tosurvival MAMMOGRAMS SAVE LIVES

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1 the key to the good life is a great plan third Quarter 2009 the right care We want you to get the right care at the right time and at the right place. We don t want you to get too little care or care you don t really need. We also have to make sure that the care you get is covered. Only doctors and pharmacists decide what is covered. We do not reward anyone for saying no to needed care. a publication just for you from 6PREVENTION thesecret tosurvival MAMMOGRAMS SAVE LIVES Breast cancer can be cured if it is found early. There are more than 2 million breast cancer survivors in America. What is their secret? Early detection. About 15,000 lives would be saved in the United States each year if every woman: g examined her breasts monthly g got regular mammograms (X-rays of the breasts) Women should have their first mammogram when they turn 40. After that, they should have mammograms every 1 2 years. Mammograms can find breast cancer up to two years before you can feel a lump. TALK TO YOUR DOCTOR Learn about your breast cancer risk factors. You may need a mammogram at a younger age. PRSRT STD U.S. Postage PAID AmeriChoice United Health Group AmeriChoice 8 Cadillac Drive, Suite 100 Brentwood, TN AMC-011-TN

2 6PREVENTION 6sexual health check it out CHLAMYDIA IS EASY TO GET, EASY TO DETECT, EASY TO TREAT your best shot IMMUNIZATIONS KEEP KIDS HEALTHY Years ago many children died from common diseases. Today, those diseases are rare. This is because children now get vaccines to keep them from getting sick. It s important for all children, from babies through teens, to get the right shots at the right time. KEEP TRACK Keep a record of what shots your child gets and when. Share this list with any new providers you see. Make copies of this list so you can give them to child care, schools, camps or sports programs. Shots for babies (birth 15 months) g HepB: Hepatitis B (3 doses) g HepA: Hepatitis A (2 doses) g DTaP: Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis (4 doses) g Hib: Haemophilus influenzae type b (3 4 doses) g IPV: Polio (3 doses) g PCV: Pneumococcal (4 doses) g RV: Rotavirus (2 3 doses) g MMR: Measles, Mumps, Rubella (1 dose) g Varicella: Chickenpox (1 dose) g Influenza (yearly) Booster shots for children (4 6 years) g DTaP: Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis g IPV: Polio g MMR: Measles, Mumps, Rubella g Varicella: Chickenpox g Influenza (yearly) Shots for pre-teens (11 12 years) g Tdap: Tetanus, Diphtheria, Pertussis g HPV: Human Papillomavirus (3 doses, girls only) g MCV: Meningococcal g Influenza (yearly) g PPSV: Pneumococcal* g HepA: Hepatitis A* * if at high risk Chlamydia is very common. You get it by having sex with a person who has it. It can cause serious problems in men and women. It can make women unable to get pregnant. It can also affect newborn babies of infected mothers. Most people with chlamydia have no symptoms. The best way to see if you have it is to get tested. The test is done on urine 8More than 1million women in the U.S. get chlamydia each year. sun kissed WHAT THE SPF NUMBER ON SUNSCREEN MEANS 8Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the U.S. 6Healthy lifestyles SPF stands for Sun Protection Factor (SPF). The way it works is that the sunscreen will protect you from sunburn for as long as it would take you to burn without it, times the SPF. So, if you would burn in 10 minutes, an SPF 30 sunscreen would protect you for 300 minutes. However, this figure only works in a lab. In real life, sunscreen wears off after about an hour. It s still very important to use sunscreen. It helps prevent skin cancer and also wrinkles. Wear moisturizer or makeup with sunscreen every day. If you are going to be outdoors for a while, apply a thick coating of sunscreen. Put on more after an hour or after swimming or sweating. BABY SOFT SKIN Start using sunscreen on babies when they are 6 months old. For younger babies, keep skin covered with light clothing and a wide brimmed hat. Use the canopy on the stroller or car seat to provide shade. 2 health talk

