Native American Newsfront
From: Joel M. Eichen (joeleichen_at_yahoo.com)
Date: 02/17/05
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Date: Thu, 17 Feb 2005 12:07:02 -0500
Insidious substance making permanent mark on Indian children
Education, prevention the key
MISSION OR
Wil Phinney 2/16/2005
With the tenacity of Achilles, tooth decay is on a rampant march
across the Umatilla Indian Reservation, attacking the canines and
molars of hundreds of children. It is one of the most preventable
diseases, but, emboldened by its chief allies -- soda pop and candy --
tooth decay is chipping away at the enamel of a generation, creating
cavities that perhaps no amount of amalgam can fill.
Consider these startling numbers:
-Early Childhood Caries -- the term dentists use to describe what moms
and dads and kids call cavities -- are four times more prevalent in
Native American populations.
-Last year, at the start of school, 70 percent of children screened
for Head Start had at least one cavity, with one in three suffering
decay in seven or more teeth.
-In an eight-month period, from October 2003 to May of 2004, the
Confederated Tribes spent $81,132 on 48 children referred to outside
dentists for "full-mouth rehabilitation." Another 28 children who were
referred for the same treatment didn't go.
-A total of 354 children ages 6 to 12 were eligible for dental care
last year at the Yellowhawk Dental Clinic, but only 194 had exams. Of
those, 90 returned for dental work, which ranged from simple fillings
to extractions. So, many who were diagnosed with dental decay never
returned for the needed work.
Tooth decay appears an undaunting foe when you consider the
deterioration already visited upon the teeth of our youngsters and the
pervasive sugar-filled junk-food diet so conveniently permitted by
unwitting parents. But like Achilles and his heel, cavities can be
countered with proper treatment, common sense care and the
elimination, or at least a substantial reduction, in the amount of
sugar a child is allowed.
Dr. Lauren Timmons, one of two dentists at Yellowhawk, says the
solution is simple.
"The best way to prevent tooth decay is to simply limit the amount of
sugar in your diet," he says. "Remove it from the cupboard totally if
you have to. Buy diet drinks, sugar-free gum and dilute juices by a
quarter or even half. Quite simply, without sugar, there can be no
decay."
When a bothersome tooth sent Shari Sheoships to the dentist last year,
she took Paul, her 8-year-old, along for an exam. It had been two
years since he'd been to the dentist and an exam found two cavities,
which were filled at Yellowhawk. That "pinch" (Yellowhawk never uses
that other word that rhymes with hot) got Paul's attention. Now he
takes fluoride tablets, flosses and brushes twice a day. Shari decided
to change the menu -- and the eating habits -- at home.
"We don't have as much candy anymore and no pop," she says. "It
doesn't bother Paul at all, but it bothers his younger brother."
Vincent is four. He loves pop and now that it's gone, he complains. He
doesn't realize that it's to blame for the steel caps placed on his
teeth last year at a Walla Walla clinic.
"We thought he had one or two cavities but they made it sound like he
had a mouth full of cavities. They had to put him to sleep," Shari
says. "It was awful. I had to leave because it was traumatizing for me
to watch."
The Sheoships boys are eating more vegetables and fruits, but Vincent
still has time scheduled in the dentist chair at Yellowhawk.
"The mother should be commended for being proactive," says Dr.
Timmons. "Change is not always easy, especially when it comes to
children."
Think of soda pop as a powerful and addictive sugar delivery system. A
12-ounce can of pop contains 9 to 12 teaspoons of sugar, and a
64-ounce "Big Gulp" contains more than a cup of sugar, according to
Bonnie Bruerd, a Health Policy Consultant who works for the Northwest
Tribal Dental Support Center in Salem, Oregon.. The amount of sugar,
however, isn't as critical as the amount of time that sugar hangs
around in your mouth.
"It's not how much sugar but how often," says Kim Shepherd, Certified
Dental Assistant at Yellowhawk. "It's not the soda or juice that a kid
consumes, it's the soda or juice that is sipped all day. Constant
sugar in the mouth equals decay. Children should only be allowed
sugary foods with meals. No sweet snacks or pop between meals, with
brushing advised after each meal."
