- Email: [email protected]
Alcohol does not do a heart good
wheelchairs or patients with dementia, severe dyskinesia, or incontinence. Discussion.—Dental professionals are obligated to act for the benefit of society as a whole, so reducing inequities in delivering oral care is a form of social responsibility. Society should promote and distribute social advances, including those in health and welfare, to benefit all justly and equitably. As we see the baby boomer generation reaching senior adult status, it is important to recognize their contribution to society and provide adequate health care—including oral health care—in a way that meets their needs. Dental professionals also have a social responsibility to offer their services to everyone in need, even those who are elderly and have multiple chronic disabilities. Services to the underprivileged are often provided through partnerships between public and non-profit sectors; their provision through government involvement should not become a barrier to continuing their provision through these other sectors.
Clinical Significance.—The ethics positions of the major dental organizations state that dentistry is both a business and a profession and all dentists are obligated to participate in service that benefits mankind. The standard of care
is not lowered for the elderly or those with physical, behavioral, or financial challenges. Dentists in Canada have been resistant to changing their fee-for-service model and have opposed public funding of dentistry through taxation. Instead they have asked government to (1) provide tax incentives for dentists who work with disadvantaged communities and (2) subsidize services for the underserved. Governments cannot make these changes in funding without dentists resolving to lower their income expectations. However, dentists cannot lower the quality of the service they provide to the elderly and other underserved populations. Changes are needed to address the inequities of oral health care delivery seen in Canada and other developed countries.
Yao CS, MacEntee MI: Inequity in oral health care for elderly Canadians: Part 2. Causes and ethical considerations. J Can Dent Assoc 80:310, 2014 Reprints available from MI MacEntee, Univ of British Columbia, 2199 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3; e-mail: [email protected]
EXTRACTS ALCOHOL DOES NOT DO A HEART GOOD Earlier reports aside, a large multicenter international study has found that any exposure to alcohol has a negative impact on heart health. The study focused on the heart health of people who carry a specific version of the gene ‘‘alcohol dehydrogenase 1B,’’ which codes for a protein that helps to break down alcohol more quickly than in persons who don’t have the gene. The gene was used as an indicator of lower alcohol consumption because the rapid breakdown causes nausea, facial flushing, and other symptoms, eventually leading to drinking less alcohol. From this study, links were found between lower consumption and better heart health. Observational studies have suggested that only heavy drinking adversely affects heart health and indicated light drinking may even provide benefits. As a result, people have been led to believe that moderate consumption may be good for their health and even lower their risk of heart disease. The 155 researchers from the United Kingdom, continental Europe, North America, and Australia analyzed data from 56 epidemiological studies of more than 260,000 individuals of European descent. It was co-led by the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia and found that people with the target gene consumed 17% less alcohol each week, were less likely to binge drink, and were more likely to not drink at all than those without the gene. They also had a 10% average reduced risk of coronary heart disease, lower blood pressure, and lower body mass index (BMI) than those without the gene. The study defines light to moderate drinking as 0.6 to 0.8 fluid ounces (17 to 23 mg) of alcohol a day, which is about what a 175-ml glass of wine contains. The conclusion was that reducing alcohol consumption totally benefits heart health, reduces BMI, and may lower blood pressure. [C Paddock. Alcohol Does Not Benefit the Heart, Claims New Study. Medical News Today, July 11, 2014]
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Dental Abstracts
Clinical Significance.—The ethics positions of the major dental organizations state that dentistry is both a business and a profession and all dentists are obligated to participate in service that benefits mankind. The standard of care
is not lowered for the elderly or those with physical, behavioral, or financial challenges. Dentists in Canada have been resistant to changing their fee-for-service model and have opposed public funding of dentistry through taxation. Instead they have asked government to (1) provide tax incentives for dentists who work with disadvantaged communities and (2) subsidize services for the underserved. Governments cannot make these changes in funding without dentists resolving to lower their income expectations. However, dentists cannot lower the quality of the service they provide to the elderly and other underserved populations. Changes are needed to address the inequities of oral health care delivery seen in Canada and other developed countries.
Yao CS, MacEntee MI: Inequity in oral health care for elderly Canadians: Part 2. Causes and ethical considerations. J Can Dent Assoc 80:310, 2014 Reprints available from MI MacEntee, Univ of British Columbia, 2199 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3; e-mail: [email protected]
EXTRACTS ALCOHOL DOES NOT DO A HEART GOOD Earlier reports aside, a large multicenter international study has found that any exposure to alcohol has a negative impact on heart health. The study focused on the heart health of people who carry a specific version of the gene ‘‘alcohol dehydrogenase 1B,’’ which codes for a protein that helps to break down alcohol more quickly than in persons who don’t have the gene. The gene was used as an indicator of lower alcohol consumption because the rapid breakdown causes nausea, facial flushing, and other symptoms, eventually leading to drinking less alcohol. From this study, links were found between lower consumption and better heart health. Observational studies have suggested that only heavy drinking adversely affects heart health and indicated light drinking may even provide benefits. As a result, people have been led to believe that moderate consumption may be good for their health and even lower their risk of heart disease. The 155 researchers from the United Kingdom, continental Europe, North America, and Australia analyzed data from 56 epidemiological studies of more than 260,000 individuals of European descent. It was co-led by the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia and found that people with the target gene consumed 17% less alcohol each week, were less likely to binge drink, and were more likely to not drink at all than those without the gene. They also had a 10% average reduced risk of coronary heart disease, lower blood pressure, and lower body mass index (BMI) than those without the gene. The study defines light to moderate drinking as 0.6 to 0.8 fluid ounces (17 to 23 mg) of alcohol a day, which is about what a 175-ml glass of wine contains. The conclusion was that reducing alcohol consumption totally benefits heart health, reduces BMI, and may lower blood pressure. [C Paddock. Alcohol Does Not Benefit the Heart, Claims New Study. Medical News Today, July 11, 2014]
194
Dental Abstracts