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Sink your teeth into health
Health advice
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During a recent political debate, I spent more time checking out teeth than listening to what was said. One commentator had obviously recently received an ultra-ultra-deluxe whitening treatment making the choppers of others on the screen appear dingy.
Once I got started, I commented (to the irritation of my husband) on who had smoked, missed braces or sought extensive dental work. One young man in particular appeared to have neglected his teeth since childhood. Was it his fault or his parents?
National Children's Dental Health Month is celebrated each February and is usually brought into full swing by "Give Kids A Smile" on the first Friday in February. "Give Kids A Smile" is designed to provide education, preventive and restorative care to low-income children who do not have access to care. NCDHM focuses on all children regardless of their economic status.
In addition to neat puzzles and games with preventive health messages, parents are targeted and strongly encouraged to assist their children in developing healthy dental habits that will prevent tooth decay, gum disease and tooth loss. Unfortunately, these are lessons many adults never learned and therefore can't teach.
The mouth is like a window into the health of the body and can show signs of nutritional deficiencies or infections when other signs or symptoms are missed. Systemic diseases such as diabetes or AIDS are often detected because of mouth lesions or other oral problems.
Parents, please note that the American Dental Association recommends the following for good oral hygiene:
• Brush your teeth twice a day with an ADA-accepted fluoride toothpaste. Replace your toothbrush every three or four months, or sooner if the bristles are frayed. A worn toothbrush won't do a good job cleaning teeth.
• Clean between teeth daily with floss or an inter-dental cleaner. Decay-causing bacteria still linger between teeth where toothbrush bristles can't reach. This helps remove plaque and food particles from between the teeth and under the gum line.
• Eat a balanced diet and limit between-meal snacks. If you or your child craves a snack, choose nutritious foods and consider chewing sugarless gum afterward. Sugarless gum increases saliva flow and helps wash out food and decay-producing acid.
• Visit your dentist regularly for cleanings and oral exams. Professional cleanings are the only way to remove tartar.
Studies have shown that using a fluoride mouth rinse as well as fluoride toothpaste can provide extra protection against tooth decay. Fluoride mouth rinse, however, is not recommended for children age 6 or younger because they may swallow the rinse.
Antimicrobial mouth rinses and toothpastes are effective in reducing bacterial count and inhibiting bacterial activity in dental plaque, which causes gingivitis (an early, reversible gum disease). ADA-Accepted antimicrobial mouth rinses and toothpastes have proven these claims by demonstrating significant reductions in plaque and gingivitis.
If you have a "sweet tooth," ADA suggests you consume sugary foods with meals because saliva production increases during meals and helps neutralize acid production and rinse food particles from the mouth. You should also drink more water since consuming optimally fluoridated water can help prevent tooth decay. Check your bottled water for its fluoride content and let that influence selections.
Make an appointment to see your dentist if you note any of the following:
• Gums that bleed during brushing and flossing;
red, swollen or tender gums;
• Gums that have pulled away from your teeth;
• Persistent bad breath;
• Pus between your teeth and gums;
• Loose or separating teeth;
• A change in the way your teeth fit together when you bite; and
• A change in the fit of partial dentures

Ratcliffe works for the Coastal Health District.
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Visit with children a real eye-opener
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One of my favorite activities as a state senator is when I get to speak to students at our local schools. This year, I spoke to third-grade students at May Howard Elementary and Marshpoint Elementary in Chatham County and Button Gwinnett Elementary in Liberty County.
The students from each of the schools had been studying civics and were familiar with the three branches of government — executive, judicial and legislative. I explained my role as a senator in the legislative process and told the children how the citizen legislature in the state of Georgia works.
Presenting each of the schools with a Georgia state flag, I explained the three principles for which the state flag stands — wisdom, justice and moderation — and had them recite the pledge to the flag with me. 
The students at all three schools were bright, respectful and well-disciplined — a tribute to their families and especially to their teachers, who had prepared the students for my visit with ideas for great questions.
The students in Ms. Hutchinson’s class at Marshpoint Elementary were impressive in singing the preamble to the Constitution during my visit. What a great way to learn such an important part of our nation’s history — another wonderful example of the great job our teachers are doing.
I was delighted last week to receive thank-you letters from some of the students. Here are excerpts from a few of their letters:
 
Dear Mr. Carter,
Thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to come speak to us. I learned so much! I learned that there are two kinds of Pledge of Allegiances. That is pretty cool.
Do you travel all over the world do you? I really like that you taught me more about the three branches of government.
— Megan
 
Dear Sen. Carter,
Thank you for telling us about your job and your favorite thing about your job. I liked the Georgia state flag. I still have more questions. Do you have to work on Saturday and Sunday? Are you the only one who makes the laws?
Yours truly,
Ryleigh 


Dear Sen. Buddy Carter,
Thank you for coming and letting us have a little bit of your time. I want you to know that I learned something new. The Georgia pledge! Justice, wisdom and modesty! Thanks again!
— Liam
 
Dear Sen. Buddy Carter,
Thank you for coming and helping us learn more about the government and some of your job. Thank you for giving us a Georgia flag. It was fun when you came. Thank you for giving us some questions so we could answer them.
P.S. Did you ride in a limousine? I was going to ask you a question but then I forgot. But now I remember. How many rooms are there where you work? You can send me a note if you can.
Your friend,
Erin
 
I’m uncertain whether the students learned as much from me during my visit as I learned from them. One thing that I was reminded of was the honesty that comes from the innocence of childhood. I wasn’t quite sure how to interpret some of the questions, such as the one asked in this letter:
 
Dear Sen. Carter,
I loved your speech. Thanks for coming to our school. I think my favorite part was when we held the flag. It was so fun! I have a question: How many people voted for you?
Sincerely,
Shelly
 
I also was more than a little concerned about a recurring question in the thank-you notes that was posed to me during one of my visits by a beautiful, brown-eyed girl who, with a very serious look on her face, asked “Did you ever get re-elected be-fore?”


What a great group of young people! My faith and hope in our future has been reassured. What an amazing job our families and teachers are doing on a daily basis to support and encourage our next generation. Thank you for your dedication to teaching our leaders of tomor-row.

Sen. Buddy Carter can be reached at Coverdell Legislative Office Building (C.L.O.B.) Room 301-A, Atlanta, GA, 30334. His Capitol office number is 404-656-5109

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