How to Get Emergency Healthcare in France

France offers several emergency response services. The most common emergency response used is provided by Services d’Aide Médicale Urgente (SAMU). The SAMU is managed by local hospitals and operates approximately 1000 call centers across France. Doctors and other trained representatives are available to respond to medical emergencies, dispatch a response vehicle or an on-call physician when needed. If you are unfamiliar with the healthcare system in France, or plan on visiting, then knowing how to get emergency treatment is essential. Here are some ways to get emergency healthcare in France.
  • Landline and Cellphones

For medical emergencies, landline users dial 15 and cellphone users dial 112 to reach a SAMU facility.

  • Emergency Response Options

There are three response options that are dependent on the type of emergency. An SAMU trained representative can provide instructions over the phone for issues not requiring immediate attention. A home visit by a doctor can be arranged or transportation provided to a local hospital.

  • Medical Transportation

France does not operate any public ambulance service. Emergency transportation is provided through private ambulances, fire and rescue vehicles, hospital life-support vehicles and helicopters where necessary.

  • National Emergency Doctor Service

In cases requiring a home visit from a doctor, the visiting doctor is usually part of an organization called SOS Médicins. Although this is a national service, it is not largely available in rural areas.

  • Private Facility

Some doctors and other health professionals operate an off-hours service called maisons medicales de garde (MMG). This service is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. MMG is available in most parts of France, but is not yet a national service.

  • Family Doctor

The option to call a personal family physician in an emergency is available. If the family doctor is part of a practice and is not available, then another doctor from the practice may be able to respond to the emergency.

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A Cigarette Your Dentist Won’t Notice

a lit cigarette in an ashtray
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Smoking cigarettes is bad for your health. Smoking not only destroys your lungs and leads to a myriad of other health issues, but it also stains your teeth. Teeth whitening can help to make your teeth whiter and brighter, but it does not help out with the health problems you can run into as a smoker. The e-cigarette may be the solution to the problems that come with a smoking habit.

It Removes Nicotine from the Equation

An e-cigarette is an electronic cigarette. One of the primary toxins in a real cigarette that tends to make cigarettes so addictive is the nicotine. Smoking an e-cigarette, however, removes the consumption of nicotine from the equation. In fact, e-cigarettes do not contain any harmful chemicals, so it is a healthier way to smoke—for both your body and your teeth.

The Dentist Will Love Your New Habit

How does the e-cigarette work? The e-cigarette uses a nicotine-infused water vapor to satisfy your need for nicotine. Since it is not real nicotine, however, it is a much safer way to fulfill the need you have to smoke. In addition, the worries of bad breath and tar-stained teeth are gone. This will make you a much more popular patient for your dentist.

Non-smokers Will Like You

When you go out to eat at a restaurant or hang out with your friends, you no longer need to excuse yourself to smoke. The second-hand effects of cigarette smoke are not concerns with an e-cigarette. Your friends, family members, and even complete strangers will no longer regret being around you when you smoke. There will be no more dirty looks as you spark up your cigarette. When you pull out an e-cigarette and start smoking, someone who is not watching you do it won’t even know that you are smoking. It’s a win-win.

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Children and Dental Health Schedules

In France, the field of dentistry, as a separate field of medical practice was not recognized until the 1960’s. A new approach to dentistry began with the founding of the ADF in 1968. The quality of dental care in France has benefited greatly from the progress made over the last forty years. The French dental profession now includes dentofacial orthopaedics speciality, university degrees in oral surgery, and hospital internships in dental surgery. In 1999, the IFRO (Institut Français pour la Recherche Odontologique) was formed to support and promote dental research and continue to improve the quality and type of dental care available.

The improvements in dental care are only effective when the population implements good dental practices in their daily lives and visit the dentist for routine and preventative measures and not just in response to injury or pain. The age of dentistry as a profession is a drawback for the majority of the population; dental health and hygiene are not yet a long-term part of the French cultural identity. As more and more generations are exposed to proper dental care and practices, dental health will improve nationally.

