We Were Visited By The Tooth Fairy

We had the tooth fairy stop into the Crystal Studio and she was joined by Mary Kelly, educator and consultant with Oral Health Connections.

Kelly came to tell us about how fairgoers should take care of their teeth. Obviously, brushing a minimum of twice per day is absolutely critical to good oral health, but do you know what to do after eating something that perhaps may not be great for you? Swish water! Believe it or not, this can help reduce the acidity in your mouth. Apparently, BEER can be helpful as well, in a pinch. (Who knew!?)

Kelly told us that oral health is linked very tightly with overall health. Poor oral health habits don't just stop in your mouth. In fact, periodontal disease is linked to diabetes, heart attacks and strokes. For older Iowans, this risk is even higher if prescription drug use is a factor. 

She recommended regular dental checkups, which are proven to help maintain oral health and prevent minor conditions from becoming serious problems that require emergency treatment and even hospital care. Yes, hospital care! It's strongly recommended to see your dentist twice per year, if you do this and listen to their advice, the chances you will have to undergo something more invasive, are greatly reduced. So... if you're scared of the dentist, you should actually go MORE often. 

And what of this whole flossing debate last year? Kelly says dental professionals still recommend flossing or devices such as the Water Pik. 

Kelly was also a part of Demand Dental Care, and she let us know less than 2% of Iowans over 65 have dental insurance and that Medicare doesn’t cover teeth. They've seen emergency room visits for dental care have more than doubled in the past decade and have been working to try to fix this issue. More information can be found at demandmedicaredental.org 

Listen to the tooth fairy and Mary Kelly.

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