How plaque and gum disease can lead to dementia: As doctors unveil startling research, experts reveal ultimate guide to the brushes, floss and toothpaste that really work to keep you healthy
If eyes are the window to the soul, then the mouth is a portal to the mind, according to the British Dental Association. 'There's emerging evidence that poor oral health – plaque formation, gum disease and tooth loss – is a risk factor for dementia, including Alzheimer's disease,' says Eddie Crouch, the association's chair.
A slew of recent research suggests that what happens in your mouth can have wider health implications. Several large studies have discovered links between periodontitis (that's chronic gum disease to you and me) and an increased risk of cognitive decline.
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Daily Mail
43 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Women who 'suffer in silence' over 'allergy to sex' mistaken for STDs
Experts have highlighted the hidden dangers from a little-known condition that makes some women 'allergic to sex.' Seminal plasma hypersensitivity can cause intimate discomfort, swelling or difficulty breathing during or after intimacy. It's triggered by proteins found in semen, and researchers in the UK say the condition may affect more people than previously thought - and it often goes undiagnosed. Writing for The Conversation, Dr Michael Carroll, associate professor in reproductive science at Manchester Metropolitan University, warned it is often mistaken for sexually transmitted infections (STIs), yeast infections, and general sensitivity. But one clue you're in fact 'allergic to sex' is 'symptoms disappearing when condoms are used,' he revealed. The sex allergy is now recognized as a 'type 1 hypersensitivity,' falling into the same category as peanut allergy, cat dander, and hay fever, he said. The professor argues that, while rare, it is underdiagnosed due to embarrassment, stigma and a lack of awareness - meaning 'many women suffer in silence.' In women it typically affects the vulva or vagina, but can also cause full body symptoms like hives, wheezing, dizziness, runny nose and even anaphylaxis, a potentially life-threatening immune response, he warned. Seminal plasma hypersensitivity was first documented in 1967 when a woman was hospitalized after a 'violent allergic reaction' to sex. It was thought to only affect less than 100 women globally, until a study in 1997 found that nearly 12 per cent of those reporting symptoms after sex could have the allergy. While Dr Carroll had similar results in his own unpublished survey in 2013, he thinks the true figure could be higher. The professor said: 'It's time to bring this hidden condition out of the shadows and into the consultation room. 'And it's not just women. It's possible some men may be allergic to their own sperm,' he added. In men it has also been called post-orgasmic illness syndrome - because it causes symptoms that last seconds, minutes or even hours after ejaculation. It can cause headaches, burning eyes, a runny nose, sore throat, fever, muscle weakness and fatigue, claimed French researchers last year. More extreme symptoms include palpitations and incoherent speech, wrote an expert from Hospital Center des Quatre Villes, on the outskirts of Paris, in a French journal. In the hours after climaxing, a 22-year-old man was described as suffering from sneezing, watery eyes, stomach cramps, muscle pain and deep fatigue, in a paper published in the American Journal of Case Reports earlier this year. While only 60 cases of post-orgasmic illness syndrome have been reported since it was first discovered in 2002, it could affect many more as it is likely some don't seek medical attention. 'The problem isn't the sperm', explained Dr Carroll, but rather a prostate-specific antigen, a compound found in semen. And it isn't specific to any one partner - women can develop a reaction to any man's ejaculate. There was also evidence of something called 'cross-reactivity' found - when those with existing allergies can develop another one. So if you're allergic to dogs or other things, you may have developed an allergy to sex, even if you don't realize it. 'In one unusual case, a woman with a Brazil nut allergy broke out in hives after sex, probably due to trace nut proteins in her partner's semen,' he said. The diagnostic process involves a review of your sexual and medical history often followed by a skin prick test with your partner's semen or blood tests. Treatments include prophylactic antihistamines to prevent allergic reactions before exposure and anti-inflammatories. There is also desensitization, which involves a doctor placing a diluted semen solution in the vagina or onto the penis, at 20 minutes intervals. While the allergy doesn't directly affect fertility - and many women with SHP successfully conceive - it can complicate things. 'Avoiding the allergen - usually the most effective treatment for allergies - isn't feasible for couples trying to conceive,' he explained. So, if your allergic to sex and you're trying for a baby, you may wish to choose IVF with washed sperm - to avoid the allergen PSA altogether.
BBC News
an hour ago
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Diseased ash trees in Redditch to be felled to protect residents
Trees infected with a deadly disease will be felled in order to protect public Borough Council plan to cut down a number of ash trees along Birchfield Road, from the top of Bromsgrove Road to the slip road for Bromsgrove Highway, in Webhealth, that are infected with ash dieback. The disease leads to leaf loss, branch die and ultimately tree death, however it also poses risk to humans and animals as weakened branches can suddenly fall. Jen Snape from the local authority said it was "imperative" to look after the environment and remove any trees that could become "a safety risk to residents". Orange marks had been placed on infected trees, with work expected to get underway in the coming months, a spokesperson for the borough council said. They added that the removed trees would not be replanted, as the surrounding trees and vegetation were "sufficient to allow natural regeneration". Follow BBC Hereford & Worcester on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
Sky News
2 hours ago
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Carrie Johnson admitted to hospital over 'severe dehydration'
Carrie Johnson - the wife of former prime minister Boris Johnson - has revealed she was admitted to hospital with severe dehydration, as she offered advice to other breastfeeding mothers in the hot weather. Mrs Johnson, 37, posted a picture of herself and her newborn daughter Poppy Eliza Josephine on Friday in a hospital bed. "Being hospitalised for two nights for severe dehydration was not on my postpartum bingo card," she captioned the Instagram post. Mrs Johnson urged other "breastfeeding mums" to make sure they eat and drink enough "in this heat", especially those who are "clusterfeeding". Poppy was born on 21 May, becoming the couple's fourth child after their son Frank, born in July 2023, daughter Romy, born in December 2021, and son Wilfred, born in April 2020. In a separate Instagram story, Mrs Johnson described an "honestly brutal week". "Mastitis (me), reflux (her), dehydration (me). What a pair we are!," she said. "But thank you for all the kind messages, especially all the brilliant advice on reflux. Really appreciate it and made me feel way less alone going thru (sic) it all. And as ever, thanks to our amazing NHS." The NHS recommends drinking plenty of fluids while breastfeeding - and avoiding caffeine and alcohol to stop their effects being passed on to the baby. Having a drink nearby when mothers stop to feed is advised, as is water, lower-fat milk, and low-sugar drinks. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued an amber heat health alert for the next four days. Although not a public weather warning, it advises health and social care organisations of possible dangers to their patients and facilities. Temperatures could reach 34C on Monday - with a 20% chance of beating the hottest June day on record of 35.6C from 1976. The likelihood of record-breaking temperatures could increase over the weekend as the day approaches.
