D Thursday, February 4, 2010 News 11 New tool is simply breathtaking ITS the invisible curse that can wreck romances, alienate colleagues and ruin friendships. But for the first time a treatment is now available which could banish bad breath forever thanks to a machine which is 50 times more sensitive than the human nose. The gas chromatography machine measures and identifies the three main bacteria which cause halitosis, allowing dentists to target the problem. Once it has diagnosed the problem, treatments can be prescribed for the specific type of bad breath, including a nasal flush or medicated mouthwash. An estimated 40 per cent of people will suffer from chronic halitosis at some point in their life. Poor oral hygiene is often blamed, but gum disease, smoking and alcohol may also be contributing factors. But while Manchester- based dentists Lance Knight are the first to use the machine in Britain, the 9,000 unit has yet to be introduced in Ireland. 3D scans may put your baby at risk TAKING 3D pictures of your unborn child could put the foetus at risk, experts warned yesterday. The UKs Health Protection Agency said there have been some unconfirmed reports suggesting possible effects on the developing nervous system from non-essential ultrasound scans. People should be aware of possible health risks of souvenir foetal- imaging scans such as creating 3D images of a baby which do not have a defined diagnostic benefit. The HPA stressed, however, that routine hospital scans were important to monitor the health of the foetus. Sorry, mate, no shoes, no shopping A MAN has been refused entry to Tesco after attempting to shop barefoot in its stores. Dave Richards, 47, who has gone without shoes for the past seven years, was turned away by several branches of the supermarket chain in Derby, England. Last week it emerged that customers at a Tesco store in Cardiff, Wales, had been banned from shopping barefoot or in their pyjamas. Up to 3,000 students demonstrated at Waterford Institute of Technology yesterday to demand the release of their overdue exam results. The delay is a result of a pay dispute between WIT lecturing staff and college management, who have been urged to reach a swift resolution Students protest to demand their exam results Sick Nigerian girl gets last minute deportation stay A SERIOUSLY ill Nigerian girl was spared deportation last night after officials agreed to review her case. The Department of Justice confirmed five-year-old Ayodola Adekunle and her family were granted a last-minute reprieve after her legal team intervened. The youngster suffers from sick- le-cell anaemia and had her spleen removed more than a year ago leaving her susceptible to infec- tions and disease. Her mother Eniola said Ayodola has some hope of living if she re- mains in Ireland and appealed to Justice Minister Dermot Ahern not to send her daughter home to die. I am pleading on behalf of Ayo- dola and her condition to allow her to stay, said Ms Adekunle. She cannot survive in a malaria zone. I want him to use his good position and help us on humanitar- ian grounds to let us stay in the country. The family who have exhausted all legal channels of the asylum process were due to be deported last night. A spokesman said: Following le- gal intervention on behalf of the childs family, the Department of Justice has agreed to carry out a re- view of this specific case. Ayodola has been receiving treat- ment at Our Ladys Childrens Hospital in Dublin. Her doctor, Karina McMahon, has publicly supported the familys plight and fears Ayodolas life would be seriously impaired if she returned to Nigeria. She said 50 per cent of children in Africa with sickle-cell anaemia do not live to see their fifth birthday, adding that those with no spleen have a high risk of dying of malaria. A handful of supporters gathered outside the Garda National Immi- gration Bureau as Ms Adekunle ar- rived to sign-on for officials. They will return again next Wednesday when they may know their fate. Sickle-cell disease is a genetic life-long blood disorder character- ised by red blood cells that assume an abnormal, rigid sickle shape and is prevalent in about 20 per 1,000 births in Nigeria. By Sarah Stack Safe, for now: Ayodola to learn her fate next week index.html2.html3.html4.html5.html6.html7.html8.html9.html10.html11.html12.html13.html14.html15.html16.html17.html18.html19.html20.html21.html22.html23.html24.html25.html26.html27.html