Dental Tribune Middle East & Africa Edition

Goodnewsforwomenwholike to start the day with a cup of coffee; scientists say it may sig- nificantly reduce your chances of having a stroke. In a study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association (JAMA), Swedish re- searchers found that women who drank more than a cup of coffee a day cut their risk of stroke by 22 to 25 per cent. Stroke is a major cause of early death in the UK, along with heart disease and cancer. The researchers looked at data from more than 34,000 women aged between 49 to 83 whose health had been tracked for around 10 years. After taking into account other risk factors, such as smok- ing status, body mass index, his- tory of diabetes, high blood pres- sure and alcohol, coffee con- sumption was linked to a statisti- cally significant reduced risk of different types of stroke. Thebenefitofdrinkingcoffee was the same whether the women drank one to two or sev- eral cups of coffee each day. The researchers said people should not change their coffee- drinking habits, but the study should ease the concerns of women. "Some women have avoided consuming coffee because they have thought it is unhealthy," said study leader Dr Susanna LarsonfromtheKarolinskaInsti- tute. "In fact, increasing evidence indicates that moderate coffee consumption may decrease the risk of some diseases such as dia- betes, liver cancer and possibly stroke." She also said that drinking coffee may cut the risk of stroke by reducing inflammation and oxidative stress and improving insulin sensitivity. Dr Sharlin Ahmed, research liaisonofficeratTheStrokeAsso- ciation,said;“Wehaveknownfor some time that antioxidants found in certain foods and drink, including coffee, could help to reduce a person’s stroke risk. This research provides further support to this theory. "However, it’s important to note that caffeine intake can also contribute to high blood pres- sure, the single biggest risk fac- tor for stroke. We therefore rec- ommend moderate to low-level consumptionofcoffeeaspartofa healthy balanced diet combined with regular exercise to help re- duce your overall stroke risk.” DT Coffee may cut stroke risk in women More than one cup daily may reduce risk by 25% News & Opinions DENTALTRIBUNE Middle East & Africa Edition4 AD Noise-cancelling technology could soon be available in dental practices. Clinicians from the Kings College in London in the UK said to have invented a de- vice that blocks out the shrill sound generated by air turbines in modern dental handpieces, a main cause for anxiety among patients. DT Device lets patients rest fromdentaldrill