental emergency involved something else.

Among those who had a dental emergency involving a loose crown/cap or a lost filling, 67 percent immediately went to a dentist, and 14 percent looked for a temporary solution to purchase, while 19 percent did nothing at the time.

“You keep medical supplies on hand for cuts and bruises, but what about your teeth? It’s important to be prepared for a dental emergency in case one happens, especially if the emergency occurs on a weekend when your dentist just isn’t available or you are on the road and cannot seek immediate dental care,” according to Brian Gold, D.D.S., who practices in Monticello, NY.

Dental emergencies can range from a dislodged cap/crown or lost filling to a knocked out tooth to pain or a cracked denture. Majestic Drug Company explains some common dental emergencies and suggestions for treatment.

– Knocked out tooth. If a permanent tooth is dislodged from the socket, try gently replacing it into the tooth socket. Do not scrub the tooth clean–you can damage the fibers needed for reattachment. If that doesn’t work, place the tooth in a glass of milk to keep it moist. Get to a dentist immediately.
– Mouth pain. A throbbing pain from a toothache may indicate an infection and a dentist should be consulted as soon as possible. Tooth sensitivity can be combated by the use of desensitizing toothpaste such as Sensodyne. Irritation from mouth sores can be alleviated by the use of specialized oral pain relief products such as Orajel.
– Lost filling. Rinse out the cavity with warm water. Apply a temporary filling product such as Dentemp O.S. which can be made into a ball and pressed firmly into the cavity.
– Cracked or broken denture. According to Dr. Gold, all denture wearers should have a spare pair to use until the other is repaired. If not, it is good to keep on hand an emergency denture repair kit such as D.O.C. Emergency Denture Repair Kit, available at your local pharmacy.
– Dislodged cap/crown. Apply a temporary dental holding product such as Dentemp O.S. and gently replace the cap onto the tooth. Make sure you get a proper fit.
– Irritation from Braces. Sharp wires can be coated with special dental wax available at your local pharmacy.

Remember, temporary dental solutions are just that–they are temporary. Make sure to seek professional assistance from your dentist as soon as possible.

Source: Majestic Drug

Gone In a heartbeat: Parent Heart Watch launches campaign for SCA Awareness Month

• Author: Health Informer
• Filed under: Health News
• Date: Sep 26,2009

Concealed behind a healthy smile, attacking youth at play, taking them while they sleep, silent. . . until it’s too late. Undetected and unexpected, Sudden Cardiac Arrest is claiming our youth. Cardiovascular disease is the second leading medical cause of death in children and adolescents in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) National Vital Statistics Report for 2005, published April 2008, Volume 56, Number 10.

In observance of National Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) Awareness Month (October), Parent Heart Watch aims to help protect young lives and educate those who work and live with youth by launching its YOU Make the Difference! poster campaign nationwide. This campaign consists of two 11″ x 17″ posters endorsed by the Parent Heart Watch Medical Advisory Board that informs viewers about the observations and actions that can make the difference between life and death.

Often, the warning signs of a heart condition in youth go undetected; thus the first poster lists the “Warning Signs and Symptoms of a Heart Condition.” If any exist, it advises that they be reported to the youth’s physician immediately. It is imperative that those who work and live with youth be aware of these signs and symptoms.

Most occurrences of SCA in youth occur in public places; thus the second poster, “Cardiac Chain of Survival,” depicts the five critically time-urgent links of the cardiac chain-of-survival. These steps should be performed to help save the life of someone in SCA.

Most deaths of youth due to SCA can be prevented if people are properly educated to take appropriate actions. Parent Heart Watch members and advocates will help educate adults and youths alike by placing these posters in highly visible public areas at schools, recreation centers, public libraries, places of worship and other youth-serving organizations. The public is encouraged to download the 8 ” x 11″ size versions of the posters by visiting the Parent Heart Watch website at www.parentheartwatch.org.

Source: Parent Heart Watch

H1N1 Flu: Are parents underestimating risk to kids?

