is-drinking-olive-oil-good-for-you?-a-nutritionist-weighs-in
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Is drinking olive oil good for you? A nutritionist weighs in

Bydi Monica Coviello

Olea europaea. (Photo by: Paroli Galperti/REDA&CO/Universal Images Group via Getty Images) REDA&CO/Getty Images After turmeric water, lemon water and apple cider vinegar, the new trend among the health-conscious seems to be drinking extra virgin olive oil in the morning on an empty stomach. A special elixir which, as videos and testimonials on social media assure, is capable of providing numerous heath benefits and can even help with weight loss. But do you really need to drink it to reap the rewards? La Cucina Italiana asked the biologist and nutritionist Concetta Montagnese, a researcher at the Institute of Food Sciences of the CNR. The benefits of extra virgin olive oil Concetta confirms that extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) is indeed a very precious and indispensable food with many beneficial effects. “Olive oil is a powerful anti-inflammatory ingredient, which helps fight cardiovascular diseases and diabetes. Rich in important monounsaturated fatty acids, including oleic acid, and polyphenols, particularly oleocanthal, it also contains a lot of vitamin E, which is beneficial for the immune system and the skin. Thanks to its antioxidant compounds, it helps cells stay younger,” the nutritionist explains. “Some studies have also associated high consumption of extra virgin olive oil with cancer prevention.” Extra virgin or regular: Which olive oil is better? For the most benefits, make sure to get extra virgin olive oil (EVOO). Extra virgin olive oil boasts a higher concentration of all the great vitamins and antioxidants. Is a spoonful of olive oil a day good for you? To benefit from its full effect, a consumption of more than 20 grams per day of olive oil is recommended, which is equivalent to more than two tablespoons. The effects seem to be stronger with increasing consumption. However, we know that extra virgin olive oil is a very calorific food (100 grams contain about 900 calories). “The Italian guidelines suggest consuming between 20 and 40 grams per day, from two to four tablespoons,” says Concetta, “because when we talk about a balanced diet, we must not only refer to the number of calories but also to the nutritional values and the composition of the food. Extra virgin olive oil contains 99% fat, but predominantly good fats, which help keep the body healthy and are also essential for the proper functioning of the metabolism. This precious food is therefore also indicated in cases of obesity and metabolic syndrome. If anything, its deficiency is harmful: EVOO is one of the cornerstones of the Mediterranean diet and cannot be replaced with any other type of food or condiment.” Should you drink olive oil on an empty stomach for the most benefits? Contrary to what social media may say, it is not necessary to drink extra virgin olive oil in the morning on an empty stomach. “To date, no study has shown that drinking oil in the morning is more effective than using it as a condiment in main meals. Its consumption throughout the day is certainly beneficial and keeps the body healthy, but more than taking it alone, combining it with certain foods can help improve the absorption of important bioactive compounds (for example, the antioxidants in tomatoes), with beneficial effects. It is somewhat fashionable to seek a magic potion for health, and thus prepare elixirs to consume in the morning or on an empty stomach, but it is enough to consolidate the healthy habits of the Mediterranean diet – and use the oil as a condiment, preferably raw, and in sautéing – to reap all the possible benefits.” Alziari Extra Virgin Olive Oil, 500ml Frantoio Muraglia Intense Fruity Extra Virgin Olive Oil in Sardine Terracotta Bottle MEET THE EXPERT Concetta Montagnese is a researcher at the Institute of Food Sciences of the CNR and a biologist and nutritionist in Italy. This story originally featured on La Cucina Italiana

im-abandoned:-seniors-trapped-by-broken-elevator-in-vancouvers-west-end
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Seniors trapped by broken elevator in Vancouvers West End

