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Day By Day by Chris Muir
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Dentist Visits Every Six Months?
This story from the Chicago-Sun Times reports the findings from a U.K based research group (the Cochrane Collaboration) that there is little scientific evidence to support six month dental check-up visits:
Ever since the 19th century, dentists have been telling patients: Get a dental checkup every six months.
But it turns out there’s little scientific evidence to support this long-standing advice, according to the Cochrane Collaboration, a respected research group.
Researchers looked through decades of dental research from around the world. Remarkably, they could find almost no high-quality studies on when to get checkups.
As a result, they concluded, there’s not enough scientific evidence to support or refute the traditional recommendation to see your dentist twice a year.
Cochrane is an international organization based in the United Kingdom that analyzes data from clinical trials.
The six-month checkup tradition dates back to 1849, when it was mentioned in a children’s book called The Toothache.
“It was a suggestion without any scientific support, and became folklore,” says Douglas Benn, a retired University of Florida dental professor.
A 1999 study by Benn and others found “no scientific support” for advising six-month checkups for all patients. Instead, they recommended different intervals, depending on the condition of each patient’s teeth and gums.
During a routine checkup, a dentist typically examines the teeth and gums, looks for signs of oral cancer, checks the jaw joint and might take X-rays. And the dentist or a hygienist often cleans the teeth and gums.
The American Dental Association recommends that patients at high risk for tooth decay and gum disease get checkups every three months or so. Medium-risk patients should go every six months. Low-risk patients, who take excellent care of their teeth and have no active decay or gum disease, should come in every 12 months.
Most patients fall in the medium-risk, six-month category, says association spokeswoman Kimberly Harms.
In their survey of dental research, Cochrane researchers included only studies in which participants were randomly assigned to follow different checkup schedules, such as six months vs. 12 months. Such studies “are most likely to produce the least biased evidence,” Cochrane says.
Only one study, published in 1992, met this widely accepted research standard. It was conducted in Norway and included children aged 3 to 18. Researchers found no difference in tooth decay, fillings and other problems between kids who saw their dentists every 12 months and those who went every 24 months. But even this study had several flaws, the Cochrane report said.
Sorry folks!
See the dentist and hygienist at least every six months. You never know what is lurking in that oral cavity.
Flap goes every three months!
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City Manager Gatch To Leave But Controversy Continues
The Ventura County Star has the story on the continuing controversy regarding the retirement of long-time City of Thousand Oaks employee and City Manager Phil Gatch:
Thousand Oaks City Manager Phil Gatch prepares to leave his office this week, after watching the last weeks of his 38-year tenure with the city spiral into accusations and public contention.
Whomever the city chooses to replace him will face a very divided City Council. And the council faces the challenge of finding someone who wants the job.
“With all the things that have been going on, obviously Thousand Oaks’ reputation has been tarnished,” said Mayor Claudia Bill-de la Pena. “I remain hopeful we will get the best people for this position.”
Fact for the Mayor: The City of Thousand Oaks has not been tarnished. What has been tarnished is her reputation in bringing controversy to a matter that was better handled as a personnel matter.
Phil Gatch lost the respect and confidence of the City Council majority. It was time for him to retire.
Mayor, you did not get your way. Now, let it go.
The Council needs to conduct a nationwide search like the one which lead to the hiring of Grant Brimhall in 1978.
The City requires a strong, experienced manager. No one currently with the city has these qualities.
So, hire a consultant and get on with the search.
The best people will apply if you look for them.
Read the rest of the article here.
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Santa Maria Times: Matters of Life or Meth – Prologue
The Santa Maria Times first published their award winning series on Methamphetamine on December 12, 2004. Here is the prologue to the series:
The highly addictive stimulant tears families apart, ruins careers, pollutes the environment and consumes law enforcement resources almost as fast as a user can eat, inject, smoke, inhale or snort it.
Addicts, sometimes called “tweakers,” can lose massive amounts of weight and behave erratically. Their potential for violence puts police officers on edge and their physical deterioration causes doctors to despair.
Methamphetamine at the Santa Maria Police Department. //Aaron Lambert/Staff Long popular in the American West, methamphetamine – also known as crystal, crank, ice and speed – has overtaken cocaine and heroin as the drug of choice from Lompoc to Santa Maria to San Luis Obispo.
“It really became a fairly prevalent substance right about 1994,” said Al Rodriguez, assistant director of Santa Barbara County Alcohol, Drug and Mental Health Services.
“No one is not affected by it because it’s so rampant within our community,” said Teresa Menchaca, program director of Fighting Back Santa Maria Valley, a coalition dedicated to fighting substance abuse.
Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s deputies and Santa Maria and Lompoc police made more than 1,000 arrests last year of people allegedly under the influence of methamphetamine. Of the approximately 300 county children in out-of-home placements, 80 percent were removed from their homes because of parental substance abuse, and about 65 percent of those because of methamphetamine.
Taxpayers in California spend abut $4 million annually to clean up illegal labs used to produce methamphetamine, according to the California Department of Justice.
Nationally, meth is also a huge problem. Approximately 12.3 million Americans age 12 or older – or 5.2 percent of the population in that age category – reported trying meth at least once in their lifetime, according to a 2003 survey, the Office of National Drug Control Policy reports.
Created in Japan about 1919, methamphetamine has been used medically since by athletes, truckers, soldiers and students. The 1970 Controlled Substances Act severely restricted its legal use, but the modest price and potency of meth sustained its illicit popularity.
Outlaw motorcycle gangs once dominated the meth trafficking, but Mexican nationals have taken over.
The 5-day series that begins today will describe the scope of this drug epidemic, explain the many effects on people and the community, and offer some possible solutions.
Today, we’ll look at how the drug affected Jaime Applegate, a bright Lompoc woman whose life went to hell because of her addiction.
Monday, we’ll hear about how police struggle to deal with a problem that is overwhelming them. We also write about the toxic but accessible products the drug is made of, and how it is imported or manufactured on the Central Coast. Then we’ll address how meth production affects the environment.
Tuesday, we examine what methamphetamine does to the body and brain, as well as its effects on children whose mothers use meth while pregnant.
Wednesday, we take a look at how methamphetamine affects families on the Central Coast and what social workers can do about it. We’ll examine how the drug affected three generations of the Reynoso family. We’ll also talk about how the drug is affecting teens, and what parents should watch for if they suspect methamphetamine use.
Thursday, we’ll hear about some potential solutions to the meth epidemic. We also profile George Sanchez, a man struggling to recover from the drug.
* Staff writer Erin Carlyle can be reached at 739-2218 or by e-mail at:
* Staff writer Quintin
Cushner can be reached at 739-2217 or by e-mail at:
Flap would not normally publish the authors names and e-mail addresses. However, these writers have done such a great job presenting this material it deserves recognition.
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Santa Maria Times: Matters of Life or Meth
Flap is very pleased to blog this award winning series from the Santa Maria Times. If the reader has been reading this blog they know about my feelings toward Methamphetamine and how I agree when the Oregonian Newspaper in Portland, Oregon last year called it An Unnecessary Epidemic.
So, why Flap are you taking up the CAUSE – to eliminate the production and distribution of Methamphetamine?
I have seen the ruinous effects of Meth on my patients, friends and family members. As I have chronicled this nasty drug affects every body system. It ruins the teeth. It ruins LIVES. It affects us because Meth addicts steal and kill US to maintain their habit.
This is my CAUSE especially since it is all UNNECESSARY!
Please read on……
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Santa Maria Times: Matters of Life or Meth
The Santa Maria Times has won a number of journalism awards ( from the Associated Press News Executives Council – APNEC) for their series on methamphetamine.
The Lompoc Record has the story here:
The Santa Maria Times received statewide recognition Saturday for a five-day series published last year on the devastating effects of methamphetamine on the Central Coast.
“Matters of Life or Meth,” which was published Dec. 12-16, was researched and written by staff reporters Erin Carlyle and Quintin Cushner.
The series, produced over several months, won first place in two categories – public service and investigative reporting – from the Associated Press News Executives Council (APNEC). The Times was competing with other daily newspapers throughout California and Nevada with circulations below 25,000.
The awards were presented at an evening banquet at the annual APNEC conference in San Francisco.
“Erin and Quintin did a phenomenal job of researching and explaining what is a huge problem in our community, and we are proud that their work was honored by our colleagues,” said Tom Bolton, executive editor of the Santa Maria Times. “It’s especially gratifying that their work was recognized in public service, which is a key mission of every local newspaper.”
Also contributing to the series were Times photojournalists Aaron Lambert and Ed Souza, and Michael Mariant, who designed and produced the pages.
“Matters of Life or Meth” detailed the law-enforcement, criminal-justice, health, social and personal problems that arise locally from the manufacture, sale and use of methamphetamine, an illegal substance that local officials say is the most serious drug problem on the Central Coast.
The series included the personal stories of police officers, judges, doctors, counselors, users, families and others affected by the drug.
Other local newspapers receiving honors from APNEC were The Tribune of San Luis Obispo, for column writing and photography, and the Santa Barbara News-Press, for photography.
Judges for the contest, which received more than 1,000 entries, were editors from Associated Press member newspapers in Michigan.
Later today Flap will be blogging on this excellent series.
A nice six mile walk first.