For good health and strong teeth, treat your gums well.

(NAPSI)—Building a great smile starts with a strong foundation. While gums are often overlooked unless they are bleeding or causing mouth pain, they are the key to good oral health, overall physical health and the best grin you can imagine.

“Adopting a healthy lifestyle includes maintaining optimal oral health. Practicing good oral care daily includes brushing teeth regularly twice a day, flossing, and using an antiseptic mouthwash,” said Nadia M. Fugate, DMD, Delta Dental of Washington’s senior dental consultant. “Regular professional dental cleanings on a schedule recommended by your dentist also play a crucial role in preventing gum disease.”

More than half of all Americans suffer from gum disease, and many don’t even know they have it because there isn’t necessarily pain involved. Gum disease is linked to glaucoma, heart disease, high blood pressure, pneumonia and other respiratory tract infections and more. People with gum disease have a 49% higher chance of contracting heart disease than those who don’t have issues with their gums.

Per the Centers for Disease Control, 47.2% of adults aged 30 or older have a form of gum disease. It increases with age, as 70.1% of adults 65 and over have periodontal disease. That’s why proper gum care and knowing the signs of gum disease are so important.

Types of gum disease

Gingivitis is a mild form of gum disease which can generally be reversed with treatment and good oral hygiene.

Periodontitis is an advanced form of gum disease which is not reversible and can only be managed to prevent it from getting worse.

What happens if I get gum disease?

Gum disease can lead to an inflammatory response caused by buildup of bacteria on the teeth and around the gums. The buildup, commonly known as plaque and tarter, causes your gums to become swollen, painful and bleed easily.

Advanced gum disease can cause a loss of bone mass in and around the tooth socket and jawbone, which ultimately can lead to teeth becoming loose, falling out or needing to be extracted.
Ways to prevent gum disease

• Brush for two minutes, twice a day
• Floss at least once a day
• Schedule regular dental checkups and cleanings
• Have a healthy diet, limiting sugary food and drinks
• Avoid tobacco use
• Replace your toothbrush every three to four months

For more information on experiencing dental issues while traveling, visit Delta Dental of Washington’s blog at www.deltadentalwa.com.

When we talk about mental health we are talking about “a person’s condition with regard to their psychological and emotional well-being.” Our mental health influences how we think, feel, and behave in daily life. It also affects our ability to handle stress, face and overcome challenges, maintain and build relationships, and recover from difficulties and setbacks.

Being mentally or emotionally healthy means more than being free of depression, anxiety, or other psychiatric illnesses. “Mentally healthy” people often:

• Enjoy life and have the ability to laugh and have fun.
• Are able to deal with stress and bounce back from adversity.
• Feel a sense of meaning and purpose, in both their activities and their relationships.
• Are flexible and adaptable to change.
• Are able to build and maintain fulfilling relationships.

We all experience disappointment, loss, and change. And while a normal part of life, these emotions and experiences still cause sadness, anxiety, and stress. But just as physically
healthy people are better able to bounce back from illness or injury; people with strong mental health are better able to bounce back from adversity, trauma, and stress. This skill is called resilience. People who are emotionally and mentally resilient have the tools for coping with difficult situations and maintaining a positive outlook. They remain focused, flexible, and productive, in bad times as well as good.

Here are a few everyday mental health tips to help you elevate your mood and become more resilient.

1. Practice self-care and make yourself a priority.The first step in practicing self-care is to take care of your body. In order to do this it is important to:

   – Eat a healthy diet – research has shown that what you eat—and don’t eat—affects the way you think and feel.

   – Exercise, which can help decrease depression and anxiety and improve moods.

   – Get enough sleep.

2. Disconnect from electronics and social media.Consider adding an electronics-free time period to your day. Taking time to unplug and disconnect from the constant stream of emails and alerts will allow you to interact with people face to face and will help reduce the many feelings of FOMO that social media can often stir-up.
3. Engage in activities that provide meaning.Partake in activities that make you feel happy, productive, and challenge your creativity. Whether through drawing, taking an exercise class, going out to dinner with friends or caring for a pet, spending quality time with those who matter to you can make you feel good.
4. Volunteer.The meaning and purpose derived from helping others or the community can enrich and expand your life—and make you happier. There’s no limit to the individual and group volunteer opportunities you can explore. Schools, places of worship, nonprofits, and charitable organizations of all sorts depend on volunteers for help in any capacity.
5. Engage in meditation and/or mindfulness.Relaxation exercises can improve your state of mind and outlook on life. In fact, research shows that meditation may help you feel calmer.
6. Avoid heavy substance use.It is important to keep alcohol use to a minimum and avoid other drugs. Many people use alcohol and other drugs to “self-medicate” but in reality, substance use may get in the way of your ability to function at work or school, maintain a stable home life, handle life’s difficulties, and relate to others.
7. Get help from a licensed mental health professional when and if you need it. Seeking help is a sign of strength — not a weakness.Just as it requires effort to build and maintain physical health, so it is with mental health.

