Implementing a Wellness Plan in the Workplace

As the owner of my small dental hygiene practice, I come across many reasons why people don't come in for regular care.  One of the most frequent excuses is taking time away from work.  Many people would rather not dip into their PTO or vacation time to take care of their personal health needs.

My husbands employer has rolled out a "wellness program" for their 100 employees, that I find refreshing.  An employee can schedule their medical and dental appointment on the same day and not come to work.  With proof that they went to the appointment, they receive an additional PTO day. 

On top of the one free day, they can get another if they show they participated in volunteer work or supporting a cause for a day.  If they run in a cancer awareness 5K, they get a day off added to their time (limit one per year).  The company encourages a monthly group hike, pays a dollar amount that can be used towards a gym membership, weight loss program or home exercise equipment.

Why as a business owner is it beneficial for a company to offer a wellness program?  Healthy employees miss less work.  If people are encouraged to participate in their own wellness, prevention becomes the norm.  Imagine not having employees miss work because of a tooth ache, that could have been printed with regular dental cleanings. Or an employee who does not miss several days of work because they were able to get a flu vaccination.

 An article published by The Harvard Business Review discusses that major companies like Johnson and Johnson have saved millions of dollars over the last decade by implementing wellness programs.  Another study showed that every dollar invested yielded $6 in health care savings.

So, is a wellness program the right fit for your company?  It might be worth visiting the idea!

What Can a Dental Hygienist do for You?

In a time where our health care system is seeing a lot of changes, dental health is still not getting the attention that it needs, or deserves.  According to the National Institutes of Health, 92% of adults have had a cavity  sometime in their life, and 26% have untreated cavities. Half of adults in the USA have some form of periodontal disease (64 million people!).

So, what can a dental hygienist do for you?  In Colorado,dental hygienists have been allowed to open and operate their own practices, without a dentist, since the late 1980's.  It is becoming more prevalent now, especially since more large chain dental offices are popping up.  A dental hygienist has the ability to evaluate for gum disease and treat the disease.  Hygienists also provide preventative dental care through cleanings, fluoride, sealants and other adjuncts.  Your dental hygienist is often the first person who will spot a cavity, cracked tooth, or other problematic findings.  It is the communication that is provided between the dentist and hygienist that is a big part of your dental care.

So, if you choose to visit an independent dental hygienist in Colorado, what can you expect?  Every clinician works differently, but you will find that your hygienist will evaluate for dental caries (cavities), and periodontal disease.  While a hygienist can not treat cavities, they will refer you to a dentist who can.  Your hygienist will help you determine a plan to treat periodontal disease, which can include "deep cleaning", antibiotics, laser treatments and other tips and tools for home care.  Hygienists are often taking a holistic approach to treatment as well, and may offer you suggestions that you may not get in a traditional office.

What is the benefit?  Visiting a dental hygiene office is different form a traditional office.  The atmosphere is usually much more quiet (no drills!), and can often be paired with spa-like treatments.  At my office in Broomfield, Colorado, we offer our patients wine, cappuccino, paraffin hand wax and heated neck wraps.  The quality of care is high, and the desire for patients to be comfortable and relaxed is our priority.  Dental hygiene offices are affordable, with many hygienists billing insurance as part of the service that they offer. SmileLogic, Inc. is a participating provider with Delta Dental of Colorado, Cigna, Medicaid and CHP+.  We take all kinds of insurance, and are happy to help you bill for services that are performed.

Interested in finding a dental hygienist near you? Check out www.myteethcleaned.com to find one in your area.

Plastic in Toothpaste???

Yup, you read that right.  Some toothpaste companies are adding small bits of plastic to their toothpaste called polyethylene.  The claims are that the particles are to add color, and are an inactive ingredient in the paste, not even listed on the box.

So, what is the harm you ask?  Well, for starters as a dental hygienist I am seeing plenty of patients who use certain toothpastes that have blue specks around their gums when I clean them.  They may be harmless, but any foreign substance around and in our gums can be an irritant.  Irritants can result in inflammation and bleeding, although there is no conclusive evidence yet that this is occurring.

The second factor to this is environmental.  The polyethylene particles do not dissolve but just break down into smaller and smaller pieces.   The particles are being washed into the drains of our sinks, thus entering the water supply.  While they are filtered out of the public water supply, they are still present in our local rivers.

There are a few states that are starting to ban microbeads from products such as toothpastes, face wash and lotions.  Colorado is not one of them.

February is Children's Dental Health Month

So, as a dental provider I often find myself biting my tongue.  Often times I find myself in a position where I want to educate a parent that is failing to follow all of the recommendations about their children's teeth. I mean, this stuff is common knowledge right?  The problem is, that even with PSA campaigns and health care practitioners trying to put as much information out there as possible, it isn't common knowledge. 

So I find myself asking these things:  "What if they simply don't know?" ,"What if their cultural differences find certain things acceptable (even though they can put the kids at risk for future dental problems)?"  and probably the most difficult thing, "How would they react if I talked to them about it?"  

So, in honor of Children's Health Month, here are some things that all parents, grandparents and babysitters need to know.

• Baby Bottle Tooth Decay is preventable.  This is where we see very young children with cavities.  I am talking one and two year olds.  This occurs because kids are either put to bed with a bottle, or allowed to sip out of a bottle all day long.  Even with milk, this is harmful!  If your baby needs a bottle for soothing, it is best to use only water.  Obviously, this is for times other than feeding milk or formula for a "meal".  
• Juices should not be given in bottles at full strength.  Again, this is because of decay.  Diluted is best.
• Introduce a sippy cup between 6-9 months of age.  Once your child has the hang of it, you can transition from bottle to sippy cup, and then to a regular cup.  Children should be off the bottle soon after they turn one.
• Babies need to have their teeth brushed too!  Before teeth begin to erupt, a washcloth can be used to clean their gums, and to get them used to you touching their mouths.
• Limit soda, chocolate milk, juices, sports drinks and snacking on carbohydrates between meals.  This is great for everyone, because the sugars in those items will stay on the teeth and can cause cavities in adults and children
• Babies are not born with the bacteria that causes cavities in their mouths.  It has to be introduced, and commonly, this is from an adult sharing utensils with their babies.  

Here at SmileLogic in Broomfield, Colorado we want your kids to be healthy, and to prevent any poor dental experiences.  Many items are available to help with home care.  Floss aids (Gum Chucks!), Xylitol mints, toothpastes and rinses (Spry) and fluoride rinses and toothpastes are all beneficial.  We carry many of these items in our office.

We also accept Medicaid. 

Oil pulling and Essential oils

There are many options today for doing homeopathic remedies in our daily health regimen.  At our dental hygiene office (Broomfield, Colorado), we recommend several things that may be beneficial to your oral health, as well as a more "holistic" approach to dental hygiene care.

Pulling oils: 

From the past through to today oils are used to pull impurities from the mouth. Today’s recommended oils are sesame, sunflower, coconut and olive. Put a tablespoon of the oil in your mouth, and swish and hold it in your mouth for 20 minutes. Spit it out. (Do the laundry or some other task where you are occupied but remembering not to swallow the oil!  Many people do this while showering.) This can be done daily, or weekly, or when you feel like it.  

Essential oils:

Essential oils are distillations of plant essences added to an oil base. Here are a few commonly used ones:

-       The peppermint plant has been used for hundreds of years; the extraction is largely menthol. It is antibacterial, combating infection, and helps cool the mouth while preventing bad breath. It’s used in a majority of our toothpaste. Or at least the flavor of it is added, because we are used to it being there! It also helps in digestion.

-       Tea tree is antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral… this is just the beginning of what this plant’s extracts can offer. Australian in origin, it was extracted in bush stills. It came into common use after Arthur Penfold wrote a series of papers about it in the 1920-30’s. Penfold’s information led to the creation of today’s tea tree industry. It is usually applied as a rubbing oil.

-       Clove is also antibacterial, and relieves (doesn’t cure) irritability, and pain of toothache. Clove oil is often used to rub on the gums of teething babies and children.

-       Neem is better known in the rest of the world for its many medicinal and other uses. For more information about this fast growing flowering tree and its uses click on http://www.discoverneem.com/neem-tree.html

While having your teeth cleaned at SmileLogic, you can request to have an essential oil polish, rather than the traditional flavored polishes that we carry.

I have tried DoTerra Oils, and really like them.  I am not a retailer of them, but they can be found online.

At SmileLogic, we like to have open options.  The best treatment is the treatment that works for you. What works for you, may not work for others, but we do encourage you to investigate these and other natural helpers of teeth and gums. 

Merry Christmas

Wow!  2013 is coming to an end.  Where does the time go!!!

I just want to take a minute to thank everyone who has made SmileLogic the best dental office In Broomfield, Colorado! (in my humble opinion, of course!)

Wishing you all a Merry Christmas and safe and happy, healthy and prosperous New Year!

What is the deal with gluten?

So, everyone has heard the terms “gluten allergy” or celiac disease.  While the two are linked, they are completely different.  It is estimated that 1 in 133 people have celiac disease.

A gluten intolerance or wheat allergy is a sensitivity that may cause some intestinal discomfort after eating products with gluten.  The symptoms pass after the gluten leaves the body.

Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder that causes damage to the tissues of the intestines.  Celiac sufferers run the risk of not absorbing foods regularly, which can lead to nutritional deficiencies.

What is gluten exactly, and why is it such a problem now? 

“Much of the world is starving and in order to combat world hunger there had to be a way to make more wheat at a faster rate. Dr. Norman Borlaug is considered the "Father of the Green Revolution" and was given the Nobel Peace Prize in 1970, the Presidential Medal for Freedom, and the Congressional Gold Medal for his work in creating high-yield dwarf wheat that did indeed help the issue of world hunger. He had solved two problems by producing a high-yield stalk that is shorter and stockier. A short stalk stays alive longer and takes less time to grow – it also uses less fertilizer.” (http://www.rdhmag.com/articles/print/volume-33/issue-10/features/gluten-worries.html)

Unfortunately, no safety testing was done to see how the new strain of wheat affected humans.  The strains produced new gluten strains.  The wheat we consume now is genetically different than wheat 50 years ago.

Oral Problems

Those with celiac disease can experience issues in the mouth.  Some of the conditions are:

• Ø  Delayed tooth eruption in children
• Ø  Enamel defects
• Ø  Increased prevalence of gum recession
• Ø  Cracked corners of the lip (Cheilosis)

More information can be found here: http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/celiac/