Brush Twice A Day To Keep The Cavities Away!

The following Children's Oral Health questions were posted with permission from the Academy of General Dentistry™ April 2001.

At what age are my children supposed to see a dentist?

The general rule is between 18 and 24 months. Some children require a bit more time to be comfortable. If an area of concern is noticed, then the child should see a dentist as soon as possible.

Why is it important to fix baby teeth that have decay? Aren't they going to come out soon anyway?

It is very important to maintain the baby teeth because these teeth hold space for the future eruption of the permanent teeth. If a baby tooth decays or is removed too early, the space necessary for the permanent teeth is lost and can only be regained through orthodontic treatment. Infected baby teeth can cause the permanent teeth to develop improperly, resulting in stains, pits and weaker teeth.

When will my child lose his/her baby teeth?

Children will begin losing their teeth at approximately age 4. They will usually lose their front teeth first. Children will continue to lose baby teeth until the age of 12 or 13, when all of the permanent teeth finally erupt.

When does thumb-sucking become damaging to the teeth?

Generally, if the child has stopped sucking his/her thumb by the age of 5, there is no permanent damage. If the child is a vigorous and constant thumbsucker, however, there can be moderate to severe movement of teeth and prevention of normal bone growth.

Should my child wear a mouthguard while playing sports?

It is strongly recommended that children wear a mouthguard while playing any contact sport. It is always better to prevent an injury than to repair one. The earlier a child begins to wear the mouthguard, the easier it is to become comfortable and continue to wear it as they get older.

What should I do if my child gets a tooth knocked out?

If the tooth is a permanent tooth, time is extremely crucial. Immediately stick the tooth back in the socket. Don't worry about getting it in straight or having it turned backwards, just get it in the socket and immediately call your dentist. If you are uncomfortable placing the tooth in the socket, put it in a glass of milk and get your child to the dentist as quickly as possible. If the tooth is a baby tooth, do not put it in the socket because damage to the permanent tooth can occur. When in doubt, put the tooth in milk and see your dentist immediately.

Posted with permission from the Academy of General Dentistry^™ April 2001.

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Brush 'Em Floss 'Em Brush 'Em

For good oral hygiene, the American Dental Association (ADA) recommends to:
· Brush your teeth twice a day with an ADA-accepted fluoride toothpaste.
· Clean between teeth daily with floss.
· Eat a balanced diet and limit between-meal snacks.
· Visit your dentist regularly for professional cleanings and oral exams.

Brushing
To ensure healthy teeth and gums, replace your toothbrush every three or four months or sooner if bristles become frayed. For children, replace the brushes even soon, after one or two months. A soft-bristled brush is best and the size and shape of the brush should fit your mouth, allowing you to reach all areas easily. Your toothpaste should contain fluoride, which helps protect your teeth from decay. When selecting any oral care product, look for the ADA Seal of Acceptance.

How to brush
Following these simple guidelines will ensure a thorough brushing:
· Place your toothbrush at a 45-degree angle against the gums.
· Move the brush back and forth gently in short strokes.
· Brush the outer tooth surfaces, inner tooth surfaces, and the chewing surfaces.
· Use the “toe” of the brush to clean the inside surfaces of front teeth, using a gentle up-and-down stroke.
· Brush your tongue to remove bacteria and freshen your breath.

Flossing
The ADA recommends cleaning between the teeth with floss or interdental cleaners once each day to remove plaque for all tooth surfaces. Plaque is responsible for both tooth decay and gum disease. By flossing daily, the prevalence of plaque is dramatically decreased. Mouth wash can also be beneficial, but should not be looked at as an alternative to flossing.

How to floss
· Use 18 inches of floss and wind most of it around one of your middle fingers. Wind the remaining floss around the same finger on opposite hand. Hold the floss tightly.
· Guide floss between teeth using a gentle rubbing motion. Never snap the floss into the gums.
· When floss reaches the gum line, curve it into a C-shape against one tooth. Gently slide it into the space between the gum and the tooth.
· Hold the floss tightly against the tooth. Gently rub the side of the tooth, moving the floss away from the gum with up and down motions.
· Repeat this method on the rest of your teeth.
· Don’t forget the back side of your tooth.

Dental Visits
The ADA suggests that everyone see a dentist at least twice a year.

Busting the Habit

Project Smokebusters is a three-year program sponsored by the Northeast Missouri Cancer Control Coalition. Smokebusters’ mission is promoting healthy tobacco-free environments by the elimination of secondhand smoke exposure and the reduction of youth initiation of tobacco use through environmental policy change. Smokebusters focuses on helping youth build skills in the areas of decision-making, problem solving, and advocacy. These skills are the foundation for developing self-esteem and help youth take responsibility for their own health and for the health of their communities.

The Project Smokebusters program has been instrumental in transforming youth into effective environmental policy advocates. This program helps youth take ownership of tobacco prevention and environmental issues within their community and state. It accomplishes this by training the same basic group of youth for three consecutive years. This three-phase approach assists schools and community organizations in helping to affect policy change in Missouri schools and communities for tobacco use prevention and smoke free environments.

