Costco Connection - July 2012

health for your

ORAL HEALTH

Good health starts with teeth

Community health and safety

By Dr. Joseph Banker

BRUSHING YOUR TEETH and
;ossing on a regular basis is about
so much more than just white
teeth and fresh breath. Recent
research suggests that poor oral
health can signi;cantly affect one’s
overall health, which may cause
systemic problems such as heart
disease, respiratory infections and even
strokes. It’s imperative to be aware of
any changes happening within your oral
cavity, as minor transformations can be
a sign of major bodily challenges.

PHOTODISC

In;amed gums can be indicative of in;ammation in the blood vessels, making it dif;cult for blood to ;ow properly. The restriction of blood ;ow increases plaque buildup in arteries and can cause a host of problems in the body. Discolored gums can be a sign of HIV infection, diabetes, vitamin de;ciency or even cancer. Individuals with preexisting health conditions should also be aware of the importance of oral health, as they are more prone to gum disease.

The good news is that it is now easier than ever to
regain and maintain oral health. There are numerous
products on the market that are ideal for maintaining
healthy teeth and gums. These items range from
powered toothbrushes and ;ossing aids to antibacte-
rial rinses and tongue scrapers.

Joseph Banker, DMD, Creative Dental Care ( www.creativedentalcare.com), has practiced dentistry for 15 years.

DESPITE THE FACT that most American adults (93 percent) say it’s important for neighbors to look out for each other’s safety, a survey conducted by Harris Interactive on behalf of WhitePages found that only 40 percent of Americans know their neighbors’ first names and only 24 percent know their neighbors’ kids.

To help resolve this, the National Association of Town Watch, a nonprofit, crime prevention organization that works in cooperation with thousands of crime watch groups and law enforcement agencies throughout the country, introduced National Night Out (NNO), “America’s Night Out Against Crime,” to encourage neighbors to get to know each other better.

Pertussis awareness

PERTUSSIS IS A common disease in the United States, with frequent outbreaks and periodic epidemics every three to five years. It is also called whooping cough because of the “whooping” sound people often make while gasping for air after a coughing fit.

Found only in humans, this highly contagious bacterial disease is spread from person to person, usually by coughing or sneezing while in close contact with others.

In rare cases, pertussis can be fatal. Before routine child vaccination became widespread in the 1940s, pertussis caused thousands of fatalities each year in the U.S.

It starts off with cold-like symptoms, including:

• Runny nose

• Low-grade fever

• Mild, occasional cough
As the disease progresses, the traditional
symptoms of pertussis appear, including:

• Fits of many rapid coughs followed by a high-pitched “whoop”

• Vomiting

• Exhaustion following coughing fits July

In infants, the cough can be minimal or not even there. Infants may have another symptom known as apnea—a pause in the child’s breathing pattern. Pertussis is most dangerous for babies, and more than half of infants younger than one year of age who get the disease must be hospitalized.

An adult booster shot for pertussis—called Tdap for tetanus, diphtheria and acellular pertussis—has been available since 2005. Fewer than one in 10 adults have received the shot; most don’t even know they need it, learning about the booster only when they see a doctor for a tetanus shot.

In 2010 California had a pertussis epidemic with more than 9,000 cases, including 10 deaths. Washington state just declared an epidemic in April, with the worst outbreak seen there in decades. State officials are seeking help from federal disease experts and are urging residents to get vaccinated amid worry that cases of the highly contagious disease are likely to spike much higher— perhaps as many as 3,000 cases by the end of 2012.

Outbreaks are also being monitored in counties in California, Florida, Iowa, Montana, Texas, Utah and Wisconsin.

For more information, go to www.cdc. gov/pertussis.—David Wight

www.cdc.

Tdap vaccinations are available at all Costco pharmacies.

The first National Night Out was held in 1984, with participation growing steadily. The 28th annual National Night Out in August 2011 involved 37 million people in 15,110 communities in all 50 states, U.S. territories, Canadian cities and military bases worldwide.

National Night Out 2012 will culminate on Tuesday, August 7, with more than 15,500 communities expected to take part.

While the traditional “lights on” and front porch vigils remain a part of NNO, activities have expanded over the years to include block parties, cookouts, parades, visits from police, festivals, neighborhood walks, safety fairs, contests, rallies and meetings.