BySimon Little

Seniors living in an apartment building in Vancouver’s West End say they’ve had no elevator service for over a month, leaving many of them stranded. Some residents of the 12-storey building at 1254 Pendrell St., like Nicholas Lebessis, say they’ve essentially been trapped in their apartments because they can’t use the steep stairway. “I can’t live like this. I can’t even go down one stair. I have a reconstructed knee,” Lebessis said. Lebessis, who lives on the top floor of the building, hasn’t left his apartment in a month. “I can’t go out of here, I can’t get any exercise,” he said. “It is frustrating of course. I can’t go out for a little walk around the block, I can’t go out for groceries.” 1:49 Locals offer help as West End seniors’ struggle with broken apartment elevator The elevator stopped working after October’s atmospheric river. During the storm, some residents said they saw water pouring down the elevator shaft. Story continues below advertisement The building houses seniors, some with mobility issues, and neighbours and volunteers have since stepped up to help by delivering groceries, medications and other supplies to residents who can’t get off their floors. Get weekly health news Receive the latest medical news and health information delivered to you every Sunday. Lebessis said he’s been paying university students to do his laundry for him. “It’s a dirty job, but someone’s got to do it,” he said. “A man cannot live without clean underwear.” Residents say they’ve been told repairs to the elevator could take more than a year, and that there doesn’t seem to be any urgency on the part of the building’s operators to get the job done. They’re also raising safety concerns in the event of an emergency. “This is totally unacceptable,” Lebessis said. “I don’t want to have them to carry me down 12 flights of stairs.” Trending Now 2:01 Vancouver seniors stuck with no elevator The building is operated by the Pendrellis Society, with funding through BC Housing. Story continues below advertisement Freshly re-appointed Housing Minister Ravi Kahon said the province is providing emergency funding. “Seven brand new units opened up on the ground floor for those that have accessibility issues, and we’ve also offered them additional supports for fixing the elevators,” Kahlon said. “They haven’t taken us up on it. They said they’ve got a plan to do that.” The society’s plan remains unclear: the organization listed no contact information on its website, and Global News was unable to reach the operators. Lebessis said he just wants his independence back. “It’s ridiculous. They’re not working on it,” he said. “I’m feeling let down … I’m abandoned.”

mediterranean-diet-may-lower-risk-of-co-occurring-heart-conditions
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Mediterranean diet may lower risk of co-occurring heart conditions

ByJessica Freeborn

Share on Pinterest The Mediterranean diet may lower the risk of developing several cardiometabolic conditions at the same time. Image credit: Gabi Bucataru/Stocksy. The Mediterranean diet has many known health benefits, and experts are still learning about the benefits of this dietary pattern. One study found that following the Mediterranean diet may help decrease the risk of transition from one to multiple cardiometabolic diseases like heart attack and stroke, particularly over shorter timeframes. People can take multiple action steps to help decrease their risk for cardiometabolic multimorbidity. The Mediterranean diet focuses on plant-based foods, uses olive oil, and includes lots of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. There has been much interest in the health benefits of this diet, particularly when it comes to cardiovascular health . Researchers found that following the Mediterranean diet may decrease the chances of someone going from developing a first cardiometabolic disease to cardiometabolic multimorbidity — multiple co-occurring conditions related to cardiovascular and metabolic health — during 10 and 15-year follow-up periods. As noted in this study, cardiometabolic diseases include conditions like stroke, heart attack, and type 2 diabetes. Having two or more of these conditions is called cardiometabolic multimorbidity. This research wanted to find if following the Mediterranean diet could decrease the risk for first cardiometabolic disease and cardiometabolic multimorbidity. The research included 21,900 participants who did not have heart attack, stroke, or type 2 diabetes at baseline. Researchers measured participants’ adherence to the Mediterranean diet using