Five keys for quitting smoking:

1. Get ready.

2. Get support.

3. Learn new skills and behaviors.

4. Get medication and use it correctly.

5. Be prepared for relapase or difficult situations.

Here are some others tips for quitting:
- Change your environment: get rid of all cigarettes and ashtrays in your home, car, and place of work.
- Don’t let people smoke around you. Studies have shown that you have a better chance of being successful if you have support from others.
- Try to distract yourself from urges to smoke. Talk to someone, or go for a walk. Drink a lot of water and other fluids.
- Medications can help you stop smoking and lessen the urge to smoke. For example, Nicotine gum, or the patch.
- Most relapses occur within the first three months after quitting. Don’t be discouraged if you start smoking again. Remember, most people try several times before they finally quit.
- Drinking alcohol lowers your chances of success. Being around smoking can make you want to smoke. There are a lot of ways to improve your mood other than smoking.

AVOID DISASTER FOR YOUR CHILDREN

In a recent study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, it was found that seventy percent of children were not correctly restrained in the vehicle they were traveling in. This puts thousands of children in harm’s way unnecessarily; research suggests that improper child restraints significantly increase the risk of fatality in the event of a crash.
There are several types of child safety seats on the market, four of which are explained at http://pregnancy.about.com/od/babysafety/ss/typesofcarseats_4.htm, and are briefly described below:

A. There are infant car seats, designed specifically for those babies that are under twenty pounds. These will typically suit your baby for the first six to twelve months of life. This type of seat can often be used as a carrier as well. Many will attach to a base that stays strapped into the car while you use the seat as a carrier.



B. Another type of seat is a convertible, meaning it can be used as a rear-facing
seat for an infant up to twenty pounds or one year of age, and then can be switched to a forward-facing seat for children beyond the twenty pound/one year mark. While this saves on having to buy a new seat as your baby grows, this seat cannot serve as a carrier and is difficult to transfer from car to car.



C. A third type of seat is the convertible with a shield. This design is similar to the convertible described above, but includes a “shield” or padded bar that pulls down in front of the baby at about the abdomen level. Several organizations, such as the American Academy of Pediatrics, advise against this model because of the possibility of a child striking his face on the shield and sustaining major facial injury.



D. Finally, there is the high-backed or no-backed booster seat, for use with children between forty and eighty pounds. These seats often use the existing car seat belt to secure the child, and provide added elevation to ensure that the straps are positioned correctly. These should be used until age eight, or until the child is tall enough that an adult seatbelt is positioned correctly without the use of a booster.

Putting in a car seat is not child’s play. There are latches and buttons, tethers and straps, and sometimes instructions just are not clear enough. Often a parent will put the seat to the best of their ability, but its effectiveness falls short of its intended protection. There are several mistakes that parents and caregivers can make when installing a child safety seat (http://www.aap.org/family/carseatguide.htm):
• The seat faces forward, when it should face backward, or vice versa.
• The seat is in the front seat, when it should be in the backseat.
• The seat is positioned in front of an airbag.
• The seatbelt does not follow the path it should through the car seat.
• The seat is positioned too far upright, instead of at a forty-five degree angle.
Additionally, there are some mistakes often made in securing a child into the seat, or in the choice of car seat, such as:
• The child is too big for a car seat.
• The child is too small for a booster seat.
• The child is too small for an adult lap and shoulder belt
• The child’s shoulder straps are positioned too high
• The child’s shoulder straps are too loose
• The child’s chest clip is too low or too high, or not used at all
Any of these circumstances can be disastrous for you child in the event of an accident. This makes it extremely important that great care go into installing your child’s seat. Hospitals, ambulance services, highway departments, and other organizations across the nation are setting up checkpoints and inspection sites to offer assistance in this ever confusing but all-important task. Call 1-866-SEAT-CHECK to find an inspection location near you.

Smoking for Thought

Before you make a big purchase you probably find out as much as you can about the product you want to buy so that you make the best choice, right? As a consumer it makes sense to get the most for your hard earned dollar, but how do you decide the best choice? Most likely this involves weighing pros and cons, looking at cost, and hearing what others have said about the product. It seems natural, but how many people actually research a personal choice? Let’s consider smoking. How many of us really know what is in a cigarette, how many of us really know how bad they are for us, how many know what they will cost?

So what are some of the ingredients? Of course there is tobacco, water, artificial flavoring; that doesn’t seem so bad. So how come there is a filter and what does that even do? The answer lies in the additives. A number of things are included in cigarettes that allow them to have better taste, to be more easily smoked, to prolong burning, increase shelf life, and unfortunately make them more harmful.

*Butane, ethanol, and methanol are all combustible fuels
*Hydrogen cyanide is a gas chamber poison
*Ammonia is a powerful cleaning agent
*Acetone is used in nail polish remover and in plastics
*Carbon monoxide is found in automobile exhaust
*Toluene is an industrial solvent
*Cadmium is used in batteries
*Deildrin is found in bug spray

These chemicals are a small sampling of the 4,000+ chemicals found in cigarettes (43 of which are proven to play a role in causing cancer) that are commonly referred to as ‘tar’!! While it is the nicotine that gets people to smoke due to its addictive nature, it is the ‘tar’ that causes the most health concerns. Thus, the purpose of the filter: to screen out this tar and nicotine. However the reason people continue to smoke is to obtain the nicotine level their body has become addicted to. So if less nicotine is entering per puff, a smoker will continue to smoke until they have reached that needed level and as an added bonus receive all those other lethal chemicals contained in the smoke. With thousands of harmful chemicals entering your body with each inhalation, what happens to your health is worth a second look. Lets just work our way down shall we.

