4 Must-do’s if You Don’t Have Dental Insurance

Julie Wendt
dad and son in white T-shirts standing at the mirror in the bathroom, flossing their teeth
There’s Still A few Options Available for American’s With No Dental Insurance

According to research conducted by Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, only 12 percent of elder Americans have some general form of dental insurance, and less than half have visited a dental office in the past year. Insurance status and income seem to be major factors in the study. The unmet needs for oral health care can lead to many health issues beyond oral wellness.

New data recently released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shared that the U.S life expectancy decreased in 2015 for the first time since the early 90’s when the HIV AID’s epidemic shook the nation. One of the 8 out of 10 leading causes of death that saw an increase was Chronic lower lung disease.

Lung disease and oral health have a connection few are knowledgeable about. Poor oral health can increase the effects of lung infection according to an article written by Colgate. Oral bacteria can travel from the mouth to lungs and cause infections such as pneumonia. The infection inflames the lungs, which may fill with fluid, and may eventually lead to the chronic lower respiratory disease, pneumonia.

 

I can’t afford a dentist.
What’s the best way to remove a tooth…
Questions like this can be seen on popular Answer sites like Quora

Visit Quora to View Answers

How serious can a toothache really be?

In 2011 a 24-year old father from Cincