HEALTH
HOLLER
THE CLOVER FORK CLINIC NEWSLETTER
JULY - SEPTEMBER 2008
CLOVER FORK CLINIC, EVARTS, KENTUCKY
WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT AGING?
Take this True or False Quiz
1. Everyone becomes confused if they
live long enough. T‘
F‘
2. You can be too old to exercise.
T‘
F‘
3. “You can’t teach an old dog new
tricks.”
T‘
F‘
As the mother of two small children, I
understand how difficult it is just to get
supper on the table, but as a dentist, I
have high demands! How can I advise
patients about the care of their children’s
teeth if I am not following my own
advice?
I have a four year old son and a 7 ½
month old with six teeth. My infant son
got his first teeth at 4 months old.
Getting teeth this early is not
uncommon, but it means that you have
something else to take care of.
Early Childhood Caries
The major concerns regarding the
infant’s teeth are milk staying in their
mouth around the teeth, and exposing
the teeth to sugar, which produces acid
that causes decay.
Tooth decay that happens in infants is
called ECC, (Early Childhood Caries).
ECC is a serious problem that leads to
Turn to page 3 for more information!
debilitating tooth destruction in babies
and young children. ECC is also known
as “Nursing Bottle Caries”, “Baby Bottle
Tooth Decay”, and “Milk-Bottle
Syndrome”. It is the only severe dental
disease common in children under 3
years of age. You can help prevent ECC
by using the following suggestions to
keep your baby’s teeth healthy.
How to care for your baby’s teeth
After the infant drinks his milk or juice,
use a wash cloth or burp cloth and wipe
off the teeth and gums to remove excess
milk. I know this is hard to do if they go
to sleep, but still do it because it is so
important! Also, never dip a pacifier in a
sweet liquid.
Most drugstores, as well as Wal-Mart,
sell an infant tooth and gum cleanser
along with a finger brush that you place
Continued on page 8
‚
Contents
‚
Taking Care of Your
Young Child’s Teeth........1
Save Your Skin.....................2
Growing Older......................3
Back-to-School Time...........4
Puzzle Page..........................5
Keep Your Food Safe...........6
Smoking: Bad for Your
Heart...............................7
-2-
Summer time means it’s time for
picnics, trips to the pool and the
beach—and a spike in sunburns.
Harmful rays
We know that too much exposure to
the sun can cause skin cancer.
Harmful rays from the sun, as well as
from sunlamps and tanning beds, may
also cause eye problems, weaken your
immune system, and give your skin
spots and wrinkles.
UVA and UVB
Sun damage to the skin is caused by
invisible ultraviolet (UV) radiation. UV
radiation comes to us as long wavelengths, called UVA, and short
wavelengths, called UVB. UVB rays
can cause sunburn. But the longer
UVA rays are dangerous also because
they can penetrate the skin and do
damage at deeper levels.
What tanning means
Tanning is a sign of the skin reacting
to UV radiation by producing more
pigmentation, which gives skin some,
but not nearly enough, protection
against sunburn.
No matter what your skin color, we are
all potential victims of sunburn and the
other unhealthy effects of too much
exposure to UV rays. Everyone needs
to take precautions to protect the skin,
but people who need to be especially
careful in the sun are those who have:
º pale skin
º blonde, red, or light brown hair
º been treated for skin cancer
º a family member who has had skin
cancer.
If you take any medications, it’s a good
idea to ask your health care provider
about extra precautions you may need
to take since some medicines can
increase sensitivity to the sun.
Watch the clock
It’s important to be aware of how long
you spend in the sun. Try to keep out
of the sun from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.,
when the sun’s rays are strongest.
Even on cloudy days, up to 80% of the
sun’s rays can get through.
Throughout the day, stay in the shade
as much as you can.
Dress with care
When you’re outside in the sun, wear
clothes that protect your skin from
harmful rays. Wear a wide-brimmed
hat, long sleeves, and long pants. You
might also consider using an umbrella
for shade.
before you go out it should be applied.
If the label doesn’t tell you, apply it
about 15 to 30 minutes before going
out.
Ú If you don’t have much hair on your
head, apply sunscreen to the top of
your head or wear a hat.
Û Re-apply often. Check the label to
see how often.
Ü Give children extra care in the sun.
Ask your doctor before applying
sunscreen to children under 6 months
old. Children older than 6 months
should be protected with sunscreen
every time they go out.
