Thinking about skipping the dentist? It could cost you in the long run.
The national debate over health insurance largely overlooked dental coverage. But many of the problems in the health care industry – lack of access, high costs and poor health outcomes – afflict dental coverage, too.
With far fewer Americans having dental than medical insurance, and being linked to adverse and potentially deadly consequences, those who forgo dental treatment could find themselves with considerable bills.
Around 40 percent of Americans lacked dental insurance at the end of 2012, according to the . That’s compared to 12.9 percent without health insurance, according to the latest figures from . Those lacking coverage are far less likely to see a dentist – both for regular preventive exams and treatment of acute pain and other problems.
Many Americans don’t see the dentist unless something is wrong, and 56 percent of those without dental insurance skip preventive treatment altogether. Their reasons for delaying or forgoing care: high costs and lack of price transparency, according to the . But like forgoing health care, neglecting oral health could be a costly exercise in denial.
Cost of Reactive Care
You could be the most dedicated brusher and flosser and still have dental problems if you go years without seeing a professional. These problems can build up over time and leave you with a dental emergency that will cost you in the long run, experts say.
“I’ve seen patients with excellent home dental care develop severe gum disease because their tartar had built up for years, causing gingivitis and gum disease,” says Dr. Marshall Young, a dentist in Newport Beach, California. “Also, patients that fail to come for regular checkups and cleanings can have decayed teeth that were at one time small, fixable issues.”
The estimate that more than 27 percent of U.S. adults ages 20 to 44 have untreated cavities. Minor cavities can turn into major problems, and what would have required a filling can eventually require a root canal or extraction. Young says regular exams can uncover small problems before they grow in both size and cost.
Dr. Don C. Atkins, a dentist in Long Beach, California, also sees patients with serious conditions that could have been prevented with regular checkups.
“When a patient comes in reporting pain, since they just noticed it, they’re thinking it’s early on and probably no big deal,” Atkins says. “But when a dentist hears a patient complaining that they feel something, we already start to wonder if it’s a root canal or extraction type of problem.”
According to data from OkCopay, the is around $170 for a front tooth or $183 for a molar. Cavities identified early can be easily fixed with a filling. When a cavity goes undetected, it’s less likely that a filling will suffice.
The is far steeper: between $700 and $900. Likewise, a deep cleaning required in cases of periodontal disease, where tartar builds up beneath the gum line, can cost several times more than a regular dental cleaning, and involve charges for local anesthesia and antibiotics, too.
In addition to financial costs, there’s pain and, often, embarrassment that comes dental problems. Few pains are as brutal as a toothache, and few imperfections make you more self-conscious than missing teeth.
Links Between Poor Dental Care and Adverse Health Outcomes
Not taking care of your teeth impacts more than your oral health, however. Studies have linked bad dental care to a variety of poor, or even deadly, health outcomes.
“There are clear links between gum disease and other systemic issues, such as heart disease, diabetes and respiratory disease, to name a few,” Young says, adding that a dental exam can also identify digestive and bone health problems.