Pop culture

Dentists Decry Soda in Schools

Soft drink machines are becoming a part of the landscape on middle and high school campuses across the country, and soda reigns as the beverage of choice among the nation’s young.

And while some of the possible detrimental health effects are still in dispute, the negative effect on dental health is not.

Since 1998, soft drink availability in schools has increased fivefold with

240 school districts in 31 states approving exclusive "pouring rights" contracts with soda companies. At the same time, the U.S. Department of Agriculture reports unprecedented rates of consumption among kids and cites statistics such as 56 percent of 8-year-olds drinking a soda per day and one-third of teenage boys drinking at least three cans of soda a day.

Fizzing along with the carbonated beverage phenomenon is debate about its health effects. Public health organizations, parents, consumer groups, and industry officials are facing off in discussions about the sugar, caffeine, and caloric content of the 450 varieties of soda on the market and their effect on developing bones, teeth, minds, and bodies.

Lawmakers in California and other states are targeting the easy access to soda on campus, and last year the ADA declared its opposition to contracts that influence consumption of soft drinks in schools. Meanwhile, the National Soft Drink Association recently staged a fly-in to lobby Congress about the "proper perspective" on soft drinks in schools.

The jury is still out on whether soft drinks contribute to obesity, caffeine dependence, and bone weakening. But as The Washington Post recently reported, there is one health effect that even the soft drink industry won’t dispute. That, of course, would be the health effect dentists are familiar with.

"I learned years ago about what soda, especially when sipped over an extended period of time, can do to teeth," says William Comport, DDS, who has operated a private practice in San Jose for 31 years. "Early in my career, I treated a young man who sipped Dr. Pepper all day long while he worked pressing clothes at a dry cleaning business. He was ready for dentures at 27."

Comport notes that this was a worst-case scenario and that the key relationship between soda and tooth decay is how the drink is consumed. "If a soft drink is consumed fairly quickly and with a meal, it’s not a problem," Comport says. "The problem comes in when a soda is sipped over time, and sugar and acid keeps getting reintroduced into the mouth."

Dental professionals concur on the one-two punch soda can deliver to teeth.

"The problem with soft drinks is twofold," says Simon Morris, DDS, a pediatric dentist in Los Gatos. "The sugar in soft drinks sets up the normal acid attack by the bacteria, but the acidic nature of the soda can lower the pH of the plaque even further."

Information recently released from the Ohio Dental Association pointed out that acid begins to dissolve tooth enamel in only 20 minutes.

Dentists also note that soft drinks appear to be more popular with teenagers than with younger children.

"Parents have more control over what younger children eat and drink," says Randall Wiley, DDS, a pediatric dentist with offices in Concord and Danville. "The trouble with soft drinks comes in with social drinking and sipping. It’s very important to limit the amount of soda and limit the duration of drinking time. The last thing you want to see is a teenager sipping a 48-ounce soda over three hours while studying."

Information on soft drink sales in schools coincides with the trends dentists point out. Soft drinks sales are concentrated in middle and high school campuses targeting the nation’s teenagers and their combined $141 billion spending power. Current law also states that vending machines can’t be turned on until after the final lunch period, encouraging social soda drinking.

The consensus of dentists, health care professionals, and advocacy groups is that soft drinks are an offering of easily accessible sugar and empty calories that substitutes for more-nutritional options.

"I’m concerned in general about nutrition in the schools," Wiley says. "From a nutritional standpoint, the availability of soft drinks in schools is not a good idea."

Public pressure on this issue has humbled Coca-Cola to agree to stop signing lucrative, exclusive agreements with pubic schools and limit the availability of its products on campuses. The cola giant also says it will add more juices, bottled water, and sugar-free drinks to its 100,000 campus vending machines. Whether other soft-drink makers will follow suit has yet to be seen.

Coping With Market Volatility

By Marios P. Gregoriou

Periods of increased stock volatility, when securities prices tend to sharply rise or fall within a relatively short period of time, make many investors understandably uncertain. Investors who are currently in the market or are considering entering have probably been wondering about the best course of action to take during periods of unsettled market activity.

