June 27, 2012
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1 in 3 Americans can’t afford to see the dentist
More than 100 million Americans do not go to the dentist for checkups and cleanings because of the cost. As a result, many go broke trying to afford dental care or suffer from extreme pain. Some die.
Nearly 5 million American children, or one in 16, did not get regular dental checkups in 2008 because their families could not afford it.
Going without dental care can ruin lives. Louis Morris, 33, of Philadelphia, found out on Saturday while seeing a dentist for the first time in 15 years at a volunteer clinic that his gum infection had worn away at his jawbone, could spread to other parts of his body and wipe out all of his teeth.
Forgoing dental care sometimes is fatal. Kyle Willis, a 24-year-old father from Cincinnati, died from a tooth infection last year because he could not afford antibiotics or to get the tooth pulled out. The infection spread, caused his brain to swell and then killed him.
12-year-old Deamonte Driver also died when a tooth infection spread to his brain.
People end up dying, and these are the most treatable, preventable diseases in the world. Getting access to dental care is particularly tough for low-income adults and children.
“People want to believe there’s a safety net that catches all of these people, and there isn’t,” said Dr. Glenn Stream, president-elect of the American Academy of Family Physicians.
Dr. Jim Jirjis, director of general internal medicine at Vanderbilt University, said people, like Willis, without access to care often die of conditions that were much more common decades ago.
“He [Willis] might as well have been living in 1927,” Jirjis said. “All of the advances we’ve made in medicine today and are proud of, for people who don’t have coverage, you might as well never have developed those.”
There are a number of free dental clinics in operation around the country, where dentists volunteer to provide care to those without health insurance. But even if Willis had access to a free dental clinic, Stream said he still may not have been able to get the care he needed for his infection. “The wait is often months at these clinics, and this young man died within two weeks of his problem,” Stream said.
Silverstein operates three free dental clinics in the San Diego area. “We’re overwhelmed right now,” he said. “We can’t take any new patients.” (this is the same thing I heard when I called the dental place in our area that works with low income people. They are not taking new patients….they haven’t been for three years now.)
Comments (17)
This is sad and true. I still have dental insurance through my retirement employer. it is a help, but the co-pays are killers if you need crowns, etc.
It is sad that something as simple as dental work is unavailable to many–and they suffer a great deal.
I’ve been to the dentist 3 times in my entire life, and I’m fine.
We have “dental insurance”…it amounts to a coupon…and frankly, I can’t afford to use it.
I’ve had to pull out a tooth that had gone bad myself…not pretty.
The insurance we have covers 2k in a treatment per calender year…which is virtually NOTHING.
When I had an extraction, the dentist charge 75 bucks a suture extra…something he didn’t mention until I was in the chair, numbed with Novocaine.
Simple fact…nature will give you either good gums, or strong teeth…NO ONE gets both.
If you’re “fine” give it time…you won’t be.
we have dental insurance but once they start repairing crappy bridgework it could run into thousands of dollars. /and no, there is no safety net for anybody.
Dental insurance hardly covers the cost, and it’s so important. Just another reason things need to change.
This is very sad.
Brush, floss, maintain a good diet, and maintain regular 6 month visits and you won’t have an expensive dental bill. I bothers me that people can afford to finance luxury cars, high tech appliances, high end handbags, go clubbing and drink themselves silly and yet CAN’T afford to see the dentist.
I’m with Closure Theory up there. Most people *could* afford the dentist. They just choose to have other things instead. It’s like the lady a couple of Christmas’s ago that was crying on the news how they were cutting her off from food stamps because she got a small raise at her job, and she was going to have to buy food with the money instead of Christmas presents for her four children. And she said all that standing in front of a big ol flat screen tv, and a Play Station game console, and a cable box. And guess what? Christmas presents flooded in for her four children. Meh.
Stop eating crap boxed foods, stop guzzling sugar in every drink you have, brush and floss three times a day, and you won’t need a dentist! (unless you accidentally knock out a tooth or something)
I agree on both sides. We have excellent ins. But even that covers about 2000.00 a yr. 1 crown and the visit and thats wiped out. I spent a year in a dentist chair getting porcelain crowns on every tooth. The expense of a Very nice car. It appeared medication and other physical issue’s started to cause my teeth to just start crumbling. I was in my late 40′s.
Its just more of a gel than what I’ve ever used from the store. I’m sure you can find info online on these 2 products.
On the other side the others who posted about maintenance are right. Only do more than your dentist tells you!
Floss after every meal! and before bed if you’ve snacked. If you can possibly brush too, do it. Otherwise 2 times a day, and some dentist do not tell you the correct way! An electric toothbrush does more than what i can with the regular kind.
What is the real tooth saver is `Rotadent` toothbrush! It is electric and has several different heads you can use. i use the smallest head, this is after I’ve flossed, brushed, rinsed w/ non alcohol mouthwash. It takes about 10 minutes so i do while I’m watching tv. I keep mouthwash in a baby jar and stick the head in it then slowly run the brush even with where my gums and teeth meet. In front and back. It’s harder in the back but you get used to it. The bristles get between your gums and teeth and get what brushing does not. This itself is as important as anything else you can do. That is where most of the problems start. I never had a cavity until i was in my 20′s. And cutting out the sugar is unfortunately very important. When you do eat something sweet, floss, brush and rinse right after.
