Swedish News

Tooth loss elevates risk for heart attacks. Sleep like Garbo. “Värmlänningarna” in top shape. No wedding for Princess Madeleine in 2010. Friends of the collection-bag. 

• Tooth loss elevates risk for heart attacks.
  Direct quantity and risk relationships exist between heart diseases and loss of teeth. Besides being an accepted indicator for oral and general health, the number of teeth in a person's mouth determines the risk of that individual succumbing to heart disease, according to a newly released study of 7,674 subjects followed for 12 years and reported by Anders Holmlund and Gunnar Holm, with Uppsala University Hospital, and Lars Lind, with the Public Dental Health bureau in Skåne. Previous studies have demonstrated a link between oral hygiene and heart disease. But this one, for the first time, exhibited evidence of a direct relationship between the actual number of teeth and cardiovascular mortality.
  Periodontology specialists' examinations between 1976-2002 evaluated the number of remaining teeth, severity of dental disease, number of deep gum pockets and bleeding on probing in relationship to causing death. During a median follow up period of 12 years, of 629 subjects who died, 299 passed away due to cardiovascular disease. After adjustment for age, gender and smoking, the findings revealed a sevenfold increased risk for mortality in subjects with less than 10 teeth compared to those with more than 25 teeth. The researchers calculate that the quantity of missing teeth indicates oral infections that had reached the circulation system and caused chronic inflammation, which is a proven risk factor behind heart diseases of several types. Avoiding the heart attack hazard by keeping adult teeth entails the time honored advice of brushing after meals, eating sensibly, flossing, maintaining generally good health habits and following advice from dentists when obtaining regular professional care.

• Sleep like Garbo.
  Or at least in the same room and bed. You see, room 204 in the present hotel Kung Carl in Stockholm had a very special habitué: Greta Garbo herself would check in here during her visits to Stockholm in the 1930’s. Now that very room has been furnished with the star’s own four-poster bed, which was auctioned off at Auktionsverket last year. Hotel owner Kurt Östlundh hired a set designer to help create a proper atmosphere. The original floor of the room is back, and the rest of the furniture includes a desk, a sofa and a bathtub all with a 30’s vibe to them, the tub stands on lion’s paws – just like it should be. So, if you feel like visiting Stockholm like a movie star, go ahead and check in! P.S. The mattress is new. www.hotellkungcarl.se

• “Värmlänningarna” in top shape.
  The Swedish Film Institute is ready to reveal the result of one of its most complicated color film restorations ever. Directed by Göran Gentele in 1957, “Värmlänningarna” has gotten a second chance thanks to a new, digital restoration that has been very successful and is captivating the experts. The original version had a slight discoloration between each scene, a common problem with films from that period. The technique to digitally restore a film like “Värmlänningarna” is far from new, but the results so far have not been satisfactory. It was also quite costly. Thanks to Digitalfilmlab, a film laboratory in Copenhagen, both problems were solved and the film is now ready to be shown to the public. Busk-Margit Jonsson, Per Myrberg, Adolf Jahr, Mona Malm, Kerstin Meyer and Björn Gustafson are some of the stars. “Wermlenningarne”, as it was originally called, is a popular burlesque comedy written by F. A. Dahlgren in 1845, the music was arranged by composer Andreas Randel and it premiered at the Royal Opera in Stockholm in 1846. Five film versions have been made on it, the first in Kristianstad 1910, then in 1932 and in 1957, the latest two in 1962 and in 1980 were made for Swedish Television.
  The Swedish Film Institute: www.sfi.se

• No wedding for Princess Madeleine in 2010.
  She has to wait. It cannot be easy being the younger sister to a Crown Princess. And now Princess Madeleine who, according to all sources, is chomping at the bit to get married, has to yield because of Victoria and her June wedding. It was Queen Silvia herself who came with the news the other day: “Unfortunately there will be no wedding this year,” about Madeleine and Jonas Bergström who were engaged in August last year. “It is an intense period right now, and I think Madeleine has the right to have some peace and quiet surrounding her own wedding,” the Queen said. Of course media is quick to question if there might be problems in Madeleine and Jonas’ relationship. The two haven’t been seen together much lately, and their friends talked about a possible separation last year. Earlier this year, Madeleine went on vacation to Verbier and to London with some friends while Jonas remained in Stockholm, where he is working at the Vinge law firm. At times they have also chosen not to live together at Hovstallet on Östermalm in Stockholm. But Silvia fends off the rumors. “I have to say that I have read very few papers and I want to add that Madeleine is feeling well and all is OK.” A reporter quickly asked: “Does Your Majesty mean between Madeleine and Jonas Bergström?” To which Her Majesty replied: “Yes.”

• Friends of the collection-bag.
  They live in Växjö episcopate - the most generous Swedish churchgoers. The stingiest live in Stockholm. In 2009 Växjö episcopate collected most money per member when the collection-bags went around in the churches. The total sum came to 7.5 million SEK ($980,864.791). That breaks down to almost 16 SEK ($2.23) per member. Visby was the second most generous episcopate, giving an average of 14.6 SEK ($2) per member. Stockholm’s episcopate, the one with the most members, collected 3.7 million SEK ($420,403.764), which breaks down to 3.4 SEK ($0.47) per member – the lowest of all episcopates in the country. The average collection in Sweden last year was 8 SEK and 50 öre ($1.19).