Don’t Overreact

It’s somewhat of a cliche to say that two emotions -- fear and greed -- are the driving forces behind a good deal of stock market activity. During a bull market, as share prices rise, some investors develop a false sense of confidence regarding future price levels and believe that nothing short of a catastrophe will stop the continuing upward trend. In their zeal, they erroneously project their short-term gains into an uncertain and long-term future.

On the other side of this coin lies the disappointment that may set in whenever market values start to drop within a relatively short period. During these bear markets, some investors overreact and begin imagining a loss of their nest eggs due to lower share prices. They may even begin selling their holdings in the fear that prices may fall even further.

It’s important, however, for individual investors to view market volatility in its proper perspective. Swings in stock market prices, even those lasting a few months or years, generally should not be allowed to disrupt a long-term investment strategy. Why? It’s simple. Historically speaking, long-term investing has tended to smooth out many of the fits and starts that can cause investors so much short-term discomfort.

Focus on Long-Term Objectives

Setting a middle course, one that avoids both bullish euphoria and bearish despair, can help individual investors keep their long-term financial objectives in sight. A focus on long-term objectives also helps avoid the temptation of trying to predict what the financial markets will do tomorrow, next week, or next month. Long-term investors realize that even investment professionals cannot always accurately predict short-term market movements.

Adopting a long-term investment philosophy also helps guard against overreacting to business stories that appear in the newspapers or other media. Regardless of whether such news is generally thought to be "good" or "bad," an investor should always consult with a financial adviser to evaluate the potential impact of these developments on his or her overall investment plan.

Review Strategy Periodically

Reviewing one’s financial strategy at least yearly is yet another way of coping with market volatility. As one does the review, he or she should make sure the investment plan takes into account his or her age and investment timeline, as well as financial resources and tolerance for risk.

At least for the foreseeable future, occasional spells of stock market volatility are probably unavoidable. However, following a long-term financial plan can help an investor weather the storm.

This article does not constitute tax or legal advice. An investor should consult tax or legal advisers before making any tax- or legally related investment decisions. This article is published for general information purposes and is not an offer or solicitation to sell or buy any securities or commodities. Any particular investment should be analyzed based on its terms and risks as they relate to an individual’s circumstances and objectives.

Marios P. Gregoriou is an associate vice president and financial adviser with Morgan Stanley Dean Witter. He can be reached at (800) 755-8041.

British Patients Can See Medical Records Online

In a pilot program, patients at two medical practices in Britain will be able to see their medical records online.

"Electronic patient records will help to put patients in control of their own health and health care," says Health Minister Gisela Stuart.

The pilot program is an initial step in Britain’s National Health Service plan to ensure that everyone in England and Wales will have online access to their own health records by 2004.

"Patients will be able to look at their medical records prior to seeing their general practitioner, ensuring that they are fully informed about their health and have time to think of the questions they wish to ask," Stuart says. "This will make consultations faster and clearer as both the doctor and the patient will have access to the same information prior to consultation."

Each time patients access their records, their identity would be checked by a smart mouse that reads index fingerprints. Patients would also need passwords to access their files.

"Rather than ‘Trust me I’m the doctor,’ the focus should be ‘Trust me, I’m the patient,’" says Dr. Cecilia Pyper, from the Bury Knowle Health Centre in Oxford, one of the medical practices participating in the pilot program. "Offering patients access to information is like offering a currency that enables them to form more equal partnerships with health professionals."

Caries at Age 6 Tied to Snack Habits at 3

Sugary snack habits at age 3 can lead to increased caries by age 6, regardless of oral hygiene habits, according to an article in Dentistry and Oral Epidemiology. Children 3 years old who had candy and juice more than once a week and who also had tarter were almost twice as likely to have caries by age 6, as opposed to those who had sweets no more than once a week, according to the study of 135 Finnish children by Dr. Sara Karjalainen and colleagues from the University of Turku.

About 19 percent of the subjects had one to four carious lesions at age 6 and 10 percent had five or more.

Toothbrushing habits did not differ between children who developed lesions and those who did not.

"Candy and sweet drinks contain sucrose and therefore both should be used reasonably -- definitely not on a daily basis or even worse, several times a day," Karjalainen says.

Sjögren Booklet Available for Patient Education

A new comprehensive booklet on Sjögren’s syndrome for the public is available from the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, part of the National Institutes of Health.

