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Dental Sealants What are dental sealants? Dental sealants are thin, plastic coatings that are bonded to the chewing surfaces of the back teeth (molars and premolars). Sealants are very good at preventing tooth decay (cavities). They work very well on the back teeth. These teeth

Skin Pigment Disorders What are skin pigment disorders? Skin color is determined by a pigment (melanin) made by specialized cells in the skin (melanocytes). The amount and type of melanin determines a person's skin color. What is the function of melanin? Melanin's role is to

Overview of Sleep Disorders Facts about sleep disorders Loss of sleep can cause problems at home or on the job. It can lead to serious or even fatal accidents. The National Sleep Foundation notes that: Between 50 and 70 million U.S. adults have some type of sleep or wakefulness

Anatomy of a Newborn Baby's Skull The skull may seem to be one large bone, but it's made of several major bones that are connected together. The major bones that compose the skull include: 2 frontal bones 2 parietal bones 1 occipital bone These bony plates cover the brain, and

Pollen and Children What is pollen? Each grain of pollen is tiny (microscopic). When there is a lot of pollen together, it becomes a fine yellow powder. It's made of the male reproductive cells of flowering plants, trees, grasses, and weeds. It's the most common cause of hay

Risks of Pregnancy Over Age 30 Many women wait until later in life to have children. In the U.S., birth rates for women in their 30s are at the highest levels in four decades. But an older mother may be at increased risk for things such as: Miscarriage Birth defects Twins High

Allergy Overview What are allergies? Allergies are due to a problem with the body's immune system. Most allergic reactions happen when the immune system reacts to a false alarm. Normally the immune system attacks harmful things, such as viruses or bacteria. But sometimes it

HIV AIDS What is HIV/AIDS? The term AIDS refers to the most advanced stages of an infection caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The current definition of AIDS includes: All HIV-infected people who have fewer than 200 CD4+ T cells (also called T4 cells). These cells

MRSA Infection in Children What is MRSA in children? Staphylococcus aureus (staph) is a type of bacteria. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a staph infection that has become resistant to many antibiotics commonly used to treat staph infections. MRSA is usually

Amenorrhea in Adolescents and Teens What is amenorrhea? Amenorrhea is a menstrual condition characterized by absent menstrual periods for more than 3 monthly menstrual cycles. Amenorrhea may be classified as primary or secondary: Primary amenorrhea. From the beginning and may be