• Author: Health Informer
• Filed under: Health News
• Date: Sep 25,2009

C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital National Poll on Children’s Health finds less than half of parents plan to have their children vaccinated against H1N1 flu, despite higher disease risk; Hispanic parents more likely to vaccinate

With schools back in session, H1N1 flu has become more active across the United States — especially among children. A new vaccine against H1N1 flu — strongly recommended for kids — has been tested and is expected to be available in October. But will parents get their children vaccinated?

The latest C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital National Poll on Children’s Health finds only 40 percent of parents indicate they will get their children vaccinated against H1N1 flu — while 54 percent of parents indicate they will get their children vaccinated against seasonal flu. Among parents who do not plan to get their children vaccinated against H1N1 flu, 46 percent indicate they are not worried about their children getting H1N1 flu, while 20 percent believe H1N1 flu is not serious.

“This information about parents’ plans to vaccinate their kids against H1N1 flu suggests that parents are much less concerned about H1N1 flu than seasonal flu for their kids. That perception may not match the actual risks,” says Matthew Davis, M.D., director of the poll and associate professor of pediatrics and internal medicine in the Child Health Evaluation and Research Unit at the University of Michigan Medical School.

The poll also shows vaccination plans for H1N1 flu differ by racial/ethnic groups. More than half of Hispanic parents plan to have their children vaccinated against H1N1 flu, compared to only 38 percent of white parents and 30 percent of black parents.

Vaccination plans of Hispanic parents may reflect a higher perceived risk in the Hispanic community, given the well publicized outbreak of H1N1 flu in Mexico in early 2009, Davis says.

In describing their perceived risk of H1N1 flu for children, one-third of parents indicate they believe H1N1 flu will be worse than seasonal flu. Nearly half of parents believe H1N1 and seasonal flu will be about the same for children, according to the poll.

These perceptions contrast information from the CDC suggesting that — unlike what is typically seen with seasonal flu — rates of illness and hospitalizations related to H1N1 flu are higher for children than for other age groups.

“It can be difficult to follow all the new information about a fast moving target like H1N1 flu,” says Davis, who is also associate professor of public policy at the U-M Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy. “Health care professionals and public health officials need to help parents and the community at-large understand that children are one of the groups at greatest risk for getting H1N1, and for getting very sick from the disease as well.”

Among parents who do not plan to get their children vaccinated against H1N1 flu, or who are unsure, about half are worried about possible side effects of the vaccine. Among parents who do plan to get their children vaccinated against H1N1 flu, about 4 in 5 believe that H1N1 is a serious disease and worry about their children getting H1N1 illness. Parents who think H1N1 flu will be worse for children than seasonal flu were much more likely to plan to have their children vaccinated against H1N1 flu.

“This connection between perceived risk and plans to vaccinate against H1N1 flu makes a lot of sense,” says Davis. “What it emphasizes is that to reach parents who are currently unsure about H1N1 vaccination and convince them to go ahead and vaccinate their kids, the health care community needs to focus on communicating key information about the risk of H1N1 flu for children.”

The poll surveyed 1,678 parents from Aug. 13 – 31, 2009 across the U.S. about their plans and perceptions related to getting their children vaccinated against H1N1 flu and seasonal flu.

FULL REPORT: http://www.med.umich.edu/mott/npch/pdf/092409report.pdf

FIGURES: http://www.med.umich.edu/mott/npch/pdf/092409figures.pdf

POLL QUESTIONS: http://www.med.umich.edu/mott/npch/pdf/092409questions.pdf

Resources for parents from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:

General information about H1N1 influenza: http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/qa.htm

Information about the H1N1 vaccine and vaccine safety: http://cdc.gov/h1n1flu/vaccination/vaccine_safety_qa.htm

Methodology: This report presents findings from a nationally representative household survey conducted exclusively by Knowledge Networks, Inc, for C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital via a method used in many published studies. The survey was administered in August 2009 to a randomly selected, stratified group of parents aged 18 and older (n=1,678) from the Knowledge Networks standing panel that closely resembles the U.S. population. The sample was subsequently weighted to reflect population figures from the Census Bureau. The survey completion rate was 62 percent among panel members contacted to participate. The margin of error is plus or minus 2 to 5 percentage points for the main analysis. For results based on subgroups, the margin of error is higher.

