prevention and fitness – Page 34 – watercress words by Dr Aletha

You may read an updated version of this article at this link-

Surprising myths and truths about dental care

I often cringe when I read health advice articles by people without medical training but sometimes the information is accurate and helpful. Such is the case with a recent newsletter I read by Mary Hunt, founder of Debt-Free Living. I subscribe to her newsletter and have been impressed with the wealth (no pun intended) of information she provides on money management, budgeting, frugal living, and how to avoid the stress of being in debt.

This newsletter caught my attention because just now I am dealing with some unexpected dental expenses that I do not have dental insurance to cover. Fortunately, I am able to pay for it out of pocket but it’s still not something I wanted to spend money on right now.

Who doesn't want healthy teeth? — Who doesn’t want healthy teeth?

Budgeting for medical and dental expenses is difficult, since we don’t exactly plan to get sick or injured. We can anticipate routine care however, and practice preventive measures to lessen the chance for those unexpected occurrences.

Her recent newsletter Dental Care is Not a Luxury Item lists suggestions for caring for our teeth to prevent the need for extensive and expensive dental procedures. I think the suggestions she offers are valid and worth discussing with your personal dentist to see if they are right for you and your family. (Mary’s posts contain affiliate links which are not connected to my blog)

Unfortunately, not everything can be prevented; some problems will happen no matter what, like my cracked tooth which I apparently did nothing to cause and which could not be fixed with a root canal procedure. But I am going to continue doing my routine dental care to avoid preventable dental diseases. I need my teeth for a long time; all these food bloggers make me hungry. And I would rather spend my money doing fun activities with my grandchildren.

the American Academy of Family Physicians offers these resources about dental health.

How to keep your mouth and teeth healthy

Caring for children’s teeth

What to do if you have a tooth problem

It seems every month, week, and day there is an event for awareness of some condition, disease, disability or other designated group. I can’t keep track of all of them, much less observe them all, but September is designated for awareness of two conditions that I want to mention.

Childhood cancer is ,fortunately, an uncommon disease compared to other conditions but still ranks within the top 5 causes of death in children and adolescents. Because so relatively few cases occur, there has not been as much research done and therefore not as many drugs or treatments available as other diseases.

One of the first patients I cared for when I started practicing over 30 years ago was a 5 year old boy who developed a brain tumor. With treatment he lived about a year following diagnosis, leaving his parents and siblings devastated. I am sad to realize that he would now be a young man, probably with children of his own.

About 6 weeks ago, my friend’s 13 year old son was diagnosed with a form of leukemia. Both she and her husband are physicians so they are familiar with the seriousness of his illness, as well as the potential risks of the treatment. But they are fighting the disease with the best medical care available, as well as many people’s prayers,and are hopeful for a full recovery.

Even When I’m Gone is a song written and recorded about Kendall, a 17 year old girl who died from leukemia. She dreamed of sharing the story of her struggle and helping others also afflicted. ( this is an affiliate link from which this blog can earn a commission from purchases)

September is also recognized as Suicide Prevention Month.

Leading causes of death in the United States by age, most recent statistics

As the chart illustrates, suicide ranks within the top ten causes of death for everyone except the youngest and the oldest of us. And like other forms of violence, suicide should be preventable.

The Veteran’s Administration has made the prevention of veteran suicide a priority. It is a tragedy that any person would cause their own death. And it is hard to understand how someone who has survived the rigors of military training and service would later want to take their own life.

My husband, a VietNam veteran, recently reached out to a young veteran whose family is concerned. While serving in Afghanistan, this soldier’s team was ambushed; one soldier was blown apart by an IED (improvised explosive device). The veteran finds it hard to talk about what happened, and has become withdrawn. My husband shared his traumatic experience in VietNam and encouraged the ex-soldier to find someone to talk to and process the feelings about what happened. And we are praying for peace and healing also.

If you know a veteran, follow this link to learn how you can recognize behavior that might lead to suicide and how you can help.

If you are a veteran, I thank you for serving our country and urge you to receive the help that you gave us; call the crisis line at 1-800-272-8255, press 1 .

Contact the veterans' crisis line for help. — Contact the veterans’ crisis line for help.

This is a short post so I encourage you to visit the links which have information worth your time. And please share what you learn on your blogs, social media and email. Let’s all be “aware”- you may save a life.