Don’t forget your eyes
The UV rays of sunlight can increase
your risk of developing eye problems
such as cataracts. You can protect
your eyes with the right kind of
sunglasses.
Use the right sunscreen
Check product labels to make sure you
are getting:
 a “sun protection factor” (SPF) of at
least 15. The higher the number, the
better the protection.
 “broad spectrum” protection, which
is sunscreen that protects against both
UVA and UVB.
 water resistance, which means it will
stay on your skin longer, even if it gets
wet. But remember that “waterresistant” does not mean “waterproof”.
Water-resistant sunscreens need to be
reapplied following the instructions on
the label.
When you buy sunglasses, look for a
label that says they give 99-100% UV
protection. This assures that the
glasses block both UVA and UVB.
Tips for applying sunscreen
Check your skin
Check your skin regularly for signs of
skin cancer. Look for changes in the
size, shape, color, or feel of moles,
spots, and birthmarks. If you find any
changes or any sores that are not
Ø Apply the recommended amount
evenly to all uncovered skin, especially
lips, nose, ears, neck, hands and feet.
Ù Check the label for how much time
Don’t assume that you get more UV
protection from more expensive
sunglasses or from darker ones. It’s
the label that will tell you how much
protection they offer. Remember that
light can still enter from the sides of the
sunglasses, so you might consider
getting the ones that wrap around the
temples. And children should wear
real sunglasses that indicate UV
protection, not toy sunglasses.
healing, see your health care provider
right away.
-3-
Creativity enhanced
Creativity is enhanced by life’s experiences and many older
adults take on a second or third career. People tend to argue
less as they get older, and even unhappy couples seem to
become more caring toward each other as they get older.
Seems that most everyone wants to grow older, but are
disappointed with some of the changes that occur physically
and mentally as they age.
Life expectancy increased
Life expectancy has changed drastically for those born in
1930 and later, and continues to go up. Disability rates are
also decreasing for people above age 65. This is perhaps
due to higher education levels, earlier intervention for chronic
illnesses, new medicines and new technologies, such as for
cataract removal, valve replacement, joint replacements, etc.
Over the years, your body builds up immunity to various cold
viruses so you don’t get sick as often as you age. Allergies
may calm down and it is unlikely you will develop new ones
after age 60.
Generally, older folks sleep less as they age. This starts with
men in their 40s and women after menopause. But we may
have more time available to sleep, and that can be
frustrating.
Aging and the brain
Memory loss occurs, but in 85% to 90% of people over age
65, it is not significant in daily life. Small declines in shortterm memory and mental quickness are offset by better
judgement and organization skills necessary to find solutions
to real-world situations.
Depression is a problem for many older people but it is
treatable once pinpointed. Both medicine and “talk therapy”
are helpful.
Nerve cells in the brain gradually die over the years--actually
starting at age 2. However, for most folks, this doesn’t mean
much since people continue to learn as they grow older.
Most memory loss is caused by a variety of factors, for
example over-medication or illnesses. Alzheimer’s disease
has some genetic component, but it can only be confirmed
by biopsy of the brain or with autopsy studies after death.
Although Alzheimer’s disease cannot be cured, some
medicines may slow the decline caused by the disease.
There are treatable causes of memory loss when it is
caused by depression, reaction to drugs, or head injuries.
Remember the positives
Remember the positives that come with aging. With less
need for sleep, older folks have more time for:
i Having fun
i Enjoying Senior Citizen discounts, for example at
McDonald’s and at the movies
i Simply sitting still and basking in the sun and
memories.
WHAT DO YOU KNOW
˜ Rachel Eubank
ABOUT AGING?
Continued from page 1
ANSWERS TO THE TRUE/FALSE ITEMS:
1. False. Confusion in old age can be caused by
Alzheimer’s disease or other conditions that
irreversibly damage the brain. But at least 100
other problems can bring the same symptoms,
such as a minor head injury, high fever, poor
nutrition, drug reactions, and depression. Those
conditions are treatable, and the confusion they
cause can be eliminated.
2. False. Exercise at any age can help strengthen
the heart and lungs and lower blood pressure. It
can also improve muscle strength and, if carefully
chosen, lessen bone loss with age. See your
health care provider before beginning a new
exercise program.
3. False. People at any age can learn new
information and skills. Research indicates that
older people can improve old skills and learn new
ones, including how to use a computer.
