health


THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE


June 9-15, 2010


Page B-6


What do acne and strawberries have in common?


By P. Piero D.D.S. Bacteria are found on both


acne and strawberries. The bacteria associated


with acne are actually pres- ent in everyone’s skin. The problem is that some people have more of these bacteria which in turn set off a process that end up with the skin and pores inflamed. The bacteria on the surface of strawberries (that can cause dysentery if not properly washed off) are different, but still bacteria. Al- though most bacteria we live with are good, there are many that are pathogenic, causing illness, infection, inflamma- tion and sometimes death.


Chlorine dioxide (ClO2)


is a chemical that can safely kill micro organisms such as bacteria, virus, mold, mildew, fungus and spores. Around for over 100 years, it has been used in large water treatment facilities and air handling sys- tems. Until recently, it was


only used as and thought of as a gas. It most commonly is found in industrial settings, manufactured onsite with complex expensive equipment. (It was used to decontaminate the buildings after the 2001 anthrax attack and to eradi- cate mold in homes after Hur- ricane Katrina.)


Today, there is a new way


to manufacture the ClO2 to produce a tablet, making the product more stable and safer to use by the average person. Once activated with water, the resulting product can be used to remove micro organisms on a wide variety of surfaces. It is safe to use on skin, in the mouth, on fruits and vegeta- bles. (Unfortunately it is still thought of predominately in a gas state.)


The tablets are available on


line at www.bacteriabegone. com. Acne is not the only skin affliction that can be treated. Abscesses, dandruff, ear in-


fections, scratches, lacera- tions, athlete’s foot and more can all be combated with chlo- rine dioxide. Fruits such as strawberries, apples, melons, oranges, etc., can be sprayed or dipped in the solution to remove harmful bacteria. Chlorine dioxide also works well on vegetables that will be eaten raw such as carrots, celery, peppers and tomatoes. (Remember that even fruits and vegetables that will have the outer peel removed can transfer bacteria to the inner flesh when cut.)


P. Piero has been a practic-


ing dentist for over 20 years. He is the inventor of Dental Air Force and devotes his life to focusing on the control of micro organisms in and out of the mouth and educating on the subject. He can be reached at (616) 399-8511 or pia@dentalairforce.com.


Beaumont Hospitals study finds breast


conservation viable for African-American women with breast cancer


Breast-conserving therapy


is a viable treatment option for African-American women, although they tend to have more advanced breast cancer at diagnosis, according to re- searchers from Beaumont Hospitals, Royal Oak, Mich. The study is available online now and will be in the July 15 issue of the journal Cancer.


The study, which reviewed


the data of 699 women treated with breast conserving ther- apy (lumpectomy or partial mastectomy) at Beaumont from 1980 to 2003, found that African-American women were younger and had larger, more aggressive tumors at the time of diagnosis. As a result, they more frequently required che- motherapy and lymph node ir- radiation as part of their treat- ment.


“Breast cancer in African-


American women demon- strates a very distinctive clini- cal behavior compared with breast cancer in Caucasian women,” said Frank Vicini, M.D., chief of Oncology Ser- vices, Beaumont Hospitals, and the study’s lead author. “Although the overall inci- dence of breast cancer in Afri- can-American women is lower than in Caucasian women, breast cancer mortality rates are generally higher.”


It’s unclear whether these


differences are related to dis- parities in socioeconomic status, access or use of ad- vanced screening or treatment techniques, or biologic differ- ences in the disease in Afri- can-American women.


“However, despite having more advanced disease, our


results confirm the safety and effectiveness of breast conserv- ing therapy in African-Ameri- can women,” said Dr. Vicini. “Our results are important because data on most cancer therapies are not as com- plete in minority populations. These results should reassure African-American women that breast conservation works just as well for them as other women and should remain an equal option in appropriately selected women.”


Nearly half of the Afri-


can-American women in the study were younger than 50 at diagnosis, compared with 26 percent of the Caucasian women. Only 36 percent were diagnosed with stage I disease, compared with 61 percent of Caucasian women. Thirty-six percent had positive lymph nodes, of whom 18 percent had more than four, compared with 26 percent and 8 percent for Caucasian women.


African-American women


(26 percent) required more lymph node irradiation and systemic chemotherapy than Caucasian women (13 per- cent). Nearly 60 percent had chemotherapy, compared with 19 percent of Caucasian women.


Treatment-related toxici-


ties also were more severe, with more African-American women reporting breast pain, arm swelling, and a lower per- centage of excellent or good cosmetic results.


