Over half of older adults in the U.S. do not have dental insurance, and the majority of those without insurance have received no dental care in the past year. These numbers are shocking – but predictable – because dental health is not included under Medicare. Why is the richest country in the world unable to include vital dental health care coverage under national medicare programs?
Sign now to demand that dental coverage finally be included in Medicare!
At the most basic level, your mouth is the entry point to essential body systems, including your digestive and respiratory tracts. Bacteria that linger in your mouth without proper cleaning can directly cause disease.
Poor dental health has been linked to a slew of other bad health outcomes, and can lead to a number of painful and expensive health conditions, some of which may even become disabling. Some researchers are even observing a connection between Alzheimer's and dental health. Clearly, dental health is directly linked to overall physical, mental, and emotional health – and it's time the United States starts acting like it.
There is no reason that dental care is not included as an essential form of healthcare under the existing Medicare program. We must tell Congress: the time is now for dental coverage to finally be included in medicare! Sign the petition now if you agree!