3 and is fast, easy and painless. All sexually active women should get tested each year. It s even more important for women under 25. Chlamydia is treated with antibiotics. It s important to take all the medicine. If you don t, the infection may come back. Your partner should also get tested and treated if necessary. To prevent chlamydia, use a condom every time you have sex. OK FOR OB Annual OB/GYN i checkups are a covered benefit. Call your health plan if you need to find a provider. Know your Numbers COUNT ON A HEALTHY HEART Heart disease is the number one cause of death in the United States. If your blood pressure, cholesterol or weight is too high, you could hurt your heart. Knowing your numbers can help keep your heart healthy. BLOOD PRESSURE IDEAL BLOOD PRESSURE: LESS THAN 120/80 High blood pressure makes the heart work harder to pump blood and oxygen through the body. HITTING THE NUMBER You can lower your blood pressure with a healthy lifestyle. Limiting salt and alcohol, losing weight and exercising can lower blood pressure. If lifestyle changes are not enough, medications can help. <120/80 CHOLESTEROL <200 IDEAL TOTAL CHOLESTEROL: LESS THAN 200 Cholesterol is a fatty substance in your blood. HDL is good cholesterol and LDL is the bad kind. Too much LDL can clog your arteries. HITTING THE NUMBER Eating right and exercising can lower your cholesterol. If that is not enough, your doctor may put you on cholesterol-lowering drugs. WEIGHT CONTROL IDEAL BODY MASS INDEX (BMI): LESS THAN 27 Your body mass index (BMI) is based on your height and weight. Having a high BMI is bad for your heart. HITTING THE NUMBER Your doctor can tell you your BMI. There are also BMI calculators on the Internet. Here s another way to find your BMI: 1 Multiply your height in inches by your height in inches. 2 Divide your weight in pounds by the answer to #1. 3 Multiply the answer to #2 by Round the answer to #3 to get your BMI. <27 ON THE WEB There are tools online that can help you manage your heart health. See the American Heart Association at You can track your blood pressure, take a cholesterol quiz, calculate your BMI and more. THIRD quarter

4 6TENNderCare make call the TENNderCARE members can get mental health, vision and dental services without a referral from their PCP. Here s how: 6doral dental Holeymoleyy Cavities are caused by bacteria Cavities are holes in the teeth. Caries are areas of tooth decay that can turn into cavities. Caries are caused by normal bacteria in the mouth. This bacteria thrives when there is too much sugar in the mouth. caries can be caused by: g not enough saliva (spit). g eating foods with lots of sugar and starch. g frequent nursing/bottle feeding. g transmission this infection is contagious by exchange of saliva! Fillings fix cavities. Caries must be treated by a dentist to keep them from turning into cavities. Caries can be prevented with good dental habits. Help your child: g brush twice daily with fluoride toothpaste (starting at age 2). g clean between teeth daily with floss. g eat healthy foods and limit snacks. g see a dentist every six months for a checkup and cleaning. Starting regular dental care early is best for your child s health. But it is never too late to start seeing the dentist. A healthy smile Dentists have known for a long time that having a healthy mouth helps you have a healthy body. To stay healthy, children should see a dentist every six months. They should also brush and floss their teeth daily. Children on TennCare have TENNderCARE (EPSDT) dental services until they reach the age of 21. These services include regular six-month checkups at no charge, fluoride treatments and sealants. well child care questions? Call Doral Member Services at (TTY ) or visit We can help you find a dentist, answer questions about your TennCare dental benefits and get you interpretation, translation or transportation services. 4 health talk

5 FOR MENTAL HEALTH CARE Call Americhoice at (TTY ) to be referred to a participating mental health professional. FOR VISION CARE Call Spectera at (TTY ) to find a participating eye doctor. FOR DENTAL CARE Call Doral Dental at (TTY ) to find a participating dentist. how Tennderc a r e h e l p s k e e p children Healthy TENNderCARE is Tennessee s EPSDT program. EPSDT stands for Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnosis and Treatment. TENNderCare is a full program of checkups and health care services for children and teens in TennCare. It pays for all medications and care necessary to help your child. Children and teens, from birth until age 21, should get regular doctor visits and other health checkups. what does a child s checkup include? g health history g complete physical exam g lab tests (as appropriate) g immunizations g vision/hearing screening g developmental/behavioral screening (as appropriate) g advice on how to keep your child healthy Do I need permission for a TENNderCARE checkup? No. You do not need permission from AmeriChoice for TENNderCare checkups. Just call your child s doctor to schedule one. Your child may need special care from other doctors at times. Your child s doctor will arrange this. Some of these doctors may not belong to our network. In that case, your doctor must first call AmeriChoice for permission. Need help? If you need help scheduling your TENNderCare visit, getting any services recommended at the visit or arranging transportation, please call checkup checklist Your child should have checkups at these ages: c birth c 3 to 5 days old c 1 month old c 2 months old c 4 months old c 6 months old c 9 months old c 12 months old pregnant? c 15 months old c 18 months old c 24 months old c 30 months old c Then, take your child to the doctor for a checkup every year from ages 3 to 20. Your children can also have doctor visits at other times if needed. For example, a teacher might see something that calls for a doctor visit. How to get help quitting smoking To help women stop smoking during pregnancy, the Tennessee Tobacco QuitLine is a toll-free service that provides personalized support for Tennesseans who want to quit smoking or chewing tobacco. The Tennessee Tobacco QuitLine links pregnant women who call with quit coaches who understand the special needs and concerns of pregnant smokers. Telephone quitlines have been shown to be one of the most successful ways of helping people quit smoking. g The QuitLine number is QUIT-NOW ( ). It s FREE! It is available Monday through Friday 8 a.m. 11 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m. 6 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m. 5 p.m., Eastern time. Counseling is available in both Spanish and English. g The QuitLine Web site is tn.us/tobaccoquitline.htm. THIRD quarter

