Desert Health News - November-December 2023

. www.DesertHealthNews.com November/December 2023 Medical News The Valley ' s Leading Resource for Health and Wellness 6 www.palmdesertsmiles.com The latest technologies for a healthier, more youthful smile 760.568.3602 44239 Monterey Avenue • Palm Desert PalmDes rtSmiles.com Personal Service High-Tech Care Follow us! Sarah A. Khoshniyati, DDS ("Dr. Sarah") Nicolas S. Baumann, DDS ("Dr. Nick") Technology in dentistry is very exciting and evolves as new materials and equipment are introduced. We select only the most proven, effective, patient and comfort-focused technologies. Services and products we oer: • CEREC Same Day Crowns • Implants • iCAT 3D X-Ray/Digital X-Rays • Modern Periodontal Care • Hard/Soft Tissue Laser • Holistic, Mercury-free Practice • Pinhole Gum Rejuvenation • TMD/TMJ Support • Conscious Sedation • Fountain of Youth Dentures • KöR ® Teeth Whitening Kevin Richardson, PhD Hypnotherapist Weight Control • 760.902.2274 Jade Bedard, RN, MSNEd Travel Nurse Consultant 760-895-4097 DESERT HEALTH REPORT Desert Health Report is a local, award-winning 30-minute TV show produced by Windsor Broadcast Productions since 2017. Keerthy Sunder, MD Psychiatrist TMS Depression Treatment 951.365.5018 Benjamin Wehrli, DPM Podiatrist Bunions • 760.848.8231 Lisa Bellows, MA, CCCA Hearing 760.469.4420 Wendy Roberts, MD Dermatologist Skin Cancer • 760.346.4262 Elliot Lander, MD, CHt Stem Cell Therapy 760.346.0145 Bryan Stone, MD Nephrologist • Kidney Stones 760.416.4819 Hetal Bhakta, MD Cardiologist Watchman Procedure 760.883.1600 Christian Luzar, DMD Robotic Implants 760.674.8883 Eric Presser, MD Thoracic Surgeon Lung Cancer • 760.424.8224 Broadcasted daily on Channel 4 NBC & Channel 7 ABC Check your local TV guide listings • (760) 831-4770 At Cathedral City High School, students in the Health and Environmental Health Academy of Learning (HEAL) are taking part in a course that prepares them to be ready and helpful when their community faces disasters. This course is called Community Emergency Response Teams or CERT. In CERT, students cover seven units: 1. Disaster Preparedness: Where students should be able to identify roles and responsibilities for community preparedness, describe types of hazards that can affect a community, and undertake personal and organizational preparedness actions. 2. Fire Safety and Utility Controls: Where students learn keys to effective fire suppression, CERT sizeup and fire sizeup considerations, classes of fire, types of fire extinguishers and how to identify hazardous materials. 3. Disaster Medical Operations: Students identify three “killers,” apply techniques for opening the airway, controlling bleeding, treating for shock, conducting head- to-toe assessments and establishing treatment areas. 4. Light Search and Rescue Operations: Students should know how to perform search and rescue sizeup, the objectives of interior and exterior search and rescue and how to decide whether to attempt rescue. 5. CERT Organization: Where students learn how to do Command Post documents and track situation status, how to document and communicate information to all CERT levels and provide Command Post with ongoing information about damage assessment. 6. Disaster Psychology: Students learn four emotional phases of a disaster, psychological and physiological symptoms of trauma, and how to be an empathetic listener. 7. Terrorism and CERT: Students learn to follow simple guidelines: do not touch, move away from an object or area and report it to authorities immediately. During this course firefighters came to the school to teach some units and conducted hands-on activities like teaching students how to move a patient with a blanket. On October 14, HEAL students completed their CERT training and reviewed everything they learned. Students went over four stations that were essential for their final test: lifting and maneuvering victims, triage, fire suppression, and leveraging and cribbing. For the final test, students had to simulate the aftermath of an actual disaster. They would perform triage on victims depending on their injuries and take them to a safe environment where they would get help. During this course, students learned valuable skills such as leadership and teamwork. They’ve learned how to be ready for any kind of disaster and are ready to help when they can. We will never know when the next big disaster will happen, but at least we have some people in our community who are ready and prepared to help. Valeria Cabiedes-Vazquez is at junior at Cathedral City High School. For more information on OneFuture programs, contact KimMcNulty at kim@onefuturecv.org . Student author Valeria Cabiedes-Vazquez HEAL Meets CERT By Student Valeria Cabiedes-Vazquez Expecting mothers commonly wonder if dental treatment is possible during their pregnancy. Annual exams and preventative dental cleanings are safe while pregnant and recommended. Oral health care plays an important role in prenatal care, as poor oral health during pregnancy may lead to poor health outcomes for the mother and baby. Physiological changes, such as a rise in pregnancy hormones — estrogen and progesterone, may result in changes such as dental caries (infections), pregnancy gingivitis and periodontitis. Dental caries can occur due to changes in one’s diet such as an increase in appetite or snacking due to cravings, poor oral hygiene and/or an increase in acidity due to nausea and vomiting. Gingivitis and periodontitis can occur because of hormonal changes that may increase the response to bacteria in the mouth. If proper oral hygiene care is not followed during pregnancy, gingivitis can advance to periodontitis. Tooth erosion can occur if one has experienced vomiting from morning sickness. Some pregnant women may notice lumps that form on their gums, usually between the teeth, that appear red and bleed easily. These can be caused by having a large accumulation of plaque and are known as pyogenic granuloma’s, also called pregnancy tumors, although these tumors are not cancer. The lesions usually resolve after giving birth and are not something to worry about. It is important for health care providers to review these changes that can occur to the teeth and gums during pregnancy, emphasize the importance of proper oral hygiene habits, as well as educate patients on what dental treatments are safe while pregnant. Preventative dental care such as routine examinations, cleanings, dental X-rays (with a lead apron for proper protection of the abdomen and thyroid) and the use of local anesthesia such as lidocaine with or without epinephrine are all safe during pregnancy. It is recommended to avoid the use of nitrous oxide throughout pregnancy. One may decide to postpone elective treatment that does not require immediate attention. However, conditions such as a tooth abscess, oral infection and extensive decay are encouraged to be treated sooner rather than later to prevent further health issues. It is generally recommended that elective cosmetic or optional dental treatment be postponed until after birth and necessary treatment be done before the third trimester, preferably the second trimester. Due to the increased risk of oral health conditions during pregnancy, it is crucial to practice proper hygiene at home and continue to have routine dental check ups and cleanings. If you are due for a dental checkup or cleaning, have questions about oral health related to pregnancy or have noticeable changes in the mouth, call your dentist to schedule an appointment. Sarah Khoshniyati (“Dr. Sarah”) is a dentist with PalmDesert Smiles and can be reached at (760) 568.3602. Visit www.PalmDesertSmiles.com . References: 1) https://www.acog.org/clinical/clinical-guidance/committee-opinion/articles/2013/08/oral-health-care-during-pregnancy-and- through-the-lifespan; 2) https://www.ada.org/-/media/project/ada-organization/ada/ada-org/files/about/governance/current_policies.pdf. Pregnancy and Oral Health By Sarah A. Khoshniyati, DDS