While also feeling like it’s flown by, 2024 has been a long year and many of us are beginning to feel run down, burnt out in the build up to Christmas, and the colder conditions certainly don’t help our health either.

And there’s one common oral health issue which can rear its head more now the temperature has dropped a few degrees.

Common winter issue

Ulcers can crop up anytime of the year but in winter they can be brought on more frequently, CareCredit explains, noting these types of ulcers in particular are known as ‘canker sores’.

“This is because saliva is needed to rid the mouth of bacteria and food particles that can cause infections, and the dry air leads to reduced saliva in the mouth.

“Also, the winter season compromises our immune system and leaves us more vulnerable to infections in the mouth, like canker sores.”

But when can mouth ulcers be a sign of something potentially more serious?

Sign of something potentially more serious

Well, oral surgeon at Dentum, Dr Andrej Bozic said, as quoted by SurreyLive: “Most mouth ulcers heal within 10 to 14 days. If a sore lingers beyond that, it could indicate something more serious, such as oral cancer, an autoimmune disease, or a chronic infection.

“Dehydration and a higher risk of infections during colder months can aggravate mouth ulcers. But any sore that persists shouldn’t be dismissed as seasonal – it’s crucial to have it checked.

“One of the early warning signs of oral cancer is a non-healing ulcer. These are often mistaken for minor injuries, but any ulcer persisting for more than three weeks should be taken seriously.”

And there are certain other symptoms to look out for.

Other symptoms to look out for

Alongside being aware of any ulcer which doesn’t heal after three weeks, you should keep an eye out for red or white patches in your mouth as well as any lumps.

If you have any lumps or swelling in your neck or jaw or pain around your throat and mouth then it’s good to keep a note of this too.

And particularly if it leads to you experiencing any difficulty swallowing, chewing or speaking.

However, there are ways to prevent and treat ulcers.

How to prevent ulcers

Reducing or stopping smoking and drinking can help prevent ulcers from forming – alongside existing ulcers being able to heal.

Spicy and acidic foods can also aggravate ulcers if you’re willing to wave goodbye to curries or fruit juices for a while.

If you do have an ulcer, washing your mouth with a mixture of warm water and salt can help encourage healing and using a soft-bristled toothbrush can also ensure you’re not aggravating the tissue inside your mouth which could lead to ulcers forming.

If you’re concerned, it’s always best to consult a medical professional.

There are two scenarios in which you’d spot this beast of a plane somehow flying over your head. The first is simple: US government officials are using the huge militarized version of the Boeing 747-200 to get from A to B.

The second is a little more chilling and I’ll let the US Air Force explain what its aircraft, dubbed the E-4B, is purposed for.

Its mission statement reads: “The E-4B ‘Nightwatch’ serves as the National Airborne Operations Center and is a key component of the National Military Command System for the President, the Secretary of Defense and the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

“In case of national emergency or destruction of ground command and control centers, the aircraft provides a highly survivable command, control and communications center to direct U.S. forces, execute emergency war orders, and coordinate actions by civil authorities.

“The conduct of E-4B operations encompasses all phases of the threat spectrum. Additionally, the E-4B provides outside the continental United States travel support for the Secretary of Defense and his staff to ensure Title 10 command and control connectivity.”

To put it in black and white, it’s in the event the White House and the Pentagon are nuked. I mean, Washington, D.C. would probably be a target for two dictators we’ve come to know rather well in recent years – North Korea’s Kim Jong Un and Russia’s Vladimir Putin.

Although there are four of these planes, each of them is stored at the Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska, which is home to the US Strategic Command.

So what makes these planes so good that they can withhold nuclear blasts then?

Let’s start with the sheer size of them. They are 231 feet long, 63 feet high and have a wingspan of 195 feet, while they weigh 800,000 pounds – that’s the equivalent of flying 80 African elephants through the sky.

They’ve got four electric turbofan engines that each pack a punch – the thrust power being 52,000 pounds for each engine – so 208,000 pounds in total.

They are also kitted out with nuclear and thermal effects shielding and an air-conditioning system for cooling electrical components, as well as the capability to refuel in-flight and can fly for 12 hours straight before needing to.