two scores: pyramid-based Mediterranean diet score and median-based Mediterranean diet score. The median follow-up time was 21.4 years, and researchers looked at the incidences of heart attack, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and death. They accounted for covariates like age, education, family history of heart attack or stroke, particular medication use, and physical activity levels. Throughout the study, 5,028 participants experienced one cardiometabolic disease, and 734 participants experienced cardiometabolic multimorbidity. Overall, following the Mediterranean diet had a demonstrated benefit. Looking at both types of Mediterranean dietary scores, researchers found that following this dietary pattern was associated with a decreased risk for cardiometabolic multimorbidity for the 21.4-year follow-up. Researchers next focused on how the Mediterranean diet affected transitioning from first cardiometabolic disease to cardiometabolic multimorbidity. At the 10 and 15-year marks, the Mediterranean diet was associated with a decreased risk of this transition. Further analysis suggested that this observed risk reduction may be particularly related to first experiencing a heart attack or developing type 2 diabetes. However, over the follow-up of more than 20 years, researchers did not find a statistically significant risk reduction for this transition associated with the Mediterranean diet. The researchers also conducted some additional analyses to look at how social class may have played into risk association. Non-manual workers appeared to reap the most benefit from following the Mediterranean diet over the median follow-up of just over 20 years. This group saw a decreased risk for first cardiometabolic disease and a decreased risk for this first instance transitioning to cardiometabolic multimorbidity. In contrast, manual workers did not appear to have this decrease in transition risk. Rigved Tadwalkar, MD, a board-certified consultative cardiologist and medical director of the Cardiac Rehabilitation Center at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, CA, who was not involved in this research, shared his thoughts on the study’s findings with Medical News Today. According to Tadwalkar, “the study provides strong evidence that adherence to the Mediterranean diet can significantly lower the risk of transitioning from a first cardiometabolic event, like a heart attack or stroke, to additional cardiometabolic conditions, like type 2 diabetes mellitus.” Moreover, he noted: “The finding that this association is more apparent in shorter follow-up periods [of] 10–15 years suggests that the protective effects of diet are most impactful in earlier stages of disease development. It also highlights how socioeconomic factors, including social class, may modify dietary impacts on health. Specifically, [it highlights] that diet quality and access to Mediterranean foods may be less accessible to some populations.” It is also critical to understand the limitations of this research. For example, the data primarily focused on people of European heritage, which limits generalizability. The participants were also adults aged 40 and older, so looking at younger demographics may be helpful in future research. Researchers did not identify participants who had baseline chronic coronary syndromes, which could have ultimately led to an overestimation of the Mediterranean diet’s effects. They also did not differentiate between stroke subtypes. The researchers only measured participants’ adherence to the Mediterranean at baseline, which could have further affected the results. Moreover, participants also self-reported their dietary choices and adherence, which might not have matched their actual diets. Other information related to lifestyle was also self-reported. Additionally, the scoring methods to measure Mediterranean dietary adherence were not without error risk. The researchers also acknowledged a few possible reasons why adherence to the Mediterranean diet appeared to have the most effect on the transition from first cardiometabolic disease to cardiometabolic multimorbidity at the 10 and 15-year follow-up periods. For one, baseline dietary scores could decrease in accurately reporting diet quality over time. Thus, more research may be needed to look at the long-term effects of the Mediterranean diet on this health area. They also noted a few reasons for the differences between manual and non-manual workers. For example, their research did not look at the specific types of food items, and participants with lower socioeconomic status could