The medical necessity of regular routine dental care is not a priority, as demonstrated by the basic rules of dental treatment. Children are only offered free dental checks once every three years, at the ages of 6, 9, 12, 15 and 18. As long as treatment, as a result of this check, is started within 9 months of the check up, the costs will be reimbursed by your caisse, though there are exceptions, such as crowns and braces. This policy makes the need for routine care less of a priority in everyday life. If socioeconomic factors are a consideration, the once every three years routine care is all many families can afford. If good dental practices are not instilled in children, they are rarely begun later in life, perpetuating the cycle of poor dental health.

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Drinking Tap Water is Good For the Environment and Dental Health

There is a growing movement to encourage people to drink city tap water, instead of bottled water. From an environmental standpoint, plastic water bottles is one of the leading sources of trash generation in the world; with health in mind, new studies show that kids who drink tap water fortified with fluoride have significantly improved dental health in their adult lives.

Research shows that it is especially important to get enough fluoride as a child, as it will affect tooth loss and other dental health problems much later in life, but that a person’s exposure to fluoride in their young adult (20-30) years didn’t make that much of a difference in the long term. Scientists analyzed data collected in the 1950s and 60s, combining research from a water census and community health studies to learn about how drinking fluoride-enhanced city water affected tooth loss thirty to forty years later.

The results further substantiate theories that fluoridation is most beneficial from birth onward. Even before adult teeth come in, fluoride strengthens tooth enamel. Once teeth come in, fluoride aids in breaking down bacteria on the surface of the tooth. It can also help already decaying teeth. Adults benefit from fluoride, but not as dramatically.

Nearly 75 percent of municipal water supplies are fortified with fluoride, a naturally-occurring mineral. It has been proven safe to add fluoride to water, and has been done in the U.S. for more than fifty years. One study conducted in Louisiana on Medicaid patients revealed that for every dollar invested in water fluoridation, that state saved $38 in dental care costs. When it is added to drinking water, people of all ages and from all economic levels will receive the health benefits. Some states are considering cutting water fluoridation, so studies like these could help ensure that the practice continues. Compared to fluoride pills and other supplements, adding fluoride to water is far more cost effective and efficient.

Besides tap water, most toothpastes and mouthwashes contain fluoride. To further prevent tooth decay and tooth loss, dentists also recommend brushing with fluoride toothpastes, cutting back on sugar, and maintaining overall health.

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Consume Black Tea in Moderation to Avoid Getting Too Much Fluoride

In addition to the water used in brewing tea, the tea itself may contain significant amounts of fluoride. This is good news for people who don’t typically drink the tap water from their municipal water supply, but very heavy tea drinkers could suffer side effects of getting too much fluoride in their diet.

Black tea is the number one consumed beverage in the world, over coffee and soda. A recent study shows that there are higher amounts of fluoride in the tea leaf that once thought, as much as nine milligrams per liter of brewed tea. Previous studies put that number between one and five milligrams per liter.

Fluoride strengthens tooth enamel and helps prevent cavities, but getting too much can cause bone health problems in the long term. Most people drink about two to three milligrams daily via their drinking water, food and toothpaste-a very safe level. However, drinking excessive amounts of black tea could up this level to closer to the more dangerous amount of twenty milligrams per day.

The amount of fluoride present in black tea was discovered to be higher than previously thought when one doctor analyzed test results from four people suffering from skeletal fluorosis. The painful disease causes bone and joint damage, and is caused by ingesting too much fluoride. The doctor deduced that all of the patients had consumed anywhere between one and two gallons of black tea per day for ten to thirty years. Further testing revealed that the aluminum absorbed by the tea leaves combines with fluoride to create aluminum fluoride, which leaches into brewed tea. Traditional testing methods cannot detect aluminum fluoride, so a new method was developed that can accurately measure total fluoride levels.

Doctors say that the results of these studies shouldn’t stop people from drinking black tea. Tea has some valuable health benefits, and is a staple in many countries, and plays an important cultural role. The key is for people to consume tea, like many thing, in healthy moderation. Deionized water, containing no fluoride, can also be used to brew the beloved beverage.

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Nighttime Eating May Promote Tooth Loss

Think twice before lingering over a late meal or a indulging in a midnight snack. Research reveals that eating late at night may cause tooth loss, even if healthy food is being consumed.

Researchers looked at data collected on more than 2,200 women and men, ages thirty to sixty to assess the subjects’ oral health, overall physical health, eating behaviors and other factors. They looked at the data on two separate occasions, five years apart.