Questions and Answers About Sjögren’s Syndrome includes information about symptoms, diagnosis, the types of doctors to see, treatment, and ongoing research. It also includes practical information on living with Sjögren’s syndrome, such as tips on oral hygiene and eye care, ways patients can protect their voices, and medicines with side effects that can contribute to dryness of the mouth. The booklet ends with a list of professional, voluntary, and government organizations with information relevant to some aspect of the disease.

The booklet is available free online at www.nih.gov/niams/healthinfo/sjogrens/ or by writing NIAMS Information Clearinghouse, NIAMS/NIH, 1 AMS Circle, Bethesda, MD 20892-3675.

Fauchard Foundation Offering Grants

The Foundation of the Pierre Fauchard Academy is seeking applications for program grants to be awarded in 2001.

The grants are aimed at volunteer dental clinics and other programs offering specific services to needy patients in the United States and abroad.

"In the year 2000, we awarded $306,480, and we fully expect to exceed that amount in the coming years," says Robert Shira, DDS, president of the Foundation.

More than $1.5 million has been awarded since the program’s inception five years ago.

To submit a grant application for 2001, please contact Shig Ryan Kishi, DDS, executive director, PFA Foundation, 1441 Avocado Ave., #508, Newport Beach, CA 92660-7704, or fax to (949) 721-9146, or e-mail to fpfa@aol.com. The deadline for applications is June 1, 2001.

Museum Re-Opens Modern Dental Office Exhibition

The Dr. Samuel D. Harris National Museum of Dentistry has updated and re-opened its Modern Dental Office Exhibition, which shows the striking contrast between the dental office environments of the 19th and 21st centuries.

As visitors walk through the museum’s permanent exhibition, 32 Terrific Teeth, they can see how the innovative equipment on display in the Modern Dental Office Exhibition contrasts with early American dental offices. On display are the technological and ergonomic breakthroughs in dentist and patient comfort that dental offices have undergone since the time of the itinerant dentists and G.V. Black in the 1800s.

Where the modern office stresses seated ergonomic comfort, early dental offices were designed for the dentist to stand while treating patients. The itinerant office featured the standard wooden chair customary in hotels, and early American chairs used leather or plush materials and were difficult to clean. When Black practiced, natural light was used, so most dental offices featured large windows and the chairs were turned to face the south, if possible, so light could be used all day.

Dental offices of the 1800s usually featured a wooden table for the itinerant dentist or an ornate wood and glass wardrobe-like cabinet that required the dentist to stand when retrieving dental tools. In addition, X-ray machines have advanced since their introduction in 1896 when patients had to sit still with film in their mouth for 25 minutes until the rays could pass through the film.

The National Museum of Dentistry opened its doors five years ago. Exhibits include a tower of dental chairs, antique extraction instruments and early dental tools, and George Washington’s not-so-wooden dentures.

The Modern Dental Office was updated with loans of dental equipment from the DentalEZ group. The G.V. Black dental office exhibit is on loan from the Smithsonian Institution.

The National Museum of Dentistry is in Baltimore, Md., and can be reached at (410) 706-0600 or at www.dentalmuseum.org.

Honors

F. Paul Senise, DDS, of Glendora, CA received the 2001 Medallion of Distinction Award from the University of the Pacific School of Dentistry for his outstanding contributions to the dental school, alumni association, and the community.

Upcoming Meetings

2001

May 4-8 Australian Dental Congress, Brisbane, +61 (0) 7 3369 0477

May 18-20 California Society of Periodontists, San Francisco, (805) 962-7144

July 19-21 Forensic Dentistry 2001: A Symposium With Workshops, Chicago, (312) 440-2895

Sept. 14-16 CDA Scientific Session, San Francisco, (916) 443-3382, Ext. 4470

Sept. 27-Oct. 1 FDI World Dental Congress, + 44 207 935 7852, www.fdi.org.uk

Sept. 30-Oct. 3 Pacific Coast Society of Orthodontists Annual Session, Honolulu, (800) 445-8667

Oct. 13-17 ADA Annual Session, Kansas City, (312) 440-2500.

To have a meeting included on this list, please send the information to Upcoming Meetings, CDA Journal, P.O. Box 13749, Sacramento, CA 95853 or fax the information to (916) 443-2943.