After having dental bonding on her three front teeth, Sally felt as if she was in chronic PMS. This symptom would have been easily dismissed as such, but she was post-menopause. Aware that the plasticizer in dental bonding can be made of the synthetic estrogen bisphenol A (BPA), she called her dentist to investigate the material used, and sure enough BPA was a main ingredient.

There has been a lot of news coverage about plastics and epoxies containing BPA in recent years, focusing on BPA in baby products such as bottles, nipples and toys. New York Times columnist Nicholas D. Kristof wrote an informative overview of BPA in "Chemicals in Our Food, and Bodies," and the suspected health problems those 92 percent of us share who have been found to have BPA in our urine. Kristof discussed how the lining in food cans contains BPA, among other sources.

In early 2010, the Food and Drug Administration voiced "some concern" about BPA's safety on the brain, behavior and prostate gland in fetuses, infants and young children. BPA has also been linked to breast and prostate cancer, heart disease and reproductive and sexual problems.

What does a synthetic estrogen do once it enters the body? Synthetic estrogens are part of a group of chemicals called endocrine disrupters. Basically, when you are exposed to an endocrine disruptor, the body is expecting a natural hormone, such as estrogen, and takes in the chemical mimic of the hormone and begins to use it as it would the natural thing. Screech. Suddenly the body's hormonal process malfunctions because in fact the "hormone" was a plastic, and can't function in the much more complex way that the natural hormone would.

When Sally called her dentist, one of his first questions to her was why hadn't the bonding bothered her as much the last time he used it eight or so years earlier? As synchronicity would have it, within a few weeks of the bonding Sally read about a new study that showed that "women in menopause are more prone to the BPA-associated health effects of inflammation and oxidative stress than either men or women who are still menstruating."

It took seven months of back and forth with Sally's dentist to come up with a solution. During that time, Sally gained 10 pounds and felt out of hormonal balance. A so-called BPA-free alternative bonding material that her dentist ordered arrived only to be revealed in the fine print that the material contained BPA, sealed in with polyurethane. Her dentist was reluctant to use something that could be as bad or worse.

Another alternative they discussed was porcelain, but it is very expensive as a bonding material and if it chips, the entire bonding has to be replaced.

Sally and her dentist finally settled upon a simple sealant used to shine and protect teeth from staining. He covered all of the bonding in Sally's mouth with it. As it wears, it shows stains, so it will alert her to a breakdown in her protection.

While the press is full of stories about BPA in baby's bottles and polycarbonate plastic, its astonishing prevalence in dental materials appears to be largely ignored and unknown. Sally's dentist - eager to help - commented that now that he is noticing, BPA is in all regular bonding material and that this issue is not discussed in any of the professional dental journals that he regularly reads.

Menopausal women aside, all age groups and sexes may be vulnerable. Surely we need to use "The Precautionary Principle" and reduce our exposure as much as possible. However, as Mother Nature Network wrote recently, being BPA-free is easier said than done.


Related Topics:

• BPA Protection: Spinach and Soy
• Video: Plastic Food Containers
• Some Unpleasant Sources of BPA: Paper Products

Comment on this blog post and ask your questions about chemicals used in dental bonding and other dental materials on the Oral Health Exchange.

I know this headline awakens the germaphobe in most of us, but before you start pulling out the hand sanitizer, I want to make something clear: Germs are generally benign. In fact, according to Scientific American:

"Most bacteria are well-behaved companions. Indeed, if you are ever feeling lonely, remember that the trillions of microbes living in and on the average human body outnumber the human cells by a ratio of 10 to one. Of all the tens of thousands of known bacterial species, only about 100 are renegades that break the rules of peaceful coexistence and make us sick."

With that said, let's return to the initial question: Do you think a restaurant tray or a park sandbox has more germs? Initially, I thought a restaurant tray. Public + food = germs, at least in my book. I worked in restaurants for 10 years and saw the unsanitary behaviors of both the staff and the patrons.

My assumption was wrong. These are the numbers according to recent NSF International Swab Testing:

[These numbers represent colony-forming units (CFUs) per square inch. A CFU is a measurement of microbial organisms.]

