What's More Important: The Jawbone Or The Hipbone?

My housemate takes Fosamax. It's supposed to strengthen the bones, and while it's a once-a-week thing, it seems to work.

But it appears that once again, every upside has its own downside. This time, it appears the jaw takes a hit to strengthen the hipbone.

Now I know everything has its downside. Even Water can kill in excess, and Oxygen was originally a toxic gas that some cell figured out how to use (and used its secret to push the rest of the cells to the margins). Indeed, the difference between benefical items and poisonous items is the lower level of tolerance we have for poisonous items.

However, there's millions of people taking these drugs (Aredia and Zometa for cancer treatments; Fosamax, Actonel and Boniva for osteoperosis) so even the smallest dosetaker is at some risk. The risk seems small (less than 1%, with cancer treatment doses, probably a smaller percentage with pill takers). Still, it's something to consider, especially when you're about to go through oral surgery -- which it turns out my housemate is about to do.

And now she's worried sick.