6 6about your plan make a plan ADVANCE DIRECTIVES AND DECLARATION OF MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT Advance directives are your written wishes about what you want to happen if you get too sick to be able to say. A Living Will or Advance Care Plan is an advance directive for medical care. A Declaration of Mental Health Treatment is an advance directive for mental health care. let s see ID As a TennCare and Ameri- Choice member, you have the responsibility to show your AmeriChoice ID card whenever you get health care. If you have other insurance, you must show that card, too. Always carry your AmeriChoice card. In case of an emergency, doctors will know that you have TennCare and AmeriChoice. Your ID card has lots of important information on it that your doctors will need in order to give you the very best service. By showing your card each time you get health care, your doctor can make sure all of the services you need are covered for you. This helps make sure that your bills are sent to AmeriChoice and you are not charged any extra money. LOSE IT? If you have lost your ID card, you can request another one by calling AmeriChoice at Living will and Advance Care Plan Machines and medicine can keep people alive when they otherwise might die. Under the Tennessee Right to Natural Death Act, you can decide how and when you want to be kept alive. You share your wishes with your family and doctors using a Living Will or Advance Care Plan. Declaration for Mental Health Treatment A Declaration for Mental Health Treatment is a document that allows you to say what treatment you want and don t want when you are mentally ill. It takes effect only when you are too sick mentally to make good decisions about your mental health treatment. Anyone 16 years of age or older can make one. If you fill out these papers, make four copies. g Give one copy to your PCP to put in your medical file. g Give one copy to your behavioral health provider. g Give one copy to the person who will make a medical or mental health treatment decision for you. g Keep a copy to put with your important papers. Advance Care Plans and Declarations for Mental Health Treatment are not required. You do not need to have them if you don t want them. It is your choice. You may want to talk to a lawyer or friend before you fill out these papers. 6 health talk GET YOURS Ask your doctor or see your member handbook for an advance directive form. You can get a member handbook at www. uhcrivervalley.com/members or by calling You may also request a copy of the AmeriChoice advance directive policy. A Declaration for Mental Health Treatment form is available at or from your mental health provider.

7 6prescription drugs on themove? Changing Your Address with TennCare Have you moved? Are you planning to move? It is important to change your address with TennCare. You do this by contacting the Department of Human Services (DHS). There are two easy ways that you can change your address: By phone Call the DHS Family Assistance Service Center Help Desk. The toll-free number is You will be asked for your name as it appears in the TennCare or DHS records, your new and previous addresses and your Social Security number. You will need to fax or mail a copy of a bill or lease that has your name and the new address on it. You will be given the fax number or address to send it to. In person You may go to any DHS office. Locations are usually listed in the blue pages of your telephone book. You will need the same information as when you call. You will need to bring your Tennessee driver s license or state identification card and a copy of a bill or lease with your name and the new address on it. safety first 5 TIPS FOR MEDICATION SAFETY 1 KNOW YOUR DRUGS Ask about their names and possible side effects. Know why you need them. Ask how to take them, how much to take and how often to take them. Never take more or less of a drug without talking to your doctor. 2 AVOID INTERACTIONS Tell your doctor and pharmacist about any other drugs or supplements you are taking. Fill all your prescriptions at the same pharmacy or go to a chain store that can see your records from any of its stores. 3 DON T STOP You may feel better before the medicine is gone. But keep taking it for as long as your doctor tells you to. With some drugs, you must finish the entire prescription for it to work. success story How Healthy First Steps Helped a Mother-to-be Pregnancy can be the greatest time in a woman's life. It is also a time to take good care of yourself and lead a healthy life for you and your baby. Early and regular prenatal care is crucial to you and your child s health. Taking part in good prenatal care can help stop many medical problems for you and your baby. Our Healthy First Steps program gives pregnant mothers the information, education and support they need. This helps lower any health risks during this special time. Healthy First Steps helps you form healthy habits. These habits can greatly decrease problems in your pregnancy. Recently a mother who joined the Healthy First Steps program delivered twins at 38 weeks. The birth weights of the babies were 6 lbs., 5 oz. and 6 lbs., 13 oz. The member was a first-time mom who was active in the Healthy First Steps program. 4 HEED ALL WARNINGS Ask your doctor about any foods, beverages or activities you should avoid while taking a drug. 5 WATCH OUT FOR SIDE EFFECTS Many medicines have side effects. If you feel side effects, talk with your doctor. i IT S LISTED AmeriChoice uses a formulary. This is a list of covered prescription drugs. Using generic or formulary drugs saves money. Find out if your medicine is on the formulary. Call or see THIRD quarter

8 6Behavioral Health did you know? Prescription drug abuse is a big problem. More than 6 million Americans take painkillers or other medicines to get high. In some places, abuse of these drugs is now the leading cause of death for young people. Some facts: g 2.1 million teens report abusing prescription drugs. g 10 percent of 12th graders have used the painkiller Vicodin to get high. g 40 percent of high school students say painkillers are easy to get. They take them from their own home or a relative s home, or they get them from a friend. 6Behavioral Health 6PREVENTION the waiting game Is Your behavioral health Appointment Timely? Care for mental health or substance abuse begins with an intake appointment. Your intake counselor might decide that you need another type of care. You might need special counseling, medicine, intense therapy or drug or alcohol treatment. If you need special behavioral health care, it must start within 14 days of your intake. It could start in less than 14 days if you have an urgent need. If your new care is not given within 14 days, please call our Customer Service number at Our staff will help you try to get the care you need sooner. If you have to travel more than you normally would, you can ask us for help with getting a ride. haveheart Avoid the Number One Killer of Women Heart disease and strokes kill almost a half million women in the United States every year. That s one death per minute. Combined, they are the number one killer of women. Not every person is at equal risk for cardiovascular disease. The more risk factors you have, the more important it is to see your doctor. Risk factors include: g FAMILY HISTORY Genetics do play a factor. g AGE Four out of five people who die of heart disease are age 65 or older. g RACE Black women have a greater risk than white women. g HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE As blood pressure rises, so does the risk of heart disease. g DIABETES The risk is even higher if blood sugar is not controlled. g OBESITY Extra weight makes the heart work harder and raises blood pressure and cholesterol. g HIGH CHOLESTEROL As cholesterol rises, so does the risk of heart disease. g CIGARETTE SMOKING Smokers have twice the risk of heart attack as nonsmokers. KNOW YOUR RISKS If you are at increased risk for cardiovascular disease, talk to your doctor about tests you should have or medications you should take to prevent heart disease and stroke. 8 health talk

9 6PREVENTION 6Chronic Conditions 8Copd is the fourth leading cause of death in the United States. CHF and COPD teen spirit CHECKUPS ARE IMPORTANT FOR OLDER KIDS, TOO Did you know that all children over the age of 3 should get a checkup every year? Even teenagers need a checkup at least once a year. Many older children and teenagers do not get a yearly checkup. But these checkups are really important. They allow the doctor or nurse practitioner to make sure your child is growing and developing well. Your child s primary care provider has special training to talk with your child about ways to be safe and stay healthy. Summer camp will be starting soon. Doctor s offices get crowded right before school starts. Plus, many kids will need sports physicals. So beat the rush! This is a great time to see your doctor or nurse practitioner for a checkup. He or she can sign the forms needed for school, sports or camp and do the regular checkup at the same visit. Getting a checkup every year is one of the best things that you can do to help your child stay healthy for life. NEED A DOCTOR? Older children and teens may want to see a different doctor from when they were little. Call Customer Service at if you need a new doctor for your child. Need a ride to the appointment? See page 11 to learn about your transportation benefit. Coping with serious chronic conditions reduce risk treatment symptoms Condition CHF Congestive heart failure (CHF) means that the heart does not pump well and less blood gets to your muscles and other organs. CHF causes shortness of breath (especially while exercising or lying flat in bed), fatigue, weakness and swelling in the ankles. You may need to rest more or change your daily activities, eat a low-salt diet and take medication. Control your blood pressure. Lose weight if your doctor says you should. Exercise. Eat less salt. Copd Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a group of lung problems. COPD makes it hard for the lungs to absorb oxygen. COPD often starts with a morning cough. You may get lots of lung infections, be very short of breath or feel tired or irritable. Medications, such as inhalers or pills, are used to treat COPD. If you have severe COPD, you might need oxygen. Don t smoke. Smoking causes up to 90 percent of lung disease. Also avoid secondhand smoke and air pollution. LET US HELP AmeriChoice has disease management programs to help members manage chronic conditions including CHF and COPD. If you have a chronic condition, call (TTY ) to find out how AmeriChoice can help. THIRD quarter

