Scientific American

Fluoride Loosens Bacterial Enamel Grip

Wed, 22 May 2013 20:24:08 EST

Fluoride helps fight cavities. That’s why it’s in our drinking water and toothpaste. But how this mineral works its dental magic is still somewhat mysterious. Now, researchers offer an incisive solution. They find that fluoride treatment can loosen bacteria’s grip on tooth enamel. The study is in the journal Langmuir . [Peter Loskill et al., Reduced Adhesion of Oral Bacteria on Hydroxyapatite by Fluoride Treatment ]

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Nightcap Drink Disrupts Important Sleep

Tue, 29 Jan 2013 21:03:08 EST

A little booze before bedtime might help you fall asleep faster. But various studies show that alcohol is anathema for restorative sleep. A new review paper describes just how detrimental a few drinks can be.

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Skin-Cancer Spotting Apps Miss Their Marks

Wed, 16 Jan 2013 19:52:08 EST

New smart phone apps now let you snap a picture and upload it for a skin cancer check. Sure sounds a lot easier than trekking into the dermatologist, right? But a new review of these apps finds that most of them are not very accurate.

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Surgical "Never" Events Happen Nevertheless

Tue, 08 Jan 2013 09:00:08 EST

Surgeons call them "never events,” because they are supposed to never happen: things like leaving a piece of equipment in someone or removing the wrong body part. But despite major efforts to reduce medical errors, these “never events” still occur more than 4,000 times each year in the U.S. That finding is in the journal Surgery . [Winta Mehtsun et al., Surgical Never Events In the United States ]

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Video Helps with Weight Info Basics

Wed, 19 Dec 2012 20:00:08 EST

A flood of food comes at us this time of year. So the American Chemical Society has produced a YouTube video with info to help you survive the sweet and savory onslaught.

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Flu Web Searches Predict Disease Outbreaks

Tue, 11 Dec 2012 10:22:08 EST

I've spent most of the week with the flu. I'd heard flu season was starting early this year, but I wasn't prepared for it to be this early, in part because predictions for flu outbreaks are still not that precise--especially in germy places like here in New York City.

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E-Visits to Doctors Might Streamline Care

Wed, 28 Nov 2012 19:53:08 EST

Waiting in the doctor's office, reading old magazines is never fun. But some health systems are allowing patients with minor ailments to see the doctor--without seeing the doctor. These patients can log onto their personal health record portal, answer questions about their condition and get their doctor's diagnosis and recommended treatment.

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Patients Should Ask Docs to Scrub

Tue, 13 Nov 2012 16:24:08 EST

More than 1.7 million Americans acquire health care-associated infections each year while in the hospital or doctor’s office, some of them antibiotic resistant. Many such infections could be prevented with simple hygiene measures, such as doctors and nurses frequently washing their hands.

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Exercise Lengthens Life Regardless of Weight

Tue, 06 Nov 2012 20:43:08 EST

A little exercise each week can lead to big gains in life expectancy. And that’s true regardless of your current weight, according to a new review study that included more than 650,000 people.

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Your Fat Needs Sleep, Too

Tue, 16 Oct 2012 16:46:08 EST

Sleep is good for you. Getting by on too little sleep increases the risk for heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, diabetes and other illnesses. It also makes it harder to lose weight or stay slim because sleep deprivation makes you hungrier and less likely to be active during the day.

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Facebook Community Can Help Cut STIs

Fri, 12 Oct 2012 16:53:08 EST

Facebook might be the way many young adults spread gossip about their latest hookups. But it might also turn out to be an effective means to limit the spread of sexually transmitted infections. Because new research finds increased condom use among those who “Facebook liked" a sexual health news source.

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Peeking at Doctors' Notes Helps Patients

Wed, 03 Oct 2012 11:47:08 EST

Ever wonder just what your doctor is furiously scribbling down in her notes as she examines you? Patients often still lack access to the notes their doctors take about their care.

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Kids Gulp 7 Trillion Calories Per Year

Thu, 27 Sep 2012 08:45:08 EST

Kids from the ages of two to 19, consume about seven trillion calories in sugar-sweetened beverages per year, according to Steve Gortmaker of the Harvard School of Public Health . He spoke at the Obesity Society Annual Scientific Meeting in San Antonio on September 23rd. Seven trillion is a lot of calories in sugar-sweetened beverages. At, for example, 50 cents per can, it's about $24 billion a year.

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Make Healthy Choices Easier Options

Thu, 20 Sep 2012 19:52:08 EST

Telling people to change unhealthy behaviors doesn’t work. Otherwise, we would all already be slim, fit, nonsmokers.

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Experts Offer Tips to Lower Risk of West Nile

Tue, 11 Sep 2012 19:31:08 EST

Mosquitoes are an unpleasant fact of summer. But 2012 has been especially bad for running into these irritating insects. Because some carry West Nile Virus. And they’re known to have infected some 2,000 people in 48 states this year. At least 87 people have died from the infection, which can cause swelling in the brain.

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Organic Benefits Don't Include Enhanced Nutrition

Wed, 05 Sep 2012 19:30:08 EST

Organic food options are often a pretty penny more than their conventionally produced counterparts. And they have often been touted as better for you as well as the environment.

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Midlife Fitness Cuts Chronic Disease Later

Wed, 29 Aug 2012 18:11:08 EST

Being physically active has numerous benefits. Now a study has looked closely at the effects of fitness in the midlife years for preventing debilitating chronic diseases later.

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Better Sidewalks Could Bring Improved Public Health

Tue, 21 Aug 2012 05:00:08 EST

Most of our serious illnesses and deaths in the U.S. now come from preventable diseases, such as heart disease. But we know what works to improve health.

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Doc Calls Deconditioning a Condition

Wed, 15 Aug 2012 18:16:08 EST

Doctors know a lot about prescribing medications. “Take two brisk walks and call me in the morning.” But for many patients, a light get-moving plan might be just what the doctor should have ordered.

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Color-Coded Food Helps Consumers Make Healthful Choices

Tue, 07 Aug 2012 19:52:08 EST

You might not know how many calories were in that sandwich. But if you got lunch at the Massachusetts General Hospital cafeteria, you could tell with one glance whether you'd made a healthful choice: offerings are color-coded.

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