TTC_04_7_21_Vol.17-No.24

Page 4 www.TheTownCommon.com
April 7, 2021
Community News
Aarp
Massachusetts
Monthly Fraud
Watch Update
For April
Did you know that someone’s
identity gets stolen every
two seconds? The AARP Fraud
Watch Network provides you
with tips and resources to
help you spot and avoid identity
theft and fraud so you can
protect yourself and your family.
The watchdog alerts will
keep you up to date on con
artists’ latest tricks. It’s free of
charge for everyone: AARP
members, non-members, and
people of all ages. If you can
spot a scam, you can stop a
scam. Report scams to local
law enforcement. Contact the
AARP Fraud Watch Network
by visiting: www.aarp.org/
fraudwatchnetwork for more
information on fraud prevention.
The AARP Fraud Watch
Network receives real-time
alerts about the latest scams,
tips on how to spot them, and
the inside scoop on how con
artists think so you can outsmart
them before they strike.
The nationwide scam tracking
map gives you access to
a network of people who've
spotted scams and the opportunity
to pass along your own
experiences, so together we
can beat con artists at their
own game. Get connected to a
real live person trained in how
to avoid fraud and advise you
if you or a loved one has been
scammed by calling our fraud
hotline or attending a forum
in your community. Free for
Everyone. Anyone, of any age,
can access the resources at no
cost.
SCAM ALERT #1: RED
FLAG WARNING: GIFT
CARDS
A key part of being able to
spot a scam is knowing the
red flags – those signs that
suggest that what you’re confronting
may not be legitimate.
One of the biggest red
flags these days is anyone who
tries to convince you that you
owe some debt or other obligation,
and the quickest way
to address the issue is to purchase
gift cards and share the
information off the back.
Why gift cards? First, they
are readily available. You see
them at your grocery store, department
store, and hardware
store. Second, it’s a way that
criminals can get your money
instantly and the money is
easy to move around. As soon
as a target sends the numbers
to the gift card they’ve purchased,
the criminal is able to
convert it to currency in an
instant. Not surprisingly, the
Federal Trade Commission reports
that gift cards have been
the most common form of
payment in scams since 2018.
Anytime you are directed to
pay a debt or other obligation
with a gift card, it is a scam.
SCAM ALERT #2:
AVOIDING IRS COLLEC-
TION SCAMS
Tax time is here again and so
are the IRS impostors! Scammers
posing as IRS agents or
Treasury Department officials
are out there once again, calling
to convince taxpayers that
they owe back taxes and face
immediate arrest. Know this:
the IRS will initially contact
you through the mail if you
owe back taxes. If you receive
an unexpected phone call, an
email or a text indicating it’s
from the IRS, do not engage.
Report the scam attempt to
the IRS at 800-366-4484 or
visit: www.tigta.gov. If you
receive an email, forward it to
the IRS at phishing@irs.gov,
and then delete it.
SCAM ALERT #3: SO-
CIAL SECURITY SCAMS
2020 was the year of new
twists on scams. There were
COVID testing scams, miracle
cure scams, stimulus scams
and vaccine scams, but one
scam stood out above them
all. The Social Security impostor
scam.
Social Security impostor
scams continue to be the most
prevalent in the United States.
In 2020, the Social Security
Office of Inspector General
received well over 700,000
reports of Social Security impostor
scams, and 70% of
the calls to the AARP Fraud
Watch Network Helpline
were related to Social Security
Community Announcements,
page 5
Brighter smiles ...
Where Do You Get Your Dental News?
By J. Peter St. Clair, DMD
In an online report I recently
read in a journal that was forwarded
to me by a patient, they listed
9 “healthy” habits that they claim
are a waste of time. Three of them
had to do with oral health. Let’s
take a look.
The first on the waste of time
list was to see your dentist twice
per year. I have seen this reported
somewhere else in the media recently.
According to the authors,
close to 30 studies have apparently
found no conclusive evidence
supporting a need to see a dentist
every 6 months. They went on to
say, “If your teeth and gums are
healthy, once per year is enough to
catch developing problems.”
I absolutely agree. There are
definitely people who only need
to see a dentist/hygienist once per
year. Most dentists use a classification
system to rate a patient’s
periodontal (gum) health. Type
I patients are the ones that only
need to see a dentist once per year.
They are healthy, they have good
homecare habits and are low risk
for disease. In the average dental
practice, I would say this is about
10-15% of the population.
Type II patients are those with
gingivitis and should be seen twice
per year. This group makes up
about 50% of the typical dental
patient population. Many of these
patients could move into the Type
I group if they had better homecare
habits and technique.
Type III & IV patients are the
remaining 30-35% of the population
who should be seen every 3 or
4 months, and in some cases even
more frequently. Because of genetics
and/or bad habits, this group
has active disease and is at highrisk
for problems.
Let’s also not forget the other
50% of the population who don’t
even visit a dentist once per year.
While I think there are people
who can be healthy and see a dentist
once per year, it is irresponsible
to make it seem that it pertains
to everyone. The only one who
can determine how healthy you
are is your dentist. It should be up
to you and the dentist you trust.
The #7 waste of time reported
was to use a hard toothbrush. According
to the report, a soft one
cleans your teeth just as well and
is less damaging to your teeth and
gums. This is old news and is true.
The next one shocked me. The
#8 waste of time – brushing and
flossing twice per day. According
to the authors, everyone only
needs to visit the dentist once
per year and brush and floss one
time per day. They recommend
brushing for at least 2 minutes
before you go to bed and flossing
one time per day. They also mentioned
that people who did not
floss frequently (whatever that
means) are 3 times more likely to
develop stomach cancer. I am assuming
the author is relating lack
of flossing to getting periodontal
(gum) disease. More recent research
is showing that, “Risk factors
for precancerous lesions and
gastric cancer are being identified,
one of which may be periodontal
disease”. Although lack of flossing
does not automatically cause gum
disease, poor oral health is clearly
a risk factor for other health problems.
Here’s the bottom line:
1. Establish a relationship with
a dentist you are comfortable with
and trust. Determine with that
person how frequently you should
be seen.
2. Use a good quality soft electric
toothbrush. Get instructions
on proper use from your hygienist.
3. Brush at least twice per day,
preferably at least 30 minutes after
meals. Floss at night before you
brush.
It is as simple as that.
Dr. St. Clair maintains a private
dental practice in Rowley and Newburyport
dedicated to health-centered
family dentistry. If there are certain
topics you would like to see written
about or questions you have please
email them to him at jpstclair@
stclairdmd.com. You can view all
previously written columns at www.
jpeterstclairdentistry.com/blog.