Demi Moore’s missing teeth, Trumpcare politics and America’s growing dental care divide
So proclaimed actress
For Moore, the marvels of modern dentistry meant she wouldn't have to hide her face in shame or lose future job opportunities when she confronted a situation that's all too common and painful for many Americans, especially as they age: she had teeth that had become so bad they broke apart and fell out.
But what's not common for many Americans is having access to affordable dental care so that they can repair bad teeth.
We're not talking access to the kind of high-end cosmetic procedures that people increasingly rely on to have fashionably straight white smiles. We're talking about basic care to prevent tooth decay and gum disease so that they won't lose teeth or suffer other serious health consequences.
Experts say America is facing a massively under-reported health care crisis and it has to do with what's in our mouths. They add that the crisis could get worse if President
Yes, the idea that millions of Americans have poor oral health probably is surprising, given that Americans pour an estimated
But this crisis has been well documented in health care policy circles for years. It's also chronicled in "Teeth," an acclaimed new book by health care journalist
This family's struggle to secure dental care for their son is startlingly common, especially in poor or in rural areas, these studies say. According to the
Even for those with insurance, the costs of necessary dental work, including repairs to broken or missing teeth, sometimes must be paid out of pocket and are therefore out of reach for them. Implants go for an estimated
"As the distance between rich and poor grows in
The story focused on 1,000 people who came to a charity clinic for treatment for cracked molars and other routine problems. These people didn't have insurance, even those who held steady jobs. The story noted that millions of people rely on such clinics, as well as hospital emergency rooms, to treat painful and neglected teeth.
"Unable to afford expensive root canals and crowns, many simply have them pulled," the story read. "Nearly 1 in 5 Americans older than 65 do not have a single real tooth left."
Another complicating factor is America's historical divide between medical and dental care, with medical care being seen as a necessity while dental care has been privatized and regarded as a cosmetic luxury -- not something that people can routinely count on being part of any employer- or government-provided benefits package.
Straight white teeth -- of the kind glamorized by Moore and other movie stars -- are equated with social success. They've also become necessary for jobs in an economy that's increasingly service-based. In a review of "Teeth" for the
"That's a task that demands a degree of oral health," Gaffney said. "At a time when service jobs are the predominant working-class occupation, missing teeth make it harder to get hired. Toothlessness spells joblessness, which means lack of access to dental care, which in turn leads to more suffering."
Former President
But those gains in oral health care could be lost if the
It's evident that
But on Fallon's show, she explained how her good looks were compromised by chronic, long-term stress. That's the reason, she said, that her teeth broke apart and fell out.
Moore evidently had good intentions in sharing her story. She wanted to spotlight a dental-related health care problem affecting many Americans.
"I'd love to say it was skateboarding or something really cool, but I think it's really something that's important to share because I think it's literally, probably after heart disease, one of the biggest killers in America, which is stress," she said.
Dentists interviewed by several publications confirmed Moore's explanation for her tooth loss -- that chronic stress can trigger clenching and grinding, which Flossolution founder
Unfortunately, Moore missed the bigger picture when she exclaimed, "Thank God for modern dentistry" -- such marvels are not available to many Americans these days.
Then again, it's hard to blame Moore for an ignorance shared by many Americans, including politicians, who view dental care as a luxury instead of a necessity.
___
(c)2017 the Contra Costa Times (Walnut Creek, Calif.)
Visit the Contra Costa Times (Walnut Creek, Calif.) at www.eastbaytimes.com
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
OPINION: Senate’s ‘secret’ health care plan is D.C.’s worst-kept secret
Grand Forks bar assault lawsuit goes before N.D. Supreme Court
Advisor News
Annuity News
Health/Employee Benefits News
Life Insurance News