Monday, January 23, 2012

The Importance of Good Oral Hygiene & Healthcare Cost in America

So I could run down a list of several health related issues connected to having good oral hygiene, but I'm not going to do that.  I hope that you all know this little bit of news, but if not, do some research.  This has less to do with having a bright smile, keeping your teeth, or offending someone with halitosis; but more with helping to maintain good, physical health.  Studies show that gum disease may contribute to diabetes, stroke, heart disease, and premature birth.  Ok, so I know that I said I wasn't going to mention any of the health issues linked to your pie hole, but if you honestly need to hear more than that, then the web is literally at your fingertips.

For those of us born in America around the 70's, we've been fortunate to have fluoride introduced into our water supply.  Yeay for us, right?  Well, yes.  YEAY for us.  I urge you all- don't take this lightly.  This is probably the reason why many of us don't have the dental issues (and some health issues) our parents and grand parents have/had.  In an industry where prevention is key to reducing health care costs, I'd say that we really got it right when this was done.

If we truly desire to reduce American health care costs, we need more thought around similar preventative measures; not treating disease after the fact, but reducing the potential for disease to begin with.