News and Press Releases

Regular Oral Care Improves Whole–Body Wellness
–Gum Disease–Diabetes Connection Is One Example–

Oak Brook, Ill. (November 3, 2008) – Nearly 21 million Americans have been diagnosed with diabetes¹. It's no wonder that this disease has been termed our country's biggest epidemic. Of even greater concern is that nearly three times that number – an estimated 57¹ million people in the United States – have a condition called pre diabetes, and a significant proportion of these people will develop Type 2 within 10 years².

But regular visits to the dentist's office can help these potential diabetics get an early warning that they should be on the alert.

“We've long known that people with diabetes are more susceptible to gum disease,” says Max Anderson, DDS, a national oral health advisor for Delta Dental Plans Association. “But recent studies have revealed that periodontal disease can actually influence pre diabetes and contribute to the progression of diabetes.”

“This connection to diabetes is just one example of the relationship between an individual's oral health and his or her overall wellness,” says Dr. Anderson. “While the research affirms the importance of taking good care of your teeth and gums, it also underscores the role that oral health care providers can have in early detection of systematic disease.”

Anderson points that there are numerous reasons to keep regular checkups on your calendar, even if you take good care of your teeth.

• Dental professionals can use today's dental exams to screen for oral cancers and other health issues that can be difficult to spot on your own. More than 120 diseases³ can cause specific signs and symptoms in and around the mouth and jaw. Dental professionals performing checkups can spot symptoms that indicate serious health problems elsewhere in the body that need attention.
• Checkups allow your dentist to keep up with changes to your health status. Upon learning of medical conditions you've developed or treatments you're receiving, your dentist can recommend strategies to help you proactively counter the negative effects the conditions and treatments would otherwise have on your oral health.
• Preventive checkups provide dentists with opportunities to identify and intervene early in dental diseases. This can reduce any pain and the financial costs associated with more severe forms of dental diseases. If caught early, periodontal disease is easier to manage and, in some cases, reverse.

“Dental health professionals can suggest the frequency that's most appropriate for each patient,” Dr. Anderson said. “Some people don't need to be seen twice each year, while some need to be seen more often. Consult with your dentist to determine the number of yearly visits that is right for you.”

Delta Dental Plans Association, based in Oak Brook, Ill., is a national network of independent not–for–profit dental service corporations specializing in providing dental benefit programs to 51 million Americans in more than 93,000 employer groups throughout the country.

Ten–Year Anniversary Prompts Northeast Delta Dental to Donate Benches to City

Northeast Delta Dental donated four benches to the City of Concord to commemorate 10 years of conducting business at its headquarters adjacent to Horseshoe Pond. Attending the dedication (from left to right) were Concord Mayor Jim Bouley; former Concord Mayor Bill Veroneau; Tim Sink, President of the Greater Concord Chamber of Commerce; and Tom Raffio, President & CEO of Northeast Delta Dental (Gil Talbot Photo)

Concord, NH: Ten years ago, Northeast Delta Dental moved from its offices on Loudon Road to its beautiful offices on Delta Drive. In early 1997, determined to stay in Concord, Tom Raffio, President & CEO, searched for a suitable piece of property. Among the many possible land and lease options throughout Concord, Raffio toured an unappealing slice of land on Commercial Street with Jim Corrigan, commercial real estate broker in Concord. Despite the dilapidated buildings, evidence of illegal dumping, and overgrown fields, he immediately saw its potential as a prime location to build Northeast Delta Dental's new corporate building and was confident that if it was built on this site, others would follow.

On November 20, 1997, Northeast Delta Dental held a ground breaking celebration. The land was soon cleared, and Hutter Construction began building. The building was ready for employees to move into over the Labor Day weekend of 1998. A ribbon–cutting ceremony was held on September 25, 1998, at which Northeast Delta Dental was described as the first pearl on what was to become a string of pearls around Horseshoe Pond.

To celebrate the tenth anniversary in their building, Northeast Delta Dental donated four commemorative park benches to the City of Concord that have been placed strategically along the pathway around Horseshoe Pond to enhance the enjoyment of the beautiful, natural surroundings. Groundwork Concord planted flowers also donated by Northeast Delta Dental.

At a dedication of the benches on the edge of Horseshoe Pond, Mayor Jim Bouley said, “What we have is a truly livable community, and, standing here, you can understand why people love to work here. I can't say enough about the many ways Delta Dental supports this community. It starts with the motivation and vision of Tom Raffio, President & CEO, and it continues with the employees at Delta Dental who make a difference.”

Bill Veroneau, former Mayor of Concord, said, “Ten years ago Tom Raffio predicted this neighborhood would change and would become a showcase of a new and revitalized Concord, and what we saw then was first pearl on a string of pears. He was right. Look around, and you will see a complete string of pearls surrounding a pond teeming with wild life and walking paths for the enjoyment of those who live and work in this area.”

School Lunch Makeover Can Control Sugar

Concord, NH:   You wouldn't send your children to school with a lunchbox full of candy bars, but you might be packing almost as much sugar when you send them off with some of the popular lunch–time classics. Considering that most children brush their teeth in the morning and again before bed, the sugar they put in their mouths at lunch could stay in there for a while. That worries some dentists.

“When you start adding up the sugars found in some of the most common lunch items, you might be shocked,” says Northeast Delta Dental Vice President, Professional Relations, Shannon Mills, DDS, FAGD, FICS. “Making a few simple changes can lower the sugar count, which is ultimately better for children's bodies and their oral health.”

Take, for example, the classic peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Toss in a box of raisins, a small container of applesauce, and a single–serve carton of chocolate milk. While it sounds pretty healthy and balanced, the sugar total is a whopping 98 grams. An average candy bar contains about 25 grams of sugar. Without making drastic changes, you can give your children's lunches a sugar makeover.

Look for natural peanut butter (made without added sugar) and low or no–added–sugar jelly. Replace the white bread with whole wheat bread and the regular applesauce with natural applesauce. Consider skipping the raisins. In addition to their high sugar content, their stickiness can hold sugars against children's teeth for prolonged periods of time. Swap the raisins for some mini carrots and the chocolate milk for white milk. The new total? A more tooth–tolerable 31 grams of sugar.

It's easy to find alternatives to a number of other lunchbox standards. With only 10 grams of sugar, a tube of yogurt is a good option for boosting calcium. Even better is a piece of string cheese, which also offers calcium but with zero grams of sugar. A fruit roll–up style snack has half the amount of sugar (7 grams) as fruit snacks in a pouch (14 grams). For a special treat, replace three chocolate, creme–filled cookies (at 13 grams of sugar), with three vanilla wafer cookies (4 grams of sugar).

If not removed by brushing or other means, sugars in the mouth can contribute to tooth decay and cavities. Naturally occurring bacteria in the human mouth form a colorless, sticky film called plaque. Cavity–causing organisms within plaque feed on sugar and turn it into acid. This acid attacks tooth enamel and leads to tooth decay.

“Products and brands can vary greatly in sugar content, so it's important to read the nutrition labels on the foods you're buying,” says Dr. Mills. “A healthy and nutritious diet, paired with good oral hygiene at home and preventive care visits to the dentist, can all go a long way toward protecting children against tooth decay.”

Located in Concord, New Hampshire, Northeast Delta Dental administers the dental benefits of nearly 700,000 people in Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont.