As many of you may know, my daughter, Katie, is a dental student. This is such an exciting time as I get to watch her develop her skills as a dentist … the compasion and enthusiasm were already there. This past week, I went to see her in her clinic, where I got a VERY comprehensive exam. I asked her to be a guest blogger this week and give us some information about an outreach program that she is involved with that really makes a difference!
Hi All!
I’m Mary Beth’s daughter, Katie, and I’m currently in my third year of dental school. Over the last two years, whether they’ve liked it or not, my family has been subject to my rants about oral health and maintaining good hygiene practices at home in order to preserve their pearly whites for as long as they can. If you’re a regular at the dentist you know that it’s no big deal to get your teeth cleaned and maybe you don’t think about your teeth all that often. Unfortunately, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 50 percent of adult Americans suffer from gum disease, and 25 percent of all children in low-income families suffer from tooth decay (cavities). So, maintaining good oral health care is not always common sense, and it’s something that should perhaps be a topic of discussion more often.
Last December, I traveled with multiple practicing dentists and dental students, with a group called the Dental Humanitarian Outreach Program (DHOP), to the Philippines to provide free dental care to more than 200 patients in just four days (see video). Many of the patients we saw were children or young adults, and most of them had never visited a dentist before. I remember taking X-rays on multiple patients who couldn’t have been older 12 years and who had already suffered such extreme tooth decay that their teeth needed to be extracted. Even more unfortunately, often times those teeth were front teeth, and I knew that not only were the chances of them getting partial dentures or implants to fill the spaces slim, but also that once the teeth were extracted, the children’s self esteem would decline.
There are many protective factors to help prevent tooth decay that we should incorporate into our daily routines.
- Fluoride – In the U.S., most of us are lucky enough to live in communities with fluoridated drinking water, so it’s not something we have to think about. But, it’s an important preventative factor, as fluoride is incorporated into the enamel of our teeth to strengthen them and prevent their decay under acidic conditions. Fluoridated water is not present in all communities, however, and especially not in developing countries, such as the Philippines. Along with drinking fluoridated water, brushing your teeth with fluoridated toothpaste at least twice daily is important to strengthen them and prevent their decay.
- Flossing – Although every patient gets annoyed when their dentist asks them if they floss, flossing regularly may be even more important than brushing one’s teeth. Flossing removes food debris and bacteria from the crevices between teeth; and without proper flossing, food and debris may remain between teeth for long periods of time, leading to plaque build up and eventually decay. Therefore it is recommended that you floss your teeth once a day, at night before brushing.
- Xylitol – Chewing gum or mints that contain Xylitol help prevent the growth of harmful, cavity-causing bacteria.
- Regular Dentist visits – Visit your dentist and dental hygienist regularly so that they can clean your teeth, diagnose any oral diseases and ensure you are taking the right steps toward maintaining a healthy oral cavity.
Just as there are protective factors to prevent cavities from forming, there are also many harmful factors which can lead to or accelerate the progression of cavities. We’ve all heard that eating foods filled with sugar can cause cavities, but what’s interesting is how this occurs and which sugary foods are actually more harmful than others. Bacteria present in your mouth feed of simple carbohydrates such as sugars and produce acid as a byproduct, which in turn demineralizes your teeth, leading to decay or cavities. Candy that sticks to your teeth, such as gummy bears or tootsie rolls, is much worse for your teeth and contribute more to the progression of cavities as compared to chocolates or other non-sticky candies.
So, long story short, consider your teeth when deciding which foods to eat and take time to really floss and brush!
Now a little more about the Dental Humanitarian Outreach Program … We’re a completely student-run organization that aims to provide free dental care to the underserved, locally and abroad. Locally, we volunteer with USC Mobile Clinic, traveling throughout California to provide free dental care to pediatric patients of migrant farm workers. Our international trips have taken us to Honduras, Colombia, Kenya (read more about this trip or watch a video), Jamaica and, most recently, the Philippines, where we served 286 patients with dental services valued at $95,672 at no cost to the patient. Each trip costs roughly $20,000, and we are fundraising for our next international trip in December.
Currently, DHOP is under the umbrella non-profit organization Make-A-Dent, which is a 501(c)(3) tax exempt not for profit organization. Visit the website for more information and to donate.