-4-
-4-
or another chronic problem? Teachers
and school nurses must be told of your
child’s needs, especially if they will
administer the medicine during the
school day. Be sure to talk to them
A new school year can be very
exciting for children, but also a
bit scary. We want to prepare our
children for a good school year, doing
everything we can to help
them look forward to it. As you get
your child ready with notebooks,
pencils, and maybe some new clothes,
don’t forget about his or her health.
Here are a few tips to help your
children get a healthy start to the
school year:
yMake sure your child’s
immunizations are up-to-date. Check
with your child’s health care provider to
see if they are.
yHave your child’s vision screened. It
is important for children to have an
annual vision check because young
children don’t know if they can’t see
well. If your child wears glasses, make
sure the prescription is current and
make sure the child has sports frames
for any contact sports played.
yHave
your child’s teeth checked if
it’s been 6 months or more since the
last visit to the dentist.
yHave your child’s hearing tested. If
your child listens to the TV or to music
at a loud volume, or tends to favor one
ear over the other when listening to
you speak, it may be a sign of a
hearing problem.
yDoes your child take medication on
a regular basis for diabetes, asthma,
and your child know how to reach you
or another caregiver at all times.
Healthy after-school snacks
When your child comes home from
school, if it will be a few hours until
supper, offer your child snacks that
provide good nutrition as well as good
flavor. Keep snack portions moderate
so when supper time comes, your child
will want to eat.
Here are some healthy snack recipes
to try:
Ants on a Log
celery sticks
peanut butter
raisins
Wash the celery and cut into pieces
about 5 inches long. Spread peanut
butter over the length of the celery.
Press raisins into the peanut butter.
before school begins, and work out an
emergency course of action in case
there’s a problem.
yMake sure your child eats breakfast.
Studies show that children who eat
breakfast are more alert in class. Also,
be sure your child is having a
balanced, nutritious lunch, whether it’s
one he carries to school or one
provided in the school cafeteria.
y
Most children are nervous about
starting a new school year. It usually
takes about a month for children to
adjust to the new situation. If, after a
few weeks, your child continues to be
anxious and apprehensive, talk to her
teacher so you can find out what is
causing the anxiety and work out a
solution.
y Make sure your up-to-date
emergency phone numbers are on file
at the school. Make sure the school
Fruit Kabobs
2 apples, cored and cut into bite-sized
chunks
1 banana, cut into bite-sized chunks
grapes
fresh strawberries
5 wooden skewers
1 cup low-fat vanilla yogurt
1/4 cup shredded coconut
Put the fruit onto the skewers,
alternating fruit pieces. Mix the yogurt
and coconut in a bowl. Dip the fruit
skewers into the yogurt to coat the
fruit.
Cheerio Bars
½ cup peanut butter
1/3 cup sugar
½ cup honey
3 cups cheerios-type cereal
peanuts
Bring sugar and honey to a boil in a 2quart saucepan. Remove from heat
and stir in peanut butter until smooth.
Pour in cheerios and peanuts, and mix
until well coated. Spread in a lightly
oiled 9X13 inch pan. Let cool and then
cut into bars.
Frozen Fruit Cups
1 cup unsweetened apple sauce
10 oz. frozen strawberries, thawed
11 oz. can mandarin oranges, drained
1 cup grapes, cut in half
2 Tablespoons orange juice
concentrate
Combine all ingredients in a bowl.
Spoon into 7 paper cups. Freeze until
firm, removing from freezer 30 minutes
before serving.
-6-
Food that goes bad can make you sick with a foodborne
illness. Sometimes when people think they have the “flu” or
a “stomach bug”, they really have a foodborne illness. You
can protect yourself and your family by keeping your food
safe.
What makes food go bad sometimes?
Germs are the cause. They get on food and grow. You can’t
see germs on food and you can’t always smell or taste them
either. Some of the foods germs like best are:
milk and other dairy products, eggs, meat,
poultry, seafood, fruits and vegetables.
Make sure you buy safe food at the store
Check the cans. Don’t buy them if they’re dented. Check the
jars. Don’t buy them if they are cracked or if their lids are not
tightly closed. Only buy cans and jars that look perfect.
Before you buy eggs, open the carton to see if any are
broken or cracked. And only buy eggs that are refrigerated
in the store.
If the packages of raw meat, poultry, or fish you want to buy
are dripping, put the them into plastic bags before they go
into your cart. Since these juices may have germs, you want
to keep them away from the other foods you’re getting.