Additional studies address-


ing underlying molecular or genetic differences in racial populations may help to iden- tify factors to further improve


cancer control and survival. Beaumont comprehensive


cancer program combines the expertise of Beaumont Hospi- tals with the knowledge and experience of physicians in the Beaumont Oncology Network, the largest group of oncology specialists in the state, to offer cancer prevention counsel- ing, diagnosis and treatment in hospital and community- based settings. The Beaumont Cancer Institute is one of only 50 Community Clinical Oncol- ogy Programs in the country designated by the National Cancer Institute to provide pa- tients with access to leading- edge cancer clinical research trials. Beaumont is designated as a Blue Cross Center of Dis- tinction for the Treatment of Rare and Complex Cancers.


In 2009, more than 5,500


newly diagnosed patients came to the Beaumont Cancer Insti- tute for care — more than any other single oncology program in Michigan. Beaumont offers weekly multidisciplinary clin- ics for the top six cancer diag- noses, including breast.


For more information, call


Beaumont’s toll-free cancer line at 1-877-BEAT-CANCER (877-232-8226) or go to www. beaumonthospitals.com. You may also visit: http://www3. interscience.wiley.com/jour- nal /123393461/abst ract . Link to abstract from journal Cancer,


http://www3.inter-


science.wiley.com/cgi-bin/full- text/123393461/PDFSTART. Link to full paper from journal Cancer


Delta Dental of Michigan advises parents to act quickly in a tooth injury emergency


Quick action is crucial


to saving the life of a tooth. That’s why Delta Dental of Michigan encourages parents to be prepared to act if a tooth becomes injured.


With warm weather comes


more outdoor playtime for kids. Between playgrounds, sports and outdoor fun, there’s a good chance thousands of children will suffer accidental tooth injuries this year.


Teeth are remarkably resil-


ient but can be chipped, frac- tured or broken when quick, strong impact occurs. Dental care advancements make it possible to repair or replace injured teeth, but getting to the dentist as quickly as pos- sible following an emergency is vital.


“Timing is the most impor-


tant thing to remember when dealing with tooth trauma,” said Dr. Jed Jacobson, chief science officer and senior vice president of Delta Dental of


Michigan. “An injured tooth begins to die within 15 to 30 minutes.”


Children under age 15 ac-


count for 75 percent of all lost, broken, loosened or chipped teeth, with two-thirds of tooth- related accidents occurring outdoors. Falls are the most common cause, followed by bike accidents and sports in- juries.


Delta Dental of Michigan


recommends following these steps if a tooth is chipped, broken or knocked out:


• Be prepared for an emer- gency by keeping the phone number of your dentist handy.


• If possible, find all parts of the injured tooth and handle it only by the top, trying not to touch the root.


• Do not clean or handle the tooth unnecessarily.


• Reinsert the tooth into the socket, if possible. If not, place


it in a cup of milk or water to prevent it from drying out.


• If the injury involves braces or wires, cover sharp or pro- truding portions with cotton balls, gauze or dental wax. Do not remove any wires stuck into the gums, cheek or tongue.


• Get to a dentist as quickly as possible.


Protecting teeth from


injury isn’t always possible, but having your child wear a mouth guard during sports can dramatically reduce the risk. They should be worn re- gardless of age in any sport where contact to the face is a possibility.


Even baby teeth serve an


important purpose in the mouth, reserving space nec- essary for permanent teeth to grow in. Protecting teeth in all stages of growth is important to a child’s oral health.


Your Family’s Medical Home A Federally Qualified Health Center Providing


Primary Health Care for all ages•Dental care for registered CHASS patients• Behavioral Health Services •Nutrition counseling and group education• Pharmacy•A partnership with Henry Ford Health System providing affordable specialty care


*CHASS is a contracted provider to Molina Healthcare of Michigan and Midwest Health Plan


HAVE YOU HAD YOUR H1N1 FLU SHOT YET?


FRE E H1N1


VACCINAT IONS for adults, pregnant woman and seniors


Just because you donʼt hear about it anymore, doesnʼt mean you arenʼt at risk. The H1N1 (Swine) Flu Virus still exists and getting immunized can help prevent this sometimes deadly disease from spreading.


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Southwest Center 5635 West Fort Street Detroit, MI 48209 313.849.3920


Hours: M, W, TH, F - 8:00 am - 5:00 pm T - 8:00 am - 8:00 pm


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