Dover – With children still munching their way through all of that Halloween candy and looking forward to holiday treats, that means higher sugar consumption which can impact the health of young teeth and even lead to cavities. Research shows dental sealants which shield the back teeth could prevent up to 80 percent of cavities in school-aged children. Yet according to a CDC report, about 60 percent of school children ages 6-11 years don’t get dental sealants.

That’s why the Division of Public Health (DPH) is seeking dentists wishing to use their skills to help Delaware’s children in the Seal-A-Smile program which brings the dental office to local schools. Too many children still lack access to regular dental care. The program travels all across the state in the Mobile Dental Clinic, visiting elementary schools to provide preventive dental services to children who do not have dental homes.

During the 2015-2016 academic year, the Seal-A-Smile program visited 25 schools statewide and provided oral exams to over 400 children. Seventy-three percent of those children received dental sealants, a thin plastic coating that is applied to molars for cavity protection, and a total of 919 teeth were sealed. However, nearly half of the children who were screened were diagnosed with untreated cavities, and seven percent of the students overall had conditions that required emergency treatment. Many of these children are from lower income families, receive free or reduced lunch and despite the fact that they are Medicaid eligible, do not regularly see a dentist.

CDC research shows that low-income children are 20 percent less likely to have sealants than higher-income children. Additionally, lack of dental care can have a profound impact on children’s health, development, and self-esteem.

“Many children with untreated cavities will have difficulty eating, speaking, and learning,” said DPH Director Dr. Karyl Rattay. “School-based dental programs are an effective way to get oral health care to children and help children lead a healthy, normal life.”

DPH is asking local dentists to contribute 2-3 hours of their time per shift, to assist in its mission to promote oral health and disease prevention among Delaware’s children. There is no minimum or maximum limit to the number of times a dentist can volunteer during the school year. With the help of volunteering dentists, DPH seeks to reach more schools across the state to provide these much needed dental services.

Dentists interested in participating in the Seal-A-Smile program can find the program flyer and participation form at http://www.dhss.delaware.gov/dhss/dph/hsm/files/sealasmilevolunteerflyer.pdf. Questions can be directed to 302-744-4554.

A person who is deaf, hard-of-hearing, deaf-blind or speech-disabled can call the DPH phone number above by using TTY services. Dial 7-1-1 or 800-232-5460 to type your conversation to a relay operator, who reads your conversation to a hearing person at DPH. The relay operator types the hearing person’s spoken words back to the TTY user. To learn more about TTY availability in Delaware, visit http://delawarerelay.com.

Delaware Health and Social Services is committed to improving the quality of the lives of Delaware’s citizens by promoting health and well-being, fostering self-sufficiency, and protecting vulnerable populations. DPH, a division of DHSS, urges Delawareans to make healthier choices with the 5-2-1 Almost None campaign: eat 5 or more fruits and vegetables each day, have no more than 2 hours of recreational screen time each day (includes TV, computer, gaming), get 1 or more hours of physical activity each day, and drink almost no sugary beverages.

DOVER – You’d like to quit smoking. You’ve been meaning to quit but you just haven’t picked a date yet. How about Thursday November 17, 2016? That’s the date set by the American Cancer Society for its Great American Smoke Out!

The Division of Public Health (DPH) is encouraging you if you smoke, or you know someone who smokes, to use the date to create a quit smoking plan. By quitting, even for one day, smokers take an important step toward a healthier life and reducing their risk of cancer, diabetes, lung disease, and heart disease.

About 40 million Americans still smoke cigarettes, and tobacco use remains the single largest preventable cause of disease and premature death in the world. In Delaware, cigarette smoking adults was at an all-time low of 17.4 percent, according to the 2015 Behavioral Risk Factor Survey (BRFS). And that means that nearly one in five Delawareans still smokes, risking their health and the health of those around them every day.

While cigarette smoking rates have dropped nationally since the 1960s, cigar, pipe, and hookah – other dangerous and addictive ways to smoke tobacco – are very much on the rise. Additionally, though smoking among teens is also at an all-time low, DPH is aware of the increasing use of electronic vaporizing devices (e-cigarettes) among that population. Delaware public high school students reporting “current use” of e-cigarettes through the 2015 Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) jumped from 2.1 percent in 2012 to 23.5 percent in 2015, and approximately 40.5 percent of Delaware public high school students said they have tried e-cigarettes.

In 2014, Delaware banned the sale of e-cigarettes to minors and in 2015, Delaware’s Clean Indoor Air Act was expanded to include prohibiting the use of e-cigarettes and other electronic vapor devices in workplaces and indoor public places.

