Centers for Disease Control: Half of American Adults have Periodontal Disease — linked to diabetes, heart disease

Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show high prevalence of periodontal disease in the U.S. population. -Go get your teeth and gums checked!

CHICAGO, Sept. 4, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- One out of every two American adults aged 30 and over has periodontal disease, according to recent findings from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

 A study titled "Prevalence of Periodontitis in Adults in the United States: 2009 and 2010," estimates that 47.2 percent, or 64.7 million American adults, have mild, moderate or severe periodontitis, the more advanced form of periodontal disease. In adults 65 and older, prevalence rates increase to 70.1 percent. This study is published in the Journal of Dental Research, the official publication of the International and American Associations for Dental Research.

"This is the most accurate picture of periodontal disease in the U.S. adult population we have ever had," said Pamela McClain, DDS, President of the American Academy of Periodontology and a practicing periodontist in Aurora, Colorado. "For the first time, we now have a precise measure of the prevalence of periodontal disease, and can better understand the true severity and extent of periodontal disease in our country. The AAP values its collaboration with CDC to better understand the burden of periodontal disease in Americans."

Periodontal disease is a chronic inflammatory disease that affects the gum tissue and bone supporting the teeth, according to the American Academy of Periodontology. If left untreated, periodontal disease can lead to tooth loss, diabetes and cardiovascular disease. The AAP has worked closely with CDC since 2003 on periodontal disease surveillance.

The American Academy of Periodontology (AAP) supports the American Heart Association’s (AHA) scientific statement “Periodontal Disease and Atherosclerotic Vascular Disease: Does the Evidence Support an Independent Association?” recently published in Circulation. The statement concludes that observational studies to date support an association between periodontal disease and cardiovascular disease, independent of shared risk factors.

The AHA’s statement confirms the conclusions of the statements published by the AAP and the American Journal of Cardiology in 2009 and the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force in 2008. While current research does not yet provide evidence of a causal relationship between the two diseases, scientists have identified biologic factors, such as chronic inflammation, that independently link periodontal disease to the development or progression of cardiovascular disease in some patients.

However, the lack of causal evidence should not diminish concern about the impact of periodontal status on cardiovascular health. According to Pamela McClain, DDS, president of the American Academy of Periodontology and a practicing periodontist in Aurora, Colorado. 

"Periodontal disease and cardiovascular disease are both complex, multi-factorial diseases that develop over time. It may be overly simplistic to expect a direct causal link. The relationship between the diseases is more likely to be mediated by numerous other factors, mechanisms, and circumstances that we have yet to uncover. However, as the AHA statement points out, the association is real and independent of shared risk factors. Patients and healthcare providers should not ignore the increased risk of heart disease associated with gum disease just because we do not have all the answers yet."

 "To really know if you have periodontal disease, a dental professional must examine each tooth above and below the gum line. A visual examination alone, even by the most qualified dentist, is not enough. These findings suggest that many more people have periodontal disease than previously thought, so it is more important than ever to receive a comprehensive periodontal evaluation from your dental professional, every year," Dr. McClain said. Research has shown, and experts agree, that there is an association between periodontal diseases and other chronic inflammatory conditions, such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease and Alzheimer’s disease. Therefore, treating inflammation may not only help manage periodontal diseases but may also help with the management of other chronic inflammatory conditions.

 Complicating the issue is the fact that most people do not have access to affordable dental care as most adult dental benefits are connected to higher-level jobs. In other words, many people do not have dental benefits nor the money to regularly see a dentist. Researchers also found a link between injectable contraceptive use and periodontal disease.

 The study found that women who are currently taking depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA also known as "the shot") injectable contraceptive, or have taken DMPA in the past, are more likely to have indicators of poor periodontal health, including gingivitis and periodontitis, than women who have never taken the injectable contraceptive. DMPA is a long-lasting progestin-only injectable contraceptive administered intermuscularly every three months.

  Treatment

Most periodontists would agree that after scaling and root planing, many patients do not require any further active treatment, including surgical therapy.

No Drunken Sailor Here: Obama tightest spender since Eisenhower

Pres. Obama waves to supporters while campaigning in Chicago, August 11, 2012.
 Photo by Leslie Jones McCloud

According to a Forbes.com article, Who Is The Smallest Government Spender Since Eisenhower? Would You Believe It's Barack Obama? - Forbes , Pres. Barack Obama is has spent fewer government dollars since Dwight Eisenhower.
Referencing a Wall Street Journal Market Watch commentary, Pres. Obama is not making the economy worse, as some right-wing attack ads say. In fact, federal spending is rising at the slowest pace since Dwight Eisenhower brought the Korean War to an end in the 1950s.

TJ Holmes new show Don't Sleep premiers on BET Oct. 1 @ 10CST/11EST

Promoting his new show, former CNN anchor, T.J. Holmes appeared recently (@ the 1:00 minute mark) on 106 & Park : TJ Holmes on Racial Profiling. His new show, "Don't Sleep," premiers on BET October 1, 2012 10 pm Central/ 11 pm EST.
I have been waiting the longest of times for this man's show. Thank You BET.

Northeast Indiana: Hundreds of factory jobs go unfilled because college grads "aren't a good fit"

Half of today's recent college grads cannot find work.

There is not a labor shortage or labor deficiency with the workforce in Indiana or anywhere else.  There is a perception problem between small business owners, the current objectives of human resource professionals and the actual workforce of available, qualified college graduates.

The CNN Money article, Northeast Indiana: Hundreds of factory jobs go unfilled, addresses the labor issue but I would love to get a definition of  "a good fit". What does a Northeastern Indiana factory worker have to know that a college graduate does not know or cannot be trained to do?

