After having a banner year, raising scholarship money at our Salmon Bake this year, we had the rare pleasure of welcoming Dr. Taryn VanGerpen to our club meeting. Taryn is the daughter of long time club members, Darbi and Jon VanGerpen, and was a Kamiak High School graduate who received a Mukilteo Kiwanis scholarship 18 years ago. Following her studies at University of San DIego and UW School of Dentistry, she completed a Northwest Dental Residency. Her career has taken her through places in Eastern Washington, here at Snohomish County’s Community Health Center – Dental, and now with Mukilteo Dental Center.

Dr. VanGerpen focuses on children’s dental health, noting that two main deterrents to caries (otherwise knownas cavities) is the fluoridation in our water, and the use of a sealant on young patients’ teeth.

Sealant can be administered to children’s teeth to help protect the infiltration of bacteria and other culprits that would attack the dental health of young emerging teeth. Children do not have the skills necessary to clean their teeth in a thorough and complete fashion. The sealant protects newly emerging “adult” teeth until the child is old enough to become an experienced caretaker of their own teeth.

Community fluoridation in the US is under the approved limit set by the FDA, but is effective in remineralizing tooth enamel. Both sealants and fluoride preventative measures promote healthy teeth and gums, adding to the overall health of a child.

For more information about ways to improve dental health, or for questions for Dr. VanGerpen, visit: mukilteodentalcenter.com.

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