Pick up the milk and other cold foods last so they don’t have
time to warm up before you get them home.
Keep food safe at home: CLEAN
A few simple precautions can reduce the risk of foodborne
illnesses at home.
U Make sure you and your kitchen are clean when you
handle food. Wash your hands with warm water and soap for
at least 20 seconds before and after handling food.
U Wash your cutting boards, dishes, utensils, and counter
tops with hot soapy water after preparing a food item, before
you go on to the next food.
U If you use cloth towels to clean kitchen surfaces, wash
them often in hot water. Paper towels can simply be thrown
away.
U Rinse fresh fruits and vegetables under running tap water,
even if they have skins that are not eaten.
U Rub firm-skin fruits and vegetables under running tap
water or scrub them with a clean vegetable brush while
rinsing under tap water.
Keep food safe at home: SEPARATE
Germs are spread by cross-contamination. When you handle
raw meat, poultry, seafood and eggs, keep these foods and
their juices away from ready-to-eat foods.
U Keep raw meat, poultry, seafood and eggs separate from
other foods, not just in your grocery cart, but in your
refrigerator also.
U Use one cutting board for fresh produce and a separate
one for raw meat, poultry, and seafood.
U Never put cooked food on a plate that previously held raw
meat, poultry, seafood or eggs, unless you wash the plate
first with hot soapy water.
Keep food safe at home: COOK
Food is safely cooked when it reaches a high enough
internal temperature to kill the harmful germs that cause
foodborne illness.
U Use a food thermometer to measure the internal
temperature of meat, poultry, and egg dishes.
U Roasts and steaks shoul cook to a minimum of 1450. All
poultry should reach a minimum internal temperature of 1650.
U Cook ground meat, where germs can spread during
grinding, to at least 1600. Remember, color is not a reliable
indicator of doneness for your burgers.
U Cook fish to 1450 or until the flesh is opaque and flakes
easily.
U Don’t use recipes in which eggs remain raw or only
partially cooked.
U When cooking in the microwave, make sure there are no
cold spots in food, where germs can survive. For best
results, cover the food and rotate the dish once or twice by
hand if there’s no turntable.
Keep for safe at home: CHILL
Refrigerate foods quickly because cold temperatures slow
the growth of harmful germs. Don’t over-fill the refrigerator
because cold air must circulate to keep food safe. Keep the
temperature in the refrigerator no higher than 400 and the
freezer no higher than 00.
Continued on page 8
-7Most of us know that smoking is bad for your lungs
and can cause cancer. But a lot of people don’t
realize that smoking seriously affects the heart and the circulatory
system that carries blood through the body.
Smoking is the biggest preventable cause of
untimely death in the developed world. In the U.S.,
over 400,000 deaths each year are connected to
smoking.
What happens when you smoke
When you smoke, toxic chemicals from the
tobacco enter your bloodstream. Some of these
chemicals make your heart beat faster. Smoking
also makes your arteries and veins become more
narrow, which forces your blood to travel through a
smaller space. Both of these effects of smoking
cause high blood pressure.
Smoking also lowers your HDL (high density
lipoprotein), also known as “good cholesterol”,
which may increase fatty buildups inside the blood
vessels, a condition called atherosclerosis, or
hardening of the arteries. Smoking increases the
risk of blood clots blocking a blood vessel. Over
time, all these things increase the risk of having a
heart attack.
Not only does the risk of heart attack increase with
smoking, so does the risk of having a stroke,
which is a sudden blockage of blood flow in the
brain. Most strokes are caused by a blood clot
getting stuck in a blood vessel bringing blood and
oxygen to the brain. When this happens, brain cells
begin to die, and permanent brain damage or even
death can result.
When you quit smoking
There are many health benefits to quitting smoking.
Here are some things that quitting will do:
— reduce the risk of heart disease by almost half;
reduce the chance of having heart-related
problems if you already have heart disease
— reduce the risk of having a blood clot
— reduce the chance of developing several kinds
of cancer
— reduce the risk of developing emphysema,
which is a lung
disease that makes
breathing difficult
— improve stamina for physical activities like
exercising, sports,
gardening, etc.
— improve the sense of taste and smell
Quitting smoking isn’t easy, but it’s well worth the
effort. There are non-prescription as well as
prescription aids that are available to help you quit.