Great job, Katie!! You are doing an amazing job helping the under-served. I love that you have your mom, and I am sure other family members in the chair. I went to Penn and worked on as many family members and friends I could come up with. My sister, Claudine, actually assisted me on the clinic floor. I am now an orthodontist in Florida and work with Smiles Change Lives. It is a great program where orthodontists volunteer their time and treat children who can not afford it. I love giving children that feeling of confidence when they flash their smile. Keep up your hard work and best of luck in your last two years of dental school.
Katie you have grown into an incredible woman! You had such compassion for others at a very young age. It does not surprise me at all the kind of woman you have become. p.s. I was your old camp counselor/driver 🙂
Looks like I will be looking for Xylitol gum at Sprouts later. Really very helpful information. Thank you!
Katie: thanks for the info! It’s an important reminder how important flossing and day to day care is for our teeth. Best wishes as you complete dental school!!!
An admirable profession indeed. I’m a cancer survivor. I had Hodgkin’s Lymphoma and have been cancer free for almost 6 years now. When beginning treatments you’re given an information overload. I only mention it because, my oncologist might have said something about my dental care in the beginning, but having port placement surgery, a bone marrow test, my first round of chemo and a blood transfusion all within the first week, I didn’t catch everything being said.
Suffice it to say, the chemo made my mouth hurt so much so that I had to use the softest brush imaginable to even attempt to brush my teeth. It didn’t even feel like I was brushing them. What was worse though, was the radiation. I started my cancer treatments at the age of 36 with only ever having one cavity in my life. I am now 43 and because of the side effects of radiation, I now have over 15 cavities most of which my dentist says will end up needing either root canals and/or crowns in the years to come.
Chemo and radiation both caused me to have dry mouth which is terrible for your teeth. Radiation caused one of my saliva glands to dry up ensuring that I will have the issue for the rest of my life.
It is what it is and there is no sense crying over it. I just wished I had a better understanding at the beginning of my treatments of what dental complications could arise and how better to prevent them. I will say that I’ve gone from fearing the dentist and having the philosophy of “Never trust a person that puts their hand in your mouth” to promoting dental check-ups twice a year. I trust my dentist as much as I do my oncologist and internist. He is caring, sensitive, gentle and knows how to put me at ease. He is doing everything possible to keep me from needing those crowns.
Thanks for taking the time to inform us. What you are doing is awesome. Treating the underprivileged and impoverished is commendable and inspiring. I hope you have many more platforms that will help you educate and give care to those who need it most.
I’m so glad that you mentioned how important fluoridated water is. I grew up in Southern California with fluoride in my water and later moved to an area where the water is not treated. My teeth are much healthier than others my age who grew up here. I’m 48, and have never had more than a couple of minor fillings. I purchase fluoridated water for my children to drink. Sadly, each time our community considers adding fluoride to the water, the wackos come out with TV commercials saying it comes from industrial waste and other such BS….so frustrating.
Rats! I’ve been flossing after I brush my teeth in the morning! Starting tonight I’m going to floss before I brush like Dr. Katie says I should.
USC is the best when it comes to community outreach. I feel dentistry has come so far in making it less scary, especially for children. Love the houses that give out tooth brushes at Halloween and the look on kids faces when they get oneLOL Ive always brushed then flossed. Going to try doing it the other way:) Thanks for the Amazing info and giving opportunity.
Mary Beth, what a wonderful blog by Katie today!…She is a amazing young woman with a well chosen career and a beautiful heart for helping others!…Just want thank you Katie for your compassion for others (especially children) that are less fortunate and I wish you much success in your future schooling and volunteering!
MaryBeth, Katie is an amazing young woman. She’s done so much. I couldn’t imagine traveling so far from home. I admire her. She gets her kindness & compassion from you & your husband. You have both raised a wonderful daughter. I wish her the best with the rest of her schooling & her continued volunteering. She’s helping ppl in so many different ways, she’s giving them their pride & self-esteem back. Thank you Katie for a great blog today.
Congratulations to Katie on a well chosen career! Wonderful how she is volunteering her knowledge and work to those less fortunate. It gives you confidence in today’s youth.