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Greetings!
Maternity coaching program
According to
the National Institute for Health Statistics, there are more babies
born in August than any other month. That means this is the time of
year expectant parents could use a little extra guidance as they
prepare for their new arrival. Lucky
for ODS members, the ODS Maternity Coaching program will help them stay
healthy and informed during their pregnancy. As a participant in the ODS Maternity Coaching program, members will:- Work one-on-one with a trained coach over the phone or via e-mail
- Get support and advice throughout their pregnancy
- Receive a free gift
Enrolling is easy
Members can easily enroll in the Maternity Coaching Program by calling 877-277-7281 or sending an e-mail to maternity@odscompanies.com.
10 Things to Do Before Getting Pregnant
Plan when you want to get pregnant and have a baby. Use a safe and reliable form of birth control until you're ready to
get pregnant. Take a multivitamin pill that
contains 400 micrograms of folic acid every day. This reduces the risk of nueral tube birth
defects. Stop smoking, drinking
alcohol, and taking illegal drugs.
Smoking increasing risk for low birth weight and drinking can cause
fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS). Eat healthy and get to your optimal weight. Being overweight can affect fertility and
increase the risk of infections while pregnant and complications during
delivery. Do something active every day. This doesn't have to be going to the
gym. Gardening, cleaning, and taking the stairs at work are all helpful
physical activities. Avoid exposure to chemicals and other harmful substances at work or
home. This could be fertilizers, paints, or cleaning products containing toxic
chemicals. Learn ways to lower your
stress. Find out what your stress triggers are and how to manage them in a
healthy way. Learn about your family history.
Is there a history of pregnancy complications? Get a medical checkup. Talk to your doctor about your family
history, medicines you take, vaccinations, medical conditions, and your
options.
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EOS assists with eligibility updates
Employer Online Services (EOS) is a free service available to all groups seven days a
week giving you direct access to ODS' eligibility system.
With this feature
you have the ability to:
- Enroll members
- Order ID cards
- Update address and personal
information
- Update Primary Care Physician
- Terminate coverage
- View
eligibility
Online Reporting - for groups with 100+ enrolled employees/subscribers
With our commitment to
providing enhanced reporting on large groups, your life just got a little
easier.
To sign up for EOS please
visit our website:
At the bottom of the page
follow the instructions for "Getting Started With Employer Online Services" or to speak to a specialist to assist you in setting up on EOS account
please call 503-265-5680 or toll-free 877-277-7075.
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About dental amalgam fillings (silver fillings)
What is dental
amalgam?
Dental amalgam is a dental filling material used to fill cavities caused
by tooth decay. It has been used for more than 150 years in hundreds of
millions of patients.
Dental amalgam is a mixture of metals, consisting of liquid mercury and
a powdered alloy composed of silver, tin and copper. Approximately 50 percent
of dental amalgam is elemental mercury by weight.
Dental amalgam fillings are also known as "silver fillings" because of
their silver-like appearance.
When placing dental amalgam, the dentist first drills the tooth to
remove the decay and then shapes the tooth cavity for placement of the amalgam
filling. Next, under appropriate safety conditions, the dentist mixes the
powdered alloy with the liquid mercury to form an amalgam putty. This softened amalgam putty is placed in the
prepared cavity, where it hardens into a solid filling.
What should I know
before getting a dental amalgam filling?
Deciding what filling material to use to treat dental decay is a choice
that must be made by you and your dentist.
As you consider your options, you should keep in mind the following
information. Potential benefits: - Dental amalgam fillings are strong and
long-lasting, so they are less likely to break than some other types of
fillings.
- Dental amalgam is the least expensive type
of filling material.
Potential risks:
- Dental amalgam contains elemental mercury.
It releases low levels of mercury vapor that can be inhaled. High levels of
mercury vapor exposure are associated with adverse effects in the brain and the
kidneys.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has reviewed the best
available scientific evidence to determine whether the low levels of mercury
vapor associated with dental amalgam fillings are a cause for concern. Based on
this evidence, FDA considers dental amalgam fillings safe for adults and
children ages six and older. The amount of mercury measured in the bodies of
people with dental amalgam fillings is well below levels associated with
adverse health effects. Even in adults and children ages and older who have fifteen or more amalgam
surfaces, mercury exposure due to dental amalgam fillings has been found to be
far below the lowest levels associated with harm. Clinical studies in adults
and children ages six and older have also found no link between dental amalgam
fillings and health problems.