The Rotadent is $100 and worth every cent. I’ve not found a cheaper knock off that comes close. I’ve only found this at my dentist and some dentists don’t know what it is. Usually if a dentist does these full mouth porcelain crowns he will have this toothbrush.
oh…a Gel toothpaste, works better because it is more consistent with a liquid and easily goes where it needs to. I also get that from my dentist…Colgate PreviDent 5000 for sensitive teeth. Wet your toothbrush first, or you will wash the toothpaste right into the sink!
Hope my experience helps someone! I sure wish it could have been avoided.
Great topic!
I’m guessing in a few years there will be a lot of toothless Americans. Brushing, etc., can keep away a lot of dental problems, but they aren’t magic cures for everything. If your teeth grow in crooked, or your bite is off, or you are so stressed about how to feed your kids that you grind your teeth at night, all the brushing on earth won’t substitute for seeing a dentist. That’s like telling people if they eat a lot of lettuce they’ll never need to go to the doctor. Regular dental cleanings help prevent build-up of tartar that you can’t get yourself through brushing. They help prevent gum disease. But even then you could have dental problems even if you are diligent, just like you can have medical problems even if you are diligent.
SMH.
Dental health and care is important. Medical field is finding close correlation to care and some forms of heart disease and bacterial infections.
Preventative measures can actually help prevent infection in heart. Medical field knew this 30 years ago– i always had to take antibiotics before dental cleanings as a kid. they say regular gleanings help prevent plaque build up around heart too. But also good heart health reflects in the teeth.
There are bacterial infections which originate in the mouth/ gums which can spread to other areas of the body through blood stream.
I have chipped and cracked front teeth, discolored teeth from antibiotics as you know. I wish I could see a dentist but can’t afford to right
now. I’m just thankful I haven’t had any major pain or tooth needing pulled yet. But I know others aren’t as fortunate.
Hope they can get the emergency pain management and care they need.
sad, yet we pump money into useless programs and wasteful spending, but can’t provide basic healthcare to our own citizens.
Receding gums is caused by plaque. When plaque is really thick, it might take more than teeth cleaning to help save the teeth.
People who don’t get enough vitamin C will also have gum problems. Besides tobacco stains smoking takes away the body’s supply of vitamin C.
The dentist is trying not to use mercury as part of metal fillings. Mercury free fillings will help keep people’s bodies from accumulating too much mercury. BTW fillings may last only 25 years so yeah redoing the fillings is better than to wait for them to fall out.
Since people are living longer, teeth care is more important than ever.
I dont like the comment about just stop eating sugared things etc. That is quite naive. There are people in other countries who eat all vegetarian diets and still suffer. Theres a genetic and wear and tear component too.
Its wonderful for those who are blessed with great teeth and gums, but please dont assume everyone else is neglectful who may not be as fortunate.
@PPhilip – thanks. Good additional info
@spinner_mom - That is so especially ignorant, that I really am looking forward to the day when life and karma decide to teach you otherwise.
My brother had GORGEOUS, perfect teeth…until he was in his 40′s.
Inside of a few years, his teeth looked like a hillbilly picket fence.
But you are also the same person who decided to self insure with what…six kids? But I’m sure you know MUCH MORE about what things cost then we do.
So tell me…what does it cost to put in a replacement tooth, including the post in Central NJ?
How about Philadelphia? NYC? Fayetetteville NC? I picked those locations because I know people in each one, all working who CAN’T afford dental work because it is too damned expensive.
But clearly YOU know better. A pity your ignorance is not painful.
@galadrial - And I have to ask you what your brothers diet is like? What caused
the decay? Does he drink caffeinated drinks like coffee, tea, and soda
all of which will severely deplete your calcium not to mention the
sugars that are already in or are added to those beverages. Why not take
responsibility for what you are putting into your body? And yes
replacing teeth *is* expensive. Trying to fight an uphill health battle
when you keep loading your body down with crap food *is expensive*!!!!
And
yes we have five children and no insurance. Our coverage would have
went up another $150 dollars this year. Grand total of $920 dollars a
month for a family of seven. Even with 13 yo dd’s reaction the the
antibiotic that the *Dr* put her on (instead of sending her to a
podiatrist first) we haven’t even reached that outrageous amount for
her care. With insurance we would have been paying the $920 and still
have not even met the deductible, essentially paying for everything
we’re paying for right now with the insurance co saying ‘nope you’re not
there yet.’ Plus the fact that five of our visits this, year that
we’ve paid out of pocket, were in total $85 CHEAPER than the dr would
have charged us if we had had insurance. Apparently the dr’s try and
help you meet your deductible by charging you more. And you keep trying
to tell me insurance ain’t a scam.
But I do still say to each their own. I’m doing whats best for my family. We eat healthy. Before dd’s toe infection that ended up in the fiasco that we’re in now, none of my children had even had a cold or been sick in any way for the past 10 years. And as much as you say I am ignorant, I also think that you are totally ignorant of how much a healthy diet can improve your health. But you stay in your happy prepackaged convenience world. It’s obviously working so well for you.