BONE MARROW TRANSPLANT
The Nuts and Bolts of Bone Marrow Transplants
Bone marrow transplantation (BMT) is a relatively new medical procedure being used to treat diseases once thought incurable. Since its first successful use in 1968, BMTs have been used to treat patients diagnosed with leukemia, aplastic anemia, lymphomas such as Hodgkin’s disease, multiple myeloma, immune deficiency disorders and some solid tumors such as breast and ovarian cancer.
In 1991, more than 7,500 people underwent BMTs nationwide. Although BMTs now save thousands of lives each year, 70 percent of those needing a BMT using donor marrow are unable to have one because a suitable bone marrow donor cannot be found.
WHAT IS BONE MARROW?
Bone marrow is a spongy tissue found inside bones. The bone marrow in the breast bone, skull, hips, ribs and spine contains stem cells that produce the body’s blood cells. These blood cells include white blood cells (leukocytes), which fight infection; red blood cells (erythrocytes), which carry oxygen to and remove waste products from organs and tissues; and platelets, which enable the blood to dot
WHY TRANSPLANT?
In patients with leukemia, aplastic anemia, and some immune deficiency diseases, the stem cells in the bone marrow malfunction, producing an excessive number of defective or immature blood cells (in the case of leukemia) or low blood cell counts (in the case of aplastic anemia). The immature or defective blood cells interfere with the production of normal blood cells, accumulate in the bloodstream and may invade other tissues.
Large doses of chemotherapy and/or radiation are required to destroy the abnormal stem cells and abnormal blood cells. These therapies, however, not only kill the abnormal cells but can destroy normal cells found in the bone marrow as well. Similarly, aggressive chemotherapy used to treat some lymphomas and other cancers can destroy healthy bone marrow. A bone marrow transplant enables physicians to treat these diseases with aggressive chemotherapy and/or radiation by allowing replacement of the diseased or damaged bone marrow after the chemotherapy/radiation treatment.
While bone marrow transplants do not provide 100 percent assurance that the disease will not recur, a transplant can increase the likelihood of a cure or at least prolong the period of disease-free survival for many patients.
IS IT WORTH IT?
Yes! For most patients contemplating a bone marrow transplant, the alternative is near-certain death. Despite the fact that the transplant can be a trying experience, most find that the pleasure that comes from being alive and healthy after the transplant is well worth the effort.
By BMT Newsletter
MDA Campaign ‘Take a Bite Out of Cancer’
During the month of May, participating offices are invited to register patients with the international bone marrow registry and sell paper icons to raise money for cancer research. MDA has partnered with The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, and former Detroit Red Wing, Shawn Burr, to conduct a statewide bone marrow drive in conjunction with the fundraising initiative. Both the drive and the icon sales will take place in the month of May.
WHY:
To register at least 1,000 new names with the international bone marrow registry and raise funds for the ongoing work of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.
- Leukemia causes more deaths than any other cancer among children under the age of 20.
-Blood related cancers have touched the lives of so many of us; more than one million Americans are presently living with leukemia, lymphoma or myeloma.
-Every four minutes, someone in the U.S. learns that they have a blood cancer, every ten minutes someone loses their battle.
HOW you can participate-
Visit your dental office and receive a brochure about the details of the campaign and any other information any one here at the office can answer for you. There area paper icons featuring former Red Wing, Shawn Burr, Honorary Chair of the Take a Bite Out of Cancer campaign, which will be offered for patients donation of a $1. We are trying to sell at least 250 of these icons over the month of May and possibly into June to help contribute to the campaign. Its easy! If you are looking to get swabbed- please come on in! I have posted a link to the MDA website regarding the campaign as well as our contact/location information below. Hope to see you soon!
www.SmileMichigan.com
We are in the office
Monday 8:30 am – 5:00 pm
Tuesday 7:30 am – 5:00 pm
Wednesday Closed
Thursday 7:30 am – 5:00 pm
Friday 7:30 am – 12:00 pm
We are conveniently located at:
34210 Ryan Road
Sterling Heights, MI 48310
(586)939-8800
We are on the east side of Ryan Road approximately half way between 14 & 15 Mile Road.
Enter your starting location below to get detailed driving directions to our office.
Fluoridated water reaching more U.S. residents
Milwaukee—Almost three-fourths of U.S. residents who receive water from community water systems—about 204 million residents—now receive fluoridated water, according to the latest statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
CDC Director Thomas R. Frieden, M.D., announced the agency’s latest water fluoridation statistics April 30 via a taped video presentation at the National Oral Health Conference in Milwaukee.
