“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:
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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:
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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)?
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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
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