This list included a few small but impactful ways to improve your mental health every day. It is most important to remember that treatment is effective. People who get appropriate care can recover from mental illness and lead full, productive, and rewarding lives.

– Written by Jeffrey Borenstein, M.D., President & CEO of the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation. This blog post also appears on the Gravity Blankets Blog.

At bedtime, when lights go out…sometimes thoughts stay on. A new children’s book can help.

(NAPSI) — If your children are like most, they get anxious from time to time—but you can help them get over it.

The Problem

In fact, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), even with the best parenting, 80 percent of little ones feel that unpleasant emotion.

Some Answers

Fortunately, there are several ways you can help.

For one thing, the NIH suggests parents of younger children can help them “come back to earth” from spiraling thoughts with the 3-3-3 rule: Ask your child to name 3 things they can see, identify 3 sounds they can hear, and move 3 different parts of their bodies.

For another, one of the most anxious times for little ones is at bedtime. Scary things and worries flutter and flap around, making it hard to sleep. A calming nightly routine, including reading to your children, however, lets them settle down for the night.

Bedtime Reading Can Help

According to the Children’s Bureau of California, reading to your child at bedtime builds trust in them that you will be there for them. With a little imagination (and a lot of love) you can create a cozy nest for happy thoughts—and sweet dreams for your kids. One excellent new picture book that can help with that is “My Thoughts Have Wings,” by Maggie Smith. The bestselling author of the viral poem “Good Bones” and the memoir “You Could Make This Place Beautiful” delivers a lyrical and reassuring book great for calming active minds at bedtime (or anytime).

The poetic book was inspired by Smith’s own daughter who dealt with intrusive thoughts at night. It’s an fine way for children to recognize and name unsettling thoughts and provides an empowering, reassuring strategy for self-soothing.

The colorful hardcover is aimed at children from preschool through grade 3, published by HarperCollins and available wherever books are sold.

Learn More

For more information or to order the book, visit www.harpercollins.com.

The more you know about your kidneys, the better they can keep you healthy.

(NAPSI)—What better time to get to know your kidneys than National Kidney Month?

Your kidneys play a vital role in keeping your body functioning, which is why healthy kidneys are important to your overall health.

Your kidneys are two bean-shaped organs located just below your rib cage, one on each side of your spine. Working around the clock, your kidneys filter approximately 150 quarts of blood each day, removing waste and extra fluid from your body.

People can get kidney disease at any age, even children. Kidney disease means your kidneys are damaged and can’t filter blood the way they should.

Taking steps to protect your kidneys can help keep your body healthy and may prevent or slow the progression of kidney disease. It’s never too early to take steps to keep your kidneys healthy. Even small steps can make a big difference.

Talk with a health care professional about kidney disease risk factors and develop a plan together to address those risks. You may be at a higher risk for kidney disease if you have diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, a history of acute kidney injury or a family history of kidney disease.

Help maintain your kidneys by following healthy habits:

• Manage diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease by working with a health care professional.
• Be physically active for at least 30 minutes each day.
• Aim for 7 to 8 hours of sleep each night.
• Quit smoking and limit your alcohol intake.
• Try to eat healthy foods and stay hydrated.
• Manage stress.

It takes time to build healthy habits, but the benefits to your health are worth it. Start small and reach out for support when needed.

Stay informed about your kidney health! Early on, kidney disease often has no symptoms. In fact, as many as 90% of people who have kidney disease don’t know they have it. If you are over 60 or have risk factors for kidney disease at any age, ask a health care professional about getting tested. Testing involves a blood test and a urine test. Contact your health care professional’s office or a community health center near you to schedule your kidney tests. The earlier you find out you have kidney disease, the sooner you can take steps to protect your kidneys from further damage.

