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Beware of the hidden salt in processed foods - it could be ruining your health.

A new study shows excessive dietary sodium is contributing to almost 17,000 cases of stroke, heart attack and heart failure each year in Canada.

Medical experts say the average adult needs between 1,200 and 1,500 milligrams of sodium a day - equivalent to three-quarters of a teaspoon of salt. (Salt is sodium chloride and about 40 per cent of table salt, by weight, is sodium.)

Canadians seem to love salt and currently consume more than twice the required amount - an average of 3,500 milligrams of sodium per day.

Some people are extremely sensitive to dietary sodium. It can help push their blood pressure up, which in turn elevates the odds of developing cardiovascular disease.

The new study by researchers at the Libin Cardiovascular Institute of Alberta, the University of Calgary and British Columbia's Simon Fraser University, concluded that between 8,300 and 17,000 fewer Canadians would suffer strokes, heart attacks and heart failure each year if sodium consumption was brought into line with what the body needs.

"Reducing dietary sodium could dramatically improve the health of Canadians," said Norm Campbell, one of the study authors.

However, keeping your hands off the salt shaker isn't enough. That's because 80 per cent of the sodium in the average person's diet is added to food before it's purchased. Everything from pasta to pizza is loaded with salt.

"Many consumers may not be aware they are eating excessive sodium," the researchers write in their study published in The Canadian Journal of Cardiology.

Last year, Health Canada set up the Sodium Working Group, made up of health and industry representatives, to figure out ways to reduce salt consumption. The researchers say their study reiterates the need for government action.

BENEFITS OF A HEALTHY SMILE

Regular brushing and flossing may do more than give you a pleasing smile: Good oral hygiene may also guard against cancer.

British researchers found that men with a history of gum disease had a 14 per cent higher risk of developing cancer than those who were free of gum problems.

The study, published in the journal Lancet Oncology, is based on health questionnaires completed by more than 48,000 male volunteers who were tracked for almost 18 years.

This is not the first time oral health has been linked to overall well-being. Previous studies have found an association between heart disease and poor oral hygiene.

Scientists are not sure why bad gums and rotten teeth might undermine health. One possibility is that sores in the mouth provide an entry point for harmful pathogens that contribute to disease.

"More and more evidence suggests oral health has a more general impact on health than previously believed," lead researcher Dominique Michaud of Imperial College London said in an e-mail. "So, it is critical for everyone to look after their teeth."

BONE DRUG CONTROVERSY

A dark cloud has hung over a group of osteoporosis medications ever since a study found the widely used drugs may increase the risk of osteonecrosis of the jaw, a disease in which part of the jawbone is deprived of its blood supply and dies.

Now a task force including health experts from a broad range of medical fields has released a report that provides some clarity about the potential risks posed by bisphosphonates, which include Fosamax, Actonel and Aclasta.

The team, led by Aliya Khan, a professor at McMaster University in Hamilton, concluded that the chances of osteonecrosis occurring in patients taking bisphosphonate to prevent osteoporosis is less than one in 100,000 - which isn't any different than someone who is not using one of the medications.

However, the group found there was an elevated risk for cancer patients, who are sometimes prescribed these drugs when the disease has spread to their bones. Dr. Khan noted that cancer patients receive 10 times the dose taken for the treatment of osteoporosis.

"We want to reassure people with osteoporosis that these medicines are safe," Dr. Khan said. Still, patients should tell their dentists they are using the medications. And if they are about to undergo a major dental procedure, such as a tooth extraction, "consideration should be given to interrupting the bisphosphonate during the healing period," according to the task force report published in The Journal of Rheumatology.

A STEP BACK FOR SAFETY

The idea that motorcycle helmets help prevent head injuries may seem like a "no-brainer."

Even so, in 2003, the politicians of Pennsylvania repealed a law that required all motorcyclists to wear helmets. Now, only motorcyclists under 21 and those with less than two years' driving experience who have not taken a safety course need to don a helmet.

Not surprisingly, a new study released yesterday shows deaths shot up 32 per cent and hospitalizations jumped 42 per cent for head injuries involving motorcycle accidents after the original law was stripped from the state's books.

"The relatively large increase in head injury deaths and hospitalizations after the repeal suggest that the law was protecting riders," said Kristen Mertz, an assistant professor at the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health, and lead author of the study published in the American Journal of Public Health.