10 6about your plan we speak your language Habla español? at YOURservice give us a call AmeriChoice wants to provide good services to all members. We believe open communication is needed for the best results. It is important we hear from you if you need assistance. We are available to help you better understand our services and how they work. The first step is calling Customer Service. You can ask for help or voice an opinion when talking to our staff. The team is available to work with you at You will reach the right person to help you with questions and concerns. Remember, answering your questions and hearing your input is important to us. Be a part of the team and let us hear from you. report fraud To report fraud and abuse to AmeriChoice, call To report fraud or abuse to the Office of Inspector General (OIG), you can call toll-free or go online to and click on Report Fraud. To report provider fraud or patient abuse to the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU), call toll-free When you call Customer Service, ask for a representative who speaks Spanish. Our newsletter and other publications are also available in other languages and alternative formats (Braille, large print). Call Customer Service to request them. You can read this newsletter in Spanish at If you are Limited English Proficient (LEP) and have a doctor s appointment, your doctor must provide an interpreter if you ask for one. When you make your appointment, tell your doctor that you need an interpreter. These services are free to TennCare members. Habla español? Cuando llame a Servicio al cliente, pida hablar con un representante de habla hispana. También podemos prestar servicios de interpretación y traducción en diversos idiomas para ayudarle en sus citas médicas. Nuestro boletín informativo y otras publicaciones también se encuentran disponibles en formatos alternativos (Braile, letra grande) y otros idiomas. Llame a Servicio al cliente para solicitarlos. Puede leer este boletín en español en Estos servicios son gratis para los miembros TennCare. nurseline Optum NurseLine is available 24 hours every day for you and your family. With a toll-free call, you ll reach a nurse who can provide information to assist you with health problems. Call Optum NurseLine at give us your feedback We welcome your comments and letters about your experiences and suggestions for AmeriChoice. If you d like to relate a story or suggestion, whether positive or negative, please write us at: Corporate Marketing AmeriChoice 8 Cadillac Drive, Suite 100 Brentwood, TN health talk

