Benefits of Preventive Oral Care Plans
If you are a health provider or the patient, did you know that with a preventive care benefit, you can reduce the times you have to go to the emergency department of hospitals and even hospitalizations?
If dental services are integrated more tightly into the medical care system, it can cut utilization by those people with chronic conditions. Research shows that those with chronic illnesses but without dental coverage through medical insurance companies had a higher rate of hospital stays than those with dental benefits. On the other and, those who had dental coverage but did not use the benefit for preventive services had 3 times higher incidence rate of emergency department visits than those who took advantage of routine dental care.
Having quality dental coverage, and using it for preventive care, can contribute to overall good health. Research reinforce how integrating medical and dental coverage and care can be associated with improved health and lower costs for those who suffer from chronic medical issues.
We know already that poor dental health has been linked to an increase in heart disease and that gum disease and other dental issues contribute directly to cardiovascular events. There are strong correlations between oral health and the successful management of chronic conditions.
Research found that persons with serious oral health conditions spent twice as much as other members on healthcare expenses. Individuals with dental health issues are also 25 percent more likely to suffer from heart disease, two times as likely to experience an emergency visit or hospitalization, and are also more likely to be diagnosed with autoimmune conditions, kidney disease, and anemia.
Seeking oral care throughout life can help detect more serious problems still to happen. Unfortunately, dental benefits are not always available, or often financially separated from traditional insurance coverage. This affects the access for individuals on the lower end of the socioeconomic strata. Individuals in the lowest income brackets are half as likely as well-off patients to visit a dentist. This situation calls for more concern if good oral health is targeted to be available to all.
Preventive Care with Benefits in Bellingham
Know that at Tetrick Family Dentistry, we practice preventive dentistry on all our cases. Proper preventive care avoids or delays oral diseases that are also linked to chronic health issues. Visit us in Bellingham.