Your Smile Miami - Biscayne Dental Group - 305.572.1600

Operation Smile’s dream and vision has long been to help our partner countries become self-sufficient in providing surgeries to their children. To this end, they launched the Build a Dream campaign in October of 2006 to open comprehensive care centers in seven countries worldwide. So far, centers are open in four of the target countries: Honduras, China, Colombia, and Vietnam. Construction is currently under way in Morocco, Brazil and the Philippines.

This means that will-equipped, Operation Smile-trained medical staff can work year-round to provide children in need with free reconstructive surgeries and after-care. Where once they could help 150 or so children in a given year, local teams can now potentially help thousands.

Dr. Rita Dargham was on the Operation Smile team in November 2007 to help children in Etheopia with cleft lip. She continues to be an active member in the organization and awaits her next incredible trip abroad.

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Recent research released by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Tennessee confirms there is a link between a person’s oral health and their overall healthcare status. The study found that those who had gone to their dentist for diagnostic and preventive care had lower healthcare costs and fewer incidences of:

• Coronary artery disease,
• Congestive heart failure,
• Diabetes, and
• Hypertension

Additionally, the study found that hospital admission was nearly 16% higher for those who received no dental services. X-ray costs were also found to be 12% higher for those with periodontal issues.
This most recent research confirms previous research by Mark Herzberg of the University of Minnesota. He found that the most common strain of bacteria in dental plaque can cause blood clots that induce heart attacks when they escape into the bloodstream.
Additional related studies also found that bacteria in dental plaque were also linked to:

• Infective Endocarditis, a potentially fatal disease where the sac around the heart becomes inflamed.
• Lung infections in people with chronic lung disease
• A weakened immune system that can slow wound healing diminishing a person’s response to vaccines against hepatitis B and influenza
• A higher risk of giving birth to premature, low-birth weight infants

We can all do our part to reduce the risk of diseases linked to dental bacteria by maintaining proper oral hygiene procedures at home and visiting your dentist regularly for a check-up.

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