HJLR May/Jun 2019

Healthcare Journal of LITTLE ROCK I  MAY / JUN 2019 15 by AR Children’s Hospital. Each year, ACH works with over 60 schools across the state and 6,000 students receive free sealants and fluoride varnish to protect their teeth. Your child’s first molars (four of them) are at times referred to as the most expensive teeth in the mouth because crevices on its top surfaces are hard to clean, which is why sealants are so important. If the school in your area is interested in the education, evaluation, assessment, and fluoride treatment program, please ask them to contact the Delta Dental of Arkan- sas Foundation to apply for Super Smiles at Schools grant funds and receive step- by-step materials to successfully launch the program. Editor What dental problems pose the greatest risk financially for consumers? Choate You may think the most costly dental service is orthodontia (braces), implants, or maybe a bridge. Individually, those are relatively expensive procedures, but over a lifetime, treatments for periodon- tal disease can present a higher financial and health risk for consumers. Periodontal disease is caused when bacteria in plaque (a sticky, colorless film that forms in the mouth) builds up between the gums and teeth. When the bacteria begin to grow, the gums surrounding the tooth can become inflamed. If left untreated, this inflammation can cause the gums and supporting bone structure to deteriorate.  More advanced periodontal disease can require periodic treatments by your den- tist or a specialist in periodontics. If it is not managed properly, the inflammation associ- ated with periodontal disease may adversely impact a number of systemic diseases, including diabetes, heart disease, osteopo- rosis, respiratory disease, and certain types of cancer (kidney, pancreatic, and blood). We encourage our members to visit their dentist twice a year because patients gener- ally have better outcomes and less financial risk when an oral health problem is detected and treated earlier in the process. Editor What do consumers need to know about dental care that they may not be aware of? Choate Many people believe cavities are caused by eating sugary foods and not brushing your teeth. Those are contributing factors for tooth decay, but not the cause of it. Simply said, cavities are caused by “bacte- ria poop”. The sugar we eat becomes a sticky substance which adheres to the surface of our teeth. If we have certain bacteria in our mouths (mainly S. mutans and S. sanguis), they love to eat sugar and find a smorgas- bord on our teeth. Bacteria are living crea- tures who, after eating, create excretions which are acidic. That acid causes demin- eralization and destruction of the enamel surface of our teeth. If you have ever wondered why it is important to brush your teeth twice per day for two minutes, now you know. This expla- nation is particularly effective in getting kids to brush. Just tell them how brushing gets rid of bacteria poop and they will be reach- ing for their toothbrush and toothpaste. Another fun fact for kids (and adults) is that fluoride in their water and tooth- paste is like putting a super hero shield on their teeth to protect them from S. mutans bacteria. Fluoride helps to harden enamel (already the hardest substance in our body) and give it a fighting chance against bacte- rial acids. This is why fluoride in our water is so important for people who are under- served and don’t understand the importance of, or how to practice good oral hygiene, and why our mission and the work of our foun- dation are so important. Editor Are there any interesting dental innovations?