[Sugar substitutes--their significance in preventing dental caries]

Sugar is the most prominent antagonist of teeth. In the Federal Republic of Germany, approx. 2 million tons of sugar were sold for human nutrition in 1986/87. The per capita consumption was 34.8 kg. The significance of sugar substitutes can be derived from the possibility to make some particularly caries-causing confectionery types tolerable for the teeth: On the one hand, they will thus lose their caries triggering property; on the other hand, they contribute to the remineralization of carious initial lesions by stimulating the saliva. Teeth-tolerable confectionery can be specially marked. Measures and media for familiarising the public with this special "brand" are shown.

[Long-Term Results of Surgical Treatment of Spinal Tumours in Children and Adolescents]

Catamneses of children up to the age of 16, operated on spinal tumours, are reported. Spinal tumours of this age account for about 15% of the total (all ages). There are about 50% intradural and 50% extradural tumours. The most frequent extradural tumours are sarcomas, followed by lipomas and dysontogenetic tumours like teratomas. Intradural tumours consist of intramedullary and extramedullary ones, about 50% each. Intramedullary tumours are gliomas, extramedullary ones may be neurinomas, meningeomas and vascular tumours. Time from onset of first diffuse symptoms up to clinical diagnosis depends on growth tendency of the tumour as well as on its localization. Hence, case history in cases of intramedullary gliomas usually covers two years, of sarcomas only a couple of months. In half of the cases, pain was the first symptom, followed by disturbed motor function. In more than 50% of the cases, complete restoration or significant improvement could be achieved by surgery. In the remaining half, there was either no change or even deterioration of the disturbed function. It seems justified to replace the former pessimistic attitude towards therapy of spinal tumours in childhood by a discret optimism. If in addition other spinal diseases like disk herniation are taken into account, prognosis is even more favourable.