By Dr . Jernell Escobar

Dr . Escobar has been practicing dentistry in the Bay Area since 2006 . She took over Dr . Palmerlee ’ s practice when he retired in 2012 . She is passionate about providing exceptional oral health care in a patient centered environment . Dr . Escobar participates in continuing education seminars with other leading clinicians in exploring new and innovative methods and materials for restoring smiles .

But it has been proven that good oral health , good oral habits and hygiene and regular visits to a dentist are all intricately linked to the health of the whole body .

In fact , brushing , flossing , and regular visits to the dentist can protect you from far more than cavities .

For example , gum disease can lead to a host of illnesses , including heart disease , diabetes , respiratory disease , osteoporosis , and rheumatoid arthritis . In addition , researchers have found that people with gum disease were twice as likely to die from a heart attack and three times as likely to have a stroke .

June is Employee Wellbeing Month , an annual initiative that highlights the workplace ’ s role in helping to create healthy employees and providing businesses with new ideas and proven strategies built around prevention and wellness .

It was founded in 2009 as National Employee Wellness Month by Virgin Pulse , part of Sir Richard Branson ’ s famed Virgin Group . Virgin Pulse partnered with the Strategies to Overcome and Prevent ( STOP ) Obesity Alliance , along with the Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease and WorldatWork . com .

“ It ’ s great to see so many organizations and their workforces come together to focus on employee wellbeing in a fun , healthy environment ,” says Chris Boyce , CEO of Virgin Pulse on employeewellbeingmonth . com . “ Employee wellbeing is at the foundation of a productive , engaged workforce and successful business . Employee Wellbeing Month is a great way for organizations to shine a spotlight on this connection . Anything helping employees make small changes to support healthier habits makes a difference , because it ’ s the small habits that lead to lasting , positive results .”

Organizations interested in participating can pledge their support as Proud Supporters of the initiative . In 2014 , more than 200 companies and 70,000 employees participated in the initiative .

All Proud Supporters of Employee Wellbeing Month will get a free tool kit featuring a variety of resources and ideas to promote their organization ’ s leadership and support of this initiative with not only their workforce , but the community at large and local news media .

Participating organizations and their employees are encouraged to share their Employee Wellbeing Month celebrations , photos , videos and more on social media using the hashtag # EWM15 .

Goals of the initiative are to :

• Engage employees in healthy habits and lifestyles

• Create healthy workplace cultures

• Improve employee health and well-being

• Lower health-care costs

• Reduce turnover

• Drive employee engagement

Employee wellness programs also have more benefits beyond the obvious good health .

“ The bottom line is that these employee wellness programs need to be encouraged ,” says Kenneth Thorpe , chairman , Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease and a professor of health policy and management at Emory University . “ They make sense at a societal level , understanding that better health in the workplace is critical if we ’ re to make progress in the fight against chronic diseases that eat up more than 80 cents of every health care dollar we spend in this country . But also at the individual company level , where employers both large and small are achieving returnon-investment success stories , maintaining a healthy workforce is both the right and smart thing to do .”

In order to maintain good oral health and strong and healthy teeth and gums , a simple preventative routine can help keep your smile bright and your overall health at its peak .

• Gather your tools . Start with a toothbrush with soft , rounded bristles , fluoride toothpaste and floss .

• Set a schedule . Brush your teeth at least twice a day and floss at least once . Brush again after high-carbohydrate meals or snacks , sweets or sugary beverages .

• Be thorough . Brush teeth for at least two minutes each session , angling your toothbrush at 45 ° and making short , circular strokes . Use just enough pressure to feel the bristles ( don ’ t squish them ). When you ’ re done , brush your tongue to remove bacteria .

• Don ’ t forget floss . Floss removes plaque from between teeth and below the gumline . Don ’ t worry if gums feel tender at first . They ’ ll feel better once bacteria is removed , in five to six days .

• Rinse to refresh . After brushing and flossing , rinse your mouth vigorously with mouthwash or water to remove any loosened plaque and food particles .

• Twice-a-year dental cleanings are an important part of maintaining your oral and overall health . Call your dentist for an appointment as soon as possible .

More information on Employee Wellbeing Month can be found at the official website at employeewellbeingmonth . com .

GILROY • MORGAN HILL • SAN MARTIN JULY / AUGUST 2015 gmhtoday . com

27