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To smile or not to smile

Dr. Karen Teston and other local experts on oral hygiene and your overall health Some folks are afraid of pain. Some know they haven’t done a good job of taking care of their teeth, and don’t want to be lectured. Still others lack cash. Whatever the reason, many avoid the dentist until an emergency arises.…
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…

What Is wisdom? Take this wisdom test and find out how wise you are!

A recent article by Phyllis Korkki of The New York Times illuminates a topic that has preoccupied scientists, philosophers, and people in general for centuries: What is wisdom, and how does it relate to aging? As one of the four cardinal virtues first introduced by Plato in the 3rd century B.C., wisdom remains a fascinating…
Editor’s Dose: Your local health connection

If you’d like to find more ways to stay plugged-in to your health community, then here’s your local health connection! Facebook Like us on Facebook for regular local health updates in addition to exclusive features, photographic coverage of events, and much more! Go to Facebook.com/CentralFloridaHealthNews. Free E-News Sign-up for our free e-newsletter and get health…
Then & Now: How modern dentistry makes oral health easier than ever

We are certainly well past the ancient Sumerians’ belief in tooth worms or the days when fillings were made from beeswax. When it comes to oral health, we’ve never had it so good. On the frontline of oral health is daily cleaning. Tube toothpaste came along in the 1880s; prior to that you would’ve gotten…