Dental insurance is one insurance that many people see as optional and not mandatory. Most people would gladly have dental insurance so that they never have to worry about toothaches, cavities and root canals. Unfortunately, dental insurance is not given the same priority as health insurance, vehicle insurance, property insurance, life and death insurance, and renter's insurance. However, the health and well-being of our teeth and gums affects your health as well. What most people may not realize is that other health conditions that we may have also affect the sustainability of our teeth and our mouths. Dental insurance is paid out much like health insurance, but it almost seems as if you pay more out of pocket, as if you have no insurance. We are thankful for the limited coverage that exists, but the costs for problems that may start to occur due to health conditions leave many people with getting the proper maintenance and care they need. Why is dental insurance not as cost effective as health insurance?
If you get the opportunity to ever view the maximum amount allowed by dental insurance for any given year, it does not cover alot of services. The premiums rise every year. The costs for root canals, tooth extractions, and fillings keep rising. The availability to get into a dentists gets farther and farther into the future. The ability to setup an affordable payment plan is mostly unavailable. The end result is that many people wait until they must have a tooth extracted because they cannot afford the costs of a root canal, a crown, a filling, or other procedures that cost much more than just having the tooth extracted. It is sad but true that most people cannot afford to go to a dentist on a regular basis and that some health conditions contribute to tooth loss.
Yes, I know that some people may eat the wrong things that may lead to cavities, but many doctors are finding that health conditions of their patients are now costing them more visits to the dentists and more tooth decay and tooth loss. People just cannot afford to go to the dentist. You can brush 10 times a day and it does not affect the ability of a health condition to destroy your teeth. Diabetics, those with stomach conditions, cancer patients undergoing treatments, acid reflux, and other conditions are among the health conditions that are now contributing to the decay and loss of teeth.
I hope that there will be recognition that dental insurance needs the same time and attention as does health insurance. The overall health of any person includes the health of their gums, mouth and teeth.
