Check Your Dental Benefits for 2019 Now
Every health plan is different. Some plans have excellent dental benefits, others only give you partial benefits or not at all.
Dental benefits in your health plan are important – the likelihood of having teeth or gum problems in the coming year is pretty great.
Oral health is often taken for granted, but it is an essential part of our everyday lives. Good oral health enhances our ability to speak, smile, eat, and show our emotions through facial expressions. But oral diseases—which range from cavities to oral cancer—cause pain and disability for millions of Americans each year.
Cavities (also called tooth decay) are preventable but are one of the most common chronic health problems of childhood in the United States. For children, untreated cavities can cause pain, impaired ability to chew food, school absences, difficulty concentrating, and poor appearance. These problems have a negative effect on a child’s quality of life and ability to succeed. Children from lower-income families often do not get timely treatment for cavities and are more likely to suffer from these problems than children from higher income families.
Cavities are also a problem for many adults, especially as more adults keep their natural teeth longer. More than 90% of US adults have had a cavity, and 1 in 4 has untreated cavities.
Another common oral condition in US adults is gum disease, also called periodontal disease. Gum disease is an infection caused by bacteria that get under the gum tissue. Toxins from bacteria and the body’s response to infection can begin to destroy the gums and bone that support the teeth. Teeth become loose, chewing becomes difficult, and teeth may have to be removed. Nearly 50% of all adults aged 30 or older—about 65 million people—have signs of gum disease.
Gum disease may also be connected to damage in other areas of the body. Studies have linked oral infections with diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and premature, low-weight births.
So in all, proper dental coverage in your health plan is essential and checking your dental benefits now is important. If you find out your coverage is insufficient or not at all, now is the time to change or amend your health care plan to make sure your oral health is covered. We can help you if you have any questions. Feel free to contact us or come by the office!
