Dental Hygiene and Your Health - Take Care of Your Teeth to Extend Your Life

Many people who are currently retired or near retirement grew up in a time when dental hygiene consisted of brushing your teeth before bed and visiting the dentist only when you were in pain.  Using dental floss and going to the dentist for regular check-ups was not a priority for many middle class and low-income families in the 1940s and 1950s.  Today, after decades of neglecting their teeth and gums, millions of seniors now suffer from dental problems, including inflammation and gum or periodontal disease. What many do not realize is that neglecting your teeth can also contribute to a wide variety of illnesses which affect your entire body and could even shorten your life.

The good news is that taking a more aggressive approach toward dental care, even in your later years, can reverse or slow down the damage the inflammation may have caused to other organs in your body.

Does Medicare Cover Dental Care?

The bad news is that Medicare does not cover most dental care, dental procedures, or supplies, including fillings, cleanings, tooth extractions, dentures, dental plates, or other dental devices.  Patients pay 100 percent for these non-covered services, which means the patients carry the burden of most dental care.  As a result, it is smart for Medicare recipients to buy a dental supplement or choose a Medicare Advantage plan which includes dental coverage.  Both choices are available and are a good idea for retirees.  You should discuss your options with your insurance agent.

In addition, you may want to find a dental school in your area which might provide some types of dental care at a discount.

Taking care of your teeth as you age can be life saving, so it is important to make sure you find a way to access the care you need.

Medical Advantages of Better Dental Care

Fewer Lost Teeth - The most obvious advantage to caring for your teeth and gums is that you are less likely to lose your teeth as you age.  According to AARP, the current average amount an American over the age of 65 spends on dental care is $15,340 over a 20-year period.  People who spend the last decades of life getting dentures, implants or undergoing multiple root canals may actually spend significantly more than that amount.  Learning to take proper care of your teeth could reduce this expense substantially.

Healthier Heart - People who have poor dental hygiene may develop endocarditis, which is an infection or inflammation of the inner lining of the heart chambers and valves.  This can be a fatal heart problem.  In other words, ignoring your teeth could kill you.

Healthier Kidneys and other organs - Research has shown a correlation between poor periodontal health and atherosclerosis, which is the hardening and narrowing of the arteries.  They now know that atherosclerosis is suspected to contribute to a variety of health problems, including chronic kidney disease. 

Lower Cancer Risk - According to a study done in 2017, postmenopausal women who have a history of periodontal (gum) disease are also a a heightened risk of developing breast, esophageal, gallbladder, skin and lung cancer.  

Clearer Lungs - Another study showed that patients who practice good oral care during a hospital stay are able to decrease their risk of hospital-related pneumonia by 39 percent. Even if you are so ill you do not feel like taking care of your teeth, forcing yourself to do so could save your life. Brushing your teeth and using floss regularly at home may also help protect your lungs from unnecessary infections.

Reduced Blood Sugar Levels - People who have periodontal disease and diabetes at the same time may have a more difficult time controlling their blood glucose levels.  Doing everything possible to deal with both these medical issues in appropriate ways will help minimize your risk.  

Less Erectile Dysfunction - Most men have never considered that there may be a link between caring for their teeth and their sexual function.  The reason for the connection is because chronic inflammation in any part of the body, including the gums, can eventually damage the lining of blood vessels in all parts of the body, including the sexual organs.  This one reason alone may make men more willing to care for their teeth and gums!

How to Properly Care for Your Teeth and Gums

See a Dentist at Least Every Six Months - Your dental hygienist and dentist will check your mouth, looking for signs of oral cancer, decay and periodontal pockets in your gums.  If they notice a problem, they will recommend a course of treatment.  It is smart to follow their advice, whether that means flossing your teeth more often, having cavities filled, getting a root canal, or undergoing gum surgery.  While some of these treatments may seem expensive at the time, in the long run they can be less expensive than allowing dental problems to go untreated.  If your dentist suggests that you see him more often than every six months, it is a good idea to follow their instructions.  It could save you money on more expensive treatments in the future.

Follow Your Dentist's Instruction for Oral Care - Between visits to the dentist, it is important you follow your dentist's instructions regarding flossing, the type of toothbrush you should be using, and the type of mouthwash, toothpaste and other products which will work best for your particular dental hygiene issues.  For example, they may recommend products specifically designed to treat dry mouth or tooth sensitivity. If you have any questions about which products are best for you, you should ask them directly.

If you are interested in learning more about common medical issues as you age, Medicare, Social Security, financial planning, where to retire and more, use the tabs and pull-down menu at the top of the page for links to hundreds of additional helpful articles. 

Source of facts used in this article:  AARP Bulletin, October 2018

You are reading from the blog:  http://www.baby-boomer-retirement.com

Photo Credit: Dental School at the University of New England

Dental Care, Oral Health and Retirement

One problem that most retirees will face is the expense of dental care after retirement.  Unfortunately, although oral health is absolutely essential to our overall health, Medicare does not cover dental care.  In addition, taking care of our teeth can become increasingly expensive as we become older, especially if we begin to lose teeth and need dentures or implants. This can put a financial strain on many of the elderly.

Dental Care After Retirement is Expensive

The issue is serious enough that my husband recently set up a GoFundMe account for a friend and retired veteran who needed to have a number of his teeth replaced with implants.  Neither Medicare nor the Veteran's Administration offered a program to help him.

Fortunately, the money was raised and friends of the man were able to work out a system to take turns driving him to a dental school about 60 miles away, so that he could get his implants at a discount.  However, GoFundMe accounts are unlikely to be the solution for every retiree in America.

Sadly, it is quite possible that the man would not have let his teeth decline to the point where his teeth needed to be pulled and replaced with implants, if he had been able to afford to get consistent dental care sooner.

Other Health Conditions are Affected by Poor Dental Health

One reason that we need to take care of our teeth is because poor oral health does not just affect your mouth.  The resulting decay and infections can complicate the treatment of other medical conditions, including:

Diabetes
Heart Disease
Alzheimer's Disease
Other forms of dementia

Symptoms of Poor Dental Health

There are a number of both obvious and vague symptoms that can indicate that a person needs to see a dentist.  These include:

Pain or discomfort
Bleeding gums
Bad breath
Difficulty swallowing or chewing food
Difficulty speaking
A decrease in socialization, often because of discomfort when eating or embarrassment over bad breath or the appearance of the teeth.

How to Make Sure You Will Have Adequate Dental Care after Retirement

Dental care is not part of Medicare.  As a result, most experts highly recommend that everyone get a dental insurance supplement when they sign up for Medicare.  It is available with both Medicare Advantage and Medicare Supplement plans and is offered by most insurance carriers.  This is one reason why most retirees will not want to rely on basic Medicare without some type of supplemental plan.  In fact, the lack of dental coverage is one of several disadvantages of relying on basic Medicare alone; most people will be better off with either a Medicare Advantage or Medicare Supplement plan, with an additional dental plan.

Many of the dental supplement insurance plans are offered in combination with a vision plan ... another healthcare issue that is not covered under basic Medicare.

Retirees need to know, however, that while dental plans are helpful in reducing costs, they will not completely cover dental expenses.  In addition, it is important for senior citizens to have extra savings in order to cover unexpected dental expenses, especially for major dental problems such as root canals, crowns, dentures or implants.

For example, with my Kaiser Permanente Medicare Advantage Plan, I pay an additional $20 a month for a dental and vision plan.  Under this plan, I pay $80 out-of-pocket every four months for teeth cleaning and approximately $1000 if I need a crown ... and that is only if I use one of their in-network providers.  Out-of-network providers can cost me double that.  However, despite the hefty cost of dental care, the co-pays are substantially cheaper with the insurance than they would be if I did not have dental insurance.

Advocating for Better Dental Care Insurance Plans

Considering that oral health is closely associated with cardiovascular health and other medical issues, it would benefit millions of people if better dental care programs were available to all senior citizens.  In particular, it would be helpful if plans with low co-pays were available to low-income and moderate-income retirees.

Hopefully, as Baby Boomers retire, they will put pressure on Medicare insurance providers to make sure that comprehensive dental care is included at a reasonable price.

Learn more about oral health at the website of the American Dental Association.

If you are looking for additional information for retirees about health issues that can arise as you age, or other retirement information, use the tabs or the pull down menu at the top of the page to find links to hundreds of additional articles.

You are reading from the blog:  http://www.baby-boomer-retirement.com

Photo credit:  morguefile.com