7 minute read
global briefs
Green Future
Planting 500 Billion Trees
The UK tech company Dendra claims their drone can plant two trees per second using artificial intelligence for guidance in an effort to re-green the Earth. Their ambitious goal is to plant 500 billion trees by 2060 with 400 teams of two drone operators and 10 drones per team. The plan would plant 10 billion trees per year 10 times more cheaply than planting by hand, especially in remote areas. First, the replanting areas are identified using a combination of satellite images and drone-collected data. Then, specialized drones carrying seedpods that contain a germinated seed and nutrients use pressurized air to fire the seeds into the ground once in proper position as determined by an algorithm. The seedpods penetrate the ground and start to grow when activated by precipitation. The World Wildlife Fund estimates the planet is losing 27 football fields of forest every minute due to deforestation. Dendra CEO Susan Graham says, “We need to use technology to scale up our restoration efforts, and the scale we’re talking about is tens of billions of trees every year. We’ll be able to see the ecosystems that we’ve restored from space.”
Peaceful Settlement
Native Americans Win Historic Water Battle
The Indigenous Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes have reached an historic $1.9 billion water rights settlement with Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland, resolving thousands of tribal claims to waterways in Montana. The largest of its kind, this agreement authorizes funding to modernize the Flathead Indian Irrigation Project, a 1,300-mile network of aging canals. It also provides funding for habitat restoration and transfers control of the National Bison Range to the tribes. The dispute stems from the 1855 Treaty of Hellgate, which created the 1.25-million-acre reservation. The agreement establishes a Flathead Reservation Water Management Board to govern water use within the reservation. Two members of the board will be chosen by the tribe, two will be chosen by the governor of Montana and a fifth will be chosen by the four appointed members. Tribal Chairwoman Shelly R. Fyant says, “Our elders continually remind us to protect our water, and this day marks the beginning of the water compact implementation that will protect the water for all generations to come.”
Ryan Rusche, an attorney for the tribes, says, “The settlement provides water to fulfill the purpose of the reservation, which is a permanent homeland for the tribes, while at the same time protecting existing non-Indian uses of water on the reservation where there is a significant irrigation-based economy.”
Holy Smoke!
Forever Chemicals in Indoor Air
University of Rhode Island research published in Environmental Science & Technology Letters describes a new technique for measuring the presence of per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) in indoor air, which found them in kindergarten classrooms, offices, laboratories and a home. We have known about toxic “forever chemicals” in food and drinking water, and it seems they are also ubiquitous in the air. PFAS are a class of approximately 9,000 chemicals used to improve stain, water or heat resistance in products. The public health concern is that they don’t break down in the environment. PFAS accumulate in animals and humans and are linked to health impacts including cancer, birth defects and immune suppression.
The scientists think PFAS enter the atmosphere when compounds break off of treated products like coats or carpets and attach to dust. “It’s an underestimated and potentially important source of exposure to PFAS,” says study co-author and Green Science Policy Institute Senior Scientist Tom Bruton.
According to the Institute, schools and offices can protect students and employees by replacing carpeting, but that doesn’t prevent PFAS from entering via coats or shoes. Bruton writes, “As long as they continue to be used in products, we’ll all be eating, drinking and breathing PFAS. We need to turn off the tap and stop all unnecessary uses of PFAS as soon as possible.”
Oxygen Absorption While Sleeping
Oral Sleep Appliances Assist with Proper Levels
by Amparo David
Sleeping is one of the most vital building blocks of maintaining one’s health. Proper sleep involves breathing air through the nose where it is filtered, moving through the trachea and into the lungs where the purified oxygen is absorbed into the bloodstream. Maintaining an oxygen level between 90 and 100 percent is essential to keep muscles and organs thriving.
Unfortunately, 50 percent of Americans suffer from some form of sleep-disordered breathing, which creates a disturbance in the proper absorption of oxygen while sleeping. In some instances, these disturbances can be characterized into a condition called sleep apnea.
Sleep apnea involves a complete blockage in the airway that can last up to a staggering 20 seconds until a person wakes up gasping for air. These apneic episodes can occur up to 100 times per hour in severe cases. As a result, the needed amount of oxygen is certainly not absorbed. Left untreated, these disorders can result in unwanted health conditions related to blood pressure, digestion and mental disturbances. Fortunately, there is treatment available for diagnosed sleep disorders.
Often, sleep apnea is accompanied by pain in the temporomandibular joint, or the TMJ. The TMJ is the joint area found on either side of the head where the lower jaw connects to the skull. TMJ discomfort, or TMJ disorders, will often involve occurrences of grinding or clenching the teeth. If sleep apnea is occurring, the brain will register an insufficient amount of oxygen absorption and will solicit the mouth to open to find another air passage. While this response occurs, the lower jaw will move forward to open the airway. This movement will
manifest into grinding the teeth, also known as bruxism. This excess pressure put on the teeth and movement of the lower jaw can result in disturbances to the TMJ function as well as discomfort in the associated area.
If there is a suspected TMJ or sleep disorder, there are symptoms to watch out for. This includes a popping or crunching sound while opening and closing the mouth. This sound is due to improper placement and function of the TMJ, resulting in bone-onbone friction. Other symptoms to be mindful of include day-time drowsiness, headaches, soreness in the back and neck, ear discomfort, jaw and tooth discomfort. Young children may also exhibit symptoms such as slow learning, difficulty concentrating, irritability, hyper personality and bed wetting. During a check-up at the dentist, the hygienist or doctor may help with the diagnosis of a suspected sleep disorder by inspecting any present wear facets on the teeth.
Prior to treating sleep apnea, it is important to correctly diagnose it. To do this, a sleep study is indicated for practitioners to observe a patient while sleeping to examine the number and duration of apnea occurrences. Once validating sleep apnea is occurring, custom-fitted appliance therapy can be provided to treat the disorder. An oral appliance is a small acrylic device that fits over the upper and lower teeth. The purpose of an oral appliance is to advance the lower jaw forward, placing the TMJ in the correct position as well as opening the airway. By wearing this specialized appliance, the correct function of the airway will be restored along with the needed levels of oxygen absorption.
Many medical insurance companies will cover a large portion of the cost of the appliance if there is a diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea that will cause harmful consequences left untreated. Getting tested for a suspected sleep disorder is a recommendation that should not be taken lightly. If a dentist or primary care physician suspects sleep quality that is not at its fullest potential, following through with their recommendations is vital. You may be suffering from obstructive sleep apnea when there is treatment available to drastically improve your quality of life.
Dr. Amparo M. David, DMD, has her own practice, Dentistry by Dr. David, located at 563 Main St., Bolton, MA, where she practices general and cosmetic dentistry and orthodontics. She also has completed a residency in dental sleep medicine and sleep apnea and is able to assist her patients with this common problem. For more information, call 978-779-2888 or visit BoltonDental.com. See ad on page 7 and Resource Guide on pages 35 and 36.
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