Depositphotos_3231213_l-2015

Hepatitis A virus a common visitor to area

Hepatitis A is a fairly common and highly contagious virus that infects the liver. It can hit you hard — or you may not know you’ve had it.

“It’s declined greatly in the United States because of immunization,” says Jason Brackins, Mountain Hope Good Shepherd Clinic’s physician’s assistant. Yet he has seen three or four cases of it so far this year.

It’s spread orally and via fecal material. If someone working with food does not wash his hands after going to the bathroom, the virus can spread via contaminated food. Touching, sexual contact, contaminated water and injectable drugs also spread Hepatitis A. It does not spread through the air.

Symptoms include sudden nausea, vomiting, fatigue and abdominal pain. “It hits you like a stomach virus,” Jason says. The sneaky virus, however, takes 15 to 50 days before the symptoms appear – in fact, no symptoms may appear – but it’s contagious well before the symptoms show. Most cases are over in one to two weeks, but fever, jaundice and an enlarged liver are indications of more serious cases that may take longer to get over.

Humans are the only known carrier. The potential for the Hepatitis A virus to spread is greatest where lots of people spend time close together: in day care centers (think dirty diapers), prisons and the military. Homeless communities also fall victim to it because they lack washing facilities.

A big event, for example where Port-A-Potties are used and hand washing isn’t always easy, is another cause for concern, Jason says. And one food worker who does not wash hands thoroughly and does not wear gloves to handle food can contaminate lots of people.

You can treat the symptoms but not Hepatitis A itself, he says.“You try to ride it out.”

“The key to protection is … hand washing,” he says. Also, immunizations are available. They are recommended for health care workers and for those in the food industry, as well as for family members of Hepatitis A patients and a few other categories.

Sevier County Health Department has done much to vaccinate against Hepatitis A locally, says Deborah Murph, the Clinic’s executive director. A majority of the 174 people who attended the Clinic’s health fair in June opted to be vaccinated by Health Department staff after learning about Hepatitis A. “We are grateful the Health Department provided the vaccine during the health fair,” Deborah said.

Depositphotos_170795524_xl-2015

The Power of a Smile Changes Lives

Smiles are powerful things—they can signal friendliness or reflect happiness, and they often correspond to how we are treated when we walk into a room. Simply put, people are treated differently when they smile—and when they don’t.

Governor Bill Lee, in conjunction with the Tennessee Charitable Care Network, has proclaimed  June 10-14, 2019, Tennessee Oral Health Smile Power Week. Smile Power Week was created to
promote healthy smiles across Tennessee during National Smile Month, but many Tennesseans
aren’t smiling.

They struggle to find care they can afford, which leads to poor oral health and, as a result, trouble with relationships, trouble finding work, and a lower standard of living overall. According to research by the American Dental Association, 45% of low-income adults say they avoid smiling, and 68% of them sometimes find life in general less satisfying due to the condition of their mouths and teeth. So the question becomes, where can they find help?

Tennessee has been nicknamed the volunteer state since the War of 1812 when patriotic Tennesseans helped turn the tide at the Battle of New Orleans. In that same spirit of volunteerism, charitable dental clinics across the state go to work every day helping people who can’t help themselves. They fill some of the gaps caused by a lack of Medicaid dental coverage, and they restore Tennessee smiles to make for a healthier, happier work force.

For the last two years, the state legislature has funded the Tennessee Dental Safety Net. Championed first by the late Representative Charles Sargent, the safety net provides funds to subsidize part of the cost of dentures and partials for low-income Tennesseans. These funds are administered at no cost by Delta Dental of Tennessee’s Smile180 Foundation, and charitable dental clinics across the state use them to restore healthy smiles to individuals who qualify.

Seeing a patient who has struggled with their oral health turn around 180 degrees to a beautiful new smile is extremely rewarding. They can eat better, so their overall health is better, and a great smile shows confidence and gives the patient job prospects they might not have had before. Tennessee’s charitable dental clinics are on the front lines making a difference every day, and they, too, need our help. They need help from local volunteers to staff the clinics, and they especially need dental professionals to volunteer their expertise so that they can keep
creating smile success stories in our state.

State Representative Bob Ramsey, D.D.S.
Chair of the House Public Service and Employees Committee