*Smokers are 4 times more likely to have gray hair or hair loss
*Smoking causes bad breath, tooth decay, staining, and gum disease
*Smoke entering the lungs causes inflammation increasing the risk 10 fold for lung cancer and emphysema
*You also get an attractive chronic cough from mucus secretion impairment and the benefit of a higher likelihood in developing bronchial infections
*Blood pressure rises and rising carbon monoxide levels compromises your blood’s oxygen levels
*Cholesterol deposits also form constricting circulation and increasing chances for strokes and heart attacks
*This also affects the skin; leading to dryness and an beautiful grayis color with increased wrinkles as a result of the break down of collagen
*Carcinogens help increase your chance of cancer in the esophagus, bladder, and pancreas among other places

All these health problems lead to reduced physical ability and increased chances of injury not to mention DEATH! There is good news however; quitting the habit can allow the body to repair itself assuming a fatal condition hasn’t already set in.

Besides your life being at stake, there are other costs to consider when purchasing cigarettes. Smokers pay more for health insurance; lose more on the resale of their house and cars; and can even lose their chance at a job. However, it extends beyond the individual. The Centers for Disease Control puts forth that over 94 billion are lost each year in productivity and 89 billion in healthcare costs. This equates to roughly each American household pays 596 dollars a year in taxes due to smoking according to “The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids Taxpayers”. Not only does this choice cost you thousands of dollars and your health but it also creates a burden on society, so next time, think before you decide to smoke.

-Joe Stauber

Sugar Bugs

In life, you are given two sets of teeth. If you do not take care of them properly, they will not stay healthy. According to the Mayo Clinic website, when you are younger, you have baby teeth. The lower-center teeth are most likely to appear first in children around the age of 6 months. Theses teeth often fall out first around the age of 6 years. The reason why these baby teeth fall out all by themselves is to make room for your permanent teeth.

Your baby and permanent teeth are made up of different types of teeth. Your front baby teeth consist of central and lateral incisors and canine or eye tooth. Baby teeth in the back of the mouth are made up of the first and second molar. In a permanent set of teeth, there are central and lateral incisors, as well as the canine or eye tooth, in the front of the mouth. The back teeth are made up of first and second premolars and molars, as well as the third molar, or wisdom tooth. In most people, wisdom teeth eventually need to be removed to avoid future crowding of the mouth.

Permanent teeth, from the time they grow in, have to last your entire life. This means there are a lot of years on everyones' teeth. It is important to take care of them so that you do not get any Sugar Bugs. Sugar Bugs are a silly name of cavities. This might sound silly, but they are actually harmful to your teeth. They can cause your teeth to hurt and rot, which can lead to gum and breath problems. You must take care of your teeth in order to prevent Sugar Bugs. If Sugar Bugs get too big or deep, the tooth may have to be extracted. A way to prevent this from happening is to show children the proper way to brush their teeth and the importance of doing it at least two times a day. While brushing is essential, flossing should also be taught to kids. Children, as well as adults, should be seeing their dentist about twice a year starting at the age of three. This is another way to prevent Sugar Bugs. Sealants can be placed on the child's teeth at a young age when their permanent back teeth begin to appear, to help protect them against tooth decay.

Today, tooth decay in children is on the rise. This is because many children are starting to drink sugary drinks and caffeinated beverages at a younger age. Parents should be aware of this, and limit their sugary treats, even the fruit juices that are packed with high sugar contents. According to Kids Health, drinking too many sweetened caffeinated drinks could lead to dental cavities, or Sugar Bugs, because there is such a high sugar content within them. This can cause erosion of the tooth's enamel due to the acidity. One 12-oz can of regular soda is equal to ten teaspoons of sugar. That sugar then sits on the child's teeth and induces rotting. Sugar Bugs then can appear if the teeth are not brushed.

The writers at docshop.com stated that approximately 30-40 million Americans avoid seeing the dentist each year because of dental anxiety or phobia. These people suffer from fear of the dentist, the equipment, and the procedures, and frequently delay their appointments, hoping to avoid the experience altogether. As a result, these individuals most likely have infected gums and teeth. You can prevent your child from attaining this phobia by introducing the dentist as a good person who promotes proper oral health and hygiene. Show your child that the dentist is not scary and that they are their friend. Explain to them that the instruments might be loud, but they will be painless. Good oral health early in life can promote a health smile for years to come!

Blast those Bacteria (and Viruses)

One of the best ways to prevent spreading disease causing bacteria and viruses is by regularly cleaning your hands. The two hand-cleaning methods recommended by the Centers for Disease Control are washing with soap and water or using alcohol-based hand sanitizers. While hand washing is the preferred method doing so may be inconvenient which is why alcohol based cleansers are recommended as an alternative.