If you smoke, talk to your health care provider
about the help that’s available to reach your goal of
quitting. Your health depends on it!
HEALTH
HOLLER
is published quarterly by
Clover Fork Clinic
P.O. Box 39
Evarts, Kentucky 40828
606-837-2108
606-573-1499
606-573-1975
http://www.cloverforkclinic.org
-8Brush with a fluoride toothpaste when the child becomes
able to spit it out. Use fluoridated water to rinse with as well
as to drink, both for toddlers and infants. Wal-mart sells
nursery water in a gallon jug, and K-mart sells fluoridated
water in small sports bottles. If fluoridated water is not
available, contact your local Health Department, dentist, or
physician for fluoride drops or tablets up to age 6. I floss my
toddler’s teeth at night, using regular floss or floss mates,
which are small threads of floss on a holder.
Continued from page 1
over your finger to swipe the infant’s teeth and gums. This
cleaner is excellent but must be used after food and drink
when able. If they are sleepy, a washcloth or burp cloth will
suffice. Saliva in the mouth helps wash acids from the teeth
during the daytime, but saliva flow is reduced at night and
acids can pool on the teeth if not removed, leading to early
cavities. The four front teeth are the most affected by ECC,
which looks like white chalky marks on the teeth as the acid
does its damage.
You may ask, “Why are baby teeth important when you are
going to lose them anyway?” These teeth are important for
chewing and biting food, having a good smile, and speaking.
But the most important function of these teeth is holding
space in the mouth for the permanent teeth. Premature loss
of baby teeth leads to poorly positioned teeth and may
require braces in the future. Abscessed baby teeth may
damage permanent teeth even before they erupt.
Be cautious as to what your baby is putting in his mouth.
Harder plastic objects can break or chip teeth. Also, as the
infant starts to pull up and walk, care must be taken to
prevent falls into coffee tables or sharp corners. I place a
sponge tubing around tables and corners.
How to care for your toddler’s teeth
The basic care for the toddler is the same as for the baby.
Make sure you limit sugary drinks, buying ones that have no
or very little sugar. When the toddler drinks juice, mix equal
amounts of water and juice, and then brush the teeth after
drinking the mixture. Don’t give the child juice or milk before
bedtime or if he wakes during the night. Limit all sweets and
brush the teeth after eating any sweets.
Make sure your child eats 5 servings of fruits and vegetables
each day. My toddler knows that before a snack, (which he
calls a “sweet treat”), he has to eat a fruit. He always says,
“Fruit first!” Fruit cups with peaches, mandarin oranges, and
pears are nice, but watch the sugar content and brush after
eating them.
My 4 year old primarily drinks water and prefers it! He is
never given the choice at a restaurant of having a pop or
soda. I only allow milk or water.
Some toddlers hate to have their teeth brushed, but the
parent must insist, and help with the brushing. Children tend
to brush only the front teeth so the parent must see to it that
all teeth are brushed.
My child has been taught not to bite suckers or hard candy
when he is allowed to have them. I never offer chewing gum,
but if he did chew gum, I would only allow sugarless gum. It
is also important to limit chocolate milk, not giving it to your
toddler every day, but rather as a special treat and brushing
the teeth afterwards. And remember to take the bottle and
the pacifier away from your child by one year of age. It may
be hard to do, but it will be even harder if you wait!
It’s worth the work
Taking care of children’s teeth is a hard job because you
meet resistance and difficulty, such as gagging, because of
their small mouths. In the long run, it’s worth it. I would much
rather insist that they brush, floss, and eat healthy than to
have them put to sleep for fillings and extractions.
You’re the parent. Be tough. It is for their greater good!
˜ Mia Sellars
Keep your
food safe
Continued from page 6
When you need to thaw a food that was in the freezer, do the
thawing in the refrigerator, not on the counter. Thawing will
take one or two days in the refrigerator. To thaw faster, use
the microwave on the “defrost” setting, and then cook the
food right away.
If food—cooked or raw—is left on the counter or table for two
or more hours, germs can grow. Put leftovers in the
refrigerator or freezer as soon as you finish eating. Put them
into shallow dishes so they cool faster. Refrigerated foods
should be eaten in the next few days; frozen foods can often
last a month or more.
Remember: Buy safe food, keep food safe at home, and if
you think a food might be bad, throw it away, don’t taste it!
yyyyyyyyyyyyyyy