11 yourrights Fair treatment with TennCare No one is treated in a different way because of race, color, birthplace, national origin, sex, age, disability or religion. Do you think you ve been treated unfairly? Do you have more questions? Do you need more help? You can make a free call to the Family Assistance Service Center at In Nashville, call Nadie recibe un trato diferente debido a su raza, color de la piel, lugar de nacimiento, idioma, sexo, edad, discapacidad o religión. Cree que lo han tratado injustamente? Tiene más preguntas? Necesita más ayuda? Usted puede llamar gratis al Centro de Servicio para Asistencia Familiar al En Nashville, llame al Unfair treatment Federal law says that unfair treatment is not allowed. No one can be treated in a different way because of race, color, birthplace, language, sex, age, beliefs or disability. If you feel that you have been treated unfairly for any of these reasons, you have the right to complain. No one will know. We do not allow unfair treatment in TennCare. If you want to file a complaint, call Customer Service at (TTY ) to speak with a Customer Service Representative; fill out the complaint form in your Member Handbook (located on page 65); contact TennCare at (TTY ); or mail a complaint letter to AmeriChoice Attn: Compliance Officer 8 Cadillac Drive, Suite 100 Brentwood, TN La ley federal dice que el trato injusto no está permitido. Nadie puede recibir un trato diferente debido a su raza, color de la piel, lugar de nacimiento, idioma, sexo, edad, creencias o discapacidad. Si piensa que ha sido tratado de manera injusta por alguno de esos motivos, usted tiene el derecho de quejarse. Nadie se enterara. TennCare no permite el trato injusto. Si usted quiere quejarse, llame al serivicio del cliente al (TTY ). UnitedHealthcare does not provide medical treatment or medical advice. Please do not contact UnitedHealthcare regarding medical questions. If you have a medical question, contact your physician or health care professional. In the event of an emergency, go to the nearest emergency room. Insurance coverage provided by or through United HealthCare Insurance Company, UnitedHealthcare Plan of the River Valley, Inc., UnitedHealthcare Insurance Company of the River Valley or their affiliates. Administrative services to self-funded plans provided by United HealthCare Insurance Company, United HealthCare Services LLC or UnitedHealthcare Services Company of the River Valley, Inc. need a ride? WE LL TAKE YOU THERE FOR FREE You can get a free ride to the doctor for needed health services. Whenever possible, call three days ahead to arrange transportation. The number you call to ask for a ride depends on where you live. East Tennessee: Anderson, Bledsoe, Blount, Bradley, Campbell, Carter, Claiborne, Cocke, Franklin, Grainger, Greene, Grundy, Hamblen, Hamilton, Hancock, Hawkins, Jefferson, Johnson, Knox, Loudon, Marion, McMinn, Meigs, Monroe, Morgan, Polk, Rhea, Roane, Scott, Sequatchie, Sevier, Sullivan, Unicoi, Union and Washington counties Middle Tennessee: Bedford, Cannon, Cheatham, Clay, Coffee, Cumberland, Davidson, DeKalb, Dickson, Fentress, Giles, Hickman, Houston, Humphreys, Jackson, Lawrence, Lewis, Lincoln, Macon, Marshall, Maury, Montgomery, Moore, Overton, Perry, Pickett, Putnam, Robertson, Rutherford, Smith, Stewart, Sumner, Trousdale, Van Buren, Warren, Wayne, White, Williamson and Wilson counties West Tennessee: Benton, Carroll, Chester, Crockett, Decatur, Dyer, Fayette, Gibson, Hardeman, Hardin, Haywood, Henderson, Henry, Lake, Lauderdale, Madison, McNairy, Obion, Shelby, Tipton and Weakley counties Local Shelby County: THIRD quarter

12 6PREVENTION 81 in 3 seniors have some degree of hearing loss. 6Healthy lifestyles check your y senses STAY CONNECTED WITH VISION AND HEARING TESTS Your eyes and ears connect you to the world around you. Make sure they re working well. Many vision and hearing problems can be treated or managed. Screenings catch problems early. DIABETIC? Tell your eye doctor. Get a test for diabetic retinopathy every year. Ask your eye doctor to send your PCP the results. CHECK YOUR EARS g ages 20 49: every 10 years g over 50: every 3 years CHECK YOUR EYES g ages 20 39: every 3 5 years g ages 40 64: every 2 4 years g over 65: every 1 2 years g Get exams more often if you have diabetes, a family history of glaucoma or other eye problems. kids and smoking BY THE NUMBERS The health risks of smoking are well known. Yet kids are still picking up the habit. Talk to your children about smoking. Set clear rules. You can help keep them from starting. Some facts: g Nine out of 10 adults who smoke started as kids. g Every day more than 4,400 kids become regular smokers. g The age to start talking to kids about smoking is 5 or 6. g 15 percent of 9-to-13-year-olds have tried tobacco. g 23 percent of teens say no family member has ever talked to them about smoking. g Six million of today s young smokers will eventually die due to smoking-related illnesses. QUITTING TIME Set a good example for your kids. If you smoke, make a plan to quit. Call to see how we can help. Or, call 800-QUIT-NOW for your local smoking quitline. 6dental care baby teeth 6 tips for a healthy smile When should you start taking care of your baby s teeth? Before he or she has any! Here s a timeline for starting a lifelong habit of good dental care. smile AmeriChoice provides two dental checkups a year, plus sealants and fluoride as needed for children under 21. If you need to find a dentist for your child, call Doral Dental at Before teeth come in, gently rub a clean, damp washcloth over your baby s gums from time to time. 2 When first teeth come in, brush with a dry, soft child s toothbrush or wipe with gauze once a day. When there are two teeth next to each other, start flossing. 3 When your baby turns 1 year old, it s time for a visit to a dentist. Choose one who specializes in children. 4 When most baby teeth are in, ask the dentist about fluoride treatments. 5 When your child is about 2 years old, you can use a pea-sized amount of toothpaste. Make sure he or she spits out the toothpaste. Help your child brush twice a day and floss regularly. 6 When permanent teeth start coming in, talk to the dentist about applying sealants. 12 health talk