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The Raelian Movement
for those who are not afraid of the future : http://www.rael.org
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http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/7972823/Why-not-brushing-your-teeth-can-kill-you.html
Why not brushing your teeth can kill you
Scientists have found the reason why not cleaning your teeth can cause heart attacks.
By Stephen Adams
Published: 6:30AM BST 06 Sep 2010
A link between poor oral hygiene and increased risk of heart attack has long been suspected.
But until now nobody has been able to figure out exactly why not brushing regularly might bring one on.
Now a Bristol University dental scientist has discovered that a common bacteria responsible for tooth decay and gum disease can break out into the bloodstream and help blood clots to form.
In turn these can cause heart attacks and strokes, which together cause more than 200,000 deaths in Britain every year.
Most of them time Streptococcus bacteria are confined to the mouth, but when someone has bleeding gums they can get into the blood.
There the bacteria use a protein on their surface, called PadA, to force blood platelets to bind together to give themselves a protective shield.
Howard Jenkinson, professor of oral microbiology, said: "What we have done is whittled down to a single protein molecule on the surface of bacteria that can activate platelet formation.
"It is the first time that a mechanism from a single bacterium has been shown to activate platelets and make them spread."
Describing the mechanism, he said: "When the platelets clump together they completely encase the bacteria. This provides a protective cover not only from the immune system, but also from antibiotics that might be used to treat infection.
"Unfortunately, as well as helping out the bacteria, platelet clumping can cause small blood clots, growths on the heart valves.or inflammation of blood vessels that can block the blood supply to the heart and brain."
The study provides evidence for yet one more reason to brush one's teeth and - ideally - floss.
"People need to be aware that as well keeping a check on their diet, blood pressure, cholesterol and fitness levels, they also need to maintain good dental hygiene to minimise their risk of heart problems," said the scientist.
But the research should also speed up the development of drugs which could prevent potentially deadly blood clots from forming in the first place.
Prof Jenkinson described the discovery of the key protein as a "new tool" on which to test drugs which might stop it from clotting blood.
He is working with Dr Steve Kerrigan of the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland to see how the protein's platelet-causing function can be blocked.
"This could eventually lead to new treatments for cardiovascular disease which is the biggest killer in the developed world," said Prof Jenkinson.
He is presenting the research today (MON) at the Society for General Microbiology's autumn conference.
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WARNING FROM RAEL: For those who don't use their intelligence at its full
capacity, the label "selected by RAEL" on some articles does not mean that I
agree with their content or support it. "Selected by RAEL" means that I believe
it is important for the people of this planet to know about what people think or
do, even when what they think or do is completely stupid and against our
philosophy. When I selected articles in the past about stupid Christian
fundamentalists in America praying for rain, I am sure no Rael-Science reader
was stupid enough to believe that I was supporting praying to change the
weather. So, when I select articles which are in favor of drugs, anti-semitic,
anti-Jewish, racist, revisionist, or inciting hatred against any group or
religion, or any other stupid article, it does not mean that I support them. It
just means that it is important for all human beings to know about them. Common
sense, which is usually very good among our readers, is good enough to
understand that. When, like in the recent articles on drug decriminalization, it
is necessary to make it clearer, I add a comment, which in this case was very
clear: I support decriminalizing all drugs, as it is stupid to throw depressed
and sad people (as only depressed and sad people use drugs) in prison and ruin
their life with a criminal record. That does not mean that there is any change
to the Message which says clearly that we must not use any drug except for
medical purposes. The same applies to the freedom of expression which must be
absolute. That does not mean again of course that I agree with anti-Jews,
antisemites, racists of any kind or anti-Raelians. But by knowing your enemies
or the enemies of your values, you are better equipped to fight them. With love
and respect of course, and with the wonderful sentence of the French philosopher
Voltaire in mind: "I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death
your right to say it".
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"Ethics" is simply a last-gasp attempt by deist conservatives and
orthodox dogmatics to keep humanity in ignorance and obscurantism,
through the well tried fermentation of fear, the fear of science and
new technologies.
There is nothing glorious about what our ancestors call history,
it is simply a succession of mistakes, intolerances and violations.
On the contrary, let us embrace Science and the new technologies
unfettered, for it is these which will liberate mankind from the
myth of god, and free us from our age old fears, from disease,
death and the sweat of labour.
Rael
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