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- America's State of Oral Decay
- By: KIMBERLY HOLT
We are facing a tremendous crisis in this country. It's not talked about much. I started a website, called Delivering Smiles at www.getfreedental.com, to help adults get the dental care they need at no cost, or at the very least, very little cost. The response I've received has been incredible. In the few weeks the site has been up, I've received hundreds, nearly a thousand emails from average Americans with stories that are truly heartbreaking. These are your everyday, average American people. Not living in poverty, but just making enough to pay the bills and put food on the table. It seems that millions of people have such bad dental problems that they are unable to work, unable to be productive members of society and most have trouble just being a part of social society. You never hear anyone talking about it because they think that they either have to make do or adjust. They have heart problems, diabetes and other health problems because of their teeth! Dental costs are so high that no one can afford it. There would be a tremendous restoration of confidence to attend work (to go for the higher paying jobs), and that loss of work due to infections and resulting health problems would be down tremendously. Let's not even get into the psychological end of it! I think that most of the people who do not suffer with dental problems believe that people just don't take care of their teeth, or that they are drug addicts and deserve what they get! Well, I was born with paper thin teeth and I have taken better care of my teeth than most people I know! I'm not a drug addict and never have been. It's simply a matter of genetics! I really don't know that much about politics (except the ones in my own house!) lol In light of all the politicians and everyone else that voted to take adult dental Medicaid away, (we're assuming they all could afford dental care) I have a suggestion... They really don't realize how much they have affected the workforce and healthcare. It's just a matter of money to them. It seems to me they spend a lot of money on useless things instead. They claim to have billions of dollars in grant money for everything that just sits there unclaimed.So how about this... how about making a few of those billions available every five years or so so that we can get RESTORATIVE care, not EMERGENCY care. Just make it available for an entire year to everyone that needs it. The dentist won't suffer a bit. People would return to work (or have the confidence to get a job), and there would be a lot less need for medical care for dental related health problems. Hey! I would even do something in return for it. Pick up a highway or something! Whatever you want me to do! lol Community service for the cost of the services! We could kill two birds with one stone and make the world a beautiful place! Folks, things are just going to get worse. What are these people supposed to do? Just assume life is over for them? How fair is that? They are just like everybody else. They deserve a chance. One out of 250 young adults is missing all of their teeth. What kind of future are they facing? Many have told me they think about suicide. Take a look at yourself. Imagine having a mouth full of missing or decayed teeth and trying to live the life you do now.