Dental Problems A Serious Health Issue

Landing on the list of the wealthiest or healthiest would be so much nicer, but our region is not making national news in those areas.
We drew national attention last year when U.S. News & World Report published a study on smoking rates. The Bristol-Kingsport region ranked No. 2 in the country, with 30.5 percent of the population lighting up. We were second only to Huntington, W.Va.
Now we have the dubious distinction of being on a list for bad teeth.
TotalBeauty.com, a Web site that hawks beauty products, came up with a list of “The 14 Worst-Teeth Cities” and Bristol, Tenn., landed at No. 6. Again, we are behind our friends in Huntington, W.Va., who came in at No. 2.
We don’t really care about TotalBeauty.com – it’s a site designed to sell products, not a “legitimate” news provider. But we acknowledge the problem is real. And the reasons are obvious – high rates of smoking and use of smokeless tobacco, a lack of dental insurance and infrequent dental care. Other leading causes include drinking coffee, sugary drinks and red wine.
Poor dental health leads to other physical problems – dental plaque can contribute to heart disease and infections at the gumline can spread through the bloodstream.
Poor dental health also makes the region the butt of stereotypical jokes.
We are in terrible denial about the causes, as evidenced by online bickering about this story. Posters on TriCities.com blamed everyone from former presidents and political parties to fast-food restaurants and grocery stores for the problem. Some posted vigorous rants for and against the need for fluoride in public drinking water. (For the record, fluoridated water is a necessary advancement in modern society.)
The problem is not a conspiracy by a political party or restaurant chain or government leader. Too many people are not taught basic dental hygiene in childhood and maintain that care into adulthood. Too many basic health care plans do not include dental coverage. Too many people believe that unless they are in pain there is no need to go to the dentist. Too many people wait until there is a problem to seek care.
Yet once a problem arises, it can be painful, expensive and complicated to correct.
This is no different than the odd noise your car might be making or the weird humming sound coming from your fridge. If people do not have extra income, or do not believe that their dental health is important enough to invest the money, or do not have health plans that help cover the cost, they will put off the work until a crisis arises.
And when the pain hits, it socks their pocketbook, as well.
As a region, we like to smoke, dip, drink coffee, drink soda and do other things that abuse our teeth. That’s before we even talk about the damage drug abuse can do to dental enamel.
We also ranked high on the list because 54.8 percent of Tennessee’s adults have had a permanent tooth pulled, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. A third of Tennessee residents haven’t seen a dentist in a year.
In Virginia, 41.2 percent of adults have had a permanent tooth pulled and about a quarter of its residents haven’t been to a dentist in a year.
Most of the dental problems cited this week are preventable through better habits and regular dental checkups. We acknowledge that preventive medicine isn’t free, but it is always less expensive than corrective procedures needed in crisis. In a society where virtually every child now has a cellular telephone, we maintain these financial decisions are more about priorities, not actual dollars.
About 10.5 percent of families in Bristol, Tenn., live below the federal poverty line – $22,050 for a family of four – an obvious stark measure of income. But most families do not fall into this category; they just are not budgeting for costs, are not insured or have not made dental health a priority.
Employers can and should do more to help. Regardless of the national health care debate, many people currently get their insurance on the job. We urge more employers who offer some measure of basic insurance to include dental coverage for their employees.
The overall health of every person is tied to their dental health. Companies have a vested interest in helping their workers prevent illness, including illness that could begin in the mouth.
Worth noting: Earlier this month, planners broke ground for a $5 million satellite clinic for the Virginia Commonwealth University dental school that will be located in Wise, Va., adjacent to the University of Virginia’s College at Wise. The facility will serve two purposes – to house and train students who are in their final year of dental school, while offering services to local people who need it. It’s a needed facility to train more dentists and offer affordable dental care for local residents.
For people who truly cannot afford dental care, there are free options through public schools, free clinics and medical outreach efforts such as the annual Remote Area Medical exposition. This is a last-resort, but as evidenced by where we rank nationally, many of our neighbors really need it.