Three youth advocacy groups are launching an effort to educate the public about the importance of oral health and to encourage communities to adopt stronger preventive measures.

Voices for America’s Children, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Pew Children’s Dental Campaign say specifically that communities should push for water fluoridation.

In many states, including Maryland, the population is virtually covered. But in neighboring Pennsylvania, for example, just over 54 percent of residents live in homes connected to public water systems with fluoridated water.

Officials in some communities have lobbied against the additive because they fear excess amounts have health repercussions or cost too much. Fluoride comes naturally in water and they don’t want public systems adding more.

But the groups behind the new Campaign for Dental Health say science is on their side and many dental groups back them up, including the American Dental Association and the Institute of Medicine. They’ve launched a website called iLikeMyTeeth.org.

They point out that 45 million Americans lack dental insurance, and dental problems can hinder health and development. Just over 72 percent of Americans live in homes with fluoridated water, according to the groups. In nine states less than half the population get the additive: Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Louisana, Montana, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Oregon and Wyoming.

“Although children’s teeth are healthier overall than they were decades ago, we still have a long way to go,” said Bill Bentley, president and chief executive of Voices for America’s Children, in a statement. “A study last year showed that nearly one out of seven young children aged 6 to 12 had suffered a toothache in the previous six months. In a single year, more than 500,000 California children missed at least one day of school due to a dental problem. Communities should not deprive children of fluoridated water, which is a proven way to fight tooth decay.”

Posted by Meredith Cohn at 7:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Oral Health
        

Maryland is among 20 states receiving grants from a foundation aimed at reducing disparities in oral health care. The money comes from DentaQuest Foundation, which is supported by the oral health benefits administration company.

The group points to an Institute of Medicine report that found nearly 5 million children didn’t get dental checkups in 2008 because of poor finances and 33.3 million people live in an area with a shortage of dental professionals.

For its Oral Health 2014 Initiative, the foundation sought proposals to address the problems. It received interest from 70 organizations and chose those that engaged multiple partners inside and outside the oral health arena. They will tackle one or more area: prevention and public health infrastructure, oral health literacy, medical/dental collaboration, developing metrics for improving oral health, financing models, and strengthening the dental care delivery system.

“This is a really important moment for oral health,” said Ralph Fuccillo, president of the DentaQuest Foundation, in a statement. “These 20 state organizations enhance the national movement of collaborative leaders who are embracing the challenge and the opportunity to address oral health disparities in their communities.”

Maryland has moved aggressively in recent years to tackle oral health disparities, creating a the Maryland Dental Action Coalition, after the death of a Prince George’s County boy from an infected tooth. The coalition will get the funding from Dentaquest and will target oral health literacy and medical/dental collaboration. Here are the other recipients.

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Categories: Oral Health
        

Reuters writes today about a new study that says child abuse increased during the recent recession.

The story said that there is no direct proof that financial hardship resulted in the abuse. But other studies have found stress can lead to abuse. Many families have felt the stress from lost jobs, plumetting stock portfolios, foreclosures and all the other calamities caused by the recession.

Here is an excerpt from the Reuters article:

The new findings, released on Monday in the journal Pediatrics, are based on hospital data on kids under five from Kentucky, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Washington. From 2004 to 2009, there were 422 children diagnosed with what doctors call “abusive head trauma.”

The majority ended up in the intensive care unit, and 16 percent died of their injuries. The children’s average age was nine months.

In the three years leading up to the crash in December 2007, the rate of abusive head injuries was 8.9 per year per 100,000 kids. After the crash, the number jumped to 14.7 per 100,000.

The story raises the issue about mental health access and how mental health is as important as physical health.

Posted by Andrea Walker at 11:05 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Oral Health
        

Children in states that offer dentists higher Medicaid payments are more likely to receive dental care, according to a new study.

The study found children who had private insurance got the most care, but more than a third of children are covered by public health insurance, such as Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program. Dental care is required but states can choose the payments to dentists and the rates vary greatly.