“Smoking kills people – there is no “safe” way to smoke tobacco,” said Department of Health and Social Services Secretary Rita Landgraf. “I am proud to say Delaware has been a leader in the effort to create healthy, smoke-free, indoor workplaces and public places for our citizens, but we must continue the fight. Too many people still smoke and too many teens are experimenting with e-cigarettes. ”

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 85 percent to 90 percent of lung cancers are caused by tobacco use. DPH continues to remind smokers of the dangers of secondhand smoke, both to children and other adults. Secondhand smoke can also aggravate the symptoms of asthma and COPD.

“Lung cancer remains the most commonly diagnosed cancer in Delaware and the nation. Quitting tobacco and other smoking products isn’t easy, but it’s worth it,” said DPH Director Dr. Karyl Rattay. “It’s a process that starts one day at a time, and the Division of Public Health has a variety of resources to help you start and be successful in your journey to leading a tobacco-free life.”

The Delaware Quitline provides free tobacco cessation counseling services for Delaware residents who are 18 years of age and older. When a person calls the toll-free Quitline number (1-866-409-1858), they have the option to receive cessation counseling over the phone and, unique to Delaware, can opt to receive counseling in person by a local health care professional trained in cessation. Some participants may qualify for free pharmaceutical cessation aids such as patches, gum, nasal spray and prescription medicines. Since its inception in 2001, there have been over 100,000 calls to the Quitline with over 50,000 enrolling in cessation services. Through November 2016, all participants enrolled in either phone or face-to-face counseling can receive free pharmaceutical cessation aids while supplies last.

For those who may need some assistance and don’t feel the Quitline is right for them, QuitSupport.com offers a free web-based option. This online cessation counseling service makes quit coaches available to provide tips on quitting tobacco. For individuals under the age of 18, Not- On-Tobacco (NOT) is a cessation service available at most school wellness centers. Contact 1-800 LUNGUSA for more details on the NOT program.

There are many benefits to quitting tobacco products, some which can be noticed right away:

• Food tastes better.
• Your sense of smell returns to normal.
• Your breath, hair, and clothes smell better.
• Your teeth and fingernails stop yellowing.
• Ordinary activities leave you less out of breath (for example, climbing stairs or light housework).
• You can be in smoke-free buildings without having to go outside to smoke.

Within minutes of smoking your last cigarette, your body begins to recover. Here are some short, and long-term health benefits:
• 20 minutes after quitting – Your heart rate and blood pressure drop.
• 12 hours after quitting – The carbon monoxide level in your blood drops to normal.
• 2 weeks to 3 months after quitting – Your circulation improves and your lung function increases.
• 1 to 9 months after quitting – Coughing and shortness of breath decrease. Tiny hair-like structures that move mucus out of the lungs (called cilia) start to regain normal function in your lungs, increasing their ability to handle mucus, clean the lungs, and reduce the risk of infection.
• 1 year after quitting – The excess risk of coronary heart disease is half that of someone who still smokes. Your heart attack risk drops dramatically.

Quitting also helps stop the damaging effects of tobacco on how you look, including premature wrinkling of your skin, gum disease, and tooth loss.

For more information about tobacco cessation, visit DPH’s Tobacco Prevention and Control Program.

A person who is deaf, hard-of-hearing, deaf-blind or speech-disabled can call the DPH phone number above by using TTY services. Dial 7-1-1 or 800-232-5460 to type your conversation to a relay operator, who reads your conversation to a hearing person at DPH. The relay operator types the hearing person’s spoken words back to the TTY user. To learn more about TTY availability in Delaware, visit http://delawarerelay.com.

Delaware Health and Social Services is committed to improving the quality of the lives of Delaware’s citizens by promoting health and well-being, fostering self-sufficiency, and protecting vulnerable populations. DPH, a division of DHSS, urges Delawareans to make healthier choices with the 5-2-1 Almost None campaign: eat 5 or more fruits and vegetables each day, have no more than 2 hours of recreational screen time each day (includes TV, computer, gaming), get 1 or more hours of physical activity each day, and drink almost no sugary beverages.

DOVER – Today, Delaware’s Division of Public Health (DPH) announced flu is officially confirmed in all three counties with new lab-confirmed cases in New Castle and Sussex counties. The first New Castle County cases include a 77-year-old woman who was discharged following a hospital stay, and a 64-year-old male. No deaths have been reported.

The first Sussex case was an infant who is recovering at home. None of the new cases had records that they have received their flu vaccine this season.

These cases join two other lab-confirmed cases in Kent County, 27-year-old and 39-year-old men. Neither were hospitalized. There are two main types of influenza (flu) virus – types A and B – that routinely spread in people and are responsible for seasonal flu outbreaks each year.

“Now is the time to get vaccinated. We understand none of the Delaware cases were immunized, which is not uncommon this early in the season,” said DPH Director Dr. Karyl Rattay. “But vaccination is our most effective weapon against preventing the flu and its severity. Public Health recommends getting a flu vaccine every year.”

Finding a nearby flu clinic or vaccination site is easier than ever before. Google “CDC flu finder,” enter your ZIP code, and find nearby sites offering vaccinations.

Added DPH Medical Director Dr. Awe Maduka-Ezeh, an infectious disease specialist, “It takes about two weeks after vaccination for your body to develop antibodies protect you from the flu so now is the time to get vaccinated before the busy holiday season begins. The flu vaccine is readily available through medical providers, pharmacies, and some grocery stores.”

Flu symptoms come on suddenly, and include fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, headaches and body aches, and fatigue. Some people get complications including pneumonia, bronchitis, and sinus and ear infections. Providers can prescribe antiviral medicines to make the illness milder, hasten recovery, and prevent serious complications, hospitalizations, and even death. DPH monitors the occurrence of influenza-like illnesses in hospitals, selected long-term care facilities, and medical clinics to track flu trends in the state.

In addition to vaccination, Delawareans can prevent the spread of the flu and other respiratory illness with good hygiene:
· Wash hands often with soap and water.
· Use hand sanitizer with 60 percent alcohol.
· Cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue or aiming for your inside elbow.
· Stay six feet away from others who are coughing or sneezing, and avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth.

Persons with flu-like illness should stay home from work, school, and other gatherings and not return until free of fever – 100 F (37.8 C), without the use of fever-reducing medications for at least 24 hours.

DPH is hosting public flu clinics, including some with evening hours, at various locations. For more information on flu clinics, influenza prevention, diagnosis, and treatment, call DPH at 800-282-8672 or visit flu.delaware.gov.

A person who is deaf, hard-of-hearing, deaf-blind or speech-disabled can call the DPH phone number above by using TTY services. Dial 7-1-1 or 800-232-5460 to type your conversation to a relay operator, who reads your conversation to a hearing person at DPH. The relay operator types the hearing person’s spoken words back to the TTY user. To learn more about TTY availability in Delaware, visit http://delawarerelay.com.

Delaware Health and Social Services is committed to improving the quality of the lives of Delaware’s citizens by promoting health and well-being, fostering self-sufficiency, and protecting vulnerable populations. DPH, a division of DHSS, urges Delawareans to make healthier choices with the 5-2-1 Almost None campaign: eat 5 or more fruits and vegetables each day, have no more than 2 hours of recreational screen time each day (includes TV, computer, gaming), get 1 or more hours of physical activity each day, and drink almost no sugary beverages.

DOVER – The Division of Public Health would like to remind property owners that funding is available to support the many small and older cemeteries that often lack the funds for long-term care and maintenance. The Distressed Cemetery Fund was established in 2009 to provide for the preservation of cemeteries by supporting repair and improvement projects that are outside normal maintenance activities. Cemeteries must be registered before they can apply for Distressed Cemetery Funds.

The Fund, which is overseen by the Delaware Cemetery Board, is maintained by receiving $2.00 from every death certificate sold and registration fees. Individuals and organizations may also make contributions or bequests to the Distressed Cemetery Fund. The maximum amount available from the Fund to each cemetery is $10,000 every two years, but a financial assistance request must be matched with real dollars and/or documented volunteer hours.

Applications must be submitted two weeks before a scheduled board meeting, along with pictures of the area needing repairs, financial information, a small scale map, and three written vendor quotes. By receiving funds, the applicant must agree to erect a sign (if none exist) with the cemetery name and contact telephone number in case of an emergency or vandalism. A written closeout report is required six months after the receipt of the award, along with pictures of the work completed, canceled checks to the vendor, and vendor invoices paid. In the past, funds have been used to repair tombstones/monuments, repair or replace fences/stonewalls/gates, landscaping, remove trees and brush, purchase or repair lawn equipment, purchase sheds, topsoil and seeding, conducting of perimeter surveys and plot plans.

In Fiscal Year 2016, seven cemeteries received awards totaling $62,437.50. Funds were used to repair and restore tombstones, fences, stone walls, and gates, and to remove trees and brush. The seven cemeteries are:

· Hartly United Methodist Church Cemetery
· Little Creek Friends Burial Ground
· Montgomery Family Cemetery
· Mt. Zion Cemetery
· Riverview Cemetery
· Sailors Bethel United Methodist Church Cemetery
· Wilmington & Brandywine Cemetery

The next Delaware Cemetery Board meeting will be held at 10:30 a.m., November 9, 2016, at the Modern Maturity Center, East Conference Room, 1121 Forrest Ave., Dover. Meeting information can be found on the State’s Public Meeting Calendar.

The Division of Public Health (DPH) would like to remind cemetery owners that state law requires them to register cemeteries with the Division every five years (or until a change in ownership). The registration form can be found on DPH’s website. The registration fee is $10.00 and fines may be charged for expired registrations.

The five members of the Delaware Cemetery Board are appointed by the Secretary of the Department of Health and Social Services, with administrative support provided by the Division of Public Health. In addition to administering the Fund, the Cemetery Board is authorized to: promulgate rules and regulations for the registration of cemeteries; designate a cemetery as “distressed” based on standards set forth in the rules and regulations; authorize payment to a distressed cemetery from the Fund; require a thorough accounting of each recipient’s use of money from the Fund; receive and forward to appropriate agencies of the State, or other organizations, complaints from any person relating to a Delaware cemetery; and address specific cemetery issues as requested by the Governor or the General Assembly.

All theft or vandalism should immediately be reported to the local police. The Board refers complaints to the police, Delaware Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Agency, the Better Business Bureau, or city/county officials.

To learn about registering a cemetery, or for more information on the Distressed Cemetery Fund visit: http://dhss.delaware.gov/dhss/dph/hp/DECB.html and http://delcode.delaware.gov/title29/c079a/index.shtml (29 Del. C., c. 79A).

A person who is deaf, hard-of-hearing, deaf-blind or speech-disabled can call the DPH phone number above by using TTY services. Dial 7-1-1 or 800-232-5460 to type your conversation to a relay operator, who reads your conversation to a hearing person at DPH. The relay operator types the hearing person’s spoken words back to the TTY user. To learn more about TTY availability in Delaware, visit http://delawarerelay.com.

Delaware Health and Social Services is committed to improving the quality of the lives of Delaware’s citizens by promoting health and well-being, fostering self-sufficiency, and protecting vulnerable populations. DPH, a division of DHSS, urges Delawareans to make healthier choices with the 5-2-1 Almost None campaign: eat 5 or more fruits and vegetables each day, have no more than 2 hours of recreational screen time each day (includes TV, computer, gaming), get 1 or more hours of physical activity each day, and drink almost no sugary beverages.

DOVER – More than 160 emergency preparedness stakeholders attended the fifth annual Public Health Preparedness Symposium this week at Delaware Technical Community College’s Terry Campus in Dover. The Division of Public Health (DPH), Emergency Medical Services and Preparedness Section, planned the event for representatives of federal, state, and local government, and non-governmental organizations as a way to enhance communications between DPH and its stakeholders.

“DPH appreciates this opportunity to bring our partners together to have in-depth discussions about the state of emergency preparedness in Delaware,” said Dr. Karyl Rattay, DPH director. “Constant communication is critical so that when faced with a public health emergency, everyone is confident in their role and how to work cooperatively with other agencies to save lives and prevent the spread of potential diseases.”

Five plenary sessions with four breakout sessions covered topics including: Stop the bleeding, persons with access and functional needs, Delaware Overdose Survival Education (DOSE), and the Delaware Medical Reserve Corps (DMRC). Attendees also heard from Dr. Christina Herndon who assisted in the response to the Boston Marathon Bombing and discussed her experiences. Dr. Herndon then participated in a panel discussion on the topic of mental health issues during and after disasters along with representatives from the Department of Health and Social Services’ Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health and Delaware State Police

Health threats are constantly evolving. Real or potential threats to Delaware have included H1N1, Ebola, Zika, Avian influenza, MERS, and whatever strains are circulating during the annual flu season, among others. Examples of DPH’s planning and preparedness efforts in the last year include leading Ebola planning and response efforts, the creation of a Zika Action Team, joining DEMA and the Citizens Corps to roll out the refreshed PrepareDE.org website, spearheading the planning of a health care facility evacuation exercise at Beebe Healthcare in Lewes, and drilling the Division’s ability to mass vaccinate the community at two recent flu clinics.

Funding for the symposium came from the CDC Public Health Emergency Preparedness (PHEP) grant. For Delaware preparedness resources, visit the PrepareDE.org website.

A person who is deaf, hard-of-hearing, deaf-blind or speech-disabled can call the DPH phone number above by using TTY services. Dial 7-1-1 or 800-232-5460 to type your conversation to a relay operator, who reads your conversation to a hearing person at DPH. The relay operator types the hearing person’s spoken words back to the TTY user. To learn more about TTY availability in Delaware, visit http://delawarerelay.com.

Delaware Health and Social Services is committed to improving the quality of the lives of Delaware’s citizens by promoting health and well-being, fostering self-sufficiency, and protecting vulnerable populations. DPH, a division of DHSS, urges Delawareans to make healthier choices with the 5-2-1 Almost None campaign: eat 5 or more fruits and vegetables each day, have no more than 2 hours of recreational screen time each day (includes TV, computer, gaming), get 1 or more hours of physical activity each day, and drink almost no sugary beverages.