The best way to avoid the negative effects of an infectious disease is to avoid getting the disease in the first place. That is exactly what keeping up with your vaccinations is intended to do.

Cervical cancer isn’t all that common in this country anymore. Virtually all of the cases that do develop arise because of the human papillomavirus (HPV). Two vaccines are available to attack the major cancer-causing strains of this virus. But not all young women get vaccinated.

Kids may be small, but they can be resourceful. If they see something they want — like a medicine bottle that might look like candy — they will do their best to get it. And that can be a problem.

Smokers tend to pick up the habit earlier rather than later in life. Fortunately, getting ahold of cigarettes has become tougher and fewer teens are lighting up these days.

All types of preventive medicine offer benefits and risks, and vaccines are no exception. But often, the risks related to getting a disease may be greater than the risks of the vaccine.

Children tend to have a difficult time maintaining a clean mouth. And an unclean mouth can lead to a host of dental problems, including tooth decay. With that in mind, researchers recently set out to see if fluoride varnish was effective and safe for preventing tooth decay in children and teens.

Most kids love sugary beverages, but parents should be mindful of how much of these beverages their kids are drinking.

Smoking is linked to many more health problems than bad breath and lung cancer. The key to preventing the health issues is to prevent children and teens from starting to smoke in the first place.

Being born extremely early has been linked to some developmental problems. But there is less to worry about if a child is born just a little early.

If a young child begins to stutter while speaking, parents may worry the child will suffer setbacks in language or social development. But the opposite may be true.