Sunlight exposure may help prevent periodontal disease

Sunlight promotes healthy teeth.As the days get shorter and colder, it gets harder to spend time in the sun, and that’s probably bad for your teeth. According to an article in the Journal of Periodontology from WUSM researcher Charles F. Hildebolt, our teeth may be light-sensitive, at least indirectly. Vitamin D, which regulates calcium absorption, is produced by the body when exposed to sunlight.

Sunlight exposure may help prevent periodontal disease

Sunlight promotes healthy teeth.As the days get shorter and colder, it gets harder to spend time in the sun, and that’s probably bad for your teeth. According to an article in the Journal of Periodontology from a researcher at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, our teeth may be light-sensitive, at least indirectly.

Female athletes at risk for gender-related injuries

Women have different sports medicine needs than men.In sports medicine, it isn’t always true that what’s “good for the goose is good for the gander.” Reporting on issues unique to female runners in the journal Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Clinics of North America, Washington University physical medicine and rehabilitation specialists say women’s bodies adapt to athletic challenges differently. They say that when female athletes get injured, health-care professionals need to consider the anatomic, biomechanical, hormonal and functional factors that are unique to women.

AIDS drug may reduce bone loss in young men with HIV

Ritonavir may slow bone loss in AIDS patients.In a collaborative study initiated by their clinical colleagues, scientists at the School of Medicine have shown that the AIDS drug ritonavir suppresses the creation and activity of cells that dismantle bone, potentially slowing bone loss and lowering the risk of osteoporosis in AIDS patients. The findings may encourage clinicians to consider permanently keeping ritonavir or a similar bone-sparing drug in the changing mixture of treatments for AIDS patients.