They cost a staggering $223.2 million, and one of the four planes is always on alert 24 hours a day ‘to provide direct support to the President, the Secretary of Defense, and the JCS’ (Joint Chiefs of Staff).

While you might not be aware of what Granny’s purse syndrome is, it is something worth considering over the holiday period.

Dr. Meghan Martin took to TikTok to address the lesser known syndrome and why it is important to be wary of it as families get together for Christmas.

Martin, who goes by Beachgem10 on TikTok insisted that the issue is something every adult should consider for the safety of their children.

She said: “If you are spending time with your family for the holidays, it’s important to know about something called ‘granny syndrome’ or ‘granny’s purse syndrome’,

“This is when young kids get into their grandparents’ medications that are not secured properly — for many reasons. One of them is that grandparents are not used to having kids around. Often their medications are on low shelves or in their purses or in medication containers that are not child resistant.”

She also noted that the thought of children getting into their grandparents’ medication is not always something that is considered.

However, she stated that as they are children, what is normally considered safe for an adult may be harmful for them and result in hospital visits.

While this may feel like a very specific warning, according to the Absentee Shawnee Tribal health system, children taking medication they shouldn’t is the leading cause of child poisoning.

In a report they stated: “Each year, more than 500,000 children under the age of five experience a potential poisoning related to medications.

“More than 60,000 children are treated in emergency departments due to accidental unsupervised ingestions each year.

“Up to 20 percent of pediatric poisonings involve a grandparent’s medication. Make sure that all medications in the child’s environment are stored out of reach and out of sight.”

Dr Martin also called on people to be careful about how they deal with their medication in front of children during the holiday season.

She said: “Don’t take medications in front of kids because kids want to mimic what adults do.

“Never refer to medication as candy, medication is not okay to eat, candy is.”

She also highlighted that in the event a child does mistakenly ingest medication in the US you can call 911 or poison control at 1-800-222-1222.

So ahead of the family cheer, no harm in just double checking all your medications are locked away and secure.

The ranking of the world’s airlines has been calculated by flight compensation company AirHelp, which uses three factors to calculate which companies are providing the best services.

These factors include ‘on-time performance’, which tracks how many of an airline’s flights are on schedule; customer service, assessed by passenger ratings of the food, comfort, and crew of the airlines; and claim processing, which is how efficiently airlines handle claims and how likely they are to pay out compensation.

Using this data, AirHelp ranked 109 airlines with some surprising results, including one long-time winner being pushed off the top spot.

Top 10 Best Airlines

According to AirHelp’s rankings, the number one airline in the world this year was Brussels Airlines, which is headquartered in Belgium.

The airline flies to more than 100 places in Europe, North America and Africa, but last year it didn’t even make it to the top 10, instead coming in 12th place.

Clearly the staff at the airline have been doing something right, as its first-place ranking managed to push Qatar Airways into second place after holding the top spot since 2018.

The top 10 list also included well-known airlines United Airlines and American Airlines – two airlines that managed to maintain their places in the top spot for the third year running, despite major disruptions that impacted domestic airlines in the US over the last few months.

Check out the top 10 list here:

10 – Air Serbia

9 – Widerøe

8 – Air Arabia

7 – LOT Polish Airlines

6 – Austrian Airlines

5 – Play

4 – American Airlines

3 – United Airlines

2 – Qatar Airways

1 – Brussels Airlines

Top 10 Worst Airlines

When it comes to the companies that have left customers least satisfied, AirHelp reported a range of companies from across the globe were the biggest offenders.

It was Tunisair, headquartered in Tunisia, that unfortunately ranked all the way at the bottom in 109th spot, with AirHelp reporting an on-time performance rating of 4.7, a customer opinion rating of 6 and a claims processing rating of 0.2, all out of 10.

See the full list below:

10 – Sky Express

9 – Air Mauritius

8 – Tarom

7 – IndiGo

6 – Pegasus Airlines

5 – El Al Israel Airlines

4 – Bulgaria Air

3 – Nouvelair

2 – Buzz

1 – Tunisair

Upon sharing the list, AirHelp Chief Executive Officer Tomasz Pawliszyn expressed hope the rankings would ‘encourage airlines to continuously listen to passenger feedback’.