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HEALTH

Why beet juice could save you a dentist trip

A drink made from beetroot could help prevent tooth decay - that’s according to a research project by students from the University of Applied Sciences in Upper Austria.

Why beet juice could save you a dentist trip
Photo: FH Wels

The drink, which is already being marketed as Bio Drachen Trank (organic dragon potion), has a high nitrate content which the students found stops the process of tooth decay and prevents cavities.

Around 95 percent of people suffer from tooth decay in the industrialized world, mainly because of a diet high in sugar and poor dental hygiene.

Tooth decay occurs when a sticky acidic film called plaque builds up on teeth and begins to break down their surface. The bacteria in plaque produces acid – but the growth of this bacteria can be slowed down by nitric oxide.

The students came up with the beetroot drink as beets are known to be healthy and they have a relatively high inorganic nitrate content – which the body converts to nitric oxide.

They tested the drink on fellow students: 25 people regularly drank a nitrate-free juice and 25 had a nitrate-rich juice.

“We concluded that regularly consuming the beetroot juice provides enough nitrite to control the growth of lactic acid bacteria,” project leader Otmar Höglinger said.

A pH test on the saliva of the volunteers who drank the nitrate-rich juice showed that it contained less acids than the saliva of those who had normal juice.

The Bio Drachen Trank, which also contains calcium and aronia berry, is now available in some shops and is being marketed by Upper Austrian beverage company Voglsam GmbH.

Studies have shown that drinking two cups of beet juice a day can also temporarily lower blood pressure.

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HEALTH

What do you do in Austria if your nearest pharmacy is closed?

It's nine pm in Austria, and you're out of painkillers or decongestants. You're desperate for pain relief but your local Apotheke is shut, so what do you do?

What do you do in Austria if your nearest pharmacy is closed?

In Austria Apotheken (pharmacies) are the only places in which you can purchase painkillers and decongestants. Ostensibly in the public interest, but it’s also a lucrative moneymaker for the businesses. This monopoly on the sale of certain pharmaceutical drugs is a subject frequently debated and is of much consternation for overseas arrivals. 

READ MORE: Why are painkillers only sold in pharmacies in Austria?

However, many Apotheken can close as early as six pm, especially if you live outside a major city centre. If you’re suffering from a cold or a nasty headache, it can seem like an eternity until they reopen. 

Fortunately, there is relief. Emergency situations will always arise, and pharmacies often band together to provide service at nights, over weekends and on public holidays.

This is done on a rota basis, so your local Apotheke may not be open, there will be a Apotheken-Notdienst (Emergency-service pharmacy) within a 5 – 10km range. 

Often, Apotheken will have a sign or screen out the front that gives the address and opening times for Apotheken-Notdienst in the area, updated frequently.

A number of websites also exist that can give you the location of operating Apotheken-Notdienst across Austria, such as APO24.at. Entering your PLZ (or postcode) will list the nearest to you. 

However, if they don’t have online access, dialling 1455 while put you in touch with a service who can either direct you to the Apotheken-Notdienst on duty, or help you in getting you further assistance. 

If all else fails, your local hospital should have a Notfall-Praxis – ostensibly an emergency doctor service out of hours. If you’re prepared to wait, you will be able to see a doctor, and they can either dispense medication, or direct you to the hospital pharmacy with a prescription. 

Before you go, it’s worth brushing up on your vocabulary. The Local has developed a list of vocabulary and phrases that you can use to describe your symptoms to pharmacists and doctors, to help them prescribe the best possible medication.

READ MORE: Colds and flu: What to say if you get sick in Austria

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