Your heart, lungs, and brain also agree that dental coverage is important.
Research shows that oral health contributes to your overall health, with links to heart disease, brain diseases, respiratory health, and even more. For example:
- Tooth decay in children can contribute directly to atherosclerosis in adulthood – a disease in which the inner wall of the arteries become clogged with plaque.
- People with gum disease are 3 times more likely to have a stroke.
- Chronic gum disease was associated with a higher risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.
Because of the many possible ways that oral health can impact your body, acquiring and maintaining dental coverage is an important step towards maintaining your overall health.
But just having the coverage isn’t enough – you need to use it!
Dental coverage is also important because of its preventative nature. Being proactive is the best way to identify and treat concerns early on, so they don’t cost your health, and your wallet, more down the road.
Dental plans will typically cover the entire cost of preventative care, which includes checkups, cleanings and x-rays. Depending on your plan, more intensive procedures like fillings, extractions, crowns, root canals, dentures, bridges, and implants may be partially covered.
So if you haven’t yet talked to your dentist about preventive care this year, make sure to consult with them as soon as possible! Many are also doing virtual visits, using teledentistry, and working hard to ensure safe access to care.
If you have any questions, it is always best to consult your dentist and your coverage provider about the best option for you. DentaQuest members can also log into the member portal to check the status of their plan anytime.
Take care of your oral health now, not only for your teeth and smile, but for your heart, lungs and brain too!
DISCLAIMER: This content is provided for general information, is not intended to provide medical or dental advice, and should not be relied upon as a substitute for professional medical or dental advice, diagnosis or treatment. No dentist/patient relationship is established by this content. No diagnosis or treatment is being provided. No guarantees or warranties, including insurance coverage or payment, are made regarding any of the information provided. We may provide links to other websites that are not under our control. In general, any website that has an address (or URL) not containing our domain name is such a website. These links are provided for convenience or reference only and are not intended as an endorsement by us of the organization or individual operating the website or a warranty of any type regarding the website or the information on the website.
PREVENTISTRY PULSE
The newsletter designed for anyone who wants to improve oral health for themselves, their families, customers or communities.