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Show HILL TOP TIMES Page 6 July 18, 1980 ;8fl.Ffi(oDs; Actfiviitfies ceawse in jjuiry By Capt. Andrew E. Stanya USAF Hospital Summer is in full swing here and everyone is enjoying outdoor activities, but many of these activities can cause serious facial and oral injuries. A child fallin g off a bicycle, being hit with a baseball,' or playing with a skateboard are all situations that can lead to a dental injury. Chipped teeth are the most common result of these types of accidents and usually require nothing more than smoothing out the chipped area of the tooth. Fractured teeth are more serious in nature and require the attention of a dentist, especially if the pulp is exposed. A tooth completely knocked out or detached has a very good chance of survival if it can be reimplanted within a half hour of losing it. The tooth should be located, wrapped in a . wet cloth or kept in the mouth underneath the tongue of the patient, if it is not dirty, and the patient should proceed to the dentist immediately. The dentist will reimplant the tooth and may also stabilize it with a wire splint to allow it to firm up. Above all, do not clean and scrub the tooth since it may do more harm than good by removing vital tissues that are necessary for healing. A tooth may darken following a traumatic accident. This is an indication that the pulp has been injured and treatment is necessary to avoid an abscess or infection in the tooth. If you suspect a dental injury, consult with your dentist and allow him to evaluate the situation to prevent any serious problems. The best way to avoid injury is to prevent it, so whenever playing in contact sports, wear a mouthguard they're worth their weight in dental bills! Services Committee told Families emriWIedl ?o piroinnipfl, James M. McCoy said, "Various surveys in the military show that health benefits, and that includes dental care, is the area of number one concern. . . for military families. "It is rather ironic that a dependent can seek health care in the military facility, and under CHAMPUS, for back, foot, leg, head, and mouth problems but not teeth does not This seem to be policy problems. logical! . . we are supposed to be concerned with the total health care of our people," he Air Force families have the right to prompt, effective dental care, Air Force officials told the House Armed Services Committee. Brig. Gen. Stanley C. Kolodny, assistant surgeon general for dental services, introduced results of a two-yestudy which found staggering proportions of oral and dental disease. He cited a portion of the report saying "dental care is an essential part of total health care. . . every person has a right to access to necessary dental services." Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force ar continued. rat effective demtfeDl plan which has been presented is a step forward. ... Enlisted men and women. . . are very concerned that their dependents are taken care of." General Kolodny said the American Dental Association estimated more than 70 million Americans are covered by a dental care plan, and predicted more than 99 million by 1985. The Chief said, "Our members certainly deserve benefits equal to those employment-relate- d benefits currently provided over 70 million citizens across the nation." (AFNS) General Kolodny, discussing inadequate care and the high cost of dental care, said, "The cost of obtaining the needed services outside the military health care system creates significant hardships. . . . An even greater problem exists in many overseas areas where alternative sources of dental care are totally inadequate or non-existen- t." Chief McCoy said, "Other families are not seeking any dental care, even though needed, because they simply cannot afford it. The Seirgegastf odbpfedl by AF says ThQnk you, family' (Editor's Note: The following letter to the editor of the Offutt AFB, Neb., Air Pulse, was written by SSgt. Paula F. Edwards-Francie- s, of the Midwest Area ROTC office.) You've said it all! I refer to your recent headline: "The Air Force family. . . there in times of need." The Air Force family adopted me nearly seven years ago. Three weeks earlier, Aug. 24, 1973, my mother was killed accidentally and suddenly. My real family was falling apart all around me. I had been on a delayed Tha Air force wt ixntsyouto stay vith us VK L r--v n n Everything advertised in the Hill Top Times must be made available for purchase, use or patronage without regard to the race, creed, color, national origin or sex of the purchaser, user or patron. n core education. So I politely declined the discharge and have been here ever since. There have been many occasions between now and then when I have needed a substitute family, too numerous to list. I have never lacked emotional, physical or financial support: My "Air Force family" has never let me down. I hope I can return the favor, by never letting it down. - ' I hope my family will understand when I leave of absence starting in take a two-yee January 1981. I'll be attending college as an Air Force Reserve Officers' Training Corps cadet. I will be back though . . . as Lieutenant Francies. I hope to be an even more helpful member of the family, and perhaps to be a substitute "mom" for other young airmen away from home for the first time and very lonely. It hasn't always been a catastrophe that made me appreciate my "family." Sometimes I just needed a friend. Thank you, family. .. . (AFNS) ar full-tim- enlistment and was due to begin active duty Sept. 12. We lived in a very small town; it was only a day before my recruiter called with his sincere sympathies and to offer me a hardship discharge from my commitment. Mom was so proud when I signed on the dotted line, that she wanted to join up, too. (Sadly, she was two years too old.) I knew she would have been disappointed if I had hot gone on to travel my own personal "High Flight." We both knew it was the only way I was going to better myself and get an is co mm i bh gj 3 Aug. A confirmed violation or rejection of this policy of equal opportunities by an advertiser will result in the refusal to print advertising from that source. U-1- 2 Moi Media Sales, Inc.. Ii:2 West Iliverdale Road, Oijden. lHali H !:. Telephone Ogden or MMm I . Son y, classified ads by mail only. Send $:5 to I. O. Box 12:5. Hoy. I tah xkm;", :KM-!M- |