Siletz news /, November 01, 2002, Page 19, Image 19

Cha-may weeya
Medicine Talk
Siletz
Community
Tooth Talk
by Linda Kreutzer, RDH
Candy, Pop, and Cavities
With Halloween just over, maybe it’s time to think about trick or treats
and how excessive sugar decays teeth. Here are a few ideas on how to keep
decay away from your
children’s teeth.
Eating foods and
drinking liquids high in
sugar make excessive
plaque on our teeth. This
happens to children and
adults alike. Plaque is
high
in acid, which
comes directly from the
sugar. It’s the acid that
makes holes (cavities) in
tooth enamel.
New dentist Mark. Moeller (I) and Linda Kreutzer
Plaque acid is pro­
visit the Siletz Head Start classroom.
duced for 20 minutes after
eating or drinking something high in sugar. This means that after just one sip of
pop, acid is at work decaying our teeth for 20 minutes! After 20 minutes, our
saliva neutralizes the acid. If pop is sipped all day (instead of water), the teeth are
constantly bathed in sugar. It’s like giving your teeth an acid bath all day long!
Unfortunately, candy bars do the same thing. It’s best to let your children eat
a candy bar, then ask them to brush their teeth right away. If they drink a pop,
have them drink it all down and get it over with, then ask them to brush immediately
afterward. If brushing isn’t possible, rinsing with water helps, as does chewing a
stick of sugarless gum. This way, plaque acids’are at work for shorter lengths of
time in the mouth.
Health
Clinic
TPEP Presents Former
Smoker Profiles
Angela’s Story
by Angela Martin
I was 8 years old when I smoked
my first cigarette. I began smoking
heavy at age 13.
I was able to quit for two babies, but
then I’d start back up. By my last two
babies, I had to smoke because my nerves
were shot (that’s my excuse anyway).
I started smoking because
everyone I was around smoked. It
seemed normal and they looked like
it helped them deal with stress (how I
don’t know, maybe because, although
temporary, the nicotine sensation gives
good vibes to your nervous system,
giving you the feeling of relief - or so it
seemed then).
I quit cold turkey about four months
ago. Why? Because if I continued to tell
myself one less cigarette, I would find
myself smoking more than before. The
funny thing is that even under a lot of
stress (new job, relationship problems,
and kids everywhere around me), I
found myself sick of smoking. My
throat hurt, and it still does even
though I’m now not smoking.
I tell myself when I feel my throat
hurting that I knew the results of
smoking and yet I still continued to stick
a smoke in my mouth. In a way, it was
suicidal. My kids also were sick of
seeing it and my daughter (God bless
her) begged me to quit because she told
me she wants to see me get old.
And with all this, I think to
myself, “Do I really miss something
that wasn’t good for my family and
myself? Sure, but not more than my
kids would miss me. Not more than
looking in the mirror 10 years down
the road with a tube in my throat. It’s
like anything else in your life, if it’s
no good for you, let it go and go on
with your life without it.” It sounds
easy and so far it has been that easy
for me.
TPEP note: If you'd like to share i
your story, please contact the Tobacco
Prevention & Education Program at
541-444-1030 or 1-800-648-0449.
What you share can make a difference I
in someone else’s life. Thank you.
t
The Siletz Breastfeeding Circle
As part of the Siletz Diabetic Grant, the Siletz Tribe held its first Breastfeeding
Circle on Oct. 15 at the Siletz Housing Department office.
mouth so permanent teeth come in straighter. Babies who are breastfed have fewer
ear infections and digestive problems. Breastfed babies also have higher IQs.
Anyone who is breastfeeding, anyone who has
breastfed, and anyone who is currently pregnant and
Breast milk is a “living food” that is specific to
your baby’s needs. As the baby grows and changes,
so does your breast milk. The health benefits of
breastfeeding last a lifetime.
Breastfeeding also is nurturing for mothers.
Breastfeeding helps the uterus return toa non-pregnant
state with less risk of excessive and dangerous
bleeding. Breastfeeding reduces a woman’s risk of
certain cancers, osteoporosis (thinning of the bones),
and obesity. When a woman is breastfeeding, her body
releases chemicals into her blood that cause her to
relax and feel less stress. Breastfeeding also increases
healthy digestion in mom and baby.
A Breastfeeding Circle will take place every two weeks. Please call the clinic
for information, 1-800-648-0449 or 541-444-1030.
would like to learn more about the importance of
breastfeeding were invited. Barbara Danna, RN,
and Erin Hume, PA, presented educational materials.
There was a Talking Circle for moms who shared
and learned from each other’s personal experiences.
There was food, drink, and gifts.
The purpose of the Breastfeeding Circle is to
respectfully promote, educate, and support
breastfeeding in our community.
So what is the connection between diabetes and
breastfeeding9 Native Americans are among the higher-risk groups for developing
diabetes. Research shows that infants who are breastfed for six to 12 months are
less likely to develop diabetes.
Breastfeeding not only reduces the risk of diabetes, it also protects infants at
the time of nursing. Immunities are passed from mother to baby through breast
milk. Teeth and gums are healthier. Suckling on the breast better forms the infant’s
Nurture your baby/nurture yourself - get your flu shot today. Protect yourself
and your family. Please call the Siletz Clinic and schedule an appointment with
a nurse.
November 2002
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Siletz News
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