National Health Movement Launches New Chapter in Henderson

Published on Thu, Jan 25, 2018 (5:31 p.m.)

Submitted by Project Save A Mouth (PSAM)

Henderson is now on the national platform for one of the most harrowing health issues facing the nation: poor oral health.

At 6 p.m. on January 17 at the Legacy Golf Club in Henderson, Project Save A Mouth (PSAM), the national organization that educates to improve oral health practices, invited the Henderson public to discuss the growing oral health issue of poor oral health and what steps need be taken to stop it in its tracks. Among the speakers at the event included Becky Goins, a local kindergarten teacher at Jay W. Jeffers Elementary School, Kristin Davis, a Speech Therapist, Councilman Dan Stewart of Ward 4, and Dr. Steve Huang, the oral and maxillofacial surgeon at Henderson Oral Surgery and Dental Implant and the sponsor of the Henderson PSAM chapter.

Dr. Huang kicked off the event with a presentation featuring medical statistics about ways people are affected by poor oral health. Dr. Huang explained that with an unhealthy mouth, harmful bacteria can enter the body through digestion or breathing, inflaming the internal organs and causing respiratory issues.

“Poor oral health can be detrimental to someone’s overall health,” said Dr. Huang. “If untreated, poor oral health can affect your heart, liver, and lungs. Heart disease and diabetes are common for those suffering from poor oral health. That’s why we wanted to bring a Project Save A Mouth chapter to our community – to help change the trajectory of our citizen’s futures.”

Ms. Goins spoke about how poor oral health affects her students’ attendance and academic performance. She also discussed the ramifications that lack of attendance has on school funding, as schools are largely funded based on attendance numbers.

Ms. Davis described her patients with poor oral health as having difficulty with speech and language development, which causes them embarrassment and hindered social skills.

Councilman Stewart spoke about how the community can band together to prevent poor oral health and how important volunteering is. He encouraged the event attendees to sign the PSAM pledge, an agreement to help prevent poor oral health. He also presented Dr. Huang with an official Proclamation from the City of Henderson for his role in bringing Project Save A Mouth to the community.

Project Save A Mouth has other chapters across the country that help increase oral health awareness and practices through handing out flyers to kids, speaking to students about proper oral hygiene, sharing information through social media, and passing out toothbrushes at homeless shelters. The Henderson chapter, now fully launched, will be bringing these events to our local area.

“The Henderson PSAM chapter will be the hub that will educate our community about preventative measures so they won’t have to suffer from the consequences of poor oral hygiene later in life,” said Dr. Huang.

For more information about how to get involved with the Henderson chapter of Project Save A Mouth, visit: https://www.projectsaveamouth.com/henderson/.

To learn more about Henderson Oral Surgery & Dental Implant Center, visit: https://hendersonoralsurgery.com.