Health Wanted: Rabies

The Episode

Goats gone wild. When bats attack. Feral otters. Bloodthirsty beavers. Raccoons with a taste for flesh. No, we’re not extending Halloween into November. This week on Health Wanted, we’re talking about the potential return of rabies.
 

Listen now

The Listener Questions

Submit your questions here

Is mixing baking soda and vinegar with my toothpaste every day actually good for my teeth, or am I doing more harm than good?

Mixing baking soda and vinegar with toothpaste could potentially damage your teeth, particularly when done daily.

Mixing baking soda and vinegar creates a bubbling reaction because baking soda is basic and vinegar is acidic. When combined, they react and move toward a neutral pH, releasing carbon dioxide in the form of bubbles. While the foaming effect may make teeth feel extra clean, it doesn't necessarily mean they're getting cleaner. 

At best, the combination adds no real benefit to your brushing routine, because the acid and base neutralize one another. At worst, it could contribute to enamel damage.

Vinegar is highly acidic, so any that isn't neutralized by the baking soda could remain on the teeth and gradually erode tooth enamel. Baking soda is also sometimes used as a whitening agent, because its mildly abrasive texture can help remove surface stains. However, excessive use can wear down enamel over time.

For an occasional extra cleaning boost, baking soda and water can be used as a paste, but it should not replace regular fluoride toothpaste. Vinegar is best avoided as a teeth-cleaning ingredient because of its acidity.

Ultimately, regular brushing with fluoride toothpaste is all that's needed for an effective daily cleaning routine. The extra bubbles aren't necessarily doing any extra cleaning.

Is the cyclospora outbreak linked to Taylor Farms Lettuce officially over? What have we learned about how it happened and how future outbreaks will be prevented?

The cyclospora outbreak linked to Taylor Farms lettuce farms in Mexico was officially declared over in September of this year.

The outbreak resulted in 12,883 reported cases, 570 hospitalizations, and two deaths across 21 states. However, the actual number of cases is likely higher. Some people may have experienced symptoms without realizing they were connected to the outbreak or reporting their illness.

The FDA officially concluded its outbreak investigation in October. Although investigators were unable to determine exactly how the contamination occurred on the farms, they did find samples of wastewater and drainage water that tested positive for cyclospora. This strongly suggested that Taylor Farms de Mexico was the source of the outbreak.

After Taylor Farms removed lettuce from the affected farms from store shelves in mid-July, reported cases began to decline significantly. Unfortunately, the exact contamination pathway remains unknown. Investigators could not conclusively determine whether contaminated water entered the irrigation system or identify another specific source of contamination.

To reduce the risk of future outbreaks, the FDA has outlined prevention efforts ahead of the next growing season. These include increasing laboratory testing capacity, providing training in partnership with Mexico's health departments, and improving surveillance systems.

While the exact cause of the contamination remains unclear, these additional prevention measures aim to reduce the likelihood of another cyclospora outbreak.
 

Catch all the listener questions and Laurel’s answers on the full episode of Health Wanted by:

• Streaming at wabe.org or the WABE app
• Subscribing on Apple or Spotify
• Watching on WABE's YouTube channel