Give A Care Indy » Health and Dental http://blog.indyhealthnet.org Support in Health Care & Social Services Thu, 06 Feb 2020 14:00:41 +0000 en-US hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 Be Your Own Floss Boss! http://blog.indyhealthnet.org/floss-boss?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=floss-boss http://blog.indyhealthnet.org/floss-boss#comments Thu, 21 Nov 2019 14:00:49 +0000 giveacareindy http://blog.indyhealthnet.org/?p=5653 We all know we should be flossing, but how come so many of us don’t? It’s just an extra step in our already time-consuming oral hygiene routine, and for what? Just to clean out last night’s left-over spaghetti squash? Probably not worth it, right? Wrong. According to a survey done by ADA News only sixteen percent of the public floss their teeth every day, while over forty percent admit to exaggerating how much they floss to their dentist. The truth is, not flossing can have serious long-term consequences on your oral health. Just brushing cleans the exposed area of your teeth, however flossing reaches the places that a tooth brush cannot reach. If your gums bleed at the dentist, or the few times you do try to floss, that is a clear indicator that you should be flossing. The professionals at Colgate suggest that bleeding gums means inflammation caused from bacteria existing in plaque surrounding the gum tissue. According to Crest, the buildup of plaque can produce tartar if not taken care of soon enough, which can then result in cavities, gingivitis, and even gum disease. Flossing at least once a day can drastically lower, if not eliminate these possible consequences. In order to remind yourself to floss, try leaving the floss container out by your sink so that it is the last thing you see before you head to bed. After flossing for just a couple of days, you will notice that any bleeding will gradually lessen, and your smile will appear even whiter and brighter!

To make an appointment with HealthNet Dental please call 317-957-2450. To learn more visit www.indyhealthnet.org.

 

Posted by: Emily Jump, Marketing and Communications Intern

]]> http://blog.indyhealthnet.org/floss-boss/feed 0 Mighty Mouth: Keeping Your Baby’s Teeth Healthy http://blog.indyhealthnet.org/mighty-mouth-keeping-babys-teeth-healthy?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=mighty-mouth-keeping-babys-teeth-healthy http://blog.indyhealthnet.org/mighty-mouth-keeping-babys-teeth-healthy#comments Thu, 21 Feb 2013 16:32:42 +0000 giveacareindy http://blog.indyhealthnet.org/?p=3608  

Caring for young children’s teeth is an important part of keeping their bodies healthy—and it’s never too early to get started!

Strong first or baby teeth set the stage for strong permanent teeth, and help children play, learn, and grow. In honor of Children’s Dental Health Awareness Month, here are some tips to keep your little one’s teeth healthy.

Did You Know?

Children without access to dental care suffer from tooth decay, gum disease, pain and missing permanent teeth. Studies show that children in underserved areas suffer even more, with twice as much tooth decay as their more affluent counterparts. Tooth decay is the number one chronic illness in children – five times more prevalent than asthma.

When Should Dental Care Start?

Proper dental care begins even before a baby’s first tooth appears. Remember that just because you can’t see the teeth doesn’t mean they aren’t there. Teeth actually begin to form in the second trimester of pregnancy. At birth a baby has 20 primary teeth, some of which are fully developed in the jaw.

Running a damp washcloth over a baby’s gums following feedings can prevent buildup of damaging bacteria. Once a child has a few teeth showing, parents can brush them with a soft child’s toothbrush or rub them with gauze at the end of the day.

Even babies can have problems with dental decay when parents do not practice good feeding habits. Putting a baby to sleep with a bottle in his or her mouth may be convenient in the short term — but it can harm the baby’s teeth. When the sugars from juice or milk remain on a baby’s teeth for hours, they may eat away at the enamel, creating a condition known as baby bottle tooth decay. Severe cases result in cavities and the need to pull all the front teeth until the permanent ones grow in.

The American Dental Association recommends that a child’s first visit to the dentist take place by his or her first birthday. At this visit, the dentist will explain proper brushing and flossing techniques (you need to floss once your baby has two teeth that touch) and conduct a modified exam while your baby sits on your lap.

Such visits can help in the early detection of potential problems. And, they help kids become accustomed to visiting the dentist so they’ll have less fear about going as they grow older!

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Looking for a dentist? HealthNet has five dental centers around Indianapolis. Click here to find the HealthNet dental center closest to you!

]]> http://blog.indyhealthnet.org/mighty-mouth-keeping-babys-teeth-healthy/feed 0 Something to Smile About: Free Clinic Takes Bite Out of Dental Access Gap http://blog.indyhealthnet.org/something-to-smile-about-free-clinic-takes-bite-out-of-dental-access-gap?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=something-to-smile-about-free-clinic-takes-bite-out-of-dental-access-gap http://blog.indyhealthnet.org/something-to-smile-about-free-clinic-takes-bite-out-of-dental-access-gap#comments Thu, 29 Sep 2011 13:51:29 +0000 giveacareindy http://blog.indyhealthnet.org/?p=1522 Wish you could take a bite out of your dental bills? You aren’t alone.

In April, the Kaiser Family Foundation reported that 33 percent of people surveyed skipped dental care or dental checkups because they couldn’t afford them. Approximately 108 million Americans lack dental insurance, more than twice as many as lack medical insurance.

Getting access to affordable dental care is particularly tough for low-income adults and children, and it’s getting tougher as the economy worsens. In fact, a father died from a tooth infection earlier this month because he couldn’t afford his medication. His sad story offers a sobering reminder of the importance of oral health and the number of people without access to dental or health care.

Did you know that roughly 10,000 people in Marion County are without access to dental care, with cost being the primary factor? Now more than ever, health centers are a critical source of affordable oral health services to those with the highest burden of disease and unmet need. The teams at our four dental centers know this first hand, serving more than 5,400 patients a year.

Despite the role health centers play, the need for oral health services remains great and an adequate workforce is critical. An Institute of Medicine report issued this summer urged that the oral health safety net must be broadened and strengthened. Over 2,000 counties or partial counties in the U.S. have been designated dental Health Professions Shortage Areas, where individuals suffer from a lack of dental providers – including parts of Indianapolis.

Thankfully, a lot of like-minded folks in Indy want to change this picture, by improving access to dental care AND training more dental professionals to serve them.

Last Saturday, 28 student volunteers from the IU School of Dentistry (IUSD),
3 IUSD faculty members and 5 staff from People’s Dental Center were on hand for the opening day of the new IU School of Dentistry Student Outreach Clinic at People’s Health & Dental Center.

The free clinic is managed and staffed by students, under the supervision of licensed dental professionals. In just a few short hours, the team treated 12 patients. Procedures included 11 new patient exams, 1 urgent exam, 10 extractions, 4 cleanings and 1 operative procedure.

Stephanie So, chair and organizer of the IUSD Student Outreach Clinic, hopes the partnership is the start of something great for the Near Eastside. The student-run dental clinic, which complements the nearby IU student-run medical clinic, is open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the first and third Saturdays of each month, and is currently scheduling appointments for Oct. 1 and 15 for residents living in the People’s neighborhood only.

The clinic is a textbook win-win, providing much-needed dental care for those that need it and invaluable real-life experience that students will carry throughout their careers – hopefully launching a new generation of service-oriented dentists. Thanks to all the students who are volunteering their time and talents for this compassionate, service-minded program!

]]> http://blog.indyhealthnet.org/something-to-smile-about-free-clinic-takes-bite-out-of-dental-access-gap/feed 1 A Recipe for Success! http://blog.indyhealthnet.org/a-recipe-for-success?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=a-recipe-for-success http://blog.indyhealthnet.org/a-recipe-for-success#comments Tue, 08 Feb 2011 13:33:43 +0000 giveacareindy http://blog.indyhealthnet.org/?p=494 Our Homeless Initiative Program (HIP) sees many success stories as one of the largest and most comprehensive programs for the homeless in Indiana.  This particular story touches on all of the different tools HIP uses to contribute to the success of their clients.

“Smile, you’ve got a job now…”
(story written by: Karin Romani, Employment Specialist at HIP)

Ricky Wallace proudly showing off his new job and his new teeth!

A homeless veteran, Ricky Wallace, came to us for help with housing through our Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program (HVRP).  Ricky had a decent job in Evansville but moved back to Indianapolis to be closer to his elderly, ailing parents.  He couldn’t live with them as they are in an assisted living facility.  So, Ricky’s first thought was to crash with a friend but that didn’t work out, and he came to us.  We helped Ricky get emergency housing.  But one concern was the job he had just found was a very long drive, and he was worried about his car making it out there every day, especially in the upcoming winter weather.  Karin Romani, an employment specialist at HIP, helped him to apply for and get a better job, closer to home, with more stable hours so he could better assist his parents.  Mr. Wallace is now working for IU Health in the Methodist Café and doing VERY well according to his supervisor.  Throughout the job application process with IU Health, the client came into our office periodically to get assistance, and during two of those times, he complained of excruciating tooth pain.  Going way above and beyond, Nurse Practitioner JoAnn Morris stopped what she was doing, evaluated and treated him on the spot. JoAnn also finagled an emergency dental visit not once, but twice for him.  The first incidence of tooth pain came because of a seriously abscessed tooth, and the time after that was due to another tooth breaking and crumbling.  As a team, we helped Ricky get housed, get proper dental care, apply for and make it successfully through a long application process with IU Health, and in addition, our HVRP team helped him get his car towed and repaired (it died on the last day of his former job way out in Avon).  He can now get to and from his new IU Health job consistently.

Mr. Wallace is truly grateful and we were glad to help a man who we knew deserved it and is truly appreciative of it.  Ricky has always thought of others before himself, but this time he found himself in need and did something about it.  HVRP and other HIP services were there to make sure he got back on his feet so he can help his parents and be a true asset to the Methodist food service team.

To learn more about the services provided by HIP visit our website.  To directly support the Homeless Initiative Program, click the donate button in the right-hand column of our blog!

]]> http://blog.indyhealthnet.org/a-recipe-for-success/feed 5 Tools to Help You Quit Smoking — And Help Someone Else Do the Same http://blog.indyhealthnet.org/tools-to-help-you-quit-smoking-and-help-someone-else-do-the-same?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=tools-to-help-you-quit-smoking-and-help-someone-else-do-the-same http://blog.indyhealthnet.org/tools-to-help-you-quit-smoking-and-help-someone-else-do-the-same#comments Mon, 15 Nov 2010 21:20:22 +0000 giveacareindy http://giveacareindy.wordpress.com/?p=51

With a new year upon us, is going smoke-free one of your resolutions?

More than four in five smokers say they want to quit. Research shows that you are twice as likely to succeed if you join a tobacco cessation program that includes ongoing support. That’s particularly important for those living near the poverty line.

Like many, Delorus Alderman of Indianapolis started smoking at 18. Before long, she was a two-pack-a-day smoker.

“Quit now or die” was the sobering message from her doctor after she was diagnosed with heart disease. Delorus began the difficult journey to quitting.

She had help from Stacey Chappell, the smoking cessation counselor at HealthNet Southeast Health & Dental Center. Stacey gave Delorus many practical tips that she used to prepare herself and her family. She also received free nicotine replacement therapy patches.

Delorus asked for support from her family and her on-line “IndyMoms” group – all of which rallied around her to help her get through the tough early months.

As Delorus celebrates her first year without cigarettes in a very long time, challenges remain. Still, she finds all the reason in the world to remain a non-smoker—that remarkably memorable day when one of her children gave her a big hug and said how glad she was that mom didn’t smell bad anymore.

  • Thinking about quitting? When you’re ready, we’re here to help with ways to quit smoking or chewing tobacco, and resources to support you every step of the way.
  • Help someone in need quit. A small donation to HealthNet’s Health Promotions Program will enable an underserved person to have access to free tobacco cessation counseling.
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