Between 2000 and 2010, the percent of the U.S. population on public water supplies receiving fluoridated water increased from 65 percent to 73.9 percent, just a percentage point under the Healthy People 2010 national health initiative objective. A total of 26 states and the District of Columbia have met the objective and state percentages range from more than 99 percent in Kentucky, Maryland and Illinois to 10.8 percent in Hawaii.
Fluoridated water is reaching nearly 9 million more people than in 2008, when 195.5 million or 72.4 percent were receiving fluoridated water, said the CDC.
“These new figures show that since 2008, nearly 9 million additional Americans are now receiving the cavity prevention benefits of fluoridated water,” said. Dr. William Bailey, acting director, CDC Division of Oral Health. “Water fluoridation continues to be one of the most important community measures to prevent tooth decay. All people can benefit from fluoridation, regardless of age, personal financial resources and access to dental services.”
The latest Healthy People fluoridation objective set by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is for 79.6 percent of the U.S. population served by community water systems to receive optimally fluoridated water by 2020.
“The American Dental Association is pleased to see that the number of U.S. residents with access to fluoridated water continues to grow,” said ADA President William Calnon. “The CDC has identified fluoridation as one of 10 great public health achievements of the 20th century and we hope to see the number of people receiving the benefits of water fluoridation continue to increase to meet the Healthy People 2020 objective.”
CDC’s 2010 statistics show nearly 9 percent increase since 2000
By Stacie Crozier, ADA News staff
Irreversible Damage To Teeth Caused By Sports And Energy Drinks
A recent study published in the May/June 2012 issue of General Dentistry, the peer-reviewed clinical journal of the Academy of General Dentistry, found that an alarming increase in the consumption of sports and energy drinks, especially among adolescents, is causing irreversible damage to teeth – specifically, the high acidity levels in the drinks erode tooth enamel, the glossy outer layer of the tooth. 
“Young adults consume these drinks assuming that they will improve their sports performance and energy levels and that they are ‘better’ for them than soda,” says Poonam Jain, BDS, MS, MPH, lead author of the study. “Most of these patients are shocked to learn that these drinks are essentially bathing their teeth with acid.”
Researchers examined the acidity levels in 13 sports drinks and nine energy drinks. They found that the acidity levels can vary between brands of beverages and flavors of the same brand. To test the effect of the acidity levels, the researchers immersed samples of human tooth enamel in each beverage for 15 minutes, followed by immersion in artificial saliva for two hours. This cycle was repeated four times a day for five days, and the samples were stored in fresh artificial saliva at all other times.
“This type of testing simulates the same exposure that a large proportion of American teens and young adults are subjecting their teeth to on a regular basis when they drink one of these beverages every few hours,” says Dr. Jain. 
The researchers found that damage to enamel was evident after only five days of exposure to sports or energy drinks, although energy drinks showed a significantly greater potential to damage teeth than sports drinks. In fact, the authors found that energy drinks caused twice as much damage to teeth as sports drinks.
With a reported 30 to 50 percent of U.S. teens consuming energy drinks, and as many as 62 percent consuming at least one sports drink per day, it is important to educate parents and young adults about the downside of these drinks. Damage caused to tooth enamel is irreversible, and without the protection of enamel, teeth become overly sensitive, prone to cavities, and more likely to decay.
Foods to Soothe Sore Muscles
These 4 foods can help ward off and minimize exercise-related muscle soreness.
If you’ve been exercising more, you may be suffering from the aches and pains of having overdone it at the gym. Making sure your workout is challenging without overdoing it is one way to prevent muscle soreness. But research also points to some foods and beverages that can help ward off and minimize exercise-related muscle soreness.
1. Blueberries
New research out of New Zealand suggests that the antioxidants in blueberries may help ward off muscle fatigue by mopping up the additional free radicals that muscles produce during exercise.
2. Tart Cherries & Pomegranates
British researchers recently found that people who drank 1 ounce of concentrated cherry juice twice daily for 10 days bounced back faster from their workout than those who skipped the juice. The reason: The anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties in tart cherries—and other fruit juices like grape, pomegranate, acai, blueberry and cranberry—essentially act as natural NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as ibuprofen and aspirin), reducing exercise-induced muscle damage.
3. Ginger
Ginger is rich in inflammation-fighting compounds, such as gingerols, which may reduce the aches of osteoarthritis and soothe sore muscles. In a recent study, people who took ginger capsules daily for 11 days reported 25 percent less muscle pain when they performed exercises designed to strain their muscles (compared with a similar group taking placebo capsules). Another study found that ginger-extract injections helped relieve osteoarthritis pain of the knee.
