An increasing number of cases of teeth-grinding in debt-ridden Ireland were being blamed by dentists on patients’ financial worries.
Dentists believe that the increased levels of bruxism — the medical name for teeth-grinding — are due to stress brought on by Ireland’s economic crisis.
Dr Dermot Canavan of the Irish Dental Association says the condition is often linked to anxiety and stress, as well as excessive smoking, alcohol use and the consumption of too much coffee.
Photo: AFP
照片: 法新社
“While we don’t have exact figures I know from my own practice and from talking to other dentists that there has been a substantial increase in the number of patients suffering from this condition,” he said.
“From talking to patients it is clear many are facing severe financial pressures.”
Experts believe one in five people will grind their teeth at some time, most commonly at night, but dentists here say they are seeing numbers far in excess of that in many surgeries.
The symptoms of bruxism include headaches, tooth damage, earaches, and mouth and jaw pain.
Ireland’s economy has been hammered by the international financial crisis and the government has brought in a series of severe austerity budgets that have slashed spending and increased taxes.
The eurozone member had to seek an 85 billion euro rescue package from the European Union and the International Monetary Fund as massive debt and deficit problems left the country on the verge of collapse.(AFP)
負債累累的愛爾蘭有越來越多的人磨牙,牙醫師則把這種現象歸咎於他們對財務狀況的憂心。
牙醫師相信夜間磨牙症─磨牙的醫學名稱─增加,是因為愛爾蘭經濟危機所致。
愛爾蘭牙醫協會的德莫‧卡納凡醫生表示,這種症狀通常與焦慮跟壓力有關,就像抽菸與飲酒過量,還有喝太多咖啡一樣。
他說,「雖然我們沒有正確的統計數字,但我從自身經驗,以及與其他牙醫師交流得知,苦於這種症狀的病人有明確增加的趨勢。」
「根據我跟病人聊天的結果,確實有許多人面臨嚴重財務壓力。」
專家相信有五分之一的人有時會磨牙,最常見的時候是在夜晚。但是牙醫師表示,他們於許多次門診中,見到實際情形遠遠超出這個數字。
夜間磨牙症的症狀包括頭痛、牙齒損壞、耳朵痛,以及口部跟齒顎疼痛等。
愛爾蘭的經濟遭國際金融危機重創,政府實施嚴重緊縮的預算政策,造成花費驟減稅收提高。
由於龐大的債務與赤字,使該國瀕臨瓦解,因此歐元會員國必須從歐洲聯盟與國際貨幣基金籌足八百五十億歐元(約新台幣三點三兆元)的解救方案。
(法新社/翻譯:吳岱璟)
A: Also, police seized seven pornographic videos featuring minors that entertainer Mickey Huang purchased in his hard disc. B: That’s just outrageous! A: His ex-girlfriend entertainer Little S and some others are calling for a legal amendment to increase the penalty. B: The buyers and sellers should both be punished heavily. A: But the porn sellers’ Web sites are mostly overseas, so they are hard to catch. A: 此外警方也在黃子佼的硬碟裡,查到7部他買的未成年色情片。 B: 真是令人火大! A: 他的前女友小S等人,還呼籲修法,加重相關的罰則。 B: 購買者和販賣者雙方都該重罰。 A: 不過色情網站大多設在海外要抓也不容易吧。 (By Eddy Chang, Taipei Times/台北時報張聖恩)
A: Entertainer Mickey Huang’s #MeToo scandal has kept snowballing. B: Didn’t Huang just escape prosecution on several sexual misconduct charges due to a lack of evidence? A: He has now been accused of raping a woman identified as "Miss K." B: It’s like one trouble follows another! A: His decent “persona” in the showbiz has totally collapsed. A: 藝人黃子佼的#MeToo事件真是沒完沒了。 B: 他的性騷擾案不是因為證據不足獲得不起訴? A: 但他又被某位「K小姐」指控性侵。 B: 天啊,真是一波未平,一波又起! A: 他在娛樂圈的優質「人設」都崩壞啦。 (By Eddy Chang, Taipei Times/台北時報張聖恩)
Jumping rope has long been considered an excellent form of exercise. It not only burns calories but also improves cardiovascular health and __1__ core muscles. Anyone who has used a traditional jump rope, though, knows that it requires a certain level of skill and coordination. However, with the development of the cordless jump rope, this is __2__ the case. The cordless jump rope is an innovation in the fitness industry that has gained popularity in recent years. As its name suggests, it doesn’t have a cord connecting the two handles. Instead, each handle features a short cord with a
Let’s explore another delicacy primarily known to Tainan locals: floating milkfish in thick soup. Despite its peculiar name, this dish is another Tainan specialty that showcases the popularity of milkfish, which is made into fish paste and served in thick soup. Unlike the version with tutuo fish, which also adds other ingredients to its thick soup, the floating milkfish version primarily features the “floating fish” itself in its thick soup, ensuring that the fish paste remains the star of the dish. 讓我們來探索另一道台南人熟悉的美食:浮水魚羹。這道菜名奇特的美食,再再展現了台南虱目魚料理的多樣。浮水魚羹是用虱目魚漿做成的羹品,雖然和𩵚魠魚羹一樣是羹湯,但不像𩵚魠魚羹會在湯中加入其他食材,而是讓虱目魚漿成為這道料理的主角。 peculiar (adj.) 獨特的;古怪的 The belly of a milkfish is considered the most