National Family History Day is observed on Thanksgiving Day. This event, organized by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Surgeon General’s office, is a time to focus on the importance of collecting your family health history.

About 96 percent of people admit that knowing family history is important, but only one-third of Americans have actually tried to collect information on their families. Some medical conditions and diseases, like heart disease, high blood pressure, cancer, and diabetes, are passed along through family genes and behaviors. Knowing what illnesses run in your family will make you and your dentist aware of your risk for certain problems.

Thanksgiving is a common holiday for all family members to get together. While getting together to eat your delicious feast and share memories, try collecting and recording information to determine your family’s struggle with health problems. Consider asking these questions with your relatives to get the information you need: (more…)