Don't rinse your teeth after brushing. Here's why.
Well+Being
Don't rinse your teeth after brushing. Here's why.
April 18, 2025 | 3:43 PM GMT
Fluoride strengthens dental enamel, and toothpaste is probably your main fluoride source, especially if you don't get fluoride in your tap water. Internal medicine physician, Harvard Medical School instructor and Ask a Doctor columnist Trisha Pasricha explains the benefits of fluoride.
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Medscape
2 hours ago
- Medscape
Healthy Lifestyle May Curb Age-Related Brain Disease Risk
It's often emphasized that a healthier lifestyle can lead to a longer life, but a recent study of participants from the UK Biobank showed that healthy lifestyle behaviors may help reduce the risk for age-related brain diseases. Results of new research show participants with shorter leukocyte telomere length (LTL) were more likely to develop age-related brain diseases, including dementia, stroke, and late-life depression, than those who had longer LTL. However, engaging in healthy lifestyle behaviors appeared to offset these risk factors. Although the study does not establish causality, the findings suggest that the association between shorter LTL and age-related brain diseases may be modifiable. 'Our findings support the potential benefits of working to improve your risk factors such as maintaining a healthy weight, limiting alcohol, and getting enough sleep and exercise in reducing the risk of age-related brain disease even in people who are already showing signs of damaging biological aging,' senior author Christopher D. Anderson, MD, MMSc, of Harvard Medical School in Boston, said in a press release. The results were published on June 11 in the journal Neurology . Unhealthy Lifestyle and Age-Related Brain Diseases Telomeres are often described as protective caps on the end of chromosomes, and shortened telomeres have been associated with age, race, sex, adverse environmental exposures, and genetic factors, as well as lifestyle factors such as physical activity, diet, alcohol, nutrition, sleep, stress, aerobic activity social interactions, and smoking using the Brain Care Score (BCS). A BCS of 15 or higher was associated with healthier lifestyle choices, while a BCS of 10 or lower signified less healthy lifestyle choices. What has been less clear up to this point is the degree to which LTL affects age-related brain diseases, and whether changing an individual's lifestyle habits could influence LTL, as opposed to LTL being a predictor of the risk for age-related brain disease. Researchers evaluated 356,173 participants from the UK Biobank with a median age of 56 years. Recruitment of participants occurred between 2006 and 2010, and there were four follow-up assessments in 2012-2013, 2014, 2019, and 2023. Participants were included if they had data on biomarkers such as LTL and DNA, as well as clinical data to identify potential risk factors for age-related brain disease using the BCS. The primary outcome was the association between LTL and the risks for stroke, dementia, and late-life depression, both as a composite outcome and as individual outcomes. LTL was categorized into three tertiles, ranging from shortest to longest, and risk factors were compared across these groups using the BCS. A BCS of 15 or higher indicated healthier lifestyle choices — such as a nutritious diet, a low cholesterol level, and controlled blood pressure — while a BCS of 10 or lower reflected less healthy behaviors. The results showed the shortest LTL tertile was associated with an increased risk for the age-related brain disease composite outcome (hazard ratio [HR], 1.11; 95% CI, 1.08-1.15), as well as increased risks for dementia (HR, 1.19; 95% CI, 1.12-1.26), late-life depression (HR, 1.14; 95% CI, 1.09-1.18), and stroke (HR, 1.08; 95% CI, 1.02-1.15). When comparing participants with shorter LTL, those with a lower BCS were at a higher risk for the age-related brain disease composite outcome (HR, 1.11; 95% CI, 1.07-1.16), as well as for dementia (HR, 1.17; 95% CI, 1.08-1.28), late-life depression (HR, 1.13; 95% CI, 1.07-1.19), and stroke alone (HR, 1.10; 95% CI, 1.02-1.19). Among participants with shorter LTL but a higher BCS, there were no significant increases in the risk for age-related brain disease as a composite or individual outcomes. Reversing Risk Limitations of the study included the evaluation of participants with only European ancestry, and measurement of LTL was conducted at baseline rather than over time. Future studies should include assessing the relationship between shortened LTL and age-related brain diseases in more diverse populations, as well as measuring LTL over time, the researchers said. However, the findings suggest 'healthy lifestyle behaviors could delay the aging of our cells and reduce the frequency of these diseases, especially in people who are greater risk,' said Anderson. 'Reducing risk factors like weight and alcohol consumption, as well as getting more sleep and exercise, can all help reverse the risk of age-related brain diseases, even for people who are already showing signs of biological aging,' lead author Tamara Kimball, MD, of the Center for Neurotechnology and Neurorecovery at Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, said in the press release. 'In short, it is never too late to start taking better care of your brain.'
