What's New in Dental Health

Featured Articles

About Fluoridation in San Diego
Right now is a great time to get active and eat healthy as a family
Jump into Action with the New Dietary Guidelines for Americans
Foods Overtime: Same Names, Different Sizes
Play Sports. Play Smart. Play Safe. Wear a Mouthguard: The Importance of Mouthguards
The Dark Side of Eating
Creative Financing and Fundraising
Sealant Clinics Over the Years !

Articles in .pdf format
Play it Safe! Wear a Helmet (84kb .pdf)

About Fluoridation in San Diego

Right now is a great time to get active and eat healthy as a family

Eat at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables every day. If produce is appealing and easier to access, you will be more likely to eat it. Wash and cut fruits and vegetables as soon as you bring them home so that they are ready to eat when you are craving a snack.

Be active as a family. Make exercise fun by being active with loved ones. Physical activity doesn't have to be expensive, but it should be fun! Play tag with your kids in the yard, walk the dog, or go on a family hike.

Choose activities instead of TV. Limit your TV, videogame, and recreational computer use to less than 1 to 2 hours per day. Try playing a board game together or reading a book instead.

Drink more water. Water is more refreshing, calorie-free, and good for your teeth, unlike soda and juice drinks. Make water more exciting by adding fruit slices such as lemon or peaches, or use fun cups or straws. Soda and juice drinks such as Gatorade ® , Kool-Aid ® , or Snapple ® should be limited to less than one small cup per day.

Set a good example. If you want your children to eat fruits and vegetables or drink more water, then make sure to do so yourself. Set a good example for your children by eating a balanced diet and being active everyday.

Jump into Action with the New Dietary Guidelines for Americans
Do you know what’s for dinner tonight? If not, consider the advice from the Dietary Guidelines for Americans! Directly from Capitol Hill, these Guidelines are science-based recommendations with the sole purpose of optimizing your health and helping you reduce your risk for chronic diseases such as obesity, heart disease, cancer and diabetes.

The three simple principles of 1) balance 2) variety and 3) moderation reign once again, however these Guidelines give you more insight on how to implement these principles by offering 9 general tips:

1. Find out your daily calorie needs and fill that quota with a variety of healthy foods
2. Manage body weight by balancing calories in with calories out
3. Challenge yourself by engaging in 30 – 60 minutes of physical activity most days of the week
4. Accentuate the vegetable, fruit and low-fat dairy food groups in your daily menu
5. Reconsider the amount and the type of fats you’re consuming
6. Choose your carbohydrates wisely, opt for whole grains
7. Eat foods high in potassium and limit your salt intake
8. If you drink alcohol, do so in moderation
9. Practice simple food safety rules in the kitchen

This is a simplified version of the 81-page government report. For the full report visit www.healthierus.gov/dietaryguidelines .

Foods Overtime: Same Names, Different Sizes
Waistlines have expanded and so have serving sizes. Take a closer look:

Obesity, heart disease, and diabetes are on the rise. Take action with healthier food choices:

• Fruits and vegetables instead of chips
• Side salads instead of French fries
• Low fat milk or water instead of soda
• Order low fat, heart friendly food items at restaurants
  

Know what a serving size is, many people do not. Consider this:

• 1 serving of fruit or vegetable = a tennis ball
  
• 1 serving of pasta, rice, cereal or 1 bagel = a hockey puck
• 1 serving of meat, fish or chicken = a bar of soap
• 1 serving of cheese (1 oz) = four dice
  1 serving of bread = 1 casset tape
  

Play Sports. Play Smart. Play Safe. Wear a Mouthguard
The Importance of Mouthguards
Did you know that dental injuries are the most common type of oral-facial injuries sustained during participation in sports? The American Dental Association recommends wearing custom mouthguards for the following sports: acrobats, basketball, boxing, field hockey, football, gymnastics, handball, ice hockey, lacrosse, martial arts, racquetball, roller hockey, rugby, shot putting, skateboarding, skiing, skydiving, soccer, squash, surfing, volleyball, water polo, weightlifting, wrestling.
Dental injuries are painful, costly and most importantly, permanent. Wearing a suitable mouthguard can prevent injuries to teeth, cheeks, lips, tongue, and jaw. Mouthguards can also prevent sustaining a concussion from a blow to the head. Wearing protective headgear offers further protection against head and neck injuries.

Advice on Choosing a Mouthguard
A mouthguard should provide maximum protection against traumatic force. Choosing a more comfortable mouthguard ensures that it will remain in place during sports – a mouthguard that does not fit properly may be knocked out. Properly fitted mouthguards also allow the individual to talk and breathe freely. There are three types of mouthguards available:
§ Ready-made mouthguards are inexpensive and available at most sports stores. They cannot be adjusted to fit an individual mouth and may be uncomfortable as they often interfere with breathing and talking.
§ “Boil and bite” mouthguards are also inexpensive and readily available, but can be molded to an individual’s mouth by placing the mouthguard in boiling water and then biting into the warm plastic. The process can be repeated until a good fit is achieved. These mouthguards also tend to interfere with speech and breathing.
§ A custom-fitted mouthguard can be obtained from a dentist. They are more expensive but they have an exceptionally good fit and therefore do not interfere with breathing or speech.
Choose a mouthguard that is easy to clean and keep it clean by rinsing it under cold water after each use. Occasionally clean your mouthguard in a solution of soap and cool water. Mouthguards are susceptible to wear and tear so replace your mouthguard every sports season.

What to Do if a Tooth is Knocked Out
Time is critical! See a dentist immediately. The tooth may be able to be saved and put back in the mouth. After the accident, the tooth should be located and picked up by the crown or enamel portion and NOT the root. If the tooth is dirty or contaminated, DO NOT CLEAN OR SCRUB IT - it should gently be placed in a transport solution of whole cold milk or water. Never wrap the tooth in tissue or gauze. It would be beneficial to keep a container of shelf stable milk in first aid kits at sporting events and in home medicine cabinets.

Some Mouthguard Facts:

• An athlete is 60 times more likely to cause damage to his or her teeth when not wearing a mouthguard.
• The cost of a broken tooth is more expensive than a mouthguard. A mouthguard costs between $5 and $200 – a broken tooth costs more than $2,000.
• 60% of facial injuries occur during sports practice
• In the United States, 5 million teeth are knocked out each year—mainly front teeth.

The Dark Side of Eating

"In the United States, conservative estimates indicate that after puberty, 5 -10 million girls and women and 1 million boys and men are struggling with eating disorders including anorexia, bulimia, binge eating disorder, or borderline conditions" (National Eating Disorders Association).

"If not identified or treated in their early stages, eating disorders can become chronic, debilitating, and even life threatening" (National Eating Disorders Association).

Early intervention makes a difference!
www.eatingdisorders.sd.com or (619) 236-0300 or (888) 822-6655

Sealant Clinics Over the Years!
Look and see what impact sealant clinics have had on the communities of San Diego!

Look at Us Around Town
Share the Care is spreading the word about oral health. Look for us:
On the back of a bus
In a bus
In local parks
In movie theaters



Have you seen this ad on the back of a bus? Share the Care, Project Concern International, Community Health Improvement Partners, and Grossmont Health Care developed this ad as a way to promote total health, including dental health, and access to care. When a parent calls the toll free 800 number listed, they are connected with a Human Services Specialist who can help link the family to medical and dental insurance resources within the county. So, next time you are behind a bus, look for us.

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