Winning Health | Gold Coast Health Plan | Issue 3 | Spring 2019

WINNING HEALTH 4 Protect your child from lead Lead is a dangerous chemical that can be found inside and outside your home. Paint, dirt, and even some foods and candies can have lead. Lead can harm a child’s brain. Lead poisoning can make it hard for children to learn, pay attention and behave. Ask your doctor about screening for lead poisoning and how to prevent it. For free health education brochures on lead poisoning, call the GCHP Health Education Department at 1-805-437-5607 . You can also call the Ventura County Public Health Department’s Child Health & Disability Prevention (CHDP) Program at 1-805-981-5291 or visit vcchdp.org/our-programs/childhood -lead-poisoning-prevention-program for more information. Medi-Cal Dental Program Did you know that if you have Medi-Cal, you are able to get dental services? The Medi-Cal Dental Program offers dental services for adults and children with full-scope Medi-Cal. Having healthy teeth at any age can prevent tooth decay, gum disease and bad breath. For babies, it’s important that they visit the dentist as soon as the first tooth comes in or by their first birthday. To help prevent tooth decay in older children, ask the dentist about molar sealants. A sealant is a protective coating that helps prevent cavities from forming. Your Primary Care Provider (PCP) can also apply a fluoride varnish coating to help protect teeth against tooth decay. Ask your PCP for more information. You can do simple things to keep your teeth healthy: ●  ● Brush your teeth two times each day. ●  ● Use a fluoride toothpaste. ●  ● Replace your toothbrush after three or four months. ●  ● Floss after brushing your teeth. ●  ● Go to the dentist regularly. ●  ● Limit juices and other sugary drinks and snacks. Sources: The American Dental Association (ADA); California Department of Public Health’s Child Health & Disability Prevention Program Dental Program; Smile California. TO FIND A DENTIST near you, call the Medi-Cal Dental Program, also known as Denti-Cal, at 1-800-322-6384 / TTY 1-800-735-2922 . For free educational brochures and other materials in English and Spanish, visit smilecalifornia.org . 1. Becauseyoucan!Medi-Cal hasdentalcovered. Dentalcheck-upsare freeor low-cost forMedi-Cal members (eligible fordental benefits).Adultscanhave acheck-upeveryyear,and childrencanhaveacheck-up every sixmonths. 2.Yourchildhasneverbeen to thedentist. Children candevelop cavities as early as 2 yearsold. Protect your children’sgums and teethby taking them to thedentist every sixmonths. 3.You’repregnant! Youroralhealth isabigpart ofmaking sureyourbaby is healthy.Yourgumsand teeth need specialattentionat this time.Be sure to tell themyou arepregnantwhenyoumake yourappointment. 4. It’syourbaby’sfirstbirthday! Makeanappointment foryour child’sfirstdentalvisitassoon as theirfirst toothcomes inor by theirfirstbirthday,whichever comesfirst. It is important to takegoodcareofbaby teeth until they fallout. 5.Yourchild is starting kindergarten. Tomake sureyourchild is ready for school,California law requires thatyourchildhave adentalcheck-upbyMay31 ineitherkindergartenorfirst grade,whichever is theirfirst year inpublic school. 6.Yourchild’spermanent molarshavearrived. Protect thosemolars from harmfulbacteriaandcavities by schedulingacheck-upand asking thedentist toapply molar sealants. It’squick, painlessandcanprotectyour child’sback teeth for several years! 