"Sip All Day, Get Decay," a brochure produced by the Minnesota Dental
Association, explains how pop causes cavities. It points out: On the
Reservation, people sometimes refer to Pepsi as "baby's milk." That's
not a joke. Baby-Bottle Tooth Decay, a fairly insidious term, occurs
when infants or children are allowed to "sip all day" from a bottle or
sippy cup. Even milk, if it sloshes around in a kid's mouth for
extended periods, can cause tooth decay. So you can imagine what
happens when the bottle or sippy cup is filled with Coca-Cola or
Mountain Dew.
Parents have admitted sending their children to bed with pop-filled
bottles at night not knowing it was harmful to their children's teeth.
If a baby has to have a bottle to get to sleep, it's best to fill it
with water. But parents confronted with a child's tooth decay respond
appropriately and should be commended.
"I have seen great improvements in most families once the parents have
been informed of the problem," says Dr. Joey Helton, the other dentist
at Yellowhawk. "We try to get the message out as best we can but
again, it's hard to compete against the constant barrage from
corporate American advertising."
Informed parents schedule the appointments and make sure the child
shows up. They adhere to stricter dental hygiene and not only
encourage flossing and brushing but actually take the brush in hand
and clean their kid's teeth. Those parents are doing the right thing,
even if it's after the fact.
But what about parents who aren't aware of the enamel rotting away in
their child's mouth? Remember, last year 160 youngsters who were
eligible for a free dental exam at Yellowhawk went without getting the
work they needed.
"We encourage parents to open their kid's mouth and take a look. If
there are brown or black spots it's probably cavities," says Dr.
Timmons. "Don't just tell them to go brush and expect it to be done
properly. Become involved, take time, and oversee their brushing and
flossing. Make it a family event.
"Children need help brushing their teeth until they are at least six,"
says Shepherd.
In July, three-year-old Ezra arrived from Montana to visit his father,
Clifford Stanger.
"His teeth were bothering him bad. He complained about his mouth,"
Clifford says.
The folks at Yellowhawk confirmed what the "light brown" color of
Ezra's teeth had suggested -- a mouth full of decay. Issues with money
and insurance kept Ezra from receiving immediate treatment, but he
eventually was sent to Walla Walla where, under general anesthetic,
doctors removed four of his baby teeth. In addition to his two top
front teeth, he's now missing two bottom molars (the teeth farthest
back in the mouth) on the left side. Chewing will be limited to the
right side until Ezra's six-year molars arrive.
"I was bad about giving him candy," Clifford says as Ezra bites into a
miniature Three Musketeers chocolate bar, the bounty of Halloween
trick or treating. "Nowadays we don't have all that much candy
around."
Lorene Van Pelt, who lives with Stanger, says she's been trying to
substitute crackers and cheese, snacks without sugar, for the candy.
And her daughter Tyanna, who is two, brushes twice a day.
"I'm being more careful with her after watching what he went through,"
Lorene says. "She needs those back teeth until she's about 10, so we
brush everyday before school and everyday before bed."
Many parents think primary or baby teeth are unimportant. After all,
they'll be replaced by bigger, stronger adult teeth, right? Wrong.
"A child needs to keep his or her primary teeth until about
12-years-old to maintain space for adult teeth, otherwise severe
crowding can occur," says Sarah Moore, CDA at Yellowhawk.
Adults know when they have a toothache but children with toothaches
often can't express that pain as adults do. After dental treatment has
been completed, Hinds says, "We hear parents say they've never seen
their child so happy and eat so much."
Finally, parents shouldn't talk about their own dental fears in front
of the children. It's not a good idea, says Moore, "When a mom tells
her kid 'the dentist is going to pull out all your teeth.'"
Wil Phinney is editor of the Confederated Umatilla Journal in
Pendleton, Oregon. This is a condensed version of a story that
appeared in that publication.
NTN Article#: 6013
Front Page News
Native American Times. Copyright İ 2005 All Rights Reserved.
Site Designed and Developed by: Wallace Information Systems
Engineering, Tulsa, Oklahoma
Hosted by: ASC Hosting
Please read the important Terms of Use/Disclaimer regarding material
presented on this site.
