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Lacey St. Clair, RDH Dental decay—also known as caries or cavities—is one of the most common preventable chronic diseases affecting children in the United States. When left untreated, tooth decay can cause pain and serious infections and may interfere with a child’s ability to eat, play, communicate, and learn. During the 2024–25 school year, Missouri’s Preventive Services Program identified that 1 in 4 children had untreated dental decay. Understanding how tooth decay develo

Amy Carroll, MS, MCHES Winter in Northeast Missouri can be a challenging time to stay active. Chilly temperatures, shorter daylight hours, and snowy roads often make staying on a regular exercise routine feel impossible. But keeping your body moving during the winter months is one of the best things you can do for both your physical and mental health. Regular activity helps maintain strength, supports heart health, improves mood, and can even boost your immune system during c

Allison Edwards, MS, RDN, LDN, CLC Vitamin D plays an essential role in overall health, supporting bone strength, immune function, muscle health, and even mood regulation (Holick, 2007). The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for vitamin D is 400 IU (10 mcg) per day for infants, 600 IU (15 mcg) per day for children and adults ages 1–70, and 800 IU (20 mcg) per day for adults over age 70, according to the National Institutes of Health. You can obtain vitamin D from three main

Allison Edwards, MS, RDN, LDN, CLC  To put it simply, having prediabetes means that your blood sugar is higher than normal, but not high enough to be classified as type 2 diabetes. A key contributor to prediabetes is insulin resistance. Insulin resistance means that your pancreas still makes insulin, but your cells do not use it effectively which leads to an increase in sugar staying in your blood stream. One common test used to diagnose prediabetes is called a hemoglobin A1