According to the CDC, only 74% of women and 61% of men wash their hands regularly. Regularly is a somewhat ambiguous term, and so here is a short list of examples for when to wash your hands:

o Before eating.
o Before, during, and after handling or preparing food.
o After contact with blood or body fluids (like vomit, nasal secretions, or saliva).
o After you use the bathroom.
o After handling animals.
o After contacting an object that could be contaminated (such as a trash can, cleaning cloth, drain, or dirt).
o Before treating an open wound
o Before giving medicine or inserting contact lenses.
o More often when someone you are in close contact with is sick.
o Whenever they look dirty.

Proper hand washing technique is just as important as regular washing. To make it easy, there are a few basic steps to follow in order to ensure you are cleaning your hands properly:

1. Wet your hands and apply liquid, bar, or powder soap.
2. Rub hands together vigorously to make lather and scrub all surfaces.
3. Continue scrubbing for 20 seconds, it takes that long for the soap and scrubbing action to dislodge and remove stubborn germs.
4. Rinse hands well under running water.
5. Dry your hands using a paper towel or air dryer.
6. If possible, use your paper towel to turn off the faucet.
7. (If washing with soap and water is not available, using an alcohol-based sanitizer is an appropriate alternative)

Easy as ABC

A. According to the American Dental Association, if a tooth is knocked out: rinse the roots with water and gently place the tooth back in the socket and hold in place, if this isn’t feasible then put the tooth in a cup of milk. Either way, seek dental care immediately.

B. Baby teeth are susceptible to tooth decay as soon as they appear, at about 6 months or so

C. Change your toothbrush at least every 3 months

D. Don’t forget to brush your tongue too!

E. Eating a balances diet reduces the risk of gum disease.

F. Flossing and interdental cleaners also help remove food debris caught between teeth that may not be rinsed away. While some study results indicate the use of a mouth rinse can be as effective as flossing for reducing plaque between the teeth, the American Dental Association (ADA) recommends flossing once a day.

G. Gum disease can be prevented by brushing, flossing, and scheduling regular dental visits.

H. Halitosis may be caused by dieting, or infrequent eating.

I. It's not necessarily the amount of sugar in the sweets you put in your mouth that can cause damage; any kind of candy that sticks to your teeth is more harmful than a chocolate bar that gets washed away.

J. Just brushing alone isn’t enough, flossing is mandatory!

K. Kids could use 3 minute timers to double check their brushing duration

L. Leaving the water running while you brush can waste five gallons of water or more per day

M. Most cavities could be prevented by daily brushing and flossing

N. National Children’s Dental Health Month has been observed every February since 1981.

O. Optimal levels of fluoride are between 0.7 and 1.2 ppm. It is important to check if bottled water is optimally fluoridated to prevent decay.

P. Plaque is the sticky film of bacteria covering teeth that, after contact with food, releases acid that attacks tooth enamel.

Q. Quitting all forms of tobacco products reduces the risk of gum disease and oral cancer.

R. Root canals are procedures that can save a tooth, even if decay has reached the underlying nerve.

S. Sealants are decay-preventing coatings applied to the most common chewing surfaces of teeth.

T. Teeth are numbers from the upper right molar, across the top arch, down to the lower left molar, and across the bottom arch, (a total of 32 permanent teeth).

U. Unlike at-home or in-office tooth bleaching treatments, whitening toothpastes do not alter the intrinsic color of teeth.

V. Visible sores on the outside of the mouth are called cold sores or fever blisters. Sores on the inside are called canker sores and are not contagious. Fatigue, stress, allergies, or biting the lip, cheek, or tongue can increase the likelihood of canker sore development.

W. When choosing a tooth whitening product, look for the ADA Seal of Acceptance—your assurance that they have met ADA standards of safety and effectiveness.

X. X-ray examinations can reveal small areas of decay, infections in the bone, abscesses, gum disease, some types of tumors, and developmental abnormalities.

Y. Your dentist deserves to know just as much as your primary doctor; oral bacteria have been associated with heart disease, stroke, and diabetes.

Z. Z-z-z-z…never forget to brush before bed; this gives bacteria hours of uninterrupted feasting

Dont Smoke Your Life Away

Smoking these days accounts for most of the deaths in the United States of America. Tobacco companies’ products kill 36,000 people every month. That is more lives thrown away than there are people that attend a blues hockey game or about the same number of people that go to a cardinals game. These days’ people think that they cannot be affected by tobacco and it does not happen to them. The fact is when you start using any tobacco products your chances of acquiring disease increases ten fold. Tobacco has been found to kill over 20 times more people than murder does. Smoking also kills more than nine times as many people per year as car accidents. When you look at the world 4.8 million deaths occur due to smoking each year. Also another fact that most people that smoke do not realize is that they are hurting their bodies as well as those around them. Secondhand smoke contains carbon monoxide. Which is a very harmful chemical that kills a lot of people. (www.thetruth.com)

The leading cause of death dealing with tobacco users is lung cancer. There are 399 people that die every day in the United States of America due to lung cancer. Nearly 87% of all lung cancer in the United States are smoking-related. More than 50% of newly diagnosed patients with lung cancer each year are former or non-smokers. Men who smoke increase their risk of death from lung cancer by more than 22 times and women increase their risk of death by more than 12 times. With all this negative news there is good news for those who do decide to quit smoking. Risk reduction become evident within five years of abstinence from smoking. With further abstinence the risk continues to decline, although former smokers remain at higher risk than people who never smoked. Also screening is advised, early detection of lung cancer is critical to improving survival. Testing people that are known to be at high risk for developing lung cancer can help to find tumors that are small and more easily treated. Those at high risk include men and women who are 60 years of age who currently smoke or have a history of smoking, with previous lung tumors and who have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

So if you have loved ones that smoke or you yourself are a smoker take this into consideration and increase your chances to live and keep those around you healthy. For more information visit (http://www.lungcancer.org).