Insidious substance making permanent mark on Indian children
Education, prevention the key
MISSION OR
Wil Phinney 2/16/2005
With the tenacity of Achilles, tooth decay is on a rampant march
across the Umatilla Indian Reservation, attacking the canines and
molars of hundreds of children. It is one of the most preventable
diseases, but, emboldened by its chief allies -- soda pop and candy --
tooth decay is chipping away at the enamel of a generation, creating
cavities that perhaps no amount of amalgam can fill.
Consider these startling numbers:
-Early Childhood Caries -- the term dentists use to describe what moms
and dads and kids call cavities -- are four times more prevalent in
Native American populations.
-Last year, at the start of school, 70 percent of children screened
for Head Start had at least one cavity, with one in three suffering
decay in seven or more teeth.
-In an eight-month period, from October 2003 to May of 2004, the
Confederated Tribes spent $81,132 on 48 children referred to outside
dentists for "full-mouth rehabilitation." Another 28 children who were
referred for the same treatment didn't go.
-A total of 354 children ages 6 to 12 were eligible for dental care
last year at the Yellowhawk Dental Clinic, but only 194 had exams. Of
those, 90 returned for dental work, which ranged from simple fillings
to extractions. So, many who were diagnosed with dental decay never
returned for the needed work.
Tooth decay appears an undaunting foe when you consider the
deterioration already visited upon the teeth of our youngsters and the
pervasive sugar-filled junk-food diet so conveniently permitted by
unwitting parents. But like Achilles and his heel, cavities can be
countered with proper treatment, common sense care and the
elimination, or at least a substantial reduction, in the amount of
sugar a child is allowed.
Dr. Lauren Timmons, one of two dentists at Yellowhawk, says the
solution is simple.
"The best way to prevent tooth decay is to simply limit the amount of
sugar in your diet," he says. "Remove it from the cupboard totally if
you have to. Buy diet drinks, sugar-free gum and dilute juices by a
quarter or even half. Quite simply, without sugar, there can be no
decay."
When a bothersome tooth sent Shari Sheoships to the dentist last year,
she took Paul, her 8-year-old, along for an exam. It had been two
years since he'd been to the dentist and an exam found two cavities,
which were filled at Yellowhawk. That "pinch" (Yellowhawk never uses
that other word that rhymes with hot) got Paul's attention. Now he
takes fluoride tablets, flosses and brushes twice a day. Shari decided
to change the menu -- and the eating habits -- at home.
"We don't have as much candy anymore and no pop," she says. "It
doesn't bother Paul at all, but it bothers his younger brother."
Vincent is four. He loves pop and now that it's gone, he complains. He
doesn't realize that it's to blame for the steel caps placed on his
teeth last year at a Walla Walla clinic.
"We thought he had one or two cavities but they made it sound like he
had a mouth full of cavities. They had to put him to sleep," Shari
says. "It was awful. I had to leave because it was traumatizing for me
to watch."
The Sheoships boys are eating more vegetables and fruits, but Vincent
still has time scheduled in the dentist chair at Yellowhawk.
"The mother should be commended for being proactive," says Dr.
Timmons. "Change is not always easy, especially when it comes to
children."
Think of soda pop as a powerful and addictive sugar delivery system. A
12-ounce can of pop contains 9 to 12 teaspoons of sugar, and a
64-ounce "Big Gulp" contains more than a cup of sugar, according to
Bonnie Bruerd, a Health Policy Consultant who works for the Northwest
Tribal Dental Support Center in Salem, Oregon.. The amount of sugar,
however, isn't as critical as the amount of time that sugar hangs
around in your mouth.
"It's not how much sugar but how often," says Kim Shepherd, Certified
Dental Assistant at Yellowhawk. "It's not the soda or juice that a kid
consumes, it's the soda or juice that is sipped all day. Constant
sugar in the mouth equals decay. Children should only be allowed
sugary foods with meals. No sweet snacks or pop between meals, with
brushing advised after each meal."