dementia:-physical-activity-of-any-intensity-may-help-lower-death-risk
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Dementia: Physical activity of any intensity may help lower death risk

ByJessica Freeborn

Share on Pinterest Scientists have found cognitive benefits from regular exercise for people at risk for dementia. sofie delauw/Stocksy Exercise is related to many health benefits, and researchers are interested in discovering how physical activity affects specific sub-populations. One study suggests that people who maintain or start physical activity after receiving a dementia diagnosis may be at decreased risk for all-cause mortality. People with dementia can work with doctors, physical therapists, and caregivers to implement helpful physical activity routines. Physical activity can offer multiple benefits , from weight management to decreasing the risk of heart disease. It may also help lower the risk of developing dementia. Another area of interest is the effects of physical activity after dementia has already been diagnosed. A study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine evaluated the relationship between levels of and changes in physical activity and mortality among people with dementia. The researchers found that maintained physical activity before and after diagnosis was associated with the lowest mortality risk. All levels of sustained physical activity were associated with decreased mortality risk. In addition, the researchers found that starting physical activity after a dementia diagnosis could reduce mortality risk by 20% or more. The results suggest that exercise should be greatly encouraged among people with dementia. As noted by the study authors, Alzheimer’s disease is in the top ten leading causes of death, and the number of people with dementia is continuing to increase. This study aimed to explore how physical activity before and after dementia diagnosis affected mortality risk, taking into account the level and amount of physical activity. The study was a nationwide population-based cohort study. Researchers utilized the Korean National Health Insurance System Database to gather information. The study included over 60,000 individuals ages 40 or older who had received a dementia diagnosis between 2010 and 2016. All participants had gotten health check-ups within two years before and after their dementia diagnosis. The researchers identified people who had dementia based on their use of anti-dementia medications and certain scores that assess dementia. They assessed physical activity using data from the International Physical Activity Questionnaire. The researchers were then able to break down physical activity levels after dementia diagnosis into categories of vigorous, moderate, and light physical activity and note the amount of exercise per week. They defined regular physical activity as engaging in vigorous physical activity for twenty minutes or more at least three times weekly or engaging in moderate physical activity for thirty minutes or more at least five times weekly. They then noted how participants’ activity levels changed before and after dementia diagnosis. The average follow-up time was 3.7 years, and during this time, 16,431 participants died. The researchers were able to look at how physical activity related to all-cause mortality. Overall, the researchers observed “a dose-response association between an increased amount of PA [physical activity] and a decreased risk of all-cause mortality.” 29% decrease in mortality risk The researchers observed that participants who kept doing regular physical activity before and after dementia diagnosis saw the lowest mortality risk compared to participants who remained inactive, with a 29% reduction in mortality risk. Compared to non-active participants, participants who increased their physical activity to at least 1,000 metabolic equivalent of tasks (METs)-minutes a week saw a reduced mortality risk. METs have to do with measuring the amount of energy required to perform physical activities. The researchers also observed a 3% mortality risk reduction for every 100 METs-minutes per week that participants increased physical activity following their dementia diagnosis. There was also a slight reduction in mortality risk for participants with all-cause dementia and Alzheimer’s disease who ceased regular physical activity after diagnosis. When looking at intensity levels of physical activity, researchers observed that in participants with all-cause dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, maintaining physical activity helped decrease mortality risk, with similar risk reductions in categories of light, moderate, and vigorous physical activity. Among participants with vascular dementia, researchers saw that sustained light or vigorous physical activity was linked to lower mortality risk. Eric D. Vidoni, PT, PhD, an associate professor of neurology with the KU Medical Center, the University of Kansas, who was not involved in the study, noted the following about the study’s findings to Medical News Today: “Capturing dementia diagnoses and physical activity on a national level adds compelling evidence to what we already know — that maintaining physical activity supports health, even after a dementia diagnosis. [O]ne of the interesting findings in this study was that light activity held almost as much benefit as moderate and vigorous activity.” Some limitations exist for this research. First, the study focused on Korean individuals, so there should be caution in generalizing the findings. Additional research with greater diversity could be helpful. Over 60% of participants were women, so it may also be helpful to include more men in future research. Second, physical activity levels and other lifestyle habits relied on self-reports from participants, which could have had varying levels of accuracy. However, participants could receive help from caregivers in answering questions. It is also possible that people who had less severe dementia and better functionality were more likely to maintain their physical activity levels. Thirdly, researchers acknowledge that reverse causality is possible. Fourth, using administrative data to note dementia might not perfectly match actual dementia diagnoses. The researchers also lacked data on the type of physical activity that participants did

diabetes,-weight-loss-drugs:-do-they-protect-heart,-vascular-health?
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Diabetes, weight-loss drugs: Do they protect heart, vascular health?

