Archive for category: Dental

By Emily C. Day, DDS, Dental Director and Pediatric Dentist, Health Partnership Clinic

The American Dental Association (ADA) dedicates this month-long national health observance to bringing together thousands of dedicated professionals, health care providers and educators to promote the benefits of good oral health to children, their caregivers, teachers and many others. At Health Partnership Clinic (HPC), we join the ADA in educating families about the importance of regular oral hygiene.

This year’s slogan is “Water, Nature’s Drink!”

You may be wondering why so much attention would be given to water!

Water is something we have access to easily, you can drink it straight from the tap and in most cities, it contains fluoride, which is critical to the prevention of cavities in children.

A bigger danger to children’s teeth is if sweetened beverages are consumed instead of water on a regular basis. Juices, flavored milks, sports drinks and soda all contain large amounts of sugar, which when sipped on throughout the day can cause tooth decay. Bacteria in the mouth that cause cavities use the sugar from these drinks and convert it to acid that breaks down the tooth enamel, causing cavities that may be painful and that will require dental treatment to repair.

A simple way to prevent cavities in young children is to only offer water in between meals. Mealtime can be reserved for milk or small amounts of juice, both of which can be part of a healthy diet in the appropriate amounts. If you have questions about the appropriate amounts of milk or juice, speak with your child’s doctor.

Other tips for caring for children’s teeth include the following:

1. Tooth brushing with adult supervision. Young children lack the manual dexterity to position the toothbrush correctly on each of the tooth surfaces. By the third grade, most children can begin to brush their teeth independently, but still need an adult to monitor that all teeth were brushed.
2. Avoid sticky, chewy snacks that may get lodged in between the teeth. Foods like raisins, dried fruit, sticky and gummy candies, and crackers tend to become lodged in between the teeth and can cause cavities if not adequately removed with tooth brushing or flossing. Healthy snack options include fruits, veggies, yogurt and cheese.
3. It is recommended that children first see a dentist by their first birthday. This will ensure the child’s caregiver is equipped with the appropriate education to take care of the young child’s teeth, and this sets the stage to best prevent cavities.

How does HPC care for children’s teeth?

At HPC, our experienced team of licensed dentists and hygienists are passionate about improving the overall health of our patients through quality dentistry. We provide:

1. Professional exams, cleanings and X-rays to check for cavities in between the teeth and fluoride varnish applications to strengthen and protect teeth against cavity-causing acid attacks.
2. Diet and nutritional counseling to make sure your child is on the right track to stay cavity-free.
3. Customized oral hygiene instructions based on the age of child and any other special circumstances (for example, special tooth brushing tricks if your child has braces).

Many people are surprised to find out that cavities can be prevented! Just ask any member of our Dental department for tips and tricks to stay cavity-free!

To schedule a pediatric dental appointment, please call 913-648-2266. Pediatric dental services are offered at our Olathe and Ottawa sites.

Post written by Emily Day, DDS, Director of Dental, Health Partnership Clinic

2020 marks the 75^th anniversary of community water fluoridation. In honor of this the slogan for the 2020 National Children’s Dental Health Month is “Fluoride in water prevents cavities! Get it from the tap!”

More than 70 years of scientific research has consistently shown that an optimal level of fluoride in community water is safe and effective and prevents tooth decay by at least 25 percent in both children and adults. The American Dental Association (ADA) supports water fluoridation as the single most effective public health measure to prevent tooth decay even in the of era of widespread availability of fluoride from other sources, such as fluoride toothpaste.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) named community water fluoridation one of 10 great public health achievements of the 20^th century.

Below are commonly asked questions answered by the ADA.

Why would communities want to fluoridate the water?

• Communities fluoridate their water supply because it is a cost-effective public health method that helps prevent cavities. The average cost per year for U.S. communities to fluoridate the water ranges from 50 cents per person for large communities to $3 dollars per person for small communities.
• Cavities are caused by a disease called “caries,” which is five times more common than asthma and seven times more common than hay fever in five-to 17-year-olds. The pain from untreated cavities can cause people to lose sleep, have trouble eating, speaking and paying attention at school or work.
• A report from the U.S. Surgeon General in 2000 estimated that 51 million school hours are lost per year because of dental-related illness. Without water fluoridation, that number would likely be much higher.
• So, by simply drinking fluoridated water, you are doing something good for your oral health.

Is Fluoride, as provided by community water fluoridation, a toxic substance?

• Fluoride in water at the recommended level is not toxic according to the best available scientific evidence.Toxicity is related to dose. While large doses of fluoride could be toxic, it is important to recognize the difference between the effect of a massive dose of an extremely high level of fluoride versus the fluoride level currently recommended for public water systems. Like many common substances essential to life and good health – salt, iron, vitamins A and D, chlorine, oxygen and even water itself – fluoride can be toxic in massive quantities. Fluoride at the much lower recommended concentrations (0.7 mg/L) used in community water fluoridation is not harmful or toxic.

