USA - Walkers brave cold for cause

..........Emphasizing the seriousness of dental problems, Spitzer said that she knew of a mother whose gums were so infected she was continuously sick and vomiting, making it nearly impossible to care for her children.
"A lot of people don't realize dental health disease is five times more common than asthma," said Christine Farrell, Medicaid policy specialist for the Michigan Department of Community Health. "It's not going down and we need to start preventing it so it does go down."
In the Lansing area, 40 percent of children seen for dental care need a follow up, compared to the national average of 20 percent, said Ivan Love, executive director of Capitol Area Community Services.
Treatment for adults with decayed teeth costs around $1,000, Spitzer said, sum of money most uninsured families don't have.
Lauren Hall-Tate, a dentist in East Lansing, emphasized the importance of starting oral care at a young age.
"Early decay can make kids not like the dentist, and less likely to see a dentist later on," Hall-Tate said.
Contact Andrea Byl at 377-1061 or abyl@lsj.com.

Lansing Michigan is fluoridated NYSCOF