Health Highlights: Oct. 14, 2014

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Here are some of the latest health and medical news developments, compiled by the editors of HealthDay:

Skin Has Many Types of Smell Receptors: Researchers

Human skin contains many of the same smell receptors found in the nose, according to new research.

“More than 15 of the olfactory receptors that exist in the nose are also found in human skin cells,” said lead investigator Dr. Hanns Hatt, of Ruhr University Bochum, The New York Times reported.

They also found that exposing one of those receptors to a synthetic sandalwood odor called Sandalore triggers a reaction that appears to promote healing in injured tissue.

Experiments showed that skin wounds healed 30 percent faster when exposed to Sandalore, a finding the researchers said could lead to new types of injury treatments or cosmetics products for aging skin, The Times reported.

Previous research has shown that olfactory receptors are present throughout the body, including the liver, heart, lungs, colon, brain, and even sperm.

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Sports Drinks May Cause Dental Problems in Athletes

Dental problems caused by sports drinks could harm athletes’ chances of victory, a new study suggests.

It found that nearly one-fifth of athletes at the London 2012 Olympics had toothaches or bleeding gums that could have cost them a place on the podium, the Daily Mail in Britain reported.

Eighteen percent of the athletes said they had dental problems that negatively affected their ability to perform. About 46 percent said they had not seen a dentist in the past year.

Many elite athletes eat high-carbohydrate diets and consume sugary, acidic energy drinks, which may contribute tooth decay and erosion, the Daily Mail reported.

In addition, intense training can lead to dehydration, resulting in reduced production of saliva, which helps protect teeth from decay.

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