Dental health definitely needs to be part of the universal health care coverage (not just the basic screening, but care and treatment as well). Dental health not only links to other diseases/adverser health condition, it also correlates to mental health. Peridontal diseases have also linked to premature births. Studies have shown that children who have dental health issues (dental caries, bad teeth, tooth ache, and etc) have lower self esteem, and do poorly in school. This could apply to employees as well. Your work performance could be affected if you have dental health problems.
I believe that there is a California-wide school policy (I don't have the exact policy) passed recently that in the near future (with the year), all children entering pre-school/elementary will need to have a dental exam. There are also exemptions for families without health insurance or have religious or whatever reasons. But dental associations are working with the schools so that children who do not have insurance (or dental insurance) could get free exams.
>>> Dave Cundiff <[log in to unmask]> 03/01/07 8:42 AM >>>
Thanks, Robyn.
In this case, the dental cause of death is pretty clear. That's unusual.
We now think it's very common for dental disease to contribute to
other diseases -- especially heart disease.
Even more common, perhaps, and maybe more costly for society, is for a
patient's untreated dental disease to cost him/her a job opportunity.
Most employers won't hire people with visibly bad teeth.
Dental care is expensive, but (at least in its basic forms) it is not
optional. Should we fund universal basic dental care via a tax on
caries-promoting food and drink? It seems like a reasonable idea to me!
Best wishes --
Dave Cundiff, MD, MPH
Olympia, Washington, USA
***
Quoting "Kalda, Robyn" <[log in to unmask]>:
> http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17372104/
>
> WASHINGTON - Twelve-year-old Deamonte Driver died of a toothache Sunday.
> A routine, $80 tooth extraction might have saved him.
> If his mother had been insured.
> Story continues below ↓ advertisement
> If his family had not lost its Medicaid.
> If Medicaid dentists weren't so hard to find.
> If his mother hadn't been focused on getting a dentist for his
> brother, who had six rotted teeth.
> By the time Deamonte's own aching tooth got any attention, the
> bacteria from the abscess had spread to his brain, doctors said.
> After two operations and more than six weeks of hospital care, the
> Prince George's County boy died.
> ...
>
>
>
> Robyn Kalda
> Health Promotion Information Specialist
> OPC Health Promotion Resource Centre
> (416) 408-2249 x2226
> Direct: (416) 408-6916
> [log in to unmask] (NEW - please change your address book)
>
> -------------------
> Problems/Questions? Send it to Listserv owner: [log in to unmask]
>
>
> To unsubscribe, send the following message in the text section --
> NOT the subject header -- to [log in to unmask]
>
> SIGNOFF SDOH
>
> DO NOT SEND IT BY HITTING THE REPLY BUTTON. THIS SENDS THE MESSAGE
> TO THE ENTIRE LISTSERV AND STILL DOES NOT REMOVE YOU.
>
> To subscribe to the SDOH list, send the following message to
> [log in to unmask] in the text section, NOT in the subject header.
>
> SUBSCRIBE SDOH yourfirstname yourlastname
>
> To post a message to all 1200+ subscribers, send it to [log in to unmask]
> Include in the Subject, its content, and location and date, if relevant.
>
> For a list of SDOH members, send a request to [log in to unmask]
>
> To receive messages only once a day, send the following message to
> [log in to unmask]
> SET SDOH DIGEST
>
> To view the SDOH archives, go to:
> https://listserv.yorku.ca/archives/sdoh.html
>
-------------------
Problems/Questions? Send it to Listserv owner: [log in to unmask]
To unsubscribe, send the following message in the text section -- NOT the subject header -- to [log in to unmask]
SIGNOFF SDOH
DO NOT SEND IT BY HITTING THE REPLY BUTTON. THIS SENDS THE MESSAGE TO THE ENTIRE LISTSERV AND STILL DOES NOT REMOVE YOU.
To subscribe to the SDOH list, send the following message to [log in to unmask] in the text section, NOT in the subject header.
SUBSCRIBE SDOH yourfirstname yourlastname
To post a message to all 1200+ subscribers, send it to [log in to unmask]
Include in the Subject, its content, and location and date, if relevant.
For a list of SDOH members, send a request to [log in to unmask]
To receive messages only once a day, send the following message to [log in to unmask]
SET SDOH DIGEST
To view the SDOH archives, go to: https://listserv.yorku.ca/archives/sdoh.html
-------------------
Problems/Questions? Send it to Listserv owner: [log in to unmask]
To unsubscribe, send the following message in the text section -- NOT the subject header -- to [log in to unmask]
SIGNOFF SDOH
DO NOT SEND IT BY HITTING THE REPLY BUTTON. THIS SENDS THE MESSAGE TO THE ENTIRE LISTSERV AND STILL DOES NOT REMOVE YOU.
To subscribe to the SDOH list, send the following message to [log in to unmask] in the text section, NOT in the subject header.
SUBSCRIBE SDOH yourfirstname yourlastname
To post a message to all 1200+ subscribers, send it to [log in to unmask]
Include in the Subject, its content, and location and date, if relevant.
For a list of SDOH members, send a request to [log in to unmask]
To receive messages only once a day, send the following message to [log in to unmask]
SET SDOH DIGEST
To view the SDOH archives, go to: https://listserv.yorku.ca/archives/sdoh.html
|