Sandra Decker at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention took a look at the payments and care from 2000-2008 and merged the information with data from a CDC questionaire called the National Health Interview Survey.

Many states dropped fees over the time period. Five states increased it – Maryland has increased its payments, but not in the time studied for this report in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

The state now leads the nation in insuring the dental needs of kids, according to the Pew Charitable Trust. The state took action on the payments as part of a plan developed by the Maryland Dental Action Coalition after the death of Deamonte Driver, a Prince George’s child who died from an infected tooth.

The number of low-income kids who received dental services increased from about 11 percent in 2000 to about 42 percent in 2009.

But the problem remains across the country. Decker said those in public plans were about 13 percentage points less likely to have seen a dentist than those with private insurance. Those with no insurance were 40 percent less likely to have seen a dentist than those with private insurance.

“Changes in state Medicaid dental payment fees between 2000 and 2008 were positively associated with use of dental care among children and adolescents covered by Medicaid,” she wrote. “For example, a $10 increase in the Medicaid prophylaxis payment level [from $20 to $30] was associated with a 3.92 percentage point increase in the chance that a child or adolescent covered by Medicaid had seen a dentist.”

Posted by Meredith Cohn at 7:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Medicaid/Medicare, Oral Health
        

Maryland leads the nation in insuring the dental needs of children with private insurance or Medicaid, according to a new report from a division of the Pew Charitable Trusts.

The state met seven of eight benchmarks, including the share of Medicaid-enrolled children getting dental care, the percentage of residents with fluoridated water and pay to medical providers for early preventive care.

This top ranking comes four years after the death of Deamonte Driver, a Prince George’s teen who had an untreated tooth infection, and the formation of a committee to address the failings. The Maryland Dental Action Coalition recently released a report outlining improvements in care and the next steps.

The state, for example, had raised the number of low-income kids who received dental services from about 11 percent in 2000 to about 42 percent in 2009.

Maryland upped the amount that Medicaid paid dentists, and simplified the system, which officials cited as a reason for improvements. Elsewhere, according to this Tribune story, Medicaid kids are having a hard time making appointments. And indeed, the rest of the nation had a mixed report card.

Twenty seven states earned a grade of A or B while 23 states got a C or lower. Almost half the states improved from last year, but the report said 16 million kids around the country still are going without basic dental care.

The report’s authors noted that having insurance is not enough to ensure children have access to care. The report sought to assess whether the states had policies to promote access ahead of the more than 5 million kids who will gain coverage by 2014 under the health care reform law.

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Categories: Oral Health
        

It's common practice for some mommies to rub Anbesol or Orajel on their babies sore gums when they're teething.

But The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is warning that an ingredient in these pain relievers is linked to a serious illness.

Benzocaine, the main ingredient in liquids or gels applied to gums and mouth to reduce pain, is related to a rare condition called methemoglobinemia. The condition causes greatly reduced levels of oxygen to flow through the bloodstream. It can cause death in the most severe cases.

Benzocaine drugs are sold under brands such as Anbesol, Hurrricaine, Orajel, Baby Orajel, Orabase and other store brands. The disease has been detected with all strengths of benzocaine, including concentrations as low as 7.5 percent.

The cases occured mostly in children ages two years and under who used the painkillers for teething.

The FDA is saying children under two shouldn't use the drugs unless directed by a physician. Instead, they suggest giving the child a teething ring chilled in the refrigerator or gently rubbing or massaging the child's gums with your finger.

Read more from the FDA here.

Posted by Andrea Walker at 11:59 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Oral Health
        

For the tail end of Dental Health Month, we at Picture of Health decided to put common oral health questions to 5 experts from the University of Maryland Dental School. Today is Day 5 and the subject is gingivitis.

Question: What are the causes of gingivitis and what are the best ways to take care of it?

