Baby boomers linked to hepatitis C?

May 24, 2012 - PRLog -- On Saturday, May 19, 2012 the Associate Press reported the story that urged all Baby Boomers born between 1945 and 1965 take a one-time hepatitis C blood test to see if they have this liver disease.
The Center for Disease Control says that this new measure could lead 800,000 more baby boomers to get treatment for Hepatitis C and can save more than 120,000 lives. The CDC says this is a crisis for the country and urges baby boomers to get tested for Hep C now. Hep C is a liver disease that can gradually scar the liver which leads to cirrhosis and cancer; it’s the leading cause of the need for liver transplants.
Here is the toothbrush connection!
Hepatitis C can be spread through sharing needles, tattoos, piercings, manicures, and toothbrushes. Why would this have anything to do with toothbrushes you ask? Since most older people do not share needles or use drugs or have piercings or tattoos, their most common habit is toothbrushing. You would not think of a toothbrush as a deadly liver disease spreader, yet you can see how it would be capable of spreading hepatitis C  if the brush is shared with others. Dr.Parkin of the Cheyenne Mountain Dental Center stated in a recent interview that "sharing tooth brushes is a bad idea.” Toothbrushes should be thrown away every 3 months or discarded if you get sick to prevent re-introducing bacteria and viruses”  For more information on how to properly care for your tooth brush visit: http://greatdentalhealthproducts.com/2011/05/23/everythin...
About 3% of baby boomers will test positive for this Hep C virus. Most people with Hep C don’t even realize they have it and can continue spreading this deadly virus around. A diagnosis of hepatitis C infection doesn't necessarily mean that you will need any treatment. If you only have slight liver abnormalities, you may not need any treatment; your risk of future liver problems is usually very low. Your doctor may recommend follow-up blood tests so they can monitor you for liver problems. Hepatitis C infection is treated with antiviral medications intended to clear the virus from your body. Your doctor may recommend a combination of medications taken over several weeks. Once you complete a course of treatment, your doctor will test your blood for the hepatitis C virus.
If hepatitis C is still present, your doctor may recommend a second round of treatment. Antiviral medications can cause depression and flu-like signs and symptoms, such as fatigue, fever and headache. Some side effects can be serious enough that treatment must be delayed or stopped in certain cases.
If your liver has been severely damaged, a liver transplant may be an option. During a liver transplant, the surgeon removes your damaged liver and replaces it with a healthy liver. Most transplanted livers come from deceased donors, though a small number come from living donors who donate a portion of their liver. For people with hepatitis C infection, a liver transplant is not a cure. Treatment with antiviral medications usually continues after a liver transplant, since hepatitis C infection is likely to recur in the new liver. Your doctor will likely recommend that you receive vaccines against the hepatitis A and B viruses. These are separate viruses that also can cause liver damage and complicate treatment of hepatitis C.

If you would like more information or wish to leave a comment on this topic Email us at drparkin@myhealthymouth.com or to check out our latest blogs you can go to www.Cheyennemountaindentalcenter.com