Some bloggers have sitemeters. Some bloggers check their sitemeters to see who is searching what subject, if they are brave. Occasionally I am brave and check. What follows are three pieces upon subjects that three people researched via google.

This is the fourth topic:-

Now there’s a curious search. I can see why people would visit me to find evidence that "British people have bad teeth." I would be eminently qualified in that department. But why search about bad teeth AND autism? Still, I suppose it makes a welcome change from searching any subject with the addition of "not autism," so I’ll stop moaning.

Bad teeth might be an area of concern, if a little vague. Some scientific types are concerned about mercury and the incidence of autism. Some parents and scientists suggest that there is a connection between "mercury tooth fillings and autism." These are weighty matters for many. Other people worry about more mundane matters, that even if they could get their child to visit a dentist, the chances of the orthodontist getting a peek of those little enamel toothies, is unlikely. Those parents have experienced great difficulty when it comes to children’s teeth cleaning and dental hygiene in general. Strangely, inserting a blunt instrument with bristles, in the oral cavity of some individuals, is not a preferred activity. If this less preferred activity is required twice daily, a child may begin to bristle, whilst a parent becomes bald.

Some parents fool themselves: he doesn’t eat anything so there’s nothing to rot his teeth, or, they’re only baby teeth, he’ll learn how to do it later, or, my child is a vegan, he only eats the insides of cucumbers, only, and only the flesh, they’re not acidic, even by the bushel, or, I’m already bankrupt from the costs of therapy, and cucumbers are very expensive this time of year, this is really a saving.

Since we’re in America, some fortunate people do have dental insurance to defray the cost. The kindly dentist, sensitive to the needs of the child, recommends a full general anesthetic. These parents are lucky to have found such an empathetic individual. They only have to pick up the tab for the "anesthetist" which is generally only a few thousand dollars, a real bargain for such expertise. Without trivializing the inherent risks of anesthesia, it has to be balanced against the trauma of subjecting a child to professional dental care. Let’s face it, as much as we love amateurs and keen enthusiasts, when it comes to anesthesiology, we want the "professionals."

Is there a higher incidence of bad teeth with autistic individuals? Does bad diet and limited oral hygiene contribute to such a phenomenon, if it exists in the first place? I expect that any time soon there will be a new study examining this issue.

Meanwhile, I’m considering a new marketing venture, organic compost composed primarily of cucumber seeds and skins. I hope it can be a co-operative. All profits could be donated to those in need of anesthetists. Any offerings? Please mail in a hermetically sealed jiffy bag to the following address:-

Mulch for Mouths

2nd Molar from the Anterior Open Bite

Periodontal Place

Incisor Lane

Enamelville

"Cheers dears"