Medscape
4 hours ago
- Medscape
Cannabis Use Common in Teens With Chronic Pain, Study Finds
Roughly one quarter of teens presenting at a pain clinic reported using cannabis, with the majority saying they used the drug to cope with symptoms related to chronic pain, according to new findings published in JAMA Network Open . These teens used the drug to alleviate their physical symptoms, as well as anxiety, poor sleep, or nausea. Researchers said teenagers who use marijuana increase their risk of developing adverse effects associated with the drug, such as worsening anxiety and depression. 'What concerns me most is the heightened risk of developing cannabis use disorder,' said Joe Kossowsky, PhD, MMSc, an assistant professor of anesthesia at Harvard Medical School in Boston, the lead author of the study. The rising potency of tetrahydrocannabinol, the main psychoactive substance in cannabis, may compound the risks for adverse effects among youth who use the drug, he said. Kossowsky said he conducted the research to find out the extent to which teens with chronic pain used marijuana. Between 2021 and 2024, he and his colleagues recruited teens aged 14-19 years with diagnosed chronic pain conditions from a Boston pediatric pain clinic. Of 245 teens, 14 said they had used cannabis for recreational purposes and 48 said they had used the drug to manage their chronic pain. The participants in the study completed surveys detailing the characteristics of their pain, frequency and reason for cannabis use, adverse effects, and beliefs around cannabis. They also filled out surveys detailing the extent to which pain interfered with daily activities such as running or standing, called pain interference. The age of first cannabis use ranged from age 7-19 years (mean age, 15.3 years). Overall, teens reported having used cannabis over the previous year on a median of six to nine occasions. Most teens used edibles (51.6%), vapes (45.2%), and joints (43.5%) to consume marijuana. The group younger than 18 years who said they had used cannabis for any reason reported slightly higher scores of pain interference than the group that had not used the drug. Their depressive symptoms scores were also higher than those who had not used. Youth using marijuana to manage symptoms were a year younger on average than those who said they used it recreationally (mean difference, −0.7 years; 95% CI, −1.3 to −0.1 years; P = .04) and also reported greater functional disability (mean difference, 8.4; 95% CI, 2.1-12.6; P = .01). Kossowsky told Medscape Medical News that he also found that those using marijuana to manage symptoms consumed it more frequently and had started at a younger age than those who used it recreationally; findings that were not included in the current research but that he said he plans on publishing in another study. Initially, cannabis affects the endocannabinoid system, decreasing pain at the level of peripheral nerves, the spinal cord, and the brain. 'It does initially provide the relief that they're looking for,' Kossowsky said. But the nerve receptors in these areas become less responsive over time, necessitating heavier use of the drug to achieve the same level of relief. This cycle can increase the risk that a teen develops cannabis use disorder, Kossowsky said. The long-term consequences of cannabis use are amplified during the developmental window of adolescence, said Sharon Levy, MD, chief of the Division of Addiction Medicine at Boston Children's Hospital, Boston. The part of the brain that pursues pleasure is developing rapidly, and dopamine receptors that signal pleasure are at their lifetime densest. 'There's a drive to do things that are going to cause a lot of dopamine firing,' which can include using cannabis, Levey said. Meanwhile, the prefrontal cortex, the seat of executive functions that supports sound decision-making, is still immature and cannot be counted on for reliable input, Levy said. This developmental imbalance is the reason that substance use is particularly common among adolescents, Levy said. Cannabis use during adolescence is associated with worse functional outcomes, such as diminished verbal memory and attention, poorer educational achievements, mental health disorders like anxiety, depression, psychosis, and addiction. Kossowsky said he hopes his study will alert clinicians to the challenges faced by adolescents with chronic pain. 'I'm hoping there will definitely be more screening done and interventional work,' he said. Participants in the study who used cannabis to manage chronic pain tended to think that the drug was safe because it was natural, the study showed. By contrast, their peers who did not consume cannabis were more aware of the risks of such usage, including worsening their medical problems and developing addiction to the substance. Clinicians should also treat the pain, anxiety, and disrupted sleep that prompts patients to use cannabis. 'You can't take that away from them without providing them with something else that helps,' Kossowsky said. The first-line treatment is an integrative approach combining cognitive behavior therapy with physiotherapy. Medications can be added as needed, such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors to alleviate anxiety. Kossowsky said he is currently tracking the same cohort of teens with chronic pain over 5 years. 'This study is a first effort to shed light on a complex issue,' Kossowsky said. 'But now what we're seeing has definitely warranted going a step further.' This study was funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse. The researchers reported no relevant financial conflicts of interest.
Yahoo
19 hours ago
- Yahoo
Ohio lawmakers propose physical fitness test in schools. How fat, obese are Ohio's kids?
Ohio lawmakers want to bring back the Presidential Physical Fitness Test to the state's schools. The proposal would require students in grades 1 through 12 to take an annual fitness exam modeled after the test, which started in 1956 under President Dwight D. Eisenhower and was discontinued in 2012. Ohio lawmakers say today's children need more physical fitness. "In a time when sedentary lifestyles, screen time, and childhood obesity are on the rise, this legislation sends a clear message: physical fitness is not optional, it is essential," said Elgin Rogers, D-Toledo, one of House Bill 322's sponsors. So how heavy are Ohio's children? Here's a look at the state's childhood obesity rates. The rate of obesity in Ohio is 18.3% for children ages 6 to 17, according to the State of Childhood Obesity report from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, slightly higher than the national average of 17%. The study uses data from the National Survey of Children's Health in 2022 and 2023. Ohio ranks No. 17 in the nation for obese children, better than Wisconsin (No. 16) at 18.4% but worse than South Carolina (No. 18) at 18.1%. Topping the list is Mississippi, which has a childhood obesity rate of 25%, according to the report. Looking at childhood obesity rates for different age groups in the report, Ohio is No. 12 in the nation for obesity among high school students with a rate of 16.8%. The report uses data from 2019 for that statistic. For children ages 10-17, the obesity rate is 16.2%, 27th in the nation, using data from 2022. And for children ages 2-4 that participate in the state's Women, Infants and Children program, the obesity rate is 12.5%, using data from 2020, putting the Buckeye State at No. 42 in the nation in that age group. According to Harvard Men's Health Watch, a publication of Harvard Medical School, the fitness test has undergone many revisions over the decades. However, the version most people are familiar with consists of a one-mile run, pull-ups or push-ups, sit-ups, shuttle run and sit-and-reach. "The aim was to assess cardiovascular fitness, upper-body and core strength, endurance, flexibility, and agility," Matthew Sloan writes in the article. The test was discontinued in 2012 by President Barack Obama in favor of a different method, the Presidential Youth Fitness Program. The new program "modernized fitness education" by emphasizing student health, goal setting and personal progress. This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Ohio lawmakers eye physical fitness test return. Childhood obesity rates