HIV vaccine study first to show some effectiveness in preventing HIV

• Author: Health Informer
• Filed under: Health News
• Date: Sep 24,2009

A Phase III clinical trial involving more than 16,000 adult volunteers in Thailand has demonstrated that an investigational HIV vaccine regimen was safe and modestly effective in preventing HIV infection. According to final results released by the trial sponsor, the U.S. Army Surgeon General, the prime boost combination of ALVAC(R) HIV and AIDSVAX(R) B/E lowered the rate of HIV infection by 31.2% compared with placebo.

“This is the first HIV vaccine candidate to successfully reduce the risk of HIV infection in humans. We are very excited and pleased with the outcome of this trial and congratulate all those who participated in it,” said Lieutenant General Eric Schoomaker, Surgeon General, U.S. Army. “In addition, this study is an outstanding example of international and interagency collaboration involving many partners from the Thai and U.S. governments, private companies, non-profit organizations and volunteers.”

In the final analysis, 74 placebo recipients became infected with HIV compared to 51 in the vaccine regimen arm. The efficacy result is statistically significant. The vaccine regimen had no effect on the amount of virus in the blood of volunteers who became HIV-infected during the study. More detailed results of this study will be presented next month at the AIDS Vaccine Conference, October 19 through 22 in Paris, France.

This finding has important implications for the design of future HIV vaccines and how they are tested, however additional research is needed to better understand how this vaccine regimen reduced the risk of HIV infection. Given the significant threat of HIV infection worldwide, an efficacious vaccine is urgently needed, as part of a broader prevention effort to help control the epidemic.

Collaborating partners on this study, referred to as RV144, include the U.S. Army, the Thai Ministry of Public Health, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, part of the National Institutes of Health, sanofi pasteur, and Global Solutions for Infectious Diseases (GSID). The collaborators are already working with external experts to determine the need for additional studies on this vaccine regimen and consider the impact of this study’s findings on other HIV vaccine candidates.

“These results show that development of a safe and effective preventive HIV vaccine is possible, ” said Colonel Nelson Michael, Director, Division of Retrovirology, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research and Director, U.S. Military HIV Research Program (MHRP). “While these results are very encouraging, we recognize that further study is required to build upon these findings.”

Colonel Jerome Kim, Deputy Director, Science, MHRP and the HIV vaccines product manager for the U.S. Army added that, “knowledge gained through this study will be used to accelerate future study design and testing as researchers continue the search for a safe, globally-effective HIV vaccine.”

The U.S. Army would like to thank the more than 16,000 Thai men and women who consented to participate in this trial and the efforts of the Thai Ministry of Public Health and all collaborators for their hard work in achieving this important milestone.

RV144 Phase III Trial Background

RV144 tested a prime-boost vaccine strategy that combined two vaccines based on strains (subtypes) of HIV that circulate in Thailand. The first, or “prime” vaccine, known as ALVAC HIV, was developed by sanofi pasteur and the booster vaccine, AIDSVAX B/E, was originally developed by VaxGen and is now licensed to Global Solutions for Infectious Diseases.

The proof-of-concept study, which began in 2003, was designed to evaluate the vaccine strategy’s ability to prevent HIV infection, as well as its ability to reduce the amount of HIV in the blood of those who became infected after they enrolled in the study.

More than 16,000 HIV-negative men and women between the ages of 18 to 30 participated in the study; half of these participants received the prime-boost vaccine regimen and half received placebo. Volunteers received vaccinations over the course of six-months and were followed for an additional three-years. Before agreeing to participate, all volunteers were informed of the potential risks associated with receiving the experimental vaccine regimen used in this study and consented to participate in the study. Volunteers continued to receive an HIV test every six-months for three-years following vaccination, in addition to counseling on how to prevent becoming infected with HIV.

Source: U.S. Military HIV Research Program