“Oral health cannot properly be considered apart from the health of the rest of the body.”
“Take a number. A busy free dental clinic in Seattle in 2016. Medicare does not cover routine dental care.” CreditJason Redmond/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images
by Austin Frankt
“Many people view Medicare as the gold standard of United States health coverage, and any attempt to cut it incurs the wrath of older Americans, a politically powerful group.
“But there are substantial coverage gaps in traditional Medicare. One of them is care for your teeth.
“Almost one in five adults of Medicare eligibility age (65 years old and older) have untreated cavities. The same proportion have lost all their teeth. Half of Medicare beneficiaries have some periodontal disease, or infection of structures around teeth, including the gums.
“Bacteria from such infections can circulate elsewhere in the body, contributing to other health problems such as heart disease and strokes.”
Click here to read this New York Times article in its entiretyOral health cannot properly be considered apart from the health of the rest of the body.
“Take a number. A busy free dental clinic in Seattle in 2016. Medicare does not cover routine dental care.” CreditJason Redmond/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images
by Austin Frankt
