This week, we discuss new tools that could change the dental industry,
learn why retirees can’t afford to lose dental coverage, and discover that good
teeth could lead to a longer life. Join the conversation on Twitter using
#FridayDentalDL.
1.
Texas Mission of
Mercy: DentaQuest is honored to support the Texas Mission of
Mercy this weekend at East View High School in Georgetown, TX. We will be
doing presentations in English and Spanish on brushing, flossing, and gum
disease and the importance of oral health care from birth to adulthood.
DentaQuest believes it is important for everyone to have access to dental care
and the Mission of Mercy will help many uninsured or underinsured individuals
receive care and stop living with the pain of dental disease.
2.
Good teeth could be a longevity marker: A new study from
Boston Medical Center and Boston University that found that people who lived to
be over 100 years old have better oral health compared to their respective
birth cohorts suggests that oral health may be a marker for healthy aging. In
addition, researchers found that centenarians’ offspring had more than half of
their natural teeth remaining and reported excellent or very good oral health.
3.
Enhanced clinical guide helps dentists save natural teeth: Patients’ natural teeth can be saved with the help of a new
and improved clinical resource, Treatment Options for the Compromised Tooth: A
Decision Guide. The guide is designed to encourage dentists to assess all
possible endodontic treatment options before recommending extraction of a
compromised tooth.
4.
Retirees can’t afford to lose dental coverage: One asset that is vanishing from many retirees’ futures is
employer-funded health benefits. When faced with this issue and the exchange
environment, retirees are overwhelmingly choosing to forgo dental coverage, a
decision that can have serious consequences. Poor oral health can contribute to
severe medical issues such as heart
disease and diabetes. Yet about 75 percent of Americans 65 or older do not have
dental benefits. When purchasing health benefits it’s important for individuals
to consider prevention, not just
treatment. With the purchase of dental health benefits, retirees’ can go to
routine oral screenings and cleanings to prevent oral health issues.
5.
Viewing Dentistry in a New Light: New tools are
coming soon that could replace traditional dental X-rays, screen for “hidden
cavities” and avoid painful extractions, according to a professor at the
University of California San Francisco. New optical techniques use light to
take instantaneous digital images that can provide a better picture of your
teeth and could one day zap cavities with a pinpoint precision.