The first question for the Doctor on Call is from a father who has a concern for his child. He writes, "My dentist has recommended sealants for my children's teeth. I have read that sealants may have harmful levels of the chemical BPA."
For those of you who aren't familiar, BPA is used in the manufacturing of plastic products.
Some studies on animals indicated they can interfere with development and reproduction. The FDA says BPA is safe.
We've called a local dentist who says the American Dental Association is conducting its own test on dental sealants.
Some sealants contain BPA, some do not; you need to ask. Sealants are very effective in preventing cavities in children.
Talk with your dentist if you are interested about getting sealants that definitely do not contain BPA.
Here's the next question: "I'm following a gluten-free diet and find it very expensive. Any advice on how to cut costs?"
It is very expensive to follow a gluten-free diet, especially if you do a lot of cooking at home.
There are a couple of good websites that offer advice. One is called http://www.glutenfreeonashoestring.com. This was started by a mom who cooks for a family of five.
She's got recipes with great substitutions. She also tells you about bargains that you can get at places like Amazon.com and at Walmart.
The other website is http://www.celiacchicks.com. It’s a similar type of website, and they have good bargains for people who are on gluten-free diets.
If you have a question for the Doctor on Call, send it to us at healthcast@9wsyr.com.