These 4 foods can help ward off and minimize exercise-related muscle soreness.
—Kerri-Ann Jennings, M.S., R.D., Associate Nutrition Editor, EatingWell Magazine
California fluoride lawsuit dismissed
San Diego—A U.S. District Court judge has granted a motion to dismiss in the case of Foli v. Metropolitan Water District, a lawsuit seeking to stop the water district from adding fluoride to the water.
The suit, filed in August 2011, called on the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California to stop adding hydrofluosilicic acid to the public’s drinking water because it constituted unlawful and unconstitutional medication of the plaintiffs since the compound has not been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for treatment of disease or dental cavities.
The suit also alleged that the MWD had engaged in unfair and unlawful business practices.
District Court Judge Janis Sammartino dismissed the lawsuit without prejudice, giving the plaintiffs 14 days to file an amended complaint.
“We are pleased to see once again that the court has reaffirmed the ability of water suppliers and agencies to protect the oral health of residents in their communities,” said Dr. Dan Davidson, California Dental Association president. “This is a significant step toward ensuring that customers of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California will continue to receive the benefits of community water fluoridation.”
The MWD serves nearly 19 million water district customers in Southern California.
Information from the American Dental Association
Low-Fat Milk: It Does a Blood Pressure Good
Switching from whole or two-percent milk to skim or one-percent will save you as many as 70 calories. And calorie cutting isn’t the only benefit you may get from choosing the slimmer sip: A recent study suggests that it may also have a major impact on your blood pressure.
The Harvard study, which tracked nearly 29,000 women ages 45 and older for 10 years, found that women who drank two or more daily servings of low-fat dairy reduced their risk for developing high blood pressure by 10 percent compared to those who drank less. Those who downed high-fat dairy saw no blood pressure benefits.
What’s the connection between low-fat milk and blood pressure? Study authors offer a range of possible explanations.
First, low-fat milk is high in calcium, which plays a major role in blood pressure regulation. Second, calcium may help you lose weight, and weight loss may help to reduce blood pressure. Finally, low-fat milk is fortified with vitamin D, which helps regulate blood pressure directly and may also help you absorb more calcium. Whole milk has all the same nutrients as skim and one-percent milk, so why didn’t it have any effect on blood pressure? Researchers speculate that the saturated fat in whole milk may contribute to clogged arteries and obesity—two factors that can increase blood pressure.
Now, let’s look at the stats: A third of Americans have high blood pressure, or hypertension. If you’re overweight, your risk for hypertension increases. This condition may set you up for heart disease, stroke, kidney disease and complications during pregnancy. So, if something as simple as switching to skim or one-percent milk helps, it’s well worth it. If you’re worried about the taste, don’t be; after a few weeks, your taste buds will adjust. If you’ve been drinking whole or two-percent, first switch to one percent; then see if you can switch to skim after a few weeks.
You may also lower your blood pressure by losing weight, getting at least 30 minutes of physical activity daily, reducing your sodium intake, and eating a diet rich in fruits and veggies. If it’s still high, you may want to ask your doctor about medications that can lower blood pressure. By Janis Jibrin, M.S., R.D.
Dental X-rays tied to tumors
Ionizing radiation exposure top risk factor for meningioma, study finds
By JENNIFER HUGET
Special to The Washington Post
A study published Tuesday in the American Cancer Society journal Cancer reported a link between certain kinds of dental X-rays and the most common brain tumor, one that is almost always benign but can still be debilitating.
The study found at a general level that people with meningioma were more than twice as likely as people without the brain tumor to have had a bitewing X-ray sometime in their life. For a bitewing X-ray, the patient holds the film in place by biting down on a tab.
The exposures to dental X-rays in the study took place in the 1960s, when dental X-rays delivered higher doses of radiation than today’s do. The study compared the self-reported dental X-ray histories of 1,433 adults who had been diagnosed with the tumor with 1,350 who had not.
The study also found an association between the less commonly used panorex X-rays, which are taken outside the mouth and deliver a panoramic view of the full set of top and bottom teeth, and meningioma risk. People who reported having had a panorex exam before they turned 10 were 4.9 times as likely to develop meningioma as those who had them at any other time, and those who had them most frequently (but not necessarily at that young age) were about three times as likely to do so as those who had never had a panorex exam.
The study reports that ionizing radiation is the major environmental risk factor for meningioma and that dental X-rays are the most common artificial source of exposure to ionizing radiation in the United States.