"Sip All Day, Get Decay," a brochure produced by the Minnesota Dental
Association, explains how pop causes cavities. It points out: On the
Reservation, people sometimes refer to Pepsi as "baby's milk." That's
not a joke. Baby-Bottle Tooth Decay, a fairly insidious term, occurs
when infants or children are allowed to "sip all day" from a bottle or
sippy cup. Even milk, if it sloshes around in a kid's mouth for
extended periods, can cause tooth decay. So you can imagine what
happens when the bottle or sippy cup is filled with Coca-Cola or
Mountain Dew.
Parents have admitted sending their children to bed with pop-filled
bottles at night not knowing it was harmful to their children's teeth.
If a baby has to have a bottle to get to sleep, it's best to fill it
with water. But parents confronted with a child's tooth decay respond
appropriately and should be commended.
"I have seen great improvements in most families once the parents have
been informed of the problem," says Dr. Joey Helton, the other dentist
at Yellowhawk. "We try to get the message out as best we can but
again, it's hard to compete against the constant barrage from
corporate American advertising."
Informed parents schedule the appointments and make sure the child
shows up. They adhere to stricter dental hygiene and not only
encourage flossing and brushing but actually take the brush in hand
and clean their kid's teeth. Those parents are doing the right thing,
even if it's after the fact.
But what about parents who aren't aware of the enamel rotting away in
their child's mouth? Remember, last year 160 youngsters who were
eligible for a free dental exam at Yellowhawk went without getting the
work they needed.
"We encourage parents to open their kid's mouth and take a look. If
there are brown or black spots it's probably cavities," says Dr.
Timmons. "Don't just tell them to go brush and expect it to be done
properly. Become involved, take time, and oversee their brushing and
flossing. Make it a family event.
"Children need help brushing their teeth until they are at least six,"
says Shepherd.
In July, three-year-old Ezra arrived from Montana to visit his father,
Clifford Stanger.
"His teeth were bothering him bad. He complained about his mouth,"
Clifford says.
The folks at Yellowhawk confirmed what the "light brown" color of
Ezra's teeth had suggested -- a mouth full of decay. Issues with money
and insurance kept Ezra from receiving immediate treatment, but he
eventually was sent to Walla Walla where, under general anesthetic,
doctors removed four of his baby teeth. In addition to his two top
front teeth, he's now missing two bottom molars (the teeth farthest
back in the mouth) on the left side. Chewing will be limited to the
right side until Ezra's six-year molars arrive.
"I was bad about giving him candy," Clifford says as Ezra bites into a
miniature Three Musketeers chocolate bar, the bounty of Halloween
trick or treating. "Nowadays we don't have all that much candy
around."
Lorene Van Pelt, who lives with Stanger, says she's been trying to
substitute crackers and cheese, snacks without sugar, for the candy.
And her daughter Tyanna, who is two, brushes twice a day.
"I'm being more careful with her after watching what he went through,"
Lorene says. "She needs those back teeth until she's about 10, so we
brush everyday before school and everyday before bed."
Many parents think primary or baby teeth are unimportant. After all,
they'll be replaced by bigger, stronger adult teeth, right? Wrong.
"A child needs to keep his or her primary teeth until about
12-years-old to maintain space for adult teeth, otherwise severe
crowding can occur," says Sarah Moore, CDA at Yellowhawk.
Adults know when they have a toothache but children with toothaches
often can't express that pain as adults do. After dental treatment has
been completed, Hinds says, "We hear parents say they've never seen
their child so happy and eat so much."
Finally, parents shouldn't talk about their own dental fears in front
of the children. It's not a good idea, says Moore, "When a mom tells
her kid 'the dentist is going to pull out all your teeth.'"
Wil Phinney is editor of the Confederated Umatilla Journal in
Pendleton, Oregon. This is a condensed version of a story that
appeared in that publication.
NTN Article#: 6013
Front Page News
Native American Times. Copyright İ 2005 All Rights Reserved.
Site Designed and Developed by: Wallace Information Systems
Engineering, Tulsa, Oklahoma
Hosted by: ASC Hosting
Please read the important Terms of Use/Disclaimer regarding material
presented on this site.
Insidious substance making permanent mark on Indian children
Education, prevention the key
MISSION OR
Wil Phinney 2/16/2005
With the tenacity of Achilles, tooth decay is on a rampant march
across the Umatilla Indian Reservation, attacking the canines and
molars of hundreds of children. It is one of the most preventable
diseases, but, emboldened by its chief allies -- soda pop and candy --
tooth decay is chipping away at the enamel of a generation, creating
cavities that perhaps no amount of amalgam can fill.
Consider these startling numbers:
-Early Childhood Caries -- the term dentists use to describe what moms
and dads and kids call cavities -- are four times more prevalent in
Native American populations.
-Last year, at the start of school, 70 percent of children screened
for Head Start had at least one cavity, with one in three suffering
decay in seven or more teeth.
-In an eight-month period, from October 2003 to May of 2004, the
Confederated Tribes spent $81,132 on 48 children referred to outside
dentists for "full-mouth rehabilitation." Another 28 children who were
referred for the same treatment didn't go.
-A total of 354 children ages 6 to 12 were eligible for dental care
last year at the Yellowhawk Dental Clinic, but only 194 had exams. Of
those, 90 returned for dental work, which ranged from simple fillings
to extractions. So, many who were diagnosed with dental decay never
returned for the needed work.
Tooth decay appears an undaunting foe when you consider the
deterioration already visited upon the teeth of our youngsters and the
pervasive sugar-filled junk-food diet so conveniently permitted by
unwitting parents. But like Achilles and his heel, cavities can be
countered with proper treatment, common sense care and the
elimination, or at least a substantial reduction, in the amount of
sugar a child is allowed.
Dr. Lauren Timmons, one of two dentists at Yellowhawk, says the
solution is simple.
"The best way to prevent tooth decay is to simply limit the amount of
sugar in your diet," he says. "Remove it from the cupboard totally if
you have to. Buy diet drinks, sugar-free gum and dilute juices by a
quarter or even half. Quite simply, without sugar, there can be no
decay."
When a bothersome tooth sent Shari Sheoships to the dentist last year,
she took Paul, her 8-year-old, along for an exam. It had been two
years since he'd been to the dentist and an exam found two cavities,
which were filled at Yellowhawk. That "pinch" (Yellowhawk never uses
that other word that rhymes with hot) got Paul's attention. Now he
takes fluoride tablets, flosses and brushes twice a day. Shari decided
to change the menu -- and the eating habits -- at home.
"We don't have as much candy anymore and no pop," she says. "It
doesn't bother Paul at all, but it bothers his younger brother."
Vincent is four. He loves pop and now that it's gone, he complains. He
doesn't realize that it's to blame for the steel caps placed on his
teeth last year at a Walla Walla clinic.
"We thought he had one or two cavities but they made it sound like he
had a mouth full of cavities. They had to put him to sleep," Shari
says. "It was awful. I had to leave because it was traumatizing for me
to watch."
The Sheoships boys are eating more vegetables and fruits, but Vincent
still has time scheduled in the dentist chair at Yellowhawk.
"The mother should be commended for being proactive," says Dr.
Timmons. "Change is not always easy, especially when it comes to
children."
Think of soda pop as a powerful and addictive sugar delivery system. A
12-ounce can of pop contains 9 to 12 teaspoons of sugar, and a
64-ounce "Big Gulp" contains more than a cup of sugar, according to
Bonnie Bruerd, a Health Policy Consultant who works for the Northwest
Tribal Dental Support Center in Salem, Oregon.. The amount of sugar,
however, isn't as critical as the amount of time that sugar hangs
around in your mouth.
"It's not how much sugar but how often," says Kim Shepherd, Certified
Dental Assistant at Yellowhawk. "It's not the soda or juice that a kid
consumes, it's the soda or juice that is sipped all day. Constant
sugar in the mouth equals decay. Children should only be allowed
sugary foods with meals. No sweet snacks or pop between meals, with
brushing advised after each meal."
"Sip All Day, Get Decay," a brochure produced by the Minnesota Dental
Association, explains how pop causes cavities. It points out: On the
Reservation, people sometimes refer to Pepsi as "baby's milk." That's
not a joke. Baby-Bottle Tooth Decay, a fairly insidious term, occurs
when infants or children are allowed to "sip all day" from a bottle or
sippy cup. Even milk, if it sloshes around in a kid's mouth for
extended periods, can cause tooth decay. So you can imagine what
happens when the bottle or sippy cup is filled with Coca-Cola or
Mountain Dew.
Parents have admitted sending their children to bed with pop-filled
bottles at night not knowing it was harmful to their children's teeth.
If a baby has to have a bottle to get to sleep, it's best to fill it
with water. But parents confronted with a child's tooth decay respond
appropriately and should be commended.
"I have seen great improvements in most families once the parents have
been informed of the problem," says Dr. Joey Helton, the other dentist
at Yellowhawk. "We try to get the message out as best we can but
again, it's hard to compete against the constant barrage from
corporate American advertising."
Informed parents schedule the appointments and make sure the child
shows up. They adhere to stricter dental hygiene and not only
encourage flossing and brushing but actually take the brush in hand
and clean their kid's teeth. Those parents are doing the right thing,
even if it's after the fact.
But what about parents who aren't aware of the enamel rotting away in
their child's mouth? Remember, last year 160 youngsters who were
eligible for a free dental exam at Yellowhawk went without getting the
work they needed.
"We encourage parents to open their kid's mouth and take a look. If
there are brown or black spots it's probably cavities," says Dr.
Timmons. "Don't just tell them to go brush and expect it to be done
properly. Become involved, take time, and oversee their brushing and
flossing. Make it a family event.
"Children need help brushing their teeth until they are at least six,"
says Shepherd.
In July, three-year-old Ezra arrived from Montana to visit his father,
Clifford Stanger.
"His teeth were bothering him bad. He complained about his mouth,"
Clifford says.
The folks at Yellowhawk confirmed what the "light brown" color of
Ezra's teeth had suggested -- a mouth full of decay. Issues with money
and insurance kept Ezra from receiving immediate treatment, but he
eventually was sent to Walla Walla where, under general anesthetic,
doctors removed four of his baby teeth. In addition to his two top
front teeth, he's now missing two bottom molars (the teeth farthest
back in the mouth) on the left side. Chewing will be limited to the
right side until Ezra's six-year molars arrive.
"I was bad about giving him candy," Clifford says as Ezra bites into a
miniature Three Musketeers chocolate bar, the bounty of Halloween
trick or treating. "Nowadays we don't have all that much candy
around."
Lorene Van Pelt, who lives with Stanger, says she's been trying to
substitute crackers and cheese, snacks without sugar, for the candy.
And her daughter Tyanna, who is two, brushes twice a day.
"I'm being more careful with her after watching what he went through,"
Lorene says. "She needs those back teeth until she's about 10, so we
brush everyday before school and everyday before bed."
Many parents think primary or baby teeth are unimportant. After all,
they'll be replaced by bigger, stronger adult teeth, right? Wrong.
"A child needs to keep his or her primary teeth until about
12-years-old to maintain space for adult teeth, otherwise severe
crowding can occur," says Sarah Moore, CDA at Yellowhawk.
Adults know when they have a toothache but children with toothaches
often can't express that pain as adults do. After dental treatment has
been completed, Hinds says, "We hear parents say they've never seen
their child so happy and eat so much."
Finally, parents shouldn't talk about their own dental fears in front
of the children. It's not a good idea, says Moore, "When a mom tells
her kid 'the dentist is going to pull out all your teeth.'"
Wil Phinney is editor of the Confederated Umatilla Journal in
Pendleton, Oregon. This is a condensed version of a story that
appeared in that publication.
NTN Article#: 6013
Front Page News
Native American Times. Copyright İ 2005 All Rights Reserved.
Site Designed and Developed by: Wallace Information Systems
Engineering, Tulsa, Oklahoma
Hosted by: ASC Hosting
Please read the important Terms of Use/Disclaimer regarding material
presented on this site.
- Next message: cedrickwilliams_at_cidermail.com: "Re: Good books"
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