ByCorrie Pelc

Share on Pinterest Popular diabetes drugs have been linked with a lower risk of experiencing a second stroke or a heart attack. Image credit: andresr/Getty Images. About 12.2 million new strokes are diagnosed each year. One in four stroke survivors will experience another stroke. Stroke survivors are at an increased risk of developing major heart issues, such as heart attack. A new study says that type 2 diabetes medications GLP-1 agonists and SGLT2 inhibitors may help lower a stroke survivor’s risk of experiencing a subsequent stroke, heart attack, or death, compared to those who did not take these medications. According to the World Stroke Association , one in four adults over the age of 25 will have a stroke during their lifetime, and there are about 12.2 million new strokes diagnosed each year. Previous research shows that one in four stroke survivors will experience another stroke, and people who have a stroke are at a higher risk of developing major heart issues during the first month after their stroke, such as heart attack — clinically known as myocardial infarction. Past studies show that stroke survivors can possibly decrease their secondary stroke and heart attack risk through lifestyle changes — such as moving more, eating a healthy diet, and not smoking — and medications. For this study, researchers analyzed medical data for more than 7,000 adults who had an ischemic stroke — the most common type of stroke caused by a blood clot in the artery that brings blood to the brain — between January 2000 and June 2022. Researchers looked at whether or not study participants had been prescribed either a GLP-1 agonist or SGLT2 inhibitor medication after their initial stroke. “GLP-1 receptor agonists and SGLT2 inhibitors are two types of medications often used to help people with diabetes manage their blood sugar,” M. Ali Sheffeh, MD, an internal medicine resident at the Henry Ford Medical Center in Warren, MI, research scholar in the Cardiovascular Department at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN, and lead author of this study explained to Medical News Today. “They also have benefits for heart and kidney health, which has led to their use in patients with certain heart conditions or those at risk of cardiovascular disease,” Sheffeh continued. “These drug classes have been studied over the last few years in randomized clinical trials and have shown better cardiovascular outcomes in patients with obesity, diabetes, heart failure, and chronic kidney disease,“ he added. After an average follow-up of three years, Sheffeh and his team found that stroke survivor participants taking either a GLP-1 or SGLT2 medication had a 74% lower mortality risk and 84% lower risk of having a heart attack, compared to those not taking these drugs. And participants taking either medication also had a decreased risk of experiencing a secondary stroke, compared to those not taking them. “The current guideline for stroke prevention recommends the use of blood thinners, controlling blood pressure, and cholesterol lowering medication in addition to lifestyle modification in order to decrease the risk of a second stroke,” said Sheffeh. “If our findings are externally validated, that might lead to changing practice and we might start prescribing these medications for patients with stroke to prevent future events,” he pointed out. After reviewing this study, Sandra Narayanan, MD, a board-certified vascular neurologist and neurointerventional surgeon, of the Pacific Neuroscience Institute at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, CA, who was not involved in this research, told MNT that she was surprised at powerful the positive response was for both agents to reduce the likelihood of achieving the composite endpoint — mortality, heart attack, or recurrent ischemic stroke. “Two major barriers stroke and myocardial infarction patients struggle with are compliance and education,” she continued. Furthermore, “survey-type research addressing prescribing practices might be informative to assess knowledge among prescribers — internists, family physicians, endocrinologists, and stroke neurologists — before and after dissemination of disease-specific studies,” said Narayanan. MNT also spoke with Mir Ali, MD, a board certified general surgeon, bariatric surgeon and medical director of MemorialCare Surgical Weight Loss Center at Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, CA, about this study. “I thought it was an interesting study showing another benefit of these medications, so it’s always good to see medications that are helping,” Ali said. As this study showed a potential benefit of these medications, Ali said it was hard to determine at this point how might GLP-1 and SGLT2 medications be positively impacting the heart. “It would be interesting to see how this is helping patients — if it is an independent effect of just the medication itself, or is it secondary to weight loss or better for glucose control,” he added. “A study designed to kind of tease out these details would be helpful.”

medicare-2025-plans:-5-key-changes-to-part-d,-medicare-advantage-costs
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Medicare 2025 plans 5 key changes to Part D, Medicare Advantage costs

ByCorrie Pelc

Share on Pinterest Big changes to Medicare plans are in store for 2025 as open enrollment is underway. Joe Raedle/Getty Images Medicare is a federal health insurance program for older adults ages 65 and older. Open enrollment for 2025 Medicare plans runs through December 7. Some major changes in 2025 include a new $2,000 out-of-pocket max under Part D, eliminating the plan’s “donut hole” coverage gap, and fewer Medicare Advantage plans. As of January 1st, five big changes will take effect for Medicare — a federal health insurance program for adults ages 65 and older. Every year, senior adults have between October 15th through December 7th to enroll in Medicare or change plans. Part A helps to cover inpatient care in hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, and home health care. Part B is for outpatient coverage, such as diagnosing and treating an illness at the doctor’s office, as well as preventive services, such as vaccines and wellness visits. Part C —also known as the Medicare Advantage plan—is bundled coverage that includes Parts A, B, and sometimes D. Part D provides coverage for prescription medications Medical News Today spoke with three Medicare experts to learn more about the biggest changes coming in 2025 and how they may impact readers. Starting January 1st, there will be fewer Medicare Advantage plans available. “Medicare Advantage Plans are the alternative to receiving their Medicare through Original Medicare,” said Ryan Ramsey, associate director of health coverage and benefits for the National Council on Aging. “These plans are offered by Medicare-approved private companies that must follow rules set by Medicare and provide Medicare Part A (hospital insurance) and Part B (medical insurance) coverage, as well including drug coverage (Part D) in most cases, all under one plan,” Ramsey told MNT. “In most cases, you’ll need to use health care providers who participate in the plan’s network; however, some plans offer non-emergency coverage out-of-network, but typically at a higher cost,” he continued. “These plans may also offer additional extra benefits like vision, dental or fitness and wellness benefits that are not covered by Medicare.” “The number of Medicare Advantage plans that will be available to the average person is expected to decrease by 7%,” Ramsey added. “This may result in less additional benefits being offered, smaller networks within plans, and an increase in overall out-of-pocket costs. However, the number of plans available in 2025 is still in the top three largest since 2010.” Starting on January 1st, a new approach to Medicare Part D will remove the infamous “donut hole” and establish a new hard limit of $2,000 per year for out-of-pocket Part D drug spending. “The Inflation Reduction Act aims to improve Medicare benefits by reducing out-of-pocket costs for prescription drugs,” Kanwar Kelley, MD, JD, co-founder and CEO of Side Health explained to Medical News Today. “This is being done by shrinking the ‘donut hole’ for prescription drug coverage. The ‘donut hole’ refers to the gap between a plan’s initial prescription medication coverage by co-payment or coinsurance and the time when a person meets catastrophic coverage limits where Medicare resumes sharing costs. “While inside of the ‘donut hole,’ an individual must pay for their medications entirely out of pocket. Starting in 2025, the out-of-pocket costs before reaching the catastrophic stage will be capped at $2,000. Until now the limits were set at $8,000. This will mean substantial savings for patients who depend on costly prescription medications.” Another 2025 change impacting Medicare Part D is an anticipated base premium increase. “The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has now capped the amount companies are allowed to increase their annual premiums at 6%,” Ramsey noted. “The base beneficiary premium will be $36.78, which is $2.08 more than 2024 and the maximum of a 6% increase.” According to Tim Smolen, Statewide Health Insurance Benefits Advisors (SHIBA) program manager in the Consumer Protection Division of the Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner, said the best way to learn more about Part D base premium increases is to use the plan finder tool on the Medicare website. Smolen added: “Broad ranges and base premiums are useful guidelines, but every person’s experience is different. Each person should check their own drugs and pharmacies. It’s possible that each person in a couple might have a different Part D plan.” There will also be a reduction in the number of stand-alone Medicare Part D plans available, according to KFF, a nonprofit focused on health policy. “In 2025, 524 PDPs (Prescription Drug Plans) will be offered across the 34 PDP regions nationwide which is a 26% decrease from 2024,” Ramsey said. “This means that the average beneficiary in each state will have a choice of at least 12 stand-alone drug plans. This could mean a change in formularies, pharmacy networks on plans, and whether your plan has a deductible in 2025.” “There will be a reduction in prescription drug plans under Part D, but this reduction may streamline options in favor of more plans with the built-in price stabilization feature,” Kelley said. “So, though fewer plans will be available, they should be more cost-effective.” And the last big change affecting Medicare in 2025 is an expansion of mental health care and caregiver resources. “Elder care is a huge source of financial burden and stress on families,” Kelley said. “Additional financial support will help reduce that burden and give back time to those looking for caretakers

rising-costs-may-keep-canadians-from-dental-care:-vancouver-clinic
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Rising costs may keep Canadians from dental care

ByCharles Brockman

Posted October 24, 2024 4:25 pm. Last Updated October 24, 2024 5:04 pm. A new report from Statistics Canada shows that almost one in four adults experience persistent pain in their mouth, and a Vancouver dentist’s office says inflation may be the cause. Statistics Canada published a report on self-reported oral health problems Wednesday. It says adults aged 18 and older were more than twice as likely as children and youth aged 0 to 17 to report mouth problems – either in the form of having oral pain or avoiding certain foods. Among Canadian adults, 24 per cent reported persistent pain in their mouths, with lower-income families disproportionately affected. The executive director of the Strathcona Community Dental Clinic, Erin Riddell, says people have been putting dental care on the back burner by spacing out their appointments or only coming when absolutely necessary. “In past years, [we] have found that [patients] would come for a cleaning twice a year… but then they’re finding that they need to adjust their finances and budget,” said Riddell, adding that those patients often reduced their visits to once a year.  “Others also would even shy away from paying for the cost of cleanings completely, and they would only come if they have major tooth pain.” Riddell says the clinic follows the BC Dental Association Fee Guide and only charges their patients what’s needed for the treatment.  On average, she explained, a cleaning and check-up can cost around $250 at a private clinic; meanwhile, at Strathcona, the cost goes down to about $150 for someone without dental insurance or a care plan.  Unfortunately, Riddell says inflation has also hit the dental industry. She says the clinic has seen its largest increase in fees from the BC Dental Association, due to cost of materials and supply chain issues.  “The fees have truly doubled in the last ten years.”  Riddell says dental problems can increase in severity if not treated properly.  She says a small cavity with a neglected filling can turn into a larger matter that needs a root canal. But even those initial costs for the simpler treatment can be too costly for some. “Just the fear alone of what it would cost may even stop somebody of low income from even going to get a simple exam.”