How to Germ Proof Your Kitchen and Other Household Areas Against Bird Flu and Other Diseases (dentists)
No commentsBy Richard Stooker
Chances are there’re a lot more germs growing in your kitchen and the rest of your house than you think. Your kitchen is a breeding ground for cold, influenza and stomach viruses, as well as the normal microbes that inhabit your skin and digestive tracts.
Even though you think you’re a great housekeeper.
The most dangerous area is the kitchen. Yes, surprising as it seems, your kitchen probably has more germs than your bathroom — where the worst of them are flushed away.
Your kitchen contains a huge number of surfaces. You and your family touch them, and spatter and spill food over counters and the table and onto the floor. You pick up utensils. You cut up and cook food that even if not contaminated also contains nutrition for germ growth.
Yes, you clean your kitchen. But few people practice sanitation as strictly as they could.
One problem is raw meat. Beef can contain E coli 0157 and poultry can contain Salmonella and Campylobacter.
It’s highly unlikely in the U.S. or other developed countries that are watching their poultry flocks very carefully for signs of bird flu, that the chicken you buy in the store has H5N1 virus in it.
But if that should ever happen, these good sanitation habits will help protect you from it.
You should wash your hands WELL at every stage of meal preparation. That means before you start. After you cut up the vegetables. After you put the meat dish into the oven. Before you set the table. And then before you eat.
Every stage of handling and preparing food can possibly spread an infection to your skin. If you wash your hands between the handling of different foods, you reduce the risk that you’ll introduce the new microbes into the next dish you’re cooking.
This washing between foods also applies to utensils and cutting boards.
Never cut up chicken and then use the same surface and knife to cut up vegetables without washing them thoroughly with soap and hot water first.
And don’t wipe food off your hands with your apron or a rag you should throw down, or your apron or rag will have lots of germs from food growing in it and you’ll be transmitting them into what you’re cooking.
And don’t touch your face with your hands until they’re thoroughly washed, or you could be introducing germs from the food into your own body.
Also, all meat and fish should be thoroughly cooked — well done. Never serve any meat with any pink left in it. The heat of cooking kills a lot of microbes and parasites that could otherwise make you ill.
Of course, you need to keep your floor swept and mopped with disinfectant, and all counters and tables cleaned and disinfected. And all dishes and utensils washed well with hot water.
Any throw rugs or curtains in the kitchen should be washed regularly. Any rubber mats should be cleaned with water and bleach. Washclothes and sponges should be kept dry.
c 2006 by Richard Stooker
Richard Stooker is the author of How to Protect Yourself and Your Family From Bird Flu and
Bird Flu Blog
Creating The Brilliant Smile You Deserve
Keep Your Dentures in Good Condition
By Charles Kassotis
If you don’t wear dentures currently, there’s a good chance that you will at some future point. Millions of people around the world have been fitted with artificial dental plates, bridges, and other forms of denture appliances to make their smile more attractive and to help them eat more easily. Teeth help us to talk, to eat, and to express ourselves in a variety of situations, and without them may put us at a loss. That is why an average person may spend thousands of dollars to regain use of lost teeth by getting dentures.
After getting your dentures, you don’t want to forget about their care. It may be tempting to stop brushing if several teeth have been pulled and replaced by an artificial device. But you need to keep dentures clean and in good condition if you want them to last. Your dentist or hygienist will explain how to brush, soak, and otherwise clean your dentures when you receive them. There are several steps to be followed, and taking shortcuts may lead to stained, broken, or ill-fitting teeth that could become increasingly uncomfortable.
1. Use a dental adhesive to get your dentures to fit properly. Stuffing them into your mouth any old way can lead to sores or an improper fit, which could throw off your chewing and speech. Work with your dentures at first until you develop a routine for getting them into your mouth smoothly and easily. It won’t take long, and the results will be worth it. If the adhesive irritates your mouth or doesn’t work right, ask your dentist to recommend another product. He or she may be able to provide samples.
2. Brush your dentures daily. Use the toothpaste recommended by your dentist. Treat them as well as you would your original teeth. Then soak them in the suggested solution overnight unless you plan to wear them while sleeping. Be sure to rinse them thoroughly to remove excess toothpaste or soaking solution. Use mouthwash as needed for extra anti-bacterial assistance and oral freshness.
3. Report any problems to your dentist. If the dentures chip, bend, or otherwise get broken or warped, let your dentist know so they can be quickly repaired. Leaving them out of your mouth for more than a day or two may cause your mouth to regain its former position, which will make it difficult to start wearing the dentures again when they have been repaired or replaced. Also let the dentist know if you experience any sores, a bad taste, or other generalized problems with your mouth after you begin wearing dentures.
Denture care is not difficult, but it needs to be practiced consistently for good results. Don’t neglect any remaining original teeth you have, but rather give them great care to keep them as long as possible. Let your dentist know if you develop tooth sensitivity or discomfort that may signal a cavity. Heading off major problems can help your dentures to work more effectively and for longer periods of time.
If you would like to learn more about this important part of your daily hygiene regimen, visit the Denture Spot at http://www.denturespot.com
Monday, August 25th, 2008 at 11:40 am and is filed under Creating The Brilliant Smile You Deserve. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
