Dental Varnishes protect teeth

Dental Varnishes are an important part in the fight against tooth decay. For places that do not have fluoride in their water, dental varnishes can make a significant difference in the amount of tooth decay present.


In Chariton County Missouri, according to the local health department, areas of the county without fluoride in the water had a dental screenings referral rate of more than double areas with fluoride in the water when screenings were conducted at the local schools. While the referrals did not necessarily mean that there was a definitive problem, it did indicate that there was the potential for a more serious issue and follow up care was necessary.

According to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, children should begin to receive dental care when their first tooth appears or no later than their first birthday. By age six the permanent teeth begin to erupt. These permanent teeth need to be protected from dental cavities. Dental varnishes are just one tool used in prevention of dental cavities however, they are only meant to be part of a team approach that also includes regular visits to a dentist.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, dental varnishes consist of “5% sodium fluoride or 2.26% fluoride in a viscous resinous base in an alcoholic suspension with a flavoring agent (e.g. bubble gum)” (http://www.aap.org/oralhealth/cme/page46.htm). This solution should be applied by a dental professional. It is applied to the surface of the teeth and is used to prevent further cavities from forming. It can also help to strengthen teeth and reverse early stages of demineralization as it begins to occur.

It is important to note that dental varnishes do not replace regular dental checkups by a dental professional nor do they replace at home care. They are simply a supplement to help defend against cavities. They are particularly important for areas that do not have fluorinated water.

While some may argue that this additional fluoride will lead to fluorosis, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics website it does not. There is evidence from Scandinavia that this treatment is effective as it has been used there for more than 25 years.

Other important parts of dental care are establishing a dental home, which is similar to the concept of a primary care physician in the fact that the dental home establishes care and preventative measures. Other important habits include proper brushing and flossing.

In conclusion, dental varnishes are an important part in the prevention of dental tooth decay, especially for areas that lack fluoride in the drinking water. Dental varnishes do not replace regular dental care by a dental professional, but are a supplement to further help protect a child’s teeth.

TEENS TODAY NEED MORE ACTIVITY

America’s teens today do not get enough exercise. The Center for Disease Control says that teens need at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous intensity exercise daily. Unfortunately nearly 20% of teens in America today are considered to be clinically overweight or obese. Why is this? Teens today would rather spend time in front of a screen rather than getting much needed exercise. Health day news.com says that teens today have an average of 7 hours of “screen time” daily. This is compared to 1999 when teens spent about 3 hours a day of “screen time.”




Teens need more physical activity to avoid health problems in the future. Teens that are obese are extremely likely to become obese adults. This leads to many health problems such as: diabetes, cancers, and many cardiovascular diseases. Excessive time spent in front of a screen has its’ adverse effects. Research has shown that high levels of electronic media can lead to school problems, attention difficulties, sleep disorders, eating disorders, and obesity from a lack of physical activity. Screen time is considered any amount of time a person spends watching television, on a computer, or using any other kind of electronic media (video games). There are many other benefits to physical activity outside of the obvious obesity problems. Physical activity can help teens to: perform better in school, feel better about themselves, develop skills in sports, build strength and endurance, have more energy, sleep better, and physical activity is a wonderful to help deal with stress.



Are teens the only ones to blame? No, their parents are also responsible for the lack of their sons/daughters lack of physical activity. It is up to the parents to take responsibility and do what they can to help their children become as healthy as they can. The CDC recommends that children have 2 hours or less of screen time per day. This means that parents must do what they can to make their child’s room electronic free, encourage alternative activities to screen time, and become active themselves.



One hour of daily exercise may seem like a lot, but it actually a lot easier to achieve than many believe. All 60 minutes do not need to be done at one time, but can be separated into several portions of the day. Sports are a great way to become active and develop other skills such as leadership and teamwork. However not everyone wants to play a sport because of time commitments or other various reasons. There are many other ways to get the amount of physical activity that you need. Some of the more simple ideas for daily activity include: take a walk, dance, walk the dog, ride a bike, take the stairs, play ball in the back yard, wash cars, do yard work, go swimming, take classes such as yoga or aerobics, weight lifting, go to the local park, or go in-line skating.



How do you know if your exercise is getting the job done? The “talk-sing” test is a great way to measure how intense the exercise is. If you can talk while exercising, then you’re doing great! If you are to breathless to talk, then you can slow it down a little bit. If you can sing during exercise, then you need to kick up the intensity! Before beginning any exercise program there are many important tips to remember. Consult a doctor if you are new to exercise. If you are new to exercise, don’t kill yourself on the first day. Start with ten minute intervals, and slowly work your way up to your desired time. To avoid injuries, make sure to stretch and warm up for at least ten minutes before performing any exercise. It is just as important to have ten minutes of cool down and stretching after exercise to avoid soreness the next day. Make sure to consume a lot of water, especially after the workout to re-hydrate. Drink water, not sports drinks. The amount of sugar contained in sports drinks can make all the work you just did nearly worthless. Most importantly, with all kinds of exercise you may do: HAVE FUN WITH IT!



Teens today need to spend at least an hour a day doing some kind of physical activity or we will be looking at a future generation full of medical problems and insulin shots. Physical activity is not hard to fit into a daily routine and it is time that we begin to reverse the trend of teenage obesity in this country.

References
 
Center for Disease Control, Initials. (1999, November 7). Physical activity and health, adolescents. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/sgr/adoles.htm
 
Rauscher, M. (2008, January 7). Regular physical activity helps teens avoid obesity. Retrieved from http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTON77734220080107

Cut Healthcare Costs with Chronic Disease Self-Management Programs

          The cost of healthcare is a constant concern for many Americans.  One way to reduce the cost of healthcare is improve the health of those suffering from chronic diseases.  According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention approximately 133 million Americans are dealing with chronic diseases.  According to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, Colorado's chronically ill population accounts for more than 75 percent of Colorado's health care costs. The only way to reduce the healthcare costs caused by chronic disease is through preventative and management tactics.  One management program strategy that has been proven to be effective is Chronic Disease Self Mangement Programs.  

The Chronic Disease Self Management Programs are programs designed to improve the well being of people diagnosed with a chronic disease.  Chronic diseases are diseases that last for long periods of time; this includes diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, COPD, arthritis, and fibromyalgia.  There is no cure for these conditions, but with by learning techniques to manage them along with doctor prescribed medication it is possible for individuals to live normal, healthy lives with these diseases.  Chronic disease self-management programs are designed to help more patients understand how to manage their specific illnesses. Through managing their illness patients are able to improve and maintain their quality of life.  Proper self-management can reduce the complications associated with chronic illnesses and control an illness before it escalates, thereby reducing emergency room visits and hospitalizations.  Emergency room visit and hospitalizations are very costly; therefore this can significantly lower healthcare expenses.   

The classes are derived from Stanford University and shown to have positive outcomes and a reduction in medical expenses for individuals who participate in this program.  The results are as follows from Stanford University:

            “Subjects who took the program, when compared to those who did not, demonstrated significant improvements in exercise, cognitive symptom management, communication with physicians, self-reported general health, health distress, fatigue, disability, and social/role activity limitations.  They also spent fewer days in the hospital and there was also a trend toward fewer outpatient visits and hospitalizations.  These data yield a cost-to-savings ratio of approximately 1:10.  Many of these results persist for as long as three years”. 

            The chronic disease self-management programs are usually free workshops for people with different chronic diseases to come together and help be a support to one another and their chronic conditions. These programs are offered in many places around the country one great example of a Chronic Disease is in Clay County, Missouri.   The Clay County Public Health Department provides this program at no cost to the participants.  The funding for the workshops is provided by the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services and the Clay County Senior Service.  Anyone living with a chronic disease is welcome to register for these workshops by contacting the Clay County Public Health Department at 816-595-4240 or emailing at www.clayhealth.com.  

References

Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment. Chronic Disease Care and Management. Retrieved from: http://www.cohealthsource.org/initiatives/chronic-disease-care-and-management.aspx

Standford University School of Medicine. (2010).  Chronic Disease Self Management Programs.        Retreived from http://patienteducation.stanford.edu/programs/cdsmp.html.

Take Control of Your Health: Chronic Disease Self-Management Programs

Chronic disease self-management programs are free workshops for people with different chronic health diseases to attend together.  These are workshops are two and a half hours twice a week for six weeks.  At these sessions patients will be provided with some learning material including a relaxation CD on self-management entitled Time for Healing,  and a book, Living a Healthy Life with Chronic Conditions, 3^rd edition. A complimentary light snack will also be available at each session.  All classes are facilitated by two trained leaders, one or both of whom have chronic disease themselves. 

A chronic disease is any disease that persists for a long period of time.  This includes, but is not limited to, diabetes, heart disease, COPD, asthma, arthritis, and fibromyalgia.  These diseases unfortunately cannot be cured with medications, but self-management programs in conjunction with medication can help keep these diseases under control.  Chronic disease self-management programs will not conflict with current treatments or medications.  They are specifically designed to compliment current treatments and aide in patient education.

Chronic disease self-management programs cover several different topics pertinent to those dealing with a chronic disease.  First the program provides specific techniques people can utilize to deal with problems such as frustration, fatigue, pain, and feelings of isolation.  The program can help participants improve or maintain strength, flexibility, and endurance through teaching them appropriate exercises.  In addition the program helps participants manage their medications and communicate effectively with their health professionals, family, and friends.  How nutrition can play a role in chronic disease self-management will also be addressed, and finally, participants will be assisted in evaluated new treatments to improve their health.  

      Subjects who have participated in self management programs have had positive outcomes. Stanford University development a chronic disease self-management programs and its results were as followed:

“Subjects who took the Program, when compared to those who did not, demonstrated significant improvements in exercise, cognitive symptom management, communication with physicians, self-reported general health, health distress, fatigue, disability, and social/role activities limitations. They also spent fewer days in the hospital and there was also a trend toward fewer outpatient visits and hospitalizations. These data yield a cost-to-savings ratio of approximately 1:10. Many of these results persist for as long as three years” (2010).

The chronic disease self-management classes and materials are provided with no cost to the participants all funding is provided by the Clay County Senior Service and the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services.  Please register for this program by calling the Clay County Health Department at 816-595-4240. If you have any questions or concerns please contact the Clay County Health Department.   

References

Standford University School of Medicine. (2010).  Chronic Disease Self Management Programs.        Retreived from http://patienteducation.stanford.edu/programs/cdsmp.html.

Anonymous. Health Your Patients ‘Live Like Their Life Depends On It’: A Free Evidence Based Disease Management Program for Patients with Chronic Diseases. Clay County Public Health Department: Liberty, Missouri. 

Anonymous. Live Like Their Life Depends On It: A Free Chronic Disease Self-Management Workshop. Clay County Public Health Department: Liberty, Missouri.  

Tuberculosis: What it is, how it affects you, and how you get it

Latent vs. Active TB

Tuberculosis is caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis.  This disease is commonly known as TB. The bacteria affect patients usually by attacking their lungs causing the common symptoms that one thinks of when they think of TB. The bacteria can affect any part of the body besides the lungs. TB is spread through the air (i.e. breathing, sneezing, coughing, speaking, etc.) and cannot be contracted through daily activities such as touching or sharing food.

TB can infect a person in two different ways. The first way is active TB; this form is the most people think of as TB, because Active TB is more noticeable. Patients with active TB have noticeable symptoms such as coughing for more than three weeks or unexplained weight loss. The other form of TB is latent TB. Latent TB occurs when a person come into contact with the TB virus and shows no obvious signs of illness. This makes latent TB harder to diagnose. Latent TB is the most common form of TB There are many differences and a few similarities between active TB and latent TB.

Tuberculosis is difficult to diagnose because doctors are more likely to look for more common illnesses. A lot of times TB is diagnosed too late or even not at all. The laws regarding reporting TB require Active TB to be reported but Latent TB may go unreported until it becomes active. There are also a lot of people who may not know that they are infected with TB and may never know unless it becomes active.

Latent TB is more difficult to diagnose than active TB. Latent TB is only diagnosable by a blood test. A person with active TB will have a positive sputum test, skin test, blood test, and chest x-ray. Latent TB occurs in about 90% of people infected with TB. In the state of Missouri there are about 3000 reported cases of Latent TB. There are no laws requiring latent TB to be reported so this number maybe larger. On average about 10% of latent TB cases will progress to becoming Active TB. Active TB is contagious and can cause serious side effects if not caught soon enough. Latent TB is not contagious but due to the risk of it later becoming active it still should be treated.

The risk of being infected with TB, latent or active, is higher in patients with a compromised immune system. A person’s risk of coming in contact with TB is also much higher due to latent TB. Because Latent TB has no signs or symptoms and is not contagious it is harder to identify. This makes identifying active TB more difficult later. On average about 3%-5% cases of latent TB will turn active with in a year of contacting the disease. Later your chances of developing active TB increase to 5%-15%. Latent TB will take advantage of a weakened immune system and turn into active TB. If Active TB is not caught early enough it can become deadly.

Bibliography

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2010, November 24). CDC- Tuberculosis. Retrieved October 15th, 2010, from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: http://www.cdc.gov/tb/

Essig, M. G. (2009, April 23). Tuberculosis (TB) - Topic Overview: WebMD. Retrieved October 15, 2010, from WebMD: http://www.webmd.com/lung/tc/tuberculosis-tb-topic-overview

Mayo Clinic Staff. (2009, January 28). Tuberculosis- Mayo Clinic. Retrieved October 15th, 2010, from Mayo Clinic: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/tuberculosis/DS00372

Teenage Weight Issues Continue

It is easy to hear about obesity and Americans being over-weight, but it’s not just hype like many skeptics believe. Today,  approximately 34% of the population is obese and 37% is over-weight. This statistic is greatly higher than that of a few decades ago.  So, what is to blame for all the extra weight that American teens have been putting on? What is the culprit?


Over the last 100 years American’s have not always eaten healthy foods. When the economy was good or bad, people would eat foods that were high in fat, sodium, and sugar-similarly to the diet of many American teens today. What was different then, you might ask. The answer is physical activity. Physical labor was a huge part of the daily lives of our grandparents and even our parents when they were in their adolescent years. There were many farms, jobs, and household chores that were more strenuous than they are today. Farm equipment, machines and even household appliances were not as common in every household which required that more strenuous methods were used to complete similar tasks.

It is important in today’s society to continue to be physically active in order to maintain a healthy body. The Center for Disease Control states that in order to maintain a healthy body children and teenagers need an hour of physical activity/day. However, this does not mean that it has to be all at one time. Doing smaller tasks throughout the day also count as physical activity; not exercise.

To be more active in their lives’ teens need to find fun and easy ways to become more active: walk to school, ride a bike, play a sport, etc. The most important thing is to start developing healthy behaviors now that they can maintain throughout their lives. Getting active is easier when smaller more realistic goals are made or when behaviors are supported by peers. So find a friend that has the same interest and get active!

References:
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC]. (2010) retrieved from:
http://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/
http://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/everyone/guidelines/children.html