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Want to truly be grossed out? Scientists now say that hollow head toothbrushes contain 3,000 more times bacteria than solid head toothbrushes, according to newswise.com. Microbial counts were lower in the solid-head toothbrush group than in the two hollow-head toothbrush groups in 9 out of 10 comparisons, in the study. “Toothbrushes can transmit microorganisms that cause disease and infections. A solid-head design allows for less growth of bacteria and bristles should be soft and made of nylon,” said lead author and professor at the University of Texas Health School of Dentistry, Donna Warren Morris, R.D.H., M.Ed. at the Web site. “It is also important to disinfect and to let your toothbrush dry between uses. Some power toothbrushes now include an ultraviolet system or you can soak the head in mouthwash for 20 minutes.” The study was conducted over a three-week period where participants brushed twice daily with one out of three randomly assigned power toothbrushes. Pa...

Remember that spongy white stuff your mom used to put peanut butter and jelly and tomatoes and mayonnaise on?  It's baaaa-aaa-ck, and it's maybe not so bad, after all. Scientists are now reporting that this much-maligned food seems to encourage the growth of some of our most helpful inhabitants — beneficial gut bacteria, according to newswise.com.  Sonia González and colleagues note that the bacteria in our guts, or our microbiome, play an important role in our health, the Web site reports. "When certain populations of bacteria drop, people become more prone to disease. One of the most effective ways to maintain a good balance of the microbes living in our guts is through our diets. To figure out what dietary ingredients promote helpful bacteria, several studies have looked at the effects of individual fibers and probiotics. But few researchers had investigated the role of polyphenols, which are common in much of what we consume — spices, teas, fruits and ve...

Blame it on the farm animals.  Or the doctors who prescribe them for colds.  But antibiotics have been so overprescribed and used in this world that kids are now developing infections that can no longer be treated by these wonder drugs -- and wind them up in the hospital, or worse. According to newswise.com, studies have shown " Infections caused by a specific type of antibiotic-resistant bacteria are on the rise in U.S. children," and this bacteria -- that is very hard to treat -- is showing up primarily in children ages one to five. “Some infections in children that have typically been treated with oral antibiotics in the past may now require hospitalization, treatment with intravenous drugs, or both, as there may not be an oral treatment option available,” the Web site quotes Dr. Latania K. Logan, lead author of the study and an assistant professor of pediatrics and pediatric infectious disease specialist at Rush University Medical Center. While the overall rate of...

According to smartplanet.com, hops could one day be used for dental problems like gum disease and cavities.  Apparently the antioxidants that aren't used in the actual beer can help with these health issues. "Those antioxidant polyphenols are contained in hop leaves, called bracts," Janet Fang writes. "Now, Japanese researchers say they’ve identified some of the substances that could be responsible for these healthful effects." Back in the 1800s shippers found that higher proportions of the hops, or extracts from bracts, in beer kept bacteria from spoiling it, kind of like an antiseptic effect. When exposed to hops extract, Fang explains, bacteria couldn't survive. Over time, research has come to show that bracts "stop the bacteria responsible for inflammation leading to gum disease from being able to stick to surfaces -- thus preventing the release of bacterial toxins. In addition to prevention, bracts also removed plaque from teeth," Fa...

Ever since Michael Douglas told the world he got oral cancer from oral, well, you know, that's what people think when others develop this kind of cancer. But that's not entirely true.  Did you know that byproducts from bacteria  in the form of small fatty acids from two bacteria prevalent in gum disease also incite the growth of deadly Kaposi’s sarcoma-related (KS) lesions and tumors in the mouth? According to newswise.com, recent research has  focused on how certain bacteria, which are associated with gum disease, contribute to cancer formation. Experts  said at newswise.com that high levels of these bacteria are found in the saliva of people with periodontal disease, and at lower levels in those with good oral health—further evidence of the link between oral and overall physical health. KS, which often attacks persons with HIV, first appears as lesions on the surface of the mouth that, if not removed, can grow into malignant tumors. Survival rates are hig...

So you disinfect your baby's bottles.  Buy his clothes only from manufacturers who use only natural fabrics and processes.  And, of course, pin only cloth diapers, never Pampers, on his bottom. But did you know your baby is still at high risk?  According to newswise.com, the bacteria that causes strep throat, ear infections and other serious illnesses lingers on books, toys, even the crib. A new study has found that these germs "do persist on surfaces for far longer than has been appreciated," and researchers suggest that additional precautions might need to be taken, "especially in settings such as schools, daycare centers and hospitals." And even your home. “These findings should make us more cautious about bacteria in the environment since (the studies) change our ideas about how these particular bacteria are spread,” newswise.com quotes senior author Anders Hakansson, PhD, assistant professor of microbiology and immunology in the UB School of Medicin...

When was the last time you were grateful for your cavities ?  You might want to start thanking them. People with a lot of cavities are less likely to get head and neck cancer, according to medicaldaily.com. Cavities are often a sign of poor oral hygiene, and tooth decay is "an incredibly common disorder, affecting 60 to 90 percent of children and 100 percent of adults, according to the   World Health Organization (WHO) ," Lizette Borreli reports. While cavities usually aren't a big deal -- "drill and fill," as dentists refer to them -- they can also be a sign of other problems, from gum disease to diabetes, heart disease, and stroke,  according to the CDC . But it turns out poor oral healh may have a silver lining.  Recent findings have shown that "adults who have a lot of cavities are a third less likely to develop head and neck cancer than those without cavities," writes Borreli. "This was an unexpected finding since dental cavities h...

A tantalizing new  study has found that mice which eat bacteria from thin people's guts,well, slim down, too. It's not quite as simple as it sounds (it's actually quite gross), but the mice were fed feces, which contain the bacteria inside our guts, from both thin and fat people.  Amazingly, those who were fed feces from thin people grew thin, and from fat, chunked up. Researchers conducted the experiment with feces from twins, one fat and one thin.  Much to their surprise, the mice getting the thin twin's bacteria got thin, and from the fat twin, well, you know the rest. Gina Kolata, who wrote the story, theorizes that this bacteria, from digested food contained within us, may also contain the answer to whether we will be fat, or thin. She quotes Michael Fischbach   of the University of California, San Francisco (who was not involved with the study), as “the clearest evidence to date that gut bacteria can help cause obesity.” He ad...

You've probably seen Jamie Lee Curtis (in her only slightly less amazing body) pushing yogurt with something called probiotics in it. Now I'm a skeptic (stopped taking vitamins years ago) because I don't believe anything I read (or see) about miracle health cures.  Especially this. But, according to newswise.com, it's not exactly all smoke and mirrors.  It's all about bacteria, good bacteria. The Web site interviewed Dr. Eamonn Quigley, an expert in gut health, who heads the gastroenterology and hepatology division at Houston Methodist Hospital, and he had a lot to say about probiotics, mostly good. No, probiotics are not a magic bullet, he told newswise.com, "but those that contain live organisms may provide health benefits, like shortening the duration of a cold."  Another possible benefit? They can also help with common intestinal symptoms and decrease urinary tract infections in women, Quigley reports. Now here's a winner: there's eve...