October 25, 2021

The Whys and Hows of Proper Dental Care

When considering your overall well-being, proper dental health and oral hygiene practices are more important than you may realize.

The mouth serves as the window to your overall health, and the condition it is in can give you and your health care provider key clues into your current state of wellness.

Bacteria and Poor Oral Hygiene

Like many parts of the body, the mouth is full of bacteria that are generally harmless to most thanks to proper dental hygiene practice (like daily brushing and flossing) and the body’s natural defenses.

But without proper care and attention, these bacteria can build up, leading to various oral issues. These can include:

• Cavities
• Cracked teeth
• Receding gums
• Gum disease
• Oral Cancer

How does oral health affect overall health?

As the direct point of entry to the respiratory and digestive tracts, the mouth serves as the body’s gatekeeper. Issues that begin here, if left untreated, can also start to cause problems in other parts of the body.

In their research, the Mayo Clinic, a nonprofit American academic medical center, links the development of several non-oral health conditions to issues stemming from and related to poor dental care, including:

• A bacterial infection of the heart chambers and valves
• Heart disease, clogged arteries and stroke
• Pregnancy complications
• Pneumonia

This integral role that the mouth plays is why proper dental care is key to keeping the body well. It is also why Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC) like Fetter Health Care Network place such importance on dental care.

How you can practice proper dental care?

While the issues that can arise from poor dental and oral health can become severe, the steps and practices to avoid these outcomes are often quite simple:

Floss daily to clean between teeth. Though unfortunately overlooked by many, flossing is a crucial step in the dental care process. Flossing allows you to hit those hard-to-reach spots that you may not be able to with a toothbrush.

Add mouthwash to your dental care routine. Fluoride-rich mouthwash can help to strengthen your teeth and remove any excess particles that may still be leftover after brushing and flossing.

Brush your teeth twice a day. Proper and consistent brushing is essential to any good dental care routine. While brushing in the morning is a great way to freshen your breath for the day, nightly brushing is just as important as it allows you to remove any bacteria or acids present from meals throughout the day.

The American Dental Association (ADA) recommends brushing for at least two minutes per session, along with the use of fluoride toothpaste. You may consider using a power toothbrush as well if you find yourself with increased plaque build-up.

While anyone can adopt this step, the ADA especially recommends this for those with an increased risk of gum disease.

Limit your intake of sugary beverages and snacks. Everyone loves a sweet treat every now and then, and that’s ok! However, it is possible to have too much of a good thing.

Drinks and snacks high in sugar, like soda and candy, can cause cavities and tooth decay. Limiting your consumption of these sugary treats can be an excellent way to help both your dental and overall health.

Schedule regular appointments with your dentist. While a daily dental routine is essential for overall oral hygiene, paying regular visits to a trained dental specialist is the best way to ensure there are no missed complications.

Fetter is here for you!

If you are located in the Lowcountry and are experiencing any dental issues, reach out to Fetter Health Care Network today to schedule your next visit.

Appointments are available with both our in-house team at Charleston Family Health Center and our mobile dental unit.

For additional tips on how you can reduce the risk of cavities, gum disease, and other oral issues, we recommend checking out the ADA’s Home Oral Care Guide.

Dental Health Services at Fetter Health Care Network

Fetter Health Care Network offers a wide variety of dental and oral health services and affordable payment options. Learn more by contacting our team or scheduling an appointment today.

October 12, 2021

Choosing an OB/GYN for Your Pregnancy

For many women, pregnancy is the most beautiful time in their life. Preparing for the arrival of a child is exciting, but it can be nerve-wracking, too. 

As an expectant mother, you want to make sure that you are making the best choices to bring your child into the world. One of the most important choices is deciding which doctor will guide you through your pregnancy. 

Choosing an OB/GYN can be difficult, but community health centers like Fetter Health Care Network help make the process easier.

Things to Consider When Choosing an OB/GYN for Your Pregnancy

When you’re choosing an OB/GYN for your pregnancy, there are many factors to think about. You want to make sure that the doctor you pick meets all of your needs so that your pregnancy can be as smooth as possible. 

The following are a few of the things you’ll want to consider:

Services Offered

The most important factor to consider when choosing an OB/GYN is whether a given provider can offer the services that you need. You’ll want to make sure that they provide extensive women’s health and obstetric services. 

During your prenatal care, you’ll need frequent ultrasounds, blood tests, and physical examinations. You want to be sure that the facility you choose can provide all of these services and more. This ensures that anything that might occur during your pregnancy can be addressed by your health care team so that you don’t have to find another facility at the last minute. 

Location

Location is another factor to consider when choosing an OB/GYN. You’ll have to visit your doctor frequently throughout your pregnancy, so choosing one that is close to your home is important. 

Pregnant women are required to see their doctor once a month until the 28th week of their pregnancy. From weeks 28 to 36, they should see their doctor every two weeks. In the final weeks of their pregnancy, they should see their doctor weekly. 

When you have to make so many prenatal visits, it will be much easier if a provider’s office is located close to your home. 

Payment Options

You may have many concerns when you’re preparing for a new baby, but paying for your prenatal care shouldn’t be one of them. Before choosing an OB/GYN, look into the facility’s payment options. 

If you have a low income, you may want to receive care at a community health center, where options like a sliding fee scale are available.

Patient Reviews

Before committing to an OB/GYN, you should take a look at what other patients have experienced with a given provider. Do some good research and find patient testimonials. Have other patients had a good experience with this doctor? Was the health care team at this facility helpful and attentive? 

Getting insight from former patients can help you to get a preview of the care from a particular doctor.

Women’s Health Services at Fetter Health Care Network

If you are looking for an OB/GYN to monitor your pregnancy, Fetter Health Care Network offers a wide variety of women’s health services and affordable payment options. Learn more by contacting our team or scheduling an appointment today.

 

October 11, 2021

Fetter Health Care Network expands school-based health care services throughout Lowcountry

Fetter Health Care Network (Fetter), a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC), has expanded its partnership with Charleston County School District (CCSD) to provide school-based health care services to families in five local schools. For 4 years, Fetter has served students and staff in several CCSD schools, and its program will now provide health care services to the families of these students through the use of mobile medical and dental units.

“As a community health center, our job is to identify areas of need within our communities and go where people need it most,” said Dr. Powers. “As these families and staff are in and out of our schools each day, this is an opportunity to provide easy access to quality care that will meet a variety of health care needs.”

“Fetter Health Care Network is an esteemed partner that continuously provides reliable and essential health and dental care to our students, families and community. We are immensely grateful for all Fetter does in service to children and look forward to growing our relationship with them in the future,” states Dr. Gerrita Postlewait, Charleston County School District Superintendent.

For the 2021 – 2022 school year, Fetter will be offering a range of services at partnering schools, including pediatric and adult primary care, dental services, health screenings, immunizations, sports physicals, case management, specialist referrals and behavioral health services. Fetter’s mobile medical units will serve the following schools according to the schedule below:

School	Day of the Week	Hours of Service
Baptist Hill Middle High School	Tuesdays	8:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
Deer Park Middle School*	Fridays	8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Jerry Zucker Middle School of Science	Mondays	8:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
Mary Ford Elementary School	Wednesdays	10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Morningside Middle School	Thursdays	9:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

*All services except for dental are available at Deer Park Middle School.

Families and staff interested in enrolling for Fetter’s health care services or scheduling an appointment at their child’s school can visit FetterHealthCare.org/school or call 843-970-2865 for more information. To learn more about Fetter Health Care Network, visit FetterHealthCare.org and follow Fetter on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn.

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