For some unknown reason most illness insurance companies do not cover the costs of treating dental problems. In this episode I try to discover why the teeth are not considered a part of the body by medical insurance companies only to once again confirm my suspicion that actually the teeth play an extremely important role in our overall health, well-being, happiness, and quality of life. Dental problems contribute to heart disease, diabetes, obesity, social isolation, depression, and all the secondary issues that arise from having those problems. We need to start early by teaching children good oral hygiene and dietary habits. We need to continue all through life to ensure that those who do lose their teeth get proper replacements so they can still eat nutritious fruits and vegetables, chew them well, and enjoy their meals. Yet, health insurance reform in the United States, in its current form as the Affordable Care Act, does not include coverage for dental preventive care or treatment. And people all over the world do not realize the importance of their teeth and that oral health matters. I discuss these issues with Professor Don Curtis from the Department of Preventive Dentistry at the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) and Professor Susan Hyde from the Division of Oral Epidemiology and Dental Public Health at UCSF. And finally, the multi-talented Marc Antoine tells us his experience of how dental care works under the national health service in France.
The concluding poem for this episode is a letter from a dear belated family friend, Uncle Mike Rooprai, to his daughter, and my friend, Tiffany, when she was very young
What’s your opinion? Is oral health discussed and taught to children in your country in a systematic way? Is it easy to access preventive dental care and treatments for dental problems in your country? Is it affordable? Should preventive dental services be included in the Affordable Care Act in the United States? Should implants and dentures be subsidized for people who can’t afford them in order to prevent further complications with their health? Feel free to share your thoughts and perspectives here or on our facebook page. Nei Jing Now would like to know from you.
For those of you looking for more information on how to keep your mouth healthy you can go to Mouth Healthy, of course. Oral Health America is a non-profit organization that works with the disabled and underserved. The American Association of Public Health Dentistry is the organization primarily responsible for research, programs, and advocating for dental public health policies.
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I would be very interested as I think others would too, to know what Prof. Hyde thinks about the advisability or lack thereof of fluoridating the public water supply. I noticed she referred to fluoride treatment for some children at extra-high risk for cavities. That caused me to imagine, because of her abiding interest in the relation between the oral cavity and the health of the rest of the body, that she might think that a better way than forcing everyone to drink fluoridated water to protect teeth from cavities is to eat less sugar and perhaps some other measures she might know (including brushing and flossing). The reason I ask this is that I would like to convince our City to stop poisoning us by putting fluoride into our water supply. The City could use the money they pay for this waste product for dental hygiene education that would result in healthier gums and teeth for all. I feel strongly about this because I can’t afford to purchase a private supply of water that’s free of fluoride but I’m convinced that the fluoridated water I’m forced to drink is harming my health. And I’m sure I’m not the only one in this predicament.
Deetje,
Thanks for bringing up a point of current controversy. I am planning an episode to discuss the evidence for and against fluoridation of municipal water supplies. I am also curious about the harms and benefits and believe it is an issue that ought to be explored in more detail. Stay tuned for the episode in the upcoming months. I will also pass on your query to Professor Hyde so we can all benefit from her perspective.
Glad to see you posting on this important topic. Thank you.
I write extensively about what many including myself think of as the misguided policy of fluoridation and fluoride in “Mouth Matters; How Your Mouth Ages Your Body and What You Can Do About It”. I also discuss other excellent solutions and introduce how all the inflammatory diseases are connected through the prism of the mouth. Also interesting introductions are biological dentistry, minimally invasive drill-free dentistry, and creating a good airway in tandem with less chance of crooked teeth, and a more beautiful face.
The whole silliness of supporting the agriculture bills and FDA as our government does, essentially shaping policies that ensure illness for especially the poor who don’t have access to local, high quality food, while bringing on a national healthcare system that barely nods to true prevention … Well, we’ll all go bankrupt trying to keep everyone healthy in a toxic environment. Not possible.
Carol, Thank you for participating in the conversation around the relevance of oral health to our overall health. I’m glad to know of your interests and expertise. You are absolutely right, everyone needs a clean environment and access to wholesome fresh locally grown chemical free food. We cannot look to the medical industry for prevention measures for it is an illness care system. Prevention is cultural, social, economic, and political and is the responsibility of public health systems. However, public health is not as lucrative a profession, since society doesn’t value it as much as it values the illness care system-lights and sirens, trauma surgery, intensive care, pharmaceutical interventions, and medical devices. We need to transform the mindset through information, motivation, and inspiration. Culture and politics influence our health far more than doctors and nurses. Doctors and nurses have impact on our illnesses. We each have our role to play. Thank you for yours.
Dr Chander,
To divide life into the “cultural” the “social” the “economic” and the “political” is only adding to the fragmentation, which is the root of the problem, is it not? To address the problem at that level(or at any level other than the root of roots) is to beat at the branches.
When consciousness is undivided(ie whole, ie unfragmented) what is there to prevent?
Dear Mr. Anthony, Very well said, which is why Nei Jing Now! addresses issues at the root level as well as offering multiple perspectives through which to approach that root. Thank you for participating.