dental care--caution: off-topic rant

[Guest guest]

I understand your confusion, Jackie! I have a feeling that the health care changes will only increase our confusion. I've been frustrated for years about the lack of dental care available for adults. When I was working as a nurse-midwife, we had so many young women in the clinic whose teeth were in terrible shape. Most of them were on Medicaid for pregnancy only & dental care was covered only if the problem affected the pregnancy. So if a woman had an abscess that was affecting her ability to eat, Medicaid would cover the treatment of the abscess, the cheapest way--antibiotics & pull the tooth. Not a root canal & crown. And we had to provide documentation, jump through hoops, etc. No one seemed to get the fact that a young woman with missing & broken teeth would have trouble getting a job, would have another reason for low self-esteem, be more likely to be in a dependent relationship with possible abuse, etc. etc. etc. Then a few years ago, research found a strong correlation with poor dental health & preterm labor! Just as poor dental health is associated with heart disease. Now we spend a ton of money trying to prevent preterm birth & treating premies after they are born; wouldn't it be wonderful if we could spend less money on dental care & get many more benefits? Makes sense, but I don't expect to see it in my lifetime. We've always known preterm birth occurs much more frequently in low income women; it's been blamed on lack of access to medical care & poor nutrition. But we still saw it in our clinic population, who mostly got early care, had WIC, food stamps & other food programs. I'm convinced that bad teeth & gums are the #1 culprit. Of course it's not the cause of every preterm birth & higher-income women also have preterm labor. (President Kennedy & Jackie lost a baby that was born too early; he probably would have survived with today's technology.) But I'll bet it's the biggie.

Sorry for the rant!

Ramblin' RoseModerator

"How far you go in life depends on your being tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving, and tolerant of the weak and the strong. Because someday in life you will have been all of these."

~ Washington Carver

To: Neurosarcoidosis From: shadowme810@...Date: Fri, 23 Jul 2010 11:19:37 -0500Subject: Re: check in time

I guess I was wrong. It isn't Medicare that covers the dentures it is a program that Wisconsin has. There are dental clinics going up all over Wisconsin for the low income. It is free to those who qualify however there is again a long waiting list. We do not have enough dentists who handle Medicare. There is one right around the cornor from me that would accept me but I had to walk in first and have a painful tooth ache to get on the list. It is really confusing.

Wisconsin has what is Called Forward/badger care. They, I am told, handle the problem I had but again it takes a long time to be approved and then the waiting list for the available dentist. Sometimes you have to really travel a long distance. And then they can turn you down. So with the help of a very good dentist and a family member we came up with a payment plan that works for me. Sorry for the confusion, I am confused too.

Jackie

check in time

Hell all

Jackie here just checking in to let all know I am ok.

A lot going on in this ones personal life.

My sweet son is getting a divorce from his wonderful wife. So sad. 3 beautiful children involved. My heart is breaking.

The meds I am on, as everyone knows, does a number on the teeth. I finally took the plunge and said Do it Doc. And he did. All gone. Waiting for the replacements. Chose to go without for a few weeks so hopefully they fit well. It has been 6 weeks. ARGH

Looking to get my own place (where it is less controlling). I love the man I am with but I believe he is holding my progress with walking and being independent back. Oh well.

Other than that all is well. Hanging in there and dealing with the trials. I have to.

How all is well with others. Have a wonderful sunny summer.

Jackie

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