Answer: Dr. Mark A. Reynolds, professor and director of postdoctoral periodontics in the department of periodontics, says:

Gingivitis is a mild form of periodontal (gum) disease commonly resulting from the formation dental plaque on the teeth.

Inadequate oral hygiene contributes to the formation of plaque deposits containing large numbers of bacteria, which causes inflammation (redness and swelling) of the gums. Bacteria release toxins that intensify the local infection and further irritate the gums.

Gingivitis may cause the gums to become tender or bleed easily when brushing or flossing, which is sometimes seen as redness or pinkness on the toothbrush or floss. Plaque forms continuously on the teeth and should be removed daily to minimize the risk gingivitis developing into more serious, destructive forms of periodontal disease, leading to tooth loss.

Plaque deposits over time can become calcified and hard, forming calculus or tartar, which is resistant to removal by normal home care. Calculus is rough, making it easier for plaque deposits to form and more difficult to remove and control the infection.

Other factors can also increase the risk of periodontal diseases, such as smoking, diabetes, dry mouth and poor nutrition. Similar to other infections, chronic gum disease can affect overall health. Regular professional checkups and daily oral hygiene are essential for the complete removal of bacterial plaque and calculus, especially deposits forming below the gum line, and to minimize the risk of developing periodontal disease.

See more Dental Week questions here.

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Categories: Oral Health
        

For the tail end of Dental Health Month, we at Picture of Health decided to put common oral health questions to 5 experts from the University of Maryland Dental School. Today is Day 4 and the subject is orthodontics.

Question: How do you know if you need to see an orthodontist and are braces always necessary?

Answer: Dr. Robert E. Williams, a clinical associate professor who also practices in Baltimore and Bel Air, says:

People usually see an orthodontist as a result of concerns they have about the fit or appearance of their teeth, or on the recommendation of their family dentist.

Common problems that would motivate someone to seek orthodontic care are front teeth that protrude, are rotated, crowded, or don’t touch when they bite their back teeth together. Family dentists are also concerned about the way the back teeth fit, and the effect this has on the overall health of the teeth and gums.

The American Association of Orthodontists recommends that children be seen by an orthodontist for an initial screening by age seven, to insure that the child’s teeth and jaws are developing normally. Common problems that benefit from treatment at this age include open bites due to thumb or finger sucking, cross bites (when one or more upper teeth are inside the lower teeth) or excessive crowding.

For other problems, it’s often better to delay treatment until most of the permanent teeth have erupted. Once all the permanent teeth are in, there is usually little change in tooth alignment, with the exception of a gradual increase in crowding of the lower front teeth that begins in the late teens and continues into middle age. New materials and techniques make orthodontic treatment easier, more comfortable, and relatively more affordable than in the past.

While having crooked teeth is not life threatening condition, correction of a malocclusion is beneficial to both a person’s health and their self image. You are never too old to benefit from orthodontic treatment as long as your teeth and gums are healthy. If you think you may benefit from orthodontic treatment, don’t hesitate to schedule a consultation with an orthodontic specialist.

See other Dental Week questions here.

Posted by Meredith Cohn at 7:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Oral Health
        

For the tail end of Dental Health Month, we at Picture of Health decided to put common oral health questions to 5 experts from the University of Maryland Dental School. Today is Day 3 and the subject is dry mouth.

Question: What are the causes of dry mouth and what effect does it have on oral health? Are there ways to combat it?

Answer: Dr. Gary Hack, associate professor and director of clinical simulation in the department of endodontics, prosthodontics and operative dentistry, says:

Remember the terrible feeling after you have slept with your mouth open all night long, due to a stuffy nose, and you wake up with your mouth so dry that you can’t speak, move your tongue, or swallow.

Now imagine living with that feeling all the time.

There are various causes for dry mouth, also called xerostomia. These can include: the side effects of certain drugs, the side effects of certain diseases and infections, and the side effects of certain medical treatments.

A dry mouth can have various negative effects on your health. A dry mouth can increase your chances of developing tooth decay, gum disease, and mouth infections, such as thrush.

There are many ways to deal with a dry mouth. Your doctor may prescribe an oral rinse to restore mouth moisture. Also, there are medications that can be prescribed that stimulate saliva production.

Other steps that one can take to improve saliva flow include: breathing through your nose and not your mouth, drinking plenty of water throughout the day and using sugar-free candy and chewing gum.

See other Dental Week questions here.

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Categories: Oral Health
        

For the tail end of Dental Health Month, we at Picture of Health decided to put common oral health questions to 5 experts from the University of Maryland Dental School. Today is Day 2 and the subject is acid erosion.

Question: What is acid erosion, how is it bad for the teeth and what can I do to treat it?

Answer: Dr. Howard E. Strassler, professor in the department of endodontics, prosthodontics and operative dentistry, says:

Acid erosion of teeth refers to the acid attack on the enamel and root surfaces of the teeth from the food we eat and the beverages we drink that are acidic (pH less than 7). The acid attack that causes tooth decay is different because it is caused by acid producing bacteria.

Acid erosion can cause the teeth to look yellow because the teeth are more susceptible to staining by foods and beverages. Acid erosion combined with normal tooth brushing with toothpaste can lead to enamel and tooth root surface loss.

This can contribute to chipping and wear of teeth and notching on the tooth root. Also, the acid attack can cause tooth sensitivity. Any food that is acidic can cause can acid attack.

To prevent acid erosion, avoid highly acidic food and beverages. Some energy drinks and soda are the worst. Fruit juices can also be offenders. Use a toothpaste with fluoride and if you already have acid erosion, use a toothpaste that has fluoride with added calcium for tooth remineralization.

Most important, visit your dentist and ask for more information on acid erosion. They can diagnose if you have acid erosion and make recommendations for treatment.

See other Dental Week questions here.

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Categories: Oral Health
        

For the tail end of Dental Health Month, we at Picture of Health decided to put common oral health questions to 5 experts from the University of Maryland Dental School. Today is Day 1, and the subject is Waterpiks.

Question: Is it worth investing in a Waterpik or other flossing tools or is regular flossing the best, and are there any dangers with such devices?

Answer: Dr. Jacquelyn L. Fried, associate professor and director of the division of dental hygiene says:

Many interdental cleansing devices are on the market and many approaches to interproximal plaque removal exist. The best choice for inter-dental cleansing is the one that works for the patient.

Physical limitations often determine choices. Certain individuals (e.g., those with arthritis, young children who are developing motor control) may not have the manual dexterity to manipulate floss effectively; others may prefer flossing over the use of inter-dental brushes or irrigation devices (such as the Waterpik). Irrigation devices are helpful to those with limited hand movement and often are beneficial for patients in orthodontic bands or wires.

Oral anatomy such as occlusion and the presence of certain restorative work (fillings, bridges, implants) can dictate what inter dental cleansing devices are preferable. For larger spaces or under fixed bridge work, irrigation devices (such as the Waterpik) or interdental brushes may be more effective in removing plaque than dental floss, as they tend to cover more area.

The price range for interproximal cleansing tools varies and appliances such as irrigation devices are more costly than traditional floss or interdental brushes. Most appliances used for oral cleansing have longevity and manufacturer warranties, particularly if the brand is well-known. If an irrigation device is most appropriate for a patient, its purchase should be considered an investment for oral health.

Any interdental cleansing device has the potential to be harmful, if used incorrectly. Irrigation devices are packaged with instructions that recommend the appropriate angle of the water jet. The user also can manipulate the power of the water spray to avoid injury. Overly forceful or extremely vigorous use of dental floss or interdental brushes (e.g., proxabrush) can cut and/or irritate gum tissue.

For the best results, interdental cleansing devices must be individualized to address patients’ needs and adaptable to their oral and physical conditions. Oral health professionals are the best resources for determining what device is most appropriate for a patient’s use.

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Categories: Oral Health