• Store shopping cart: 2
• Restaurant-restroom door handle: 4
• Children's library book: 7
• Stuffed toy in a doctor's office: 8
• School-desk surface: 12
• School computer mouse: 23
• Store floor: 33
• Public-park swing: 59
• Restaurant tray: 204
• School musical instrument: 262
• Video-game controller in an arcade: 551
• Public-park sandbox: 7,440
• Classroom faucet handle: 32,000
• Cafeteria water-fountain spigot: 62,000

Now that you know that the typical playground sandbox can contain more than 36 times the amount of germs as a restaurant tray, let's test your knowledge of germs again. Which has more germs in a typical public school: an animal cage or a cafeteria plate?

This time, I'm totally thinking animal cage - despite my simple equation involving food and the public. Come on, animals in cages live amongst their own excrement! And yet, wrong again!

According to the NSF Top Ten Places Germs Lurk in Schools:

• Animal cage: 1,200
• Student's hand: 1,500
• Toilet seat: 3,200
• Keyboard (classroom): 3,300
• Cafeteria plate: 15,800
• Faucet (hot water handle): 18,000
• Faucet (cold water handle): 32,000
• Plastic reusable cafeteria tray: 33,800
• Water fountain spigot (cafeteria): 62,000
• Drinking water fountain spigot (classroom): 2,700,000

I'm positively befuddled at how an animal cage can be one of the least germy spots in a school. Mark it up as another thing that separates us from the animals - our ability to breed and spread microbes. Still, just as I mention above, most of the germs found were not the kind that pose risks to healthy people. But, this does highlight the types of areas that are germ breeding grounds - and the more germs present, the more chance there is that some of those germs are harmful.

So what can you do?
Wash your hands often. The way the bad germs make us sick is by clinging to our hands and then taking a free ride into our mouth, eyes or nose. If your hands are clean before you touch your face (or food), you're giving yourself an enormous barrier of protection. Here's a CDC primer:

• Apply soap (regular soap works just as well as antibacterial and poses less risks).
• Rub hands together vigorously to make a lather and scrub all surfaces.
• Continue for 20 seconds! It takes that long for the soap and scrubbing action to dislodge and remove stubborn germs.
• Need a timer? Imagine singing "Happy Birthday" all the way through - twice!
• Rinse hands well under running water.
• Dry your hands using a paper towel or air dryer.
  
• If possible, use your paper towel to turn off the faucet.

That final recommendation seems imperative for all those faucet handle foes. And, if you simply wash your hands after touching public keyboards and video game controllers - you'll get rid of germs before they find their way into your system.

What about water fountains and cafeteria plates and trays? First, you can arm your child with a stainless steel reusable water bottle so they don't need to rely on fountains. Many schools are now encouraging students to bring water bottles - after finding what a positive impact hydration has on learning and behavior. Cafeteria trays and plates are tougher. Many parents choose to pack a lunch due to substandard cafeteria fare and those children will apparently be less exposed to lunchroom germ warfare. But, what about parents that don't or can't pack a lunch? Anyone have any ideas for cleaning up school cafeterias?

And, what about that playground sandbox? How would you keep your kid out, especially at parks that have sand as a ground cover? Is it simply a matter of teaching kids not to touch their faces without properly washing their hands? Easier said than done with toddlers.

How about it, readers? What are your non-toxic solutions?

Related Topics:

• Hand Washing Double Bonus
• Healthier Hygiene
• Antibacterial Soap: Do You Need It to Keep Your Home Clean?

Comment on this blog post, share your non-toxic tips, and ask your questions on the Parenting Exchange.

Compare the contents of a cabinet full of conventional cleansers with the greener, healthier cabinet. One-quarter the price, half the volume, twice the peace of mind. You do the math.

Old Cabinet
All-purpose cleaner
Bleach
Carpet cleaner
Dishwasher detergent
Deodorizer
Disinfecting wipes
Drain cleaner
Floor mopping detergent
Floor wax
Furniture polish
Glass cleaner
Grout cleaner
Liquid dishwashing soap
Metal cleaner
Oven cleaner
Scouring cleanser
Silver polish
Soap scum remover
Stain stick/remover
Tile cleaner
Toilet cleaner
= $100+

Green Cabinet
All-purpose non-toxic cleaner
Baking soda
Borax
Castile soap
Dishwashing detergent (non-toxic)
Distilled white vinegar
Essential oils
Hydrogen peroxide
Liquid dishwashing soap (natural)
Vegetable oil-based mopping liquid
= $25

Excerpted from Healthy Child Healthy World: Creating a Cleaner, Greener, Safer Home. Reprinted by arrangement with Plume, a member of Penguin Group (USA) Inc. Copyright (c) 2009 by Healthy Child Healthy World.