It was found that about eight percent of the subjects were nighttime eaters, consuming more than 25 percent of their calories after dinner. Many would also eat a midnight snack at least a couple of times per week. Night-eating syndrome affects about 1.5 percent of the U.S. population, but many of the subjects studied routinely consumed food after 11 p.m., but do not show symptoms of the full disorder.

After considering other factors like age, quantity of sugars and carbohydrates consumed on average, tendency to binge eat, and whether subjects were smokers or not, it turned out that nighttime eaters had lost more teeth by the second round of the study than those subjects who didn’t eat late at night.

Researchers concluded that nocturnal eating habits can cause tooth decay, primarily because the flow of saliva, which helps remove debris from the mouth, dries up during sleep. Food and residues linger for a longer period of time, exacerbating the effects of acidic or sugary food and beverages.

Dentists and other oral health care providers can encourage patients to be aware of the effects nighttime eating can have on dental health. Scientists suggest that health and dental care providers screen their patients’ eating habits for nighttime eating, and work with them to change their routines.

The research also reinforced the need for regular tooth brushing, with the second of the day taking place just before bed. Dentists recommend using a fluoride toothpaste, and emphasize the importance of regular flossing. Only water should be consumed for one hour before the final tooth brushing of the day.

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Study Links Physical Fitness with Oral Health

Many of the health problems associated with being overweight are well documented. These include Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, cancers, and even certain mental health problems. Maintaining a healthy weight by eating a wholesome diet and getting daily exercise can help patients achieve a total body health.

Besides being a type of preventative medicine, having a fit and active lifestyle has recently proven to be beneficial to dental health as well. A recent study shows that people who maintained a healthy weight and were physically fit had lower occurrences of periodontitis and other gum disease.

Researchers compared study participant’s overall fitness as indicated by their maximal oxygen consumption, or VO2max, and their body mass index, or BMI with the results of a routine periodontal exam. The subjects with the top levels of physical fitness and lowest BMI had lower rates of severe gum disease.

Gum disease, also called periodontitis, affects the bone and tissues around the teeth. This chronic disease is a leading cause of tooth loss, and has been linked to other serious diseases like diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, and most recently, heart disease.

Many scientists say that this finding should serve as yet another motivating factor for people to manage their weight and exercise. Amidst a growing epidemic of obesity in the United States alone, it is more important than ever to persuade people to improve their lifestyle.

With more and more findings linking general health with oral health, there is more reason for people to take care of themselves through a healthy diet and exercise. Staying in good physical shape lowers the risk of many diseases, and impacts the health of the nation on the large scale. Starting small by adding daily exercise to routines, and making simple dietary changes is a great way to start; a doctor’s supervision is a good idea for those with pre-existing health problems.

In addition to a maintaining a healthy lifestyle, dentists urge good dental care through flossing, twice daily teeth brushing, and regular visits to a dental professional. The combination will help ward off many serious illnesses, and prevent gum disease.

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Good Oral Hygiene May Reduce Risk of Heart Disease

European research scientists have identified yet another reason for people to keep up with good dental hygiene. A recent study shows that plaque-causing bacteria can enter the bloodstream and form clots that can raise the risk of heart disease, and heart attacks.

Scientists in Great Britain found that bleeding gums, caused by poor dental hygiene habits like infrequent flossing and brushing, can let bacteria into the bloodstream where they play a role in triggering blood clots. They conclude that dental health is an important indicator in overall health, particularly heart disease, which is typically only treated through diet, exercise, and blood pressure and cholesterol monitoring.

Placing emphasis on good dental hygiene at a young age may help prevent cardiovascular health problems down the road. When the streptococcus bacteria build up from infrequent brushing and flossing, plaque forms on teeth and gum disease can develop. Gums bleed as a result, permitting the passage of bacteria into the bloodstream.

Once in the bloodstream, the bacteria utilize a protein called PadA that exist on their outer surface, hijacking platelets and causing them to join together to form clots. It is a survival mechanism for the bacteria, allowing them to ‘hide’ in the platelets and avoid being detected by the immune system and be resistant to antibiotics.

