Milk thistle (Silybum marianum), particularly the seeds, has been used medicinally for over 2000 years.  Ancient writings recommend milk thistle not only for liver and gall bladder disorders, but for poisoning of all kinds including from toxic mushrooms and snakebites.  [Read more →]

From The Juneau Empire, October 3, 2007 by Amanda Fehd

Juneau says no to fluoride - Proposition fails 61 to 37 percent

Juneau’s voters delivered a resounding “no” to fluoridating the city’s water supplies on Tuesday, putting an end, for now, to one of the most hotly contested and expensive ballot initiatives in the city’s history.

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From The Juneau Empire, August 15, 2007

Fluoridated water isn’t the answer to dental caries

When I joined the mayoral commission to study the issue of municipal water fluoridation in 2004, I was fairly certain adding fluoride to city water was not the best approach to dental health.

I also had some concerns about the ethics and safety of adding a medicine and waste product to the water system, which virtually forces everyone to consume, bathe in and breathe it. After three years of study, my stance has evolved to a deeper and more urgent level of concern.

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From The Juneau Empire, June 27, 2007

Several dentists and public health workers are attempting, with American Dental Association funding, to gather the 2,000 signatures needed to put the fluoride issue on a ballot in October. While I believe that the citizens of Juneau would step up and vote the right way- to keep our water uncontaminated - as a member of the mayor’s fluoride commission who gave up many nights to research and meet on the issue of fluoridation, it makes me groan to think about going through this again.

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Toothaches and gum diseases are usually only related in that they both occur in the mouth. They have, generally speaking, very different causes and therefore will be discussed separately in this article.

The classic toothache is almost always caused by nerve pain due to an exposed nerve root. While it is true that receding gums can expose nerve roots, causing “tooth” pain, another scenario is that of a filling worn down or fallen out. Chewing gum regularly will make fillings come out more quickly; avoid it if possible. Usually a toothache requires a trip to the dentist, however there a number of treatments you can access relatively easily if you can’t see the dentist right away.

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