The United States healthcare system is always in the news, whether it’s the latest legal challenges to the Affordable Care Act or dire studies about the health of Americans. Yet these discussions usually fail to mention an important part of the U.S. medical system. That subject is tooth care.
Dental care rarely gets the same amount of coverage as the wider medical care topic, which is surprising for a host of reasons:
- Oral health is directly tied to overall well-being.
- Cavity rates among U.S. children are higher than ever; one-third of U.S. children have untreated cavities.
- Tooth decay is a serious problem in the United States and other developed countries.
This blog post bring some much-needed exposure to the current state of U.S. dental care, from this perspective: How does tooth care in the United States stack up against other countries?
What do the Stats Say?
Surprisingly, tooth care in the U.S. isn’t as common as you’d think. One wide-ranging study from 2011-2012 suggested the U.S. in in the midst of a mini-crisis. Looking for an “around the world” angle to help identify the advantages and disadvantages of U.S. dental care, researchers analyzed oral health data in the U.S., Kenya and Colombia.
Kenyans had the most need for dental care, followed by Colombia and the U.S. The most interesting aspect of the data wasn’t necessarily the results (Kenya had a “severe” need, Colombia “moderate to severe” and the U.S. “low to moderate”), but the fact that the U.S. was compared against a third-world country and a developing country.
So why didn’t the U.S. dental care system produce better results – or at least the expected results? There are over 125 million Americans without dental insurance, prompting some U.S. citizens to actually head across the border (in some cases, overseas) to acquire cheaper dental care.
Some negative oral health indicators – tooth decay, gum disease, etc. – may appear high for the United States, but many advanced countries also suffer from sub-optimal tooth care statistics. One major factor is that residents of developed countries typically indulge in a diet that’s high in sugar, processed carbohydrates (shown to cause elevated inflammation), high fructose corn syrup and other corrosive ingredients. Another reason is poor self-care; brushing habits have worsened, and more than 1 in 10 Americans don’t visit the dentist at all!
The bottom line: tooth-by-tooth, the United States enjoys advanced dental care, but uninsured or apprehensive would-be patients contribute to a good portion of the negative statistics and publicity that surround the subject of U.S. tooth care.
A Micro-Comparison of Dental Care
Now that we’ve contrasted oral health trends with the United States and the rest of the world, let’s look at a comparison of dental care within the U.S. Specifically, Dr. Dental and other dentist offices. When you add it all up, our network of New England-based dental offices simply offers more, for less. We have the most extensive collection of family-friendly dental care facilities throughout the region, and we can handle all of your dental needs, from routine cleanings to major procedures. Plus, Dr. Dental’s popular deals help you save even more money. And about those uninsured patients – if you currently don’t have insurance, don’t worry about it. We’ll work with you to determine an affordable solution to all of your dental needs.
Are you getting the most out of your dentist? If not, make the switch to Dr. Dental today. Visit any of our area offices, or give us a call at (877) 776-9833. Dr. Dental is a prime example of the high-quality dental care available in the United States – take advantage of this opportunity and call us today!