This problem of not wanting to hire college graduates is not new, however it has yet to be work shopped or have an in-service or two dedicated to the issue. Human resource professionals understand  the needs of workforce groups but especially in a small business setting, rules come from the top down and what the boss says goes. Often in a small business situation, the human resource point person may not have completed  accredited coursework within the human resources field.

The Small Business Association defines a small business as a manufacturing company that has 500 to 1500 employees and have annual receipts not exceeding $2.5 to $21.5 million. One of the companies profiled in this article has 115 employees.

Companies say they are "getting hundreds of applicants," but those applicants are "not the right fit" or unqualified. If an applicant cannot pass the drug test, it is understandable they cannot be hired. However someone has to qualify the phrase, "not the right fit."

Is it a good fit when the small business owner has to pay double overtime to existing workers because 10 percent of available slots go unfilled based on the fact that the workplace environment they provide, would not be suitable for a college graduate?

Maybe they should look at their workplace environment. A college grad would happily cut their teeth at any job and learn good work habits if those habits are in place and exist.

Just think of all of the bright minds and potential innovation a college graduate can bring to a business that wrong thinking is deflecting.

Twenty percent of adult Hoosiers 25 and older have a bachelor's degree or more, according to the 2000 Census. They, according to some manufacturing companies, would not be a good fit for employment. Is this a sensible thought?


Fort Wayne Indiana is in Allen County. Demographic information from 2010 states that of the 223,089 residents over the age of 25 in Allen County, 70,572 have a high school diploma or GED and 39,680 have a college degree. That means 17.78 percent in that county potentially will not be hired for manufacturing jobs because they are not a good fit.

Mishawaka is in St. Joseph County. Their 2010 demographic information states that of the 169,943 residents over the age of 25, 56,842 have a high school diploma or GED. Degree holders comprise 15.87 percent of the demographic but they are "not a good fit" either.



Almost 18 percent of the demographic in Allen County and nearly 16 percent in St. Joseph County are not a good fit for small business manufacturers in eastern Indiana because they are college graduates. Maybe these applicants are not a good fit because no one will hire them.


As far as unemployed people not accepting certain positions, if the factory job pays less than the unemployment benefit amount and the person can still pay their COBRA premium, it is simple economics. How many times is this scenario actually occurring?

Small business manufacturers need to rethink their hiring process and fill those slots with willing and able workers -- even if those workers are college graduates.
— blog post by Leslie Jones McCloud








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Top Tens & Trends | Top 10 Media Trends | Nielsen - Big Bang Theory

Big Bang Theory is one of my favorite shows. Don't miss it.  Top Tens & Trends | Top 10 Media Trends | Nielsen

Stargaze at Indiana Dunes Aug 11, 2012

Gary has many natural habitats and greenspace.

Perseid Meteor Stargaze at Indiana Dunes State Park, Aug. 11  - Division of State Parks and Reservoirs

Guests are invited to watch the Perseid meteors blaze across the night sky over Lake Michigan at Indiana Dunes State Park’s sixth annual Perseid Meteor Stargaze, Aug. 11.

Hosted by Indiana Dunes State Park Interpretive Services, the event runs from 8:30-11 p.m. CDT at the park’s beach pavilion. In addition to meteor watching, the Stargaze offers other astronomy-related activities and educational programs.
Night sky maps and Native American sky lore begin at 8:30 p.m. at the beach pavilion. After 9 p.m., the stars will begin to appear. Constellation talks will highlight the many star formations that can be viewed this time of year.
 A waning moon will offer unparalleled viewing of the night sky over Lake Michigan, and naturalists will have a telescope for deep sky viewing. All activities are free after the standard gate fee of $5 per in-state vehicle and $10 per out-of-state vehicle. Although a telescope is on-sight, a Celestron Travel Scope 70 Portable Telescope is handy.
The Perseid Meteor Stargaze is made possible with support from the Friends of Indiana Dunes. For more information, call(219) 926-1390. Indiana Dunes State Park is at 1600 North 25 E. Chesterton, 46304. (Thanks for the information Nora Glenn!)

NIPSCO Power outage update: Progress made

Repairs Expected to Extend through the Week-42,000 Remain Without Power Due to Powerful Storm, Severe Winds 

 Considered the most damaging storm event in last five years, additional crews from Missouri, Wisconsin and Ohio have been brought in to assist NIPSCO crews with repairing the damage from  the storm Tuesday morning. While some progress has been made, there are currently 42,000 customers down from 62,000 without power. In total, more than 77,000 customers were affected. NIPSCO will provide additional updates on their outage center website at NIPSCO.com.


In some areas, crews are still working to clear away debris and damage before repair work can begin.
NIPSCO continues to monitor for additional storm activity forecasted for the area.

Safety Tips


NIPSCO Suggests You Prepare Your Home For A Potential Storm-Related Outage

• Life support equipment – If someone in your family requires life support equipment, make prior arrangements for a back-up power supply.
• Stay informed – know what kind of weather is expected
• Clean drains – Remove any debris from storm drains around your home or yard.
• Automatic garage door – Learn how to open and close your door manually without power.
• Emergency kit – Prepare a simple emergency kit to include flash lights, first aid kit, supply of non-perishable food items, three-day supply of bottled water, and a cellular phone.

Stay Safe

Lightning, wind and fallen tree limbs can interrupt electric service. For your safety, please stay away from any downed power lines. Always presume the downed power line is live and extremely dangerous. DO NOT TOUCH THE LINES.