Regulations try to limit pestlcide hazards

Pesticides may pose an environmental risk by seeping into water (and soil), may become an occupational threat to agricultural workers using them or harm humans who ingest them as they consume food products.

Current regulations for pesticide use test their safety, evaluate and monitor their correct use. Studies determine not only efficacy of a pesticide in decreasing crop damage, but examine whether it can harm environment or human health. These regulations are re-evaluated and changed as new knowledge and experience come in.

Report stresses need to protect children from pesticides

The recently released NAS report gives an in-depth review of current pesticide regulations - their strengths and weaknesses - strongly recommending changes to safeguard health of infants and children. Examining'data on safety of pesticide residues in diets of infants and children, NAS report emphasized fact that "because infants and children are not just little adults" current scientific and regulatory procedures must be improved to ensure that youngsters are protected from unsafe exposure to residues.

The NAS report made following recommendations:

* Collect more complete dietary data on foods eaten by infants and how much they eat. * Include data on non-dietary sources of pesticide exposure such as air, soil, lawns, pets and indoor surfaces. * Research ways in which adults differ from infants and children in processing pesticide residues. * Implement new methods for determining and ensuring food safety and find out who is at most risk from "above average" exposure to pesticides in diet (and other sources).

These recommendations provide basis for changes to pesticide regulatory system which would make sure that food supply remains plentiful yet safe for infants and children. In summary, as pointed out by a pediatrician and professor at New York's Mount Sinai School of Medicine, "the report reveals some serious deficiencies in current regulatory system that need to be corrected," adding that "these should not be cause for alarm."

The report also stresses that parents should continue to feed youngsters a wide variety of fruits, vegetables and juices as they are "good sources of essential vitamins and minerals." The dangers of not eating enough of these foods outweighs any possible harm from pesticide residues in food. Studies so far find pesticide residues in infant and childhood diets "well below tolerance levels set by EPA" (Environmental Protection Agency). The American Academy of Pediatrics affirms that "there is no evidence that pesticides contribute significantly to human cancer risks," adding that "a diet rich in fruits and vegetables is most healthful that children can consume."

Pesticide regulation in Canada

As most dentists know, aesthetic dentistry has become an enormous industry. The seemingly insatiable appetite of patients for better-looking whiter teeth has changed modern dentistry. And this need has been answered by dental companies in no uncertain terms. One only needs to look at number of products available that claim to safely whiten teeth with long-lasting results and no hassles, ranging from home-bleaching kits through to in-office photochemical laser bleaching systems like Smartbleach. This then makes questions like which system is most effective, and importantly which system can deliver predictable results, much more difficult to answer. Additionally, many bleaching systems make claims of dramatic shade improvements, backed up by glossy brochures featuring outrageously white teeth. All of which make decision to choose a bleaching system seem harder still.

The Smartbleach concept is quite different from most other teeth whitening systems. Bleaching is reduction of large light absorbing molecules in dental structures, into smaller molecules which are no longer in a light-absorbent state. This causes a greater level of reflection, and therefore whiter teeth. Smartbleach incorporates this concept, with research published in Journal of Endodontics in 1988 by Loong Chün Lin, David L. Pitts and Lloyd W. Burgess. They were able to demonstrate that teeth stains caused by tetracyclines can be removed within 24 hours, solely under influence of light. In other words, it was demonstrated that photobleaching is possible. What is important to note, however, is that only two ranges of wavelengths are able to create a photobleaching effect: UV light (290 nm and 365 nm) and green light (510 to 534 nm). Accordingly, Smartbleach incorporates a laser light (in green range), together with hydrogen peroxide and a chemical agent (powder), to induce a photochemical reaction. These three components ensure a safe and controlled bleaching treatment with predictable results in just one hour.