Lead author Elizabeth Claus, professor at the Yale School of Public Health and a neurosurgeon at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, noted that risk factors for meningioma, the most commonly diagnosed form of brain tumor, remain poorly understood, in part because meningioma was only added to brain tumor registries in the United States in 2004.
She added that it generally takes 20 to 30 years after exposure to an environmental trigger such as radiation for meningioma to develop. The tumor can reach sizes larger than a baseball and can cause headaches, vision problems and loss of speech and motor control.
The American Dental Association recommends that dentists be judicious in their use of X-rays. For patients whose teeth are healthy and who are not at increased risk of developing cavities, the ADA suggests children have X-rays about every one to two years; adolescents, every year and a half to three years; and adults, every two to three years.
Claus said she does not want the research to send an alarmist message. “Don’t panic,” she said, “and don’t not go to the dentist. But do look into the guidelines and talk with your dentist.”
In a statement, the ADA noted the study’s potential flaws and encouraged further research, saying the results “rely on the individuals’ memories of having dental X-rays taken years earlier. Studies have shown that the ability to recall information is often imperfect. … Also, the study acknowledges that some of the subjects received dental x-rays decades ago when radiation exposure was greater. Radiation rates were higher in the past due to the use of old x-ray technology and slower speed film.”
A Crown in a single visit?? ….CEREC
Most dental restorative methods require more than one visit to the dentist. This means that on the first visit, you get an injection of anesthesia, your tooth prepared, an impression taken, and a temporary restoration put on your tooth. You make a second appointment for a couple of weeks later, and get an injection, have the temporary pried off, and have a permanent restoration put on. Why go to the dentist a second time when you don’t have to? With CEREC, the procedure is done in a single appointment, start to finish.
What is CEREC and how does it work?
CEREC (Chairside Economical Restoration of Esthetic Ceramics) is made by Sirona Dental Systems, Inc., an international company that designs, manufactures, and markets dental equipment. It was founded in 1997 when the dental division of Siemens AG was bought out.
CAD/CAM stands for Computer Aided Design and Computer Aided Manufacturing, and is a type of vector software used by other professions besides dentistry – engineers, for example. It combines aspects of graphics and mathematics to create very precise designs in three dimensions.
A CEREC tooth restoration isn’t just convenient, it is also healthy. Many years ago, dentists had few options to repair decayed and damaged teeth other than amalgam, gold, and other metals. With CEREC, Dr. Artemenko can use strong, tooth colored ceramic materials to restore your teeth to their natural strength, beauty, and function. These materials closely match the composition of natural tooth structure. This means when you eat hot food and then drink something cold, the restoration and tooth expand and contract at almost equal rates. So, your tooth does not crack, and you can go on enjoying your evening. Also, the materials are chemically bonded to your tooth, so Dr. Artemenko can save as much healthy tooth tissue as possible while providing you with a dental restoration that strengthens your tooth.
Regular dental exams are essential to preventing problems and maintaining the health of your teeth and gums. At these visits, your teeth are cleaned and checked for decay. Additionally, there are many other things that are checked and monitored to help detect, prevent, and maintain your dental health.
What Causes a White Tongue?
There are a number of things that can cause a whitish coating or white spots to develop on the tongue, including:
Leukoplakia. This condition causes cells in the mouth to grow excessively. That, in turn, leads to the formation of white patches inside the mouth, including on the tongue. Although not dangerous on its own, leukoplakia can be a precursor to cancer. So it is important for your dentist to determine the cause of white patches on your tongue. Leukoplakia can develop when the tongue has been irritated and is often found in people who use tobacco products. 
thrush
Oral thrush. Also known as candidiasis, oral thrush is a yeast infection that develops inside the mouth. The condition results in white patches that are often cottage cheese-like in consistency on the surfaces of the mouth and tongue. Oral thrush is most commonly seen in infants and the elderly, especially denture wearers, or in people with compromised immune systems. People with diabetes and people taking inhaled steroids for asthma or lung disease also can also get thrush. Oral thrush is more likely to occur after the use of antibiotics, which may kill the “good” bacteria in the mouth. Eating plain yogurt with live and active cultures may help restore the proper fauna in your mouth. Additionally, medications may be used to combat the infection.
Oral lichen planus. If you have a network of raised white lines on your tongue that has a lace-like appearance, you may be suffering from oral lichen planus. Doctors are often unable to determine the cause of this condition, which often resolves on its own. Practicing proper dental hygiene, avoiding tobacco, and limiting your consumption of foods that cause irritation to your mouth may helpful.
