Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Siletz news / (Siletz, OR) 199?-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 1, 2003)
“Cha-may weeya ” Medicine Talk Siletz Community Health Clinic Get Your Flu Shot The Siletz Clinic has started giving flu vaccines. There are three ways to get your flu shot this year: • • • • • Ask your provider at your next visit Schedule a nurse appointment Walk in between 9:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. only each weekday. Use this checklist to see if you’re a candidate for vaccination, according to Center for Disease Control standards: • • • Are you 65 years of age or older? Do you have a chronic medical condi tion, such as asthma or another lung disease, heart disease, diabetes, kidney disease, or a blood disease? Do you have immune system problems caused either by disease (e.g., HIV infection or lymphoma) or by medication (e.g., chemo therapy or radiation)? • • • • Are you a woman who will be in the second or third trimester of pregnancy during the flu season (November through April)? Are you a child or teen-ager (6 months to 18 years old) who is receiving long-term aspirin therapy? Do you live with someone who would answer “yes” to one of the questions above? Do you live or work in a nursing home or other chronic care facility where some of the residents have chronic medical conditions? Are you a health care worker in a hospital, emergency, outpatient, or nursing home setting? Are you a health care worker who delivers care to high-risk patients? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you should get the flu vaccine. Tooth Talk by Linda Kreutzer, RDH Pregnancy and Oral Health It’s a myth that calcium is lost from the mother’s teeth and “one tooth is lost with every pregnancy.” That “old wives’ tale” must have come from the fact that the body will rob bone from around all teeth if the mother is nutrition-deficient during pregnancy, not just around one tooth at a time. Having a large number of children and not getting proper nutrition would have taken a toll on a mother’s mouth. Poor oral hygiene added to the problem, causing gum disease. Bone loss and diseased gums because of bacteria in a dirty mouth contribute to tooth loss at a young age. These problems can be avoided by making sure the diet is well balanced and high in fresh fruits, vegetables, dairy products, and protein. A diet high in sugar should be avoided, especially during pregnancy. Sugar produces excess plaque on the teeth. During pregnancy, an increase in hormones causes even more plaque to be produced on the teeth. If gingivitis already is a problem, the condition is likely to worsen during pregnancy. If untreated, gingivitis can lead to periodontal disease, a more serious form of gum disease. Gingivitis can be prevented by keep ing the teeth clean, especially near the gumline. Brushing should be done at least twice a day with fluoride tooth paste. Flossing should be done once daily. If tooth brushing causes morning sickness, rinse the mouth with water or anti-plaque and fluoride mouthwashes. Good nutrition, particularly plenty of vitamin C and Bl2, helps keep the oral cavity healthy. Annual checkups by the dentist and more frequent cleanings from the dental hygienist will help control plaque, prevent gingivitis, and keep teeth and gums strong and healthy. Controlling plaque also will reduce gum irritation and decrease the likelihood of gum disease. Regular visits to the dental office are important too, if the mothers-to-be value prevent ing gum disease and tooth loss. Warrior Walkers Warrior Walkers Join America’s Walk for Diabetes Every year, the American Diabetes Association organizes walks across the nation as fund-raisers for diabetes research, information, and advocacy. For the past five years, the Siletz Community Heath Clinic’s Warrior Walkers have taken part in this event. The walk took place at Alton Baker Park in Eugene, Ore., on Oct. 4. Our Warrior Walkers were blessed with good weather for their five-mile walk around the beautiful Willamette River. This year’s Warrior Walkers included: Billy Andrichak Barbara Danna Sue George Jody Greene Alissa Lane Stephanie Morrow Tamara Morrow Elizabeth Nava Aden Perkins Avery Perkins Crissy Joe Perkins Cathy Rasmussen Darcy Trego Diane Troyer Kelsey Troyer Cindy Urbach Make This Smokeout Your Last Smokers, mark your calendars! This year’s Great American Smokeout, sponsored by the American Cancer Society, is on Nov. 20. It’s a perfect time to snuff out your habit. Our Web site - www.cancer.org - lists plenty of reasons to stop smoking. We also can pass along some reasons to quit that might not have occurred to you. Ready to kick? We list the best ways to quit. We also have some great ways to keep your mind off the craving. And if you’re worried about weight gain, we list some effective strategies for keeping the pounds off. No one’s suggesting it will be easy. But kicking the cigarette habit could be one of the smartest and healthiest decisions you’ll ever make. Tobacco causes cancer, emphy sema, and heart disease, contributing to the deaths of 400,000 Americans each year. Most smokers seem to know these facts and most have tried to quit at least once. We want to provide you with the impetus to quit for good. Visit www.cancer.org to get the help you need to quit smoking. November 2003 □ Siletz News □ 17