Don't Say Maybe, Buckle Your Baby!

While buckling our own seatbelt is very important and should be done every time we enter a car, it also very important to have our children properly buckled in. Often when a child car seat is installed, it is done so improperly. There are online web pages and local organizations that are available to assist in proper installation. There are also certain car seats that are not compatible with certain cars. To avoid purchasing a model not compatible with your car, we suggest visiting the website http://www.carseatdata.org/compatibility_search.php?tun=home. Here they ask for seat brand, make, and type and for your car’s make, model, and year. Then they are able to tell you if that is a good match. Proper installation must begin with the proper seat purchase.
It is recommended that infants ride facing the rear of the car until at least their first birthday and they have reached 20 pounds. Facing to the rear of the car reduces the risk for spinal injuries during a crash. Infants should ride facing the rear for as long as the seat will safely allow.
Other lesser known tips for child seat safety include taking off big, bulky winter coats. The cushioning of the coat has been found to decrease the effectiveness of the car seat. Instead of using a winter coat, grab some blankets to cover the baby up. This fact also holds true for adults who wear bulky coats with their seatbelt. Another potentially harmful device is the review mirror sold separately that one can put in their rear window to keep an eye on their child. While a good idea in theory, an improperly attached mirror could easily fly off and hit the child during a crash or even with a sudden stop. Another tip is to keep your car locked at all times. Some people feel they live in a safe neighborhood and that they do not have to take such precautions, but better safe than sorry, so lock your doors. Also, safety belt adjusters sold in stores are not always government approved. Sometimes these devices, which are supposed to increase the safety of your child seat, actually wind up decreasing it. Make sure the adjusters is tested with that car seat and that the government approves of its effectiveness. Finally, if the child is riding in the front passenger seat that has airbags, they should not be holding anything, including toys or a sip cup. If the airbags deploy, the object might get between them and the airbag and be forcefully shoved into the child. (http://www.totsafe.com/carsafety.htm)
There are proper safety restraint devices to use at different points in your child’s development. They recommend infants, birth to one year and under 20-22 pounds, use a rear-facing car seat. When the child hits one year and is at least 20 pounds, the child should be placed in a front-facing car seat. At 40 pounds and 4-8 years of age (unless over 4’9”), the child should have a booster seat. (http://www.totsafe.com/carsafety.htm)
Once the car seat has been installed, no matter which type being used, it is always a smart idea to have it checked for proper installation. Using the internet one can find a certified Child Passenger Safety Technician in their area. The most common choice is your local fire department or law enforcement department. However, there are also some that work for car dealerships or stores that sell car seats. Yet others are volunteers, often parents, who just want to help make sure children are riding safely. By using the internet, one can find a local certified individual to ensure the safety of their child in the car seat.

Charity Care

Charity care is one of the foundations that our current hospital and medical system was created upon. During their inception in the European nations, hospitals were primarily for the care of the poor and indigent. Richer more affluent individuals were able to pay for care from a personal physician in their own home.
In modern times, charity care is becoming more and more of a scarcity. In a two year period from 1997 to 1999, the percentage of physicians performing charity care dropped from 4%, from 76% to 72%. There are great concerns about where this trend will lead, and all assumptions are that the number of physicians providing this charity care will continue to decline.
There is currently at least some margin of charity care written into law. As it now stands, no hospital may turn away a patient in critical need of emergency services or who is going into labor. These are both defined as “stabilizing treatment” and are both enforced by government action. There are several other proposed ideas which could be used in an effort to step up the degree of charity care in all medical organizations nationwide. The first of these is tax exemption based on the amount of charity care performed. Essentially, the greater the quantity of charity care performed, the greater the tax benefits provided. These financial benefits can be tremendous when you consider the narrow margins and tremendous operating costs associated with the medical giants of today. Another concept is conditional tax exemption. This follows the same general concept as previously, a hospital must attain and maintain a certain level of charity care provided in order to achieve tax exempt status. These two ideas are both in the same scope of concepts. While there are countless other ideas available, these are both financial in nature, and strike at the heart of the problem being tackled – taking care of people who can’t pay costs time and resources.
Our physicians and medical professionals have something very few people in this world have, the skills and ability to make a difference in this crisis. By taking the opportunity at hand, these skilled individuals can make a world altering difference, and change not only the lives of a select few, but restore the faith and trust of Americans and the world in a healthcare system that is currently viewed as being driven by greed.

-Kevin Martin

How Healthy is Your Heart?


