Prior to the mid-1950s regular dental hygiene didnât hold much promise for oral health. Toothpastes had been formulated since ancient times with ingredients ranging from burnt oyster shells to ground areca nuts. Americans using a soap-and-water-based dentifrice were developing around 700 million cavities a year.
Drug delivery into muscle using an autoinjector, akin to the EpiPen used to treat serious allergic reactions, is faster and may be a more effective way to stop status epilepticus, a prolonged seizure lasting longer than five minutes, according to a study sponsored by the National Institutes of Health.
A grand mal seizure lasting more than five minutes, or immediately followed by a second seizure, should be considered a medical emergency in most people. This is also a medical emergency if the person is pregnant, injured or diabetic.