Good oral health is one of the keys to healthy aging, but a sobering new study shows that many U.S. nursing home residents have significant dental issues. Close to two in every 10 residents have missing teeth, about 8% have broken teeth/cavities and another 11% report pain while chewing, researchers found. “Inadequate oral health has… read on > read on >
All Food:
Folks With Chronic Reflux Face No Higher Risk for Esophageal Cancer
(HealthDay News)— Rebutting conventional wisdom, a large Swedish study finds that most people with chronic acid reflux, or GERD, do not have a higher risk for developing cancer of the esophagus. “Previous studies have shown that individuals with repeated symptoms of acid reflux – [such as] heartburn and/or regurgitation — have a propensity to develop… read on > read on >
Choking Hazard Spurs Recall of Bath Toys Sold at Target
FRIDAY, Sept. 15, 2023 (HealthDay News) – If you have a Chuckle & Roar Ultimate Water Beads Activity Kit, a child’s toy made by Buffalo Games and sold exclusively at Target, throw it out. The toy is being recalled due to serious ingestion, choking and obstruction hazards after one infant died and another was injured… read on > read on >
Digestive Diseases Can Take Toll on Seniors’ Mental Health
A lot of older adults have digestive diseases that can be debilitating. They can also be linked to loneliness and depression, a new study says. “These conditions are very common in ambulatory care,” said gastroenterologist Dr. Shirley Cohen-Mekelburg, who specializes in problems like inflammatory bowel disease, Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis at University of Michigan… read on > read on >
California Legislature First to Pass Ban on 4 Food Additives Linked to Health Issues
California is on track to become the first state to ban four food additives that some experts have linked to health issues ranging from behavioral problems in children to reproductive issues to cancer in lab animals. On Tuesday, the legislature passed Assembly Bill 418, which now awaits the signature of Gov. Gavin Newsom. The substances… read on > read on >
A Year After Launch, OTC Hearing Aids Aren’t Catching On With U.S. Consumers
It’s now been possible to buy a hearing aid over-the-counter for nearly a year, but few Americans are doing so. More education is needed about just who these over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aids can help, according to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). It polled more than 2,200 Americans about the issue in late June and early… read on > read on >
CDC Backs New COVID Booster Shots
Following an approval granted Monday by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Tuesday signed off on new COVID boosters for Americans. “We have more tools than ever to prevent the worst outcomes from COVID-19,” CDC Director Dr. Mandy Cohen said in an agency news release announcing… read on > read on >
FDA Panel Says Common OTC Decongestant Is Useless
For decades, sick people have been taking essentially worthless over-the-counter cold remedies to clear their stuffy noses, a key advisory panel for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Tuesday. The panel voted unanimously that nonprescription oral medications containing phenylephrine — including Sudafed PE, Vicks Sinex and Benadryl Allergy Plus Congestion — don’t do anything… read on > read on >
FDA Approves New COVID Booster Shots
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Monday gave the green light to new COVID boosters for Americans, setting the stage for the updated vaccines to become available within days. The COVID-19 shots from Pfizer and Moderna will join the flu shot and newly approved RSV shots as part of a three-pronged public health strategy… read on > read on >
Melatonin for Kids: Is it Safe? How to Help School Children Get Good Sleep
SATURDAY, Sept. 9, 2023 (HealthDay News) – Lots of parents are giving their children the supplement melatonin to help with sleep, but is it safe? In a new survey, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) found that 46% of parents — what it called a “shocking number” — have given melatonin to children under… read on > read on >