7. Yourchild justfinishedhigh school. Yourchild’sdental services are freeor low-costuntilage 21.Help them stick to their dental routineby scheduling anappointmentondayswhen theyaremore likely tokeep it. 7ReasonsYouShouldScheduleanAppointment with aMedi-CalDentistRightNow: Smile,youhavedentalcare. Smile,California helpsMedi-Calmembers make themostof theirdentalbenefit.Medi-Cal provides freeor low-costdental services tohelp keep you and your smilehealthy. SmileCalifornia.org 1-800-322-6384 newborn safe from LEAD Lead isverydangerous, especially forbabiesandyoung children. Butevenbeforebirth, youcan take steps to keep lead outofyourhomeandother placesyourbabywill spend time. Leadcanbe found inmanyplaces— inandaroundyourhome, in the things youuseorbuy,andon the job.Take these steps tokeepyourselfandyour newborn safe from lead. Getting yourbaby’s room and your home ready If yourhomewasbuiltbefore1978, there maybe lead in thepaint insideoroutside. Oldpaintbreaksdown intodust. Lead in dust spreads all around yourhome and sticks tohands, toys, andother things that babies suckon.Theremay alsobe lead in thedirt around yourhome from thepast useof lead ingasoline and in factories. Keep furnitureaway frompaint that is chippedorpeeling. Movecribs,highchairs, beds,andplaypensaway from crackedpaintandwindowsills. Remodelingorpainting? Don’tsand,dryscrape, sandblast,orpower washpaint unlessyour painthasbeen testedand doesnothave lead in it. Keepyourhomeclean anddust-free. Wet mopfloors,wipedown window sillswith aclean,wetcloth, vacuum,andwashall surfacesoften. Always takeoffshoesorwipe themon adoormatbeforegoing inside to keep lead indirtoutside. Caring for yourself and your newborn It isvery important to keep leadaway fromyourbabyandyourself. Ifyou think youmayhave lead inyourbody, talk to yourdoctor.Andwhileyouarepregnant, protectingyourself from leadalsoprotects yourbaby. Nevereatorchewonanything that isn’t food, likeclay,dirt,orpottery. Donoteatordrink foods or liquids thatwere storedorprepared in traditionalor imported pottery. Whenusingwater from the faucet for drinking, cooking ,or mixing formula: •Alwaysstartwithcold tapwater and heatasneeded. •Runcold tapwater for30seconds. •Donotusewater thathasbeenstored inaceramicwatercrockor jar. Ifyouplan tobreastfeedand thinkyou mayhave lead inyourbody, talk to yourdoctor. Toys and other things youbuy and use Makesure toysare leadsafe. Some children’s toyshave lead in them.Fora list of toysandother itemswith lead in them, go to: www.cdc.gov/nceh/lead/tips/ sources.htm Wash your newborn’s toys, pacifiers, and other items your baby sucks on, often to get rid of lead that’s in dust and dirt. Donotusenatural remedies foryourself oryourbabyunlessyou know theyare safeanddonotcontain lead. Leadhasbeen found in somenatural remedies used forcolic, stomach ache, teethingpain,and tohealanewborn’sbelly button. Donotuse traditional makeuponyournewbornor yourself. Products likeKohl,Khali,Surma, andSindoor,canhave lead in them. Don’t take lead home from the job Yourbabycanget leadpoisoning ifsomeone inyourhomeworkswith leadat their job. Youcannotsee the lead,but aworkercan bring leadhomeontheirhands, face, workclothes,shoes,and inacar. Anyone inyourhome thatworksaround leadshould: •Takeashower andwash their hairatworkbefore goinghome. If that’snot possible, they should showeras soonas theygethome. •Change intocleanclothesbefore leaving work andkeepabag just for dirtyworkclothes. •Washworkclothes separate fromall otherclothes. Keep work shoesoutside thehouse. Your growing child Leadcanharmyourbaby’sbrain, kidneys,andotherorgans. Mostchildren get tested for leadat1and2yearsold.Ask yourdoctorabout testing sooner ifyou thinkyourchildhasbeenexposed to lead. Asyourbabygrows therearemanyother thingsyoucando toprotectyourchild from lead. Callyour localChildhoodLead PoisoningPreventionProgram formore information. For informationonline,go to www.cdph.ca.gov/programs/clppb Keep your CHILDHOOD LEAD POISONING PREVENTION BRANCH 2/18