Millions of Americans Lack Access to Dental Care: Report

I find it crazy that Medicare and Medicaid don't cover dental services! Simple exams and cleanings can prevent and catch things early and the kind of prevent major dental surgery that a friend, on Medicare, now needs. Furthermore, they have to run tests to see if he has Leukemia because his blood cell count is all wrong. But the doctor who saw him indicated the blood count could be due to the degree of dental decay in his teeth. I thought his fear of dentists caused him to leave his teeth dissolving in his mouth. But now I find out it is because he couldn't afford to go in earlier, when this could have been caught.

So, the government saved money on the upkeep, a pair of dentures might be cheaper in the long run. But, this man has also had 3 strokes and 2 heart attacks. He says he died twice and was brought back. His arteries are clogged up to the point that he has had surgery on his legs to unblock the arteries. It hasn't been helpful. He can only walk a few steps at a time, his feet go numb and tingly, and he falls because of his leg problems.

Considering the degree to which his rotting teeth may be at least partly to blame for these conditions, is it really cheaper to refuse to pay for dental work?

tg of WA 6:44PM August 06, 2011