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About Siletz news / (Siletz, OR) 199?-current | View Entire Issue (April 1, 2001)
“Cha-may weeya ” Medicine Talk Siletz Community Health Clinic Tooth Talk by Linda Kreutzer, RDH Sealants What are dental sealants? Dental sealants are thin plastic coatings that are applied to the chewing surfaces of the back teeth. Most tooth decay in children and teen-agers occurs in these back teeth (molars). Before decay can begin, sealants are placed to fill in the small grooves in the molars. Which teeth are suitable for sealants? The teeth most likely to benefit from sealants are the permanent molars. First molars come into the mouth when a child is about 6 years old. Second molars appear at about age 12. Children between the ages of 5 and 14 benefit most from sealants. After an examination, a dentist will determine which teeth can be sealed. Does it hurt? Absolutely not! Receiving a sealant is quick and easy. Application requires no shots or drills. A dentist or hygienist first cleans the tooth with a special liquid. Then the sealant is “painted” onto the tooth. The material goes on as a liquid (to flow into the cracks of the tooth), then hardens. A finished sealant is almost invisible and cannot be felt by the tongue. How long will it last? One sealant application can last for as long as five to 10 years. Your dentist should check the sealants once a year to make sure they are in place. Sealants have been tested thoroughly and are extensively recommended by the American Dental Association, the American Dental Hygienists Association, and the American Public Health Association. Ask your dentist if your children can get sealants. With sealants, a child may never have a cavity or need a filling! The Siletz Community Health Clinic is sponsoring its fourth sealant clinic on April 16-19. Students will be transported to the Dental Department from Siletz School. Students in grades one through six can get free sealants placed on their teeth. It’s a wonderful community service sponsored by the Siletz Tribe. 10 Tips to Manage Your Cholesterol During the Spring and Summer 1) Be active. Whether you are at home or at the shore, be sure to spend at least 30 minutes every day this weekend being active. Take a walk or bike ride in your neighborhood, walk on the beach or on the boardwalk, play basketball, tennis, Make turkey sandwiches with mustard at home and bring a cooler to the beach. Pack fruits such as cantaloupe, honeydew, and grapes that hold up well in plastic bags. Snack on pretzels and get frozen fruit bars when the ice cream urge hits. 7) For perfect picnics, keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold. Serve or golf, roller blade, swim, or catch up on your gardening. 2) Eat more fish and shellfish. Order fish or shellfish when you eat out. If you grill fish at home, always buy the freshest fish. Look for clean eyes, red, clear gills, and fresh aroma. Use non-stick cooking spray on the grill. Marinate fish in olive oil or soy sauce, garlic, and wine with fresh herbs for a great flavor. Do not over-grill fish. healthy cold foods, such as shredded carrot and raisin salad, pasta salads, potato salad, and cold sliced deli meats. Cold soups such as gazpacho, cucumber, or fruit soup with a yogurt base are easy to make and taste great. If you serve hot foods, don’t leave them in hot temperatures or the sun for more than one hour. Leftover One-inch fish steaks usually require about 4 to 5 minutes on each side. 3) Drink plenty of water. Whether you are at the beach, playing sports, hot food should be returned to the refrigerator after an hour. 8) Healthy snacking on the road. Pack the car with healthy foods such as boating, or working in the yard, your body needs plenty of water. To prevent dehydration, keep an iced water bottle in the car when you travel. Bring water on juice boxes, which can be frozen ahead of time and put in a cooler, rice cakes, pretzels, peanut butter sandwiches (leave off the jelly as it gets very sticky), crackers, and fresh fruits. Bring plenty of paper towels and keep the cooler in the car rather your bike rides or when you roller blade and drink water instead of alcohol when you’re on the beach. You’ll feel better and have more energy. 4) Grill your own vegetables. Grill com on the cob and vegetables for appetizers and side dishes. Com on the cob can be grilled in the husk, rotating for about 15 minutes. Peppers, onions, zucchini, and eggplant can be cut open, brushed lightly with olive oil and grilled. 5) Serve low-calorie pasta salads cold or hot. They are simple and take less than 15 minutes to prepare. Use lots of fresh vegetables such as carrots, eggplant, peppers, onions, and broccoli, along with low-calorie salad dressing for cold salads or a spicy marinara sauce served over hot pasta. Try different kinds of pasta, including angel hair, linguine, fettuccine, ziti, rotelli, and lots more. 6) Bring healthy food to the beach. Something about being by the water makes people hungry. Don’t wait for hunger to strike and have nothing but junk food to eat. than the trunk, which is the hottest part of the car. 9) Enjoy ice cream after dinner. Eating ice cream is an after-dinner ritual during the summer. It’s become part of our culture. Choose the non-fat varieties and always ask for a taste to make sure you like it and aren’t disappointed. Those fat-free fudge toppings still have 50calories/tablespoon. Start with a small serving in a cup rather than a cone to save a few calories. Water ice is always a good choice. Jimmies (sprinkles) or fresh fruit are the best toppings. 10) Always eat breakfast, but skip the cinnamon buns. Just as ice cream is a ritual after dinner, cinnamon buns are a tradition for breakfast. Have a bagel with low- fat or fat-free cream cheese and jelly instead, or a bowl of cereal with plenty of fresh summer fruit. If you do indulge, go for a walk or bike ride after breakfast. Source: www.heartinfo.org April 2001 □ Siletz News □ 15
