Young kids and teens have gotten out of regular teeth brushing and flossing, and dentists say “COVID cavities” are a lingering effect of the pandemic.

Dr. Martha Ann Keels of Duke Street Pediatric Dentistry said providers are working to get children back on track. She explained the past few years of virtual schooling at home meant more frequent munching on sugary and chewy snacks, which has led to an uptick in molar cavities.

Keels’ top tip for parents in the new year is to stay away from chewy foods.

“Gravitate towards the things that melt like chocolate and M&Ms, and then ice cream or sorbets are a great choice,” Keels recommended. “Things that melt off your teeth are a much smarter choice than things that are sticky.”

One study published last summer found more parents said their kids’ dental health was worse compared to 2019. Increased risk of cavities and other teeth problems were more likely in Hispanic or non-White children, low-income households, and over households without age.

Proper oral care begins as soon as teeth crop up in babies. Keels advised starting to floss young children’s teeth to prevent cavities which are not visible, and keep plague buildup at bay.

“Parents can be fooled looking in their child’s mouth and go, ‘Oh, my kid’s teeth are, like, cavity free,’ and then we get those first X-rays at four, and we sadly say your child’s got a mouthful of cavities between their teeth,” Keels noted.

Keels added providers are also seeing more families neglect brushing routines and missed appointments as they struggle with depression, anxiety and other mental-health issues.

“So, if you’re a parent, and you’re anxious or depressed, it’s hard to also take care of your children and get back on the right track of taking care of yourself, as well as your children’s teeth,” Keels acknowledged . “I certainly understand that.”

Research shows people suffering from depression tend to have poor dental hygiene and are at higher risk of periodontal disease and mouth pain. The American Dental Association noted thumb-sucking and other stress-related habits can negatively affect kids’ teeth.

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Open enrollment for health insurance through the Affordable Care Act ends Jan. 15.

More than 600,000 Tennesseans, including almost one-third of the state’s Latino residents, do not have health coverage, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation.

Jeanette Contreras, health equity campaigns project director for the group UnidosUS, said more than 5 million Latinos nationwide are eligible for no-cost coverage through programs like Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act. who purchase health insurance in the marketplace.

“With the expanded premium assistance, Latinos make up around one-third of uninsured people who now qualify for zero-premium coverage,” Contreras pointed out. “It expanded the income requirements to allow more working families to qualify for the tax subsidy, which lowers the amount they pay toward their health plan.”

The Inflation Reduction Act extended the premium subsidies through 2025.

Contreras noted immigrants are eligible to purchase coverage and receive the subsidies without worrying about any impact on their family’s immigration status. She added folks can visit healthcare.gov to shop and compare prices and benefits before starting an application.

“It’ll ask you a few questions about who’s looking for coverage in your household, and then show you some estimated costs,” Contreras outlined. “But it won’t ask you to provide names or anything. It’s just a preview shopping tool . You can even look up the doctors in the plan’s network, and check out the prescription drug benefits.”

Contreras emphasized it can be complicated to choose a health plan, and local enrollment assistance is available to answer questions and help people find a plan to meet their needs. She recommended visiting localhelp.healthcare.gov to get assistance, and the sooner, the better , before next week’s enrollment deadline.

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Lifesaving measures are getting a lot of attention this week after an NFL player went into cardiac arrest during a game, and Minnesotans are being reminded about the importance of CPR training.

Medical staff applied CPR and a defibrillator shock to Buffalo Bills’ player Damar Hamlin, after he collapsed on the field.

Dr. Robin Germany, cardiologist and chief medical officer for ZOLL Respicardia, hopes the broader public is inspired to take on CPR training, noting medical emergencies can happen at any time, in any location.

“For every minute that adequate CPR isn’t given, we’re going to lose 10% of patients,” Germany pointed out. “Getting CPR to a patient very quickly is very, very important.”

The statistic to which she referred is about cardiac emergencies in out-of-hospital settings. Germany, also a board member of the American Heart Association of Minnesota, added bystanders should know the important steps. They include calling 911, beginning CPR and then using an AED device, if available and necessary. On its website, the Heart Association has a search tool to find local CPR training opportunities.

Germany explained depending on the situation, a person in cardiac arrest will need a defibrillator to put their heart back into rhythm once CPR is applied. She encouraged building owners and operators to have them on hand, and for people to notice them when walking through a public setting. Germany noted the devices are user-friendly.

“The nice thing about the AEDs today is, all you have to do is put the patches on,” Germany emphasized. “There are really nice instructions, they’ll even talk to you. And they’ll tell you if that patient needs that electrical shock. You don’t have to know anything.”

The Heart Association said the rate of bystander CPR in North America is estimated at only around 40%, so having more bystanders who know CPR can boost survival numbers.

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January is Glaucoma Awareness Month, and with no symptoms, experts say it’s important for Missourians to get regular eye exams.

Glaucoma is the leading cause of blindness in the US – although it’s treatable when caught early, and vision loss can often be prevented.

It’s estimated that more than 3 million Americans have glaucoma, but half are unaware. Anyone can get glaucoma, but the higher-risk categories include people with a family history of the disease, anyone 60 or older, and African Americans 40 and older.

Glaucoma Research Foundation President and CEO Tom Brunner said regular eye exams are important because glaucoma can sneak up on you.

“Our brains are very smart and they compensate,” said Brunner. “If you lose a little vision from the side, for example, you turn your head, you have two eyes. So your brain doesn’t even notice that you’re gradually losing vision. And you can lose as much as half of your vision without realizing it.”

Brunner said it’s important to talk with family members to discover if there is a family history of glaucoma.

The Missouri Prevention of Blindness Program offers free vision screenings at health fairs, and other community settings across the state. Event info is updated on the Missouri Department of Social Services Facebook page.

Glaucoma causes vision loss and blindness by damaging the optic nerve in the back of the eye.

In the most common form of glaucoma, which is 90% of all cases, the nerve damage is caused by an excess of fluid in the eye that raises the internal eye pressure.

Brunner said this type of glaucoma is treated by lowering the internal eye pressure with either eye drops or laser light therapy.

“For glaucoma,” said Brunner, “you can shine light onto the area where the tissue drains to let the fluid out of the eye and literally stimulate that tissue to rejuvenate itself and lower the eye pressure. It can be a one-time treatment that can last for years. And it can be repeated.”

He said laser treatment is becoming the primary initial therapy for the most common form of glaucoma.

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