As you work to keep your kidneys healthy, the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), part of the National Institutes of Health, is supporting research to prevent, monitor and treat kidney disease. NIDDK’s Kidney Precision Medicine Project (KPMP) is one example of research aimed at discovering the biology of kidney health and disease. KPMP works to improve future kidney care tailored to the individual patient. Another NIDDK-supported study, the Chronic Kidney Disease in Children Study (CKiD), looks at how kidney disease affects the development of heart disease, brain function and growth in children, and works to identify risk factors for kidney disease progression. These and many other NIDDK research studies are offering promising insights into improving and maintaining kidney health.

“While NIDDK invests in innovative research to improve kidney disease prevention and treatment, we encourage people to learn about the critical functions our kidneys perform every day to keep us alive,” said NIDDK Director Dr. Griffin P. Rodgers. “Taking simple steps now to protect and preserve kidney health can be lifesaving and make a tremendous difference in long-term health and well-being.”

To learn more about kidney health this National Kidney Month, visit the NIDDK website at www.niddk.nih.gov and follow NIDDK on social media @NIDDKgov.

Featured Expert:
Stephanie Pham Van, M.D.

Back pain is considered chronic if it lasts three months or longer. It can come and go, often bringing temporary relief followed by frustration. Dealing with chronic back pain can be especially trying if you don’t know the cause.

Back pain rehabilitation specialist Stephanie Van, M.D., offers insights into common chronic back pain causes and nonsurgical treatment options — and she advises not to give up hope.

Common Causes of Chronic Back Pain

Chronic back pain is usually age-related, but it can also result from an injury. The most common causes include:

• Arthritis of the spine — the gradual thinning of the cartilage inside the spine
• Spinal stenosis — narrowing of the spinal canal that may lead to nerve pain
• Disk problems, such as a herniated or bulging disk
• Myofascial pain syndrome — muscle pain and tenderness without clear cause

In some cases, it is difficult to pinpoint the cause of chronic back pain.

“If your doctor has explored all diagnostic and treatment options they are comfortable with, consider seeking a second opinion from a back pain specialist,” Van recommends.

It is important to understand the source of your pain as much as possible, and to consider every available, reasonable option. People with back pain should not feel rushed into settling for an invasive, irreversible surgical procedure. Surgery can be helpful for many people, but it is usually considered a last resort after more conservative options have been exhausted. Surgery can correct structural abnormalities contributing to back pain, but it does not guarantee pain relief, and it may even worsen the pain, Van warns. If the source of the pain is not known or can’t be treated, the best strategy is to collaborate with your doctor on a pain management plan that reduces the severity and frequency of flare-ups and focuses on goals for function and quality of life.

Exercise is the foundation of chronic back pain treatment. It’s one of the first treatments you should try, under the guidance of your physician and spine physical therapist.

Physical therapy for chronic back pain may include:

• Core strengthening
• Stretching and flexibility exercises
• Retraining posture
• Testing the limits of pain tolerance
• Aerobic exercises at a comfortable pace
• Diet Change
• Some diets are highly inflammatory, especially those high in trans fats, refined sugars and processed foods.

Lifestyle Modifications

There are many ways to adapt and adjust your behavior and activity that can significantly improve chronic back pain before even considering medications or procedures.
Injection-based Treatments

Trigger point injections, epidural steroid injections, nerve blocks, nerve ablations and other types of injection-based procedures are available for chronic back pain.

Alternative Treatments

Acupuncture, massage, biofeedback therapy, laser therapy, electrical nerve stimulation and other nonsurgical spine treatments can make a difference for chronic back pain. Pharmacologic Treatments

All kinds of medicines (topical, oral, injectable) are used to help manage chronic back pain, including anti-inflammatories, muscle relaxants, nerve pain medications and even antidepressants. However, any medication can have unwanted side effects. Work with your doctor to explore medication strategies that directly address the cause of your pain (if it is known).

When is surgery a good idea for back pain?

If you suddenly start experiencing any of the following “red flag” symptoms, it might be time for surgery, if the symptoms found to be related to your spine condition:

• New or worsening bowel/bladder issues (incontinence, groin numbness)
• Weakness in limbs
• Gait and balance problems
• Evidence of increased (brisk) reflexes

Surgery can also be an option for chronic back pain if a cause is confirmed by imaging and if other treatments have not helped.

“Surgery is the most invasive, high risk strategy for chronic back pain,” Van says. “It is irreversible, and it does not guarantee complete relief of back pain.