Union Jack Gets Some Bite
There may soon be a vaccine for tooth decay. Apparently, British scientists have developed a plant-based vaccine that is painted on the teeth and produces antibodies that prevent cavity-causing bacteria from sticking. The tasteless, colorless vaccine was reported to have been successfully tested by scientists at Guys Hospital dental school in London. It’s no surprise the Brits invented it. They have long specialized in tasteless, colorless things to chew.
Scent of a Woman
Guys, even if you lose your Leonardo DiCaprio mask, don’t worry, because you can still drive the ladies wild with passion. All you need to do is introduce them to your friends--Good & Plenty candies and cucumbers. The aromas from these two substances apparently arouse women more than any other odor tested, according to a recent study at the Smell & Taste Treatment and Research Foundation in Chicago. Researchers weren’t certain whether the smells worked their magic because of memory association or pre-programmed brain response. In a side study, researchers found that men responded most to the aromas of lavender and pumpkin pie.
Spitballs
At high school baseball games in California, it’s not just the foul balls you have to watch out for. Almost half of the state’s high school baseball players indulge in smokeless tobacco, according to a recent study by UC San Francisco. That’s almost 2 1/2 times the national average for spit-tobacco use among male high school students. Spit tobacco is a leading cause of oral cancer, which claims about 8,000 lives each year. Where these kids get the idea to shove a wad of tobacco in their mouths when their big league heroes would never . . . oh, forget it.
Angry Young Men
Yet another reason not to smoke: Boys born to women who smoke more than half a pack of cigarettes a day during pregnancy are significantly more likely to have a conduct disorder than those born to nonsmoking mothers. Symptoms of conduct disorder include frequent lying, vandalism, fire-setting, stealing and physical cruelty. The study, conducted by researchers at the University of Chicago and the University of Pittsburgh, suggests that maternal cigarette smoking may disrupt fetal brain development, which in turn makes anti-social behavior more likely as the child ages. The study estimates that as many as 25% of pregnant women smoke.