These clots can inflame blood vessels, blocking the supply of blood to the brain and the heart. They can also cause growths on heart valves. The research team is investigating how PadA induces the blood platelet clumping, hoping to discover a way to block it. The use blood flow model facilitates the process, since it mimics the circulatory system.

Nearly eighty percent of all Americans have gum disease, which when left untreated, can progress into periodontal disease, and eventually more serious oral health complications. Link between heart disease and poor oral hygiene further highlights the importance of brushing at least twice per day with a fluoride toothpaste, flossing, and avoiding excess sugar. Visit the dentist regularly to maintain dental health.

Further reduce the risk of heart disease by maintaining a healthy weight, reducing stress, and getting regular exercise.

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Study Reveals BPA in Dental Materials May Pose Health Risks

Recent studies reveal that fillings and sealants used in dentistry might expose patients, especially children, to bisphenol A, also known as BPA. It isn’t clear what types of long-term effects this may have on the health of children and adults, but the dental community is concerned about these findings.

Although exposure typically doesn’t last very long, most dental sealants are made up of BPA derivatives, which have proven to have negative health effects in other applications. BPA is effective in helping to prevent cavities, particularly in teenagers and younger children.
American researchers from top medical schools are in the process of evaluating BPA levels of dental supplies, and are searching for ways to manage exposures. Scientists express that dental materials may expose patients to BPA less than other sources like water bottles, tin food can linings, and plastic food containers. Nonetheless, they say that minimizing exposure to BPA is important, since health risks include disrupting the endocrine processes, and affecting hormone levels.

BPA is dental sealants is released via enzymes in saliva, in as little as three hours after placement in the mouth. It is unclear, however, how much of the BPA is absorbed into the bloodstream.

Some dental products containing the BPA derivative glycidyl dimethacrylate, known as bis-GMA aren’t as likely to be converted into BPA, and purportedly have fewer estrongenic properties than other derivatives. Doctors recommend that dentists use bis-GMA to help lower exposure.

The risk of exposure is highest during placement of dental materials in the mouth, and immediately afterward. Some scientists suggest that rinsing the mouth thirty seconds after application can lower levels of BPA detected in saliva, while others recommend rubbing the sealant with pumice to remove the liquid top layer.

Researchers believe that the significant health benefits the sealants provide outweigh the potential risks of brief exposure to BPA, and that such sealants should continue to be used in dentistry. They also say that materials with less estrogenic properties should be developed, and that use of all materials containing BPA should be avoided or kept to a minimum during pregnancy.

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Stomach Cancer and Bad Breath May Be Related

Bad breath may have greater impacts on health than was previously thought. A new study shows that the bacteria that causes stomach cancers and ulcers also lives in the mouths of people who battle bad breath.

These people may not show symptoms of stomach ulcers or other disease, but there is a strong possibility that they will develop one or both the ailments down the road. Research recently revealed that infection by a certain bacteria carried by nearly ninety percent of people in the developing world, and between twenty and eighty percent of developed countries was linked to stomach cancers and ulcers.

Subsequent research shows that the bacteria also lives in the human mouth, especially when gum disease is present. Periodontal disease is a verified cause of bad breath, but other causes may include debris on the tongue, poor dental habits, and ill-fitting fillings which trap culprit bacteria.

Bacteria living in the mouth produce bad smelling odors, and so can diseases of the intestinal tract. Until recently, scientists were not sure if the bacteria that causes stomach cancers and ulcers could even live in the mouth, but once they did, they wanted to test people who had bad breath for the bacteria. The study tested DNA from saliva extracted from 326 people, the majority of whom had bad breath. None of the participants had stomach problems.

The tests showed that just over six percent of the subjects had the bacteria in their mouths. Those who tested for the cancer-causing bacteria in their mouths also showed high levels of blood in the saliva, loose teeth, and the presence of known bad breath gases.

Some 102 of the test subjects were diagnosed with gum disease, and 16 of them had the cancer and ulcer causing bacteria in their mouths. Scientists conclude that the swelling caused by gum disease might allow other species of bacteria to move in, and that the infection caused by the cancer-causing bacteria could be associated with the bad breath that develops after gum disease.

Scientists hope to learn more about the role the mouth plays in stomach disease, and vice-versa.

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