Front teeth and penicillin
It used to be said that penicillin was the Christmas gift to give someone who has everything!
Today penicillin is no longer the cure all that it once seemed to be. While penicillin – or at least penicillin in some modified form, is still a useful, or indeed the first choice, antibiotic for some infections, it has been largely rendered useless by the development of resistant strains of bacteria. The same fate has befallen many other antibiotics as well – due mainly to overuse for often inappropriate conditions.
Three medical researchers – Scottish Alexander Fleming, Australian Howard Florey and German born Ernst Chain, won the Nobel Prize in 1945 for their discovery and development of penicillin. A year later, now more than two generations ago, the popular song All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth was first published.
These days, it’s likely children want a lot more for Christmas than their front teeth; however, healthy teeth and gums are certainly more important than just for keeping up appearances.
A genetic link has been established between dental disease and heart attacks. Just how exactly they are linked is unknown; but one suggestion is that bacteria involved in gum disease cause a low grade inflammatory response throughout the body, causing changes in the arteries and so leading to stroke or heart attack.
It sometimes seems that at Christmas time there is now more emphasis on gifts than goodwill; and although front teeth or even penicillin may not be front of mind when we make up our Christmas gift list, perhaps we could consider something healthy.
The original gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh were all health related.
As well as its value as a precious metal, gold has also been used in healing. In the 17th century, gold cordials (gold mixed with alcohol) were prescribed for such ailments as melancholy, fainting, swooning and fevers. Although, there is no evidence that these treatments were in any way successful.
Frankincense, as the name implies, has for much of its 4,000 year history been used for is aromatic qualities. Today it is still in wide use as a component of perfumes and toiletries. Records of its medicinal use date back to the 3rd century, when it was recommended for gout, catarrh, colic and gastrointestinal haemorrhage.
In a pharmaceutical sense myrrh seems to have the best credentials. As recently as 50 years ago tincture of myrrh was an ingredient of pain relieving mixtures prescribed by Australian doctors. In Hebrew tradition, myrrh was often mixed with wine and given to a condemned man as an anaesthetic. These days myrrh is valued in some cultures for its antiseptic, antifungal and anti-inflammatory properties.
These items might now be more difficult to obtain – at least for those of us with a limited budget; but as a Christmas gift you might think about a more modern first aid kit.
There are ready prepared varieties for work, home or keeping in the car; or your pharmacists can help you tailor-make one for your own personal needs.
If you’re electronically minded, a home-use blood pressure measuring device (called a sphygmomanometer by the medicos) is a useful gift for someone whose blood pressure might need monitoring. And for people with diabetes the now miniature size blood glucose measuring machines are a must – they’re not much bigger than the “iPod” type music machine, and with the added bonus of no risk of industrial deafness with constant use.
Ask at your local Self Care Pharmacy for more information. Phone the Pharmaceutical Society on 1300 369 772 or check out the website www.psa.org.au for the nearest location. When you’re there you could pick up one of the fact cards on oral hygiene or the appropriate use of antibiotics.