Drinking And Bike Riding Are a Dangerous Mix

NEW YORK, Feb 21 (Reuters Health) - Riding a bicycle under the influence of alcohol increases a person's risk for serious injury or death, Maryland researchers have found.

Among bicyclists ages 15 or older who were killed or seriously injured in Maryland from 1985 to 1997, 13% had blood alcohol levels that were equal to or greater than 0.02 grams/deciliter (g/dL), the amount of alcohol from about one drink. In comparison, this level of alcohol in the blood was seen in only 3% of cyclists tested at random, according to researchers led by Dr. Guohua Li of Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore.

Currently, US states vary on their definitions of legal intoxication, ranging from a blood alcohol level of 0.08 g/dL to 0.10 g/dL.

"Alcohol use while bicycle riding is associated with a substantially increased risk of fatal or serious injury," write Li and colleagues in the February 21st issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

In the study, the researchers evaluated reported deaths and serious injuries among 124 bicycle riders. They compared these cases with a control group of 342 bicycle riders who were stopped and interviewed and had their blood alcohol levels measured.

The researchers found that riders with a blood alcohol level of 0.02 g/dL or greater were nearly 6 times more likely to die or be seriously injured, while the risk for those with a blood alcohol level of 0.08 g/dL or greater jumped 20-fold.

In addition, Li's team found "that bicyclists with a positive (blood alcohol level) are less likely than other bicyclists to be wearing a safety helmet."

Previous reports on the subject have found that elevated blood alcohol levels are found in about 8% of people treated in emergency departments for bicycling injuries, in 16% of adults admitted to hospitals, and in 32% of those who died, the researchers note.

"Each year," according to Li's team, "more than half a million people are treated in emergency departments and 20,000 are admitted to hospitals for bicycling injuries."

Anatomy

Each tooth consists of 2 parts: the crown and the roots. Only the crown is visible in the mouth. The roots are in the bone, under the gums.

The crown of the tooth has an outer shell made of a very hard substance called enamel. The inside of the tooth is made of a less hard substance called dentin. It is this layer which can be sensitive when exposed to the mouth atmosphere. The centre of the tooth is hollow and contains the nerve.

What is tooth decay

Our mouth is full of bacteria. In fact, bacteria are everywhere. The food we eat combines with saliva and bacteria to form a sticky coating on the teeth. This sticky coating is called plaque and it plays an important role in tooth decay. When sugar is available to the bacteria in plaque, they act on it and secrete acids. These acids erode tooth enamel. After repeated acid attacks the enamel breaks down and a cavity is formed.