TheHistory ofLaborDay A CELEBRATION OF HARD WORK Americans work hard, and on the first Monday of every September we take a moment to acknowledge their efforts. Labor Day is one of America’s longest standing national holidays, and it celebrates how much workers have contributed to making the United States the most prosperous nation on the planet. The holiday has a fascinating history, and one that you might not expect.
The results of the study weren’t surprising. The group of patients who focused on preventative oral care saw their risk of developing tooth decay fall by 30–50 percent. In addition, patients who were considered at high risk for developing tooth decay, but who had improved their oral care, saw their risk drop by a staggering 80 percent! The lead researcher of the study, Professor Wendell Evans, concluded that, in many cases, tooth decay had the potential to be stopped and reversed, if not outright prevented. When early signs of tooth decay are spotted, it can be targeted. Extra effort can be placed on controlling the decay, ensuring it doesn’t progress to the point where a filling becomes necessary. All it takes is a deliberate approach to care, treatment, and lifestyle. This study is great news for people who hate the idea of getting a filling, whether that antipathy stems from the procedure itself or the resulting medical costs. It also confirms what many dentists have long reminded patients: You can’t beat prevention when it comes to maintaining a healthy smile. public demonstration by the Central Labor Union was a massive success. Labor Day didn’t become a federal holiday, though, until a few years later. In 1894, the American Railway Union went on strike against the Pullman Company in what is now known as the Pullman Strike. President Grover Cleveland called in the Army and U.S. Marshals in an attempt to break the strike, and several workers in Chicago lost their lives. In an effort to quell tensions and garner union vote support (politics has always been politics), President Cleveland signed Labor Day into law just six days after the strike ended. The holiday may be most famous now as marking the end of summer, but it’s importance is far greater than simply signaling that it’s time to cover your grill for the winter. Our country would not be what it is today without the immense effort of laborers. As you enjoy the last long weekend before fall, take a moment to acknowledge just what a difference these hardworking people make.
We are all familiar with the adage “prevention is the best medicine,” and dentists, doctors, and medical professionals in every field stress this with their patients. When it comes to oral health, and health in general, preventative care can make all the difference. Not only can preventative care lead to better overall health, it can lower health care-related costs in the future. When it comes to oral health, the results of preventative care are impressive. A seven-year study spearheaded by the University of Sydney in Australia confirmed the aforementioned truism. Originally published in December, 2015, the study examined 1,000 patients at 22 dental practices around Australia. Researchers compared two groups of patients: those who had “drill and fill” treatment (they had two or more cavities per year, plus fillings) and those who took preventative measures. The preventative patients received high-concentration fluoride varnish treatments from their dentists, regularly brushed and flossed, and limited their intake of sugary foods and beverages. The roots of Labor Day stretch back to the Industrial Revolution, when jobs became plentiful, but workers’ rights weren’t exactly at a premium. As conditions worsened and work days grew longer, unions sprang up as a way to protect the rights of the common laborer. Workers in Canada didn’t fare quite so well because unions were illegal. Eventually, enough was enough, and in 1872, workers marched directly to the door of Canadian Prime Minister John Macdonald, demanding the right to organize. He relented, and the march became a Canadian tradition. As for who brought the tradition to our country, there are two competing candidates, who just so happen to be named Maguire and McGuire. Peter J. McGuire, a carpenter and member of the American Federation of Labor, witnessed the celebrations in Canada and proposed a similar parade to New York City’s Central Labor Union in 1882. The very same year, machinist Matthew Maguire proposed a national Labor Day after a
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A RENEWED LOOK AT PREVENTATIVE ORAL CARE
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