People who go meat-free, or at least put limits on it, may have lower risks of some of the most common cancers, a new, large study suggests. British researchers stressed that their findings do not prove definitively that vegetarian/vegan diets cut people’s cancer risks. In fact, there was evidence that body weight may explain some…  read on >  read on >

It might be harder to get your teeth cleaned this year, with a new study showing a shortage of dental hygienists in the United States due to the COVID-19 pandemic. “Not unlike many other professions in the United States, challenges persist in dental hygienist employment,” said study first author Rachel Morrissey, a senior research analyst…  read on >  read on >

A wide range of human food, pet food, medical devices and drug products have been recalled by Family Dollar Inc. due to the risk of salmonella and other hazards associated with a rodent infestation at a company warehouse in Arkansas. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration-regulated products were shipped from the Family Dollar Distribution Center…  read on >  read on >

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has issued another pointed warning about the dangers posed by tianeptine, an antidepressant that is not approved for any type of medical treatment in the United States. Topping the list of possible risks from taking the drug: accidental poisoning and addiction. Why an addiction risk? Tianeptine — commonly marketed…  read on >  read on >

Cigarette smoking is infamous for promoting gum disease, and now a new study adds to evidence that vaping also exacts a toll on the teeth and gums. Researchers found that people who use e-cigarettes have a unique bacterial composition in their mouths that likely spells trouble for their dental health. In fact, their oral microbes…  read on >  read on >

Remember when everyone was downing zinc supplements at the beginning of the pandemic, in hopes of guarding against a severe case of COVID-19? New research suggests that folks may have wasted their time and effort: Taking zinc, vitamin C or vitamin D supplements doesn’t lower one’s risk of dying from COVID-19. “A lot of people…  read on >  read on >

Eating vegetables may not help protect you against heart disease, according to a new study that’s triggered strong reactions from critics. The analysis of the diets of nearly 400,000 British adults found that raw vegetables could benefit the heart, but not cooked vegetables. However, the researchers said any heart-related benefit from vegetables vanished altogether when…  read on >  read on >

New research suggests that doctors should be cautious about giving newborns antibiotics because they can upset a baby’s gut microbiome — the balance of bacteria in their digestive systems. “We were surprised with the magnitude and duration of the effects of broad spectrum antibiotics on the infants’ microbiome when compared to effects of those same…  read on >  read on >