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Community outreach programs make check-ups more available

Free dental exams, preventative tooth care, and more Several outreach programs in Polk County recently offered free dental exams and other tooth services to spread awareness about the need for dental health care. At the Haines City Dental Clinic, the Florida Department of Health in Polk County (FDOH-Polk) offered free comprehensive dental exams to children…
Helping make the healthier choice, the easier choice

About the Building a Healthier Polk initiative Building a Healthier Polk is a group of community partners brought together by Polk Vision who are working towards the goal of reducing the obesity rate in Polk County. Polk Vision is a broad, community-led partnership of organizations, businesses, government, and individuals. In 2012, Polk Vision’s Quality of…
The trouble with trigger finger

Local surgeon develops alternate solution for a tricky procedure There’s no getting around this fact: you need your hands. When one or more of your fingers or thumbs doesn’t function properly, it interferes with work and play. Correcting a condition such as trigger finger once meant a trip to a hospital or surgery center for…

Wine: Good or Bad for Your Teeth?

Wine is a favorite beverage of many people, and the various studies indicating wine’s heart healthfulness have been greeted with cheers. However, while the antioxidants in certain wines may be good for your heart, it doesn’t speak as to whether wine is good for your teeth or not. WINE’S NEGATIVES Wine is a highly acidic…
The Four Killer ‘Bs’ of Health

Do you know your health numbers? There are four numbers that can help paint a better picture of your health, and this is something you should be discussing with your primary care physician. We like to call them the “Four Killer Bs”— but don’t be scared! When kept in check with proper preventive steps, these…
Pilonidal Cysts— A Pain in the . . .

Pilonidal cysts and sinuses are conditions that occur from hairs growing downward into the skin and deeper tissues, usually in the region of the lower back and tailbone. Pilonidal cysts occur in 26 out of every 100,000 patients. They are three times more common in males and tend to show up in the late teens…