Heart disease and stroke—the principal components of cardiovascular disease—are the first and third leading causes of death in the United States, accounting for nearly 40% of all deaths (CDC, 2007). According to the CDC, more than 106 million people were told that they had total blood cholesterol levels that were above normal or high (200 mg/dL or higher) in 2002. Cardiovascular disease can be prevented with adherence to a few simple guidelines.
Much of the burden of heart disease and stroke could be eliminated by reducing their major risk factors: high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, tobacco use, diabetes, physical inactivity, and poor nutrition. An average reduction of just 12–13 mm Hg in systolic blood pressure over 4 years of follow-up is associated with a 21% reduction in coronary heart disease, a 37% reduction in stroke, a 25% reduction in total cardiovascular disease deaths, and a 13% reduction in overall death rates. A 10% reduction in serum cholesterol levels can result in a 30% reduction in the incidence of heart attacks and stroke (CDC, 2007).
Below is a diagram created by the American Heart Association that illustrates how to reduce your risk for developing heart disease.




ABCs of Preventing Heart Disease, Stroke and Heart Attack

The prevention and control of the major risk factors for heart disease and stroke are critical to leading a heart-healthy and stroke-free life. Following the ABCs of prevention is one of the many steps necessary to keeping yourself healthy and happy. While prevention is most important at the individual level, many organizations within communities are taking action. Health agencies at the federal, state, and local levels are working to reduce these risk factors and to eliminate disparities in health as well as those in the delivery of health care services.
These are some of the guidelines for preventing heart disease. Please consult your physician before beginning a diet and exercise program. -Ashley Colon

One Way Ticket Home

Upon release from the hospital, many question what they should do next. The responsibility to take care of a sick, injured, or recovering loved one can be overwhelming. Fortunately, there are a few things that can make the transition from hospital to home easier.
Before being released, talk to the doctor, nurses, and other health care professionals who worked with you during the stay. Get explicit follow-up instructions including:

• Medication directions and schedules
• Information on appointments with your local physician
• Specialist contact information
• Instructions about in-home treatments
• Rehabilitation schedules
• Any other information specific to your personal hospital stay

If the burden of caring for a loved one at home becomes too large, know that help is available. When minimal amounts of assistance are needed, there are several options. Services are offered to take an individual to and from doctor appointments or some volunteer organizations can have people come to visit once per week. These few hours allow the care-giver time to get out of the house to run errancs or take care of other matters. If more assistance is required, in-home nursing can be an alternative. Hours of assistance can vary from round-the-clock care to just a few hours per day. Know that long-term professional care is also available if the burden becomes too large. By researching nursing home facilities and choosing an establishment that meets your family's needs, you can make the best choice for everyone involved.

Kara Jungblut

Hands, Hands, Everywhere

Life in campus residence halls can be a little scary from a health educator's perspective. It seems we hear a lot about the spread of illness and disease in settings like hospitals and nursing homes, but what about college residence halls? The truth is that dorm living can be a health risk in much the same way. Residents in a dorm spread bacteria and viruses through common use of many everyday items:

• sinks
• toilets
• showers
• kitchens
• door handles
• railings
• computers
• refrigerators
• pool/ping pong tables
• washing machines and dryers
• board games
• lounge furniture
• light switches
• buttons on AC units and TVs
• video game controllers

Earlier this year my residence hall had an outbreak of the flu. The Hall Director surveyed Student Advisors and residents and confirmed over 40 cases of the illness (which included bouts of intense vomiting and diarrhea). As the Hall Director counted the students who were down with the flu, she noticed a trend. Many of the cases were concentrated among students that shared a common bathroom, and students on one wing of the third floor and one wing of the fourth floor were hit the hardest. The CDC warns that insufficient handwashing after using the bathroom can lead to the spread of viral infections. Though our Hall Director's research was not part of a controlled study, the data still seems to support the hypothesis that improper handwashing, especially after bathroom use, can spread infection quickly throughout a community.

When living in close quarters with anywhere from 70 to 700 other people in one building, a dorm resident has the potential to be exposed to numerous pathogens. Even a student that washes his or her own hands properly and on a regular basis may be exposed to bacteria and viruses because of the poor hand hygiene of others living in their community.

The good news is that much of the illness that spreads within residence halls can be prevented with proper handwashing! Washing your hands only takes 20-30 seconds and requires little skill. Though this solution might seem too easy to be true, handwashing actually has a significant effect on stopping the spread of infectious disease. The CDC has proven the benefits of handwashing through studies in hospitals and third-world slums. It is about time we put this knowledge to good use in the dorms! So wash your hands and tell your roommates, suitemates, and other friends to do the same! For more information, visit www.cdc.gov/cleanhands.

-Emily Eschbacher

How to Stop Cardiovascular disease in its tracks!

Ninety percent of middle-aged Americans will develop high blood pressure in their lifetime, and approximately seventy percent of those that have it currently do not have it under control. (CDC, 2007) This means that you are not alone, cardiovascular disease is affecting people all around the United States. There are several simple things you can do to be more aware of your risk factors and how to alter the path of cardiovascular disease.

The study,” Primary Prevention of Coronary Heart Disease: Guidance from Framingham” shows certain risk factors contribute to increased risk of heart problems. They include: increased age, cigarette smoking, high blood pressure, elevated LDL cholesterol, low HDL cholesterol, and Diabetes Mellitus (1997). The above risk can be categorized into two types of risk factors, those that are beyond your control, and those that you can change. (U.S. Department of Health and Human Resources, 2006)These risk factors have shown to be found in multiples. Therefore, if you have one risk factor you are more likely to have multiple risk factors. In order to combat cardiovascular disease and the risk factors associated with it, there are certain things that need to be changed. Below are several lifestyle changes that you can make to help improve your future.

Five Lifestyle Changes for YOUR Future
Cigarette smoking cessation
30 minute moderate physical activity on most days
Heart Healthy Diet
the DASH diet- http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/hbp/dash/introduction.html
Heart Healthy Diet- http://www.nhlbisupport.com/cgi-bin/chd1/step1intro.cgi
American Heart Association No Fad Diet http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=3031890
Weight maintenance/ reduction
Evaluation and treatment of depression
(CDC, 2007)

The American Heart Association takes this information a step further and explains simple ways to do the above recommendations. They include: burning as many calories as you take in, eating a variety of foods from all the food groups, eat less of the poor nutrition foods. They explain each of these in their lifestyle and diet recommendations for 2006 available on the web at http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=851.

Sometimes lifestyle changes are not enough to treat cardiovascular disease on their own. There are two other options that can be taken into consideration, medications and medical procedures. However, before seriously considering medications or medical procedures a doctor should be consulted to determine what is best for you.

One medication that has been studied for self medication is aspirin. While an aspirin a day can help those that have had heart attacks, if you have not had one, there maybe some risk associated with taking them. Aspirin has not been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the prevention of heart attacks and strokes for people who have never had one. (U.S. Department of Health and Human Resources, 2006) Therefore it should only be taken after consulting your physician.

Cardiovascular Disease is a serious disease, but with proper care and maintenance of your life you can help reduce your risk. You can help stop the progression of Cardiovascular Disease by using the above guidelines. For more information contact your local health department or physician.


-Brittany Hotmer

Home After Hospital

Many times an unexpected hospital visit instigates many hard decisions. Whether the decisions are for your own care or for the care of a loved one, it is very important to research, visit, and choose the right path for the after-hospital care. Nursing homes are the epitome of after-hospital care for the elderly population and choosing the correct nursing home is very important. The Department of Health and Senior Services in Missouri recognizes four levels of residential care:

• A Residential Care Facility I (RCFI) provides shelter, board and protective oversight; this may mean it keeps and distributes medications and provides care during short-term illnesses or recuperation.
• A Residential Care Facility II (RCFII) provides additional services, including supervision of diets and assistance with personal care.
• An Intermediate Care Facility (ICF) provides board, personal care, basic health and nursing care services under the direction of a licensed physician and daily supervision of a licensed nurse.
• A Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) provides board, skilled nursing care and treatment services commonly performed by or under the supervision of a registered professional nurse. Individuals living in an SNF require twenty-four hour care and other specialized nursing services.

Residential care is not the only avenue you can pursue after a hospital stay. Many people choose to return home. This may require outpatient physical therapy or occupational therapy, home health care, or care given by a loved one. Whatever your options, our staff at Northeast Regional Medical Center is dedicated to helping you make the choice wisely. We encourage a three step process when deciding after-hospital care:

1) Research your options. It is best to research different nursing homes before crisis strikes; however, we understand that planning ahead requires time and effort. Information about every nursing home in Missouri is available at www.dhss.mo.gov. The website contains a Nursing Home Compare tool that allows you to view a nursing home’s inspection results, current staffing, and quality measures.

2) Visit the facility. It is very important that you visit the facilities that you have been researching. Meet with the administration, the nursing department, and the safety coordinator if possible. Call in advance of your visit to arrange for someone to show you around and answer your questions. Try to visit around lunch or dinnertime. Bring a prepared list of questions (visit http://www.thehealthpages.com/articles/ar-nrshm.html#sb1 for a list of sample questions). Make a second trip to the facility unannounced. Keep in mind that this nursing home will be paid a substantial amount of money in order to reside there. It is your right to understand the nursing home’s culture and environment before choosing it. Also remember to open your eyes and ears, to be patient, and to be proactive when visiting the facility. You may be able to answer your own questions if you follow those suggestions.

3) Choose the facility that best fits your needs. Nursing home stays are not cheap; therefore, it is important to know who is financing the stay. It is also important to compare prices. Location is also important. In order to maintain the social health of the resident, visits from family and friends is needed.

Choosing the correct and most beneficial path after leaving the hospital is not an easy task. Be proactive when making your decisions. Make phone calls, ask questions, visit websites, and talk to professionals when making these decisions. Another source of information is http://www.medicare.gov/Nursing/Overview.asp.

Ryan Kroeger

Uninsured in Missouri

Within the past couple of years, changes have been made to the Missouri Medicaid program that has worsened the condition of Missouri's uninsured. Eligibility and cost-sharing changes have taken Missouri from being ranked in the top 15 states with the lowest uninsurance rates to one of the states with the highest uninsurance rates. The drastic change in Missouri's uninsured rate, left unaddressed, is leading to tremendous stress on the state's healthcare system. Research shows that uninsured Americans do not receive adequate medical care including screening, preventive care, and care for life-threatening or chronic conditions. Even after the uninsured have begun to receive care, they are more difficult and costly to treat because they have poorer health when they enter the healthcare system. Poorer health from the outset of treatment along with the increased cost of treatment, naturally lead to less optimistic health outcomes. The uninsured have higher rates of both morbidity and mortality for all types of disease when compared to the insured.
The uninsured incur higher costs for the state not only through the medical care that they receive, but also through fewer years of healthy life and lost productivity. Other costs associated with lack of health insurance include developmental losses for children, family financial uncertainty and stress, diminished healthcare availability, and higher public program costs. Care paid for by some other source than the uninsured represented about 2.6 percent of all health care spending in 2001. Payments received from other sources represent a variety of organizations and individuals. "As much as 75-85 percent of the cost of uncompensated care was financed by a combination of government grants, subsidies, indirect payments to private health care providers, and care delivered by public health care providers." It is estimated that these alternate sources of payment represent approximately $40.7 billion. Private health care providers, including physicians/surgeons, represent an important resource for dealing with the high costs of the uninsured. By donating services and equipment, hospitals and health care professionals can help to alleviate the health and economic burden of Missouri's uninsured while fulfilling their commitment as a non-profit institution to provide charity care to those who need it most.

-Brian Geren

Hadley, Jack. "Consequences of the Lack of Health Insurance on Health and Earnings," Missouri Foundation for Health-Cover Missouri Project, 2006, www.mffh.org/CoverMo1.pdf, 1-14.

One Simple Step to Fewer Illnesses

Handwashing is important for your health and for the health of people around you and it is one of the easiest and most effective infection control methods. Although it is common knowledge that we should wash our hands, not enough of us do. And of those who do make the effort, many of them don't do it often enough or do it incorrectly. But the truth is, dirty hands spread disease and illness. Several different kinds of bacteria and viruses can be transmitted by dirty hands such as staphylococcus aureus, salmonella, various respiratory infections, Hepatitis A, and the viruses that cause colds and the flu. Although advancements in health have obviously cut the number of people who die from these types of infections, communicable disease is still the number one cause of death worldwide and it is the third leading cause of death in the United States. Food related illnesses outbreaks are often the result of poorly washed hands, which is estimated to cost the United States $22 each year from health care costs and loss of productivity. It is likely that most gastrointestinal problems (i.e. diarrhea) are caused by bacteria passed from dirty hands to the mouth of the victim. It is a common misconception that cold viruses are passed through sneezing and coughing, but it is more likely to be passed from hand to hand contact. These kinds of illnesses take a toll on everyone, not just people who forget to wash their hands because we all share many surfaces. Most of us would think of toilet seats and dirty dishes as vectors for disease, but if the people around you are not washing their hands, ordinary surfaces such as doorknobs, light switches, and railings can host just as many, if not more, nasty germs. Handwashing also helps decrease the overuse of antibiotics which as become a problem recently do to resistant strains of bacteria and viruses. If we wash our hands, we'll get sick less, use antibiotics less, which creates fewer resistant strains, which helps us fight off infections better when they do occur.

Andrea Rhodus

Smoked turkey is better than smoked lungs

Thinking of reasons to go cold turkey? Well how about this: lung cancer. Everyone knows that smoking can contribute directly to lung cancer, but what you may not know is that lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths among all men and women in the world! If that is not enough, think of the fact that smoking is the single greatest cause of preventable death. All it takes is the motivation and commitment to change. "Addiction is hard to overcome," you say? Well maybe you just need to find something worth changing for. Would you quit for a spouse or family member? Would you quit for the chance to meet your grandchildren? The fact of the matter is that a quarter of all people with lung cancer have no symptoms when they are diagnosed with it. What's worse is that 30-40% of cases of lung cancer are metastatic, which means the cancer spreads, most often to the liver, bones, and the brain. How long might you survive with this devastating disease? Only about 14% of all people who develop lung cancer survive for 5 years! Is this starting to make sense to you? If you smoke, you are putting yourself and those around you in great danger. You would never want to put your family in any danger would you? THEN DON'T SMOKE AROUND THEM!
If you are a smoker and show symptoms like chronic cough or coughing up blood, chest pain, and shortness of breath, you may have developed lung cancer and need to get a chest x-ray immediately. The earlier you catch it the greater the chance you have of stopping it before it spreads or grows.
By now you are probably tired of hearing about how bad smoking is for you, but if you take one thing away from reading this, know that you can't put a price tag on your health. Smoking at least a pack a day puts you at 20-25 times greater risk than someone who has never smoked. The good news is that once you quit, your risk begins gradually decreasing immediately, eventually to a risk level similar to someone who has never smoked. So take a moment and think seriously about how your life and those you care about might be different without tobacco. If you know that quitting is what is best but just haven't yet, now is your chance. Don't buy another pack, hide your ashtrays and lighters, and get support from those that love you. Today you can make one of the smartest decisions of your life, the decision to stop gambling with your health and go cold turkey!

-Peter Guirguis