There is limited clinical information about the potential effects of
dental amalgam fillings on pregnant women and their developing fetuses, and on
children under the age of six, including breastfed infants. However, the
estimated amount of mercury in breast milk attributable to dental amalgam is
low and falls well below general levels for oral intake that the Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) considers safe. The FDA concludes that the existing
data supports a finding that infants are not at risk for adverse health effects
from the breast milk of women exposed to mercury vapor from dental amalgam. The
estimated daily dose of mercury vapor in children under age six with dental
amalgams is also expected to be at or below levels that the EPA and the Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) consider safe. Pregnant or nursing
mothers and parents with young children should talk with their dentists if they
have concerns about dental amalgam.
Some individuals have an allergy or sensitivity to mercury or the other
components of dental amalgam (such as silver, copper or tin). Dental amalgam
might cause these individuals to develop oral lesions or other contact
reactions. If you are allergic to any of the metals in dental amalgam, you
should not get amalgam fillings. You can discuss other treatment options with
your dentist.
Why is mercury used
in dental amalgam?
Approximately half of a dental amalgam filling is liquid mercury and the
other half is a powdered alloy of silver, tin and copper. Mercury is used to
bind the alloy particles together into a strong, durable, and solid filling.
Mercury's unique properties (it is the only metal that is a liquid at room
temperature and that bonds well with the powdered alloy) make it an important
component of dental amalgam that contributes to its durability.
Is the mercury in
dental amalgam the same as the mercury in some types of fish?
No. There are several different chemical forms of mercury: elemental
mercury, inorganic mercury and methylmercury. The form of mercury associated
with dental amalgam is elemental mercury, which releases mercury vapor. The
form of mercury found in fish is methylmercury, a type of organic mercury.
Mercury vapor is mainly absorbed by the lungs. Methylmercury is mainly absorbed
through the digestive tract. The body processes these forms of mercury differently
and has different levels of tolerance for mercury vapor and methylmercury.
Methylmercury is more toxic than mercury vapor.
If I am concerned
about the mercury in dental amalgam, should I have my fillings removed?
If your fillings are in good condition and there is no decay beneath the
filling, the FDA does not recommend that you have your amalgam fillings removed
or replaced. Removing sound amalgam fillings results in unnecessary loss of
healthy tooth structure and exposes you to additional mercury vapor released
during the removal process.
However, if you believe you have an allergy or sensitivity to mercury or
any of the other metals in dental amalgam (such as silver, tin or copper), you
should discuss treatment options with your dentist.
This article is
reprinted with permission from the U.S.
Food and Drug Administration
www.fda.gov
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ODS, OEBB and dentists partner to provide dental care to children
We all know the negative effects
poor oral health can have on a child, developmentally, socially and
academically. Oregon remains a state where far too many children suffer poor
oral health. To combat this issue, ODS and the Oregon Educators Benefit Board
(OEBB) are launching an effort we call The Children's Program, a groundbreaking
plan to address this situation where participating Oregon dentists will provide
dental services for uninsured six to 12 year-olds throughout our state.
Working with Oregon schools, county
health departments, hospital emergency rooms and pediatricians to identify
children in need of care, ODS will refer patients to participating dentists for
treatment. This new initiative will provide access to basic dental services for
uninsured six to 12 year-olds at no charge once they have been enrolled in the
program.
There will be zero patient
responsibility for services covered. This program will let us help children
improve their health and their confidence.
The dentists of Oregon are to be
thanked for their participation, for without them, this program could not
exist.
For more information on the Children's Program ODS website.
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Making our children healthier
ODS is proud to partner with We
Can!tm (Ways to Enhance Children's Activity
& Nutrition), a national movement designed to give parents,
caregivers and entire communities a way to help children 8 to 13 years old stay
at a healthy weight through improved food choices, increased physical activity
and reduced screen time. Created by the National Institutes of Health, the
nation's medical research agency, We Can! provides families and
communities with science-based educational materials and curricula to prevent
childhood overweight and obesity.
Why work with We Can!?
ODS is committed to helping our members get and stay healthy - and healthy
behaviors established early in life can have lasting positive effects. ODS
chose to partner with the National Institutes of Health's We Can!
program because it is unique among existing youth obesity-prevention
initiatives in its focus on reaching parents, families and caregivers as a
primary group for influencing young people.
For more details and resources about the We Can! program, visit
the ODS website
or the NHLBI.
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