Does water from the refrigerator dispenser still have the beneficial fluoride in it?

• Refrigerator filters and other filters (like BRITA) don’t filter out fluoride. Only reverse osmosis filtration removes fluoride from city tap water.

Post written by Debra Trybom, RDH, ECP II
Health Partnership Clinic

April is National Oral Cancer Awareness Month. Approximately 110,000 people are diagnosed with oral, head and neck cancer every year in the United States. These cancers can occur in the tongue, throat, larynx, nasal cavities, sinuses, lips, mouth, thyroid and salivary glands. Sixty-six percent of the time, these cancers will be found as late as a stage three or four disease, making them harder to treat.

Early detection is key which is why the staff at HPC is taking the time to raise awareness about oral cancers. The dentists and hygienists will review your health history and perform screenings during your dental exam and cleanings to identify any abnormalities of the mouth, head and neck.  This is another reason why routine dental care is so important!

Do you know the warning signs of Oral or Head and Neck cancer?

Some of the symptoms you may notice are:

• A red or white patch that develops in your mouth that is sore and does not heal or go away.
• A persistent sore throat.
• Persistent hoarseness of your voice.
• Persistent ear pain.
• A lump in your mouth or neck that does not go away; may feel rough or thick.
• Frequent nosebleeds or bleeding in your mouth.
• Numbness in the cheek or facial swelling/pain that doesn’t go away.
• Difficulty swallowing, speaking or chewing.

What are the risk factors?

• Smoking and other tobacco products.
• Alcohol consumption.
• Environmental exposure such as working with dust, glues, formaldehyde, mustard gas, some metals and radium.
• Human Papillomavirus (HPV) has been attributed to over 10,000 new cases per year in the United States. Young, non-smokers are the fastest growing population of oral cancer patients due to the HPV virus.

Even if you do not meet all the risk factors, it is important to be screened. If treatment occurs in the early stages, patients have very little disfigurement or functional deficit. Treatment typically includes surgery and radiation therapy. Chemotherapy is sometimes recommended for patients with advanced disease. The next time you visit your doctor or dentist please speak with them about performing an oral cancer screening!

Joy Wright, RDH, ECP III

Post written by Joy Wright, RDH, ECP III, Health Partnership Clinic

Myth #1: “My baby doesn’t have teeth, so there is nothing I can do to nurture a healthy mouth.”

This myth is busted by the power of bacteria. Bacteria can still accumulate in a newborn’s mouth.

It’s recommended that you wipe their mouth out with a washcloth and water after they eat. This not only disrupts the bacteria but also gets the baby used to having their mouth cleaned.

This is also a very important time for caregivers to take care of their own teeth and gums because bacteria can be passed from their mouth to the baby.

Good brushing and flossing along with dental check-ups every 6 months will lower the risk of passing dental disease or infection to your baby.

Myth #2: “The baby teeth don’t matter because they are just going to fall out anyway.”

This myth is busted by the fact that you cannot disconnect the mouth from the rest of the body.

No matter your age, the health of your mouth affects the health of your body. Generally, the baby molars and canines do not fall out until age 10, 11 or even 12 years old.

Also, the baby teeth hold space for the permanent teeth that are forming. Permanent teeth are forming directly underneath the baby teeth and can be adversely affected by infected baby teeth.

If a baby tooth must be extracted prematurely then a space maintainer must be placed to hold the space for the permanent tooth.

If this precaution is not taken, the teeth drift, and the mouth does not grow properly causing severe crowding in permanent teeth.

Myth #3: “My kids don’t eat candy, so they won’t get cavities.”

This myth is busted by the digestive system.

Our saliva begins the digestion process with the breakdown of carbohydrates into simple sugars.

Bacteria feeds on sugar and produces acid that causes tooth decay.

Therefore, frequent snacking becomes a risk factor for dental disease whether sweet or salty.

This myth is double busted by sugary drinks. Not only do foods we eat affect our teeth, drinks affect our teeth too.

The acidic nature of soda pop alone can cause tooth damage. There is a surprisingly large amount of sugar in soda pop, juice, and Gatorade.

Next time you reach for a thirst quencher, read the label to see what is in your drink. Reducing sugar intake along with less frequent sugar exposure is the key to prevent cavities.

Health Partnership Clinic offers onsite pediatric dental services at many schools in Johnson County. The service is geared toward those who do not have a dentist, or it’s difficult for parents to keep appointments due to transportation, work schedules, or a lack of funds.

Onsite Services include:

Dental Exam
X-Rays
Cleaning
Fluoride Treatments
Sealants
Oral Health Education
Nutritional Counseling
Fillings
Baby Tooth Root Canals
Stainless Steel Crowns on Baby Teeth
Removal of Infected Baby Teeth
Space Maintainers

To see if we come to your child’s school, call our School-Based Portable Dental Team at 913-276-7004, email hpcdentaloutreach@hpcks.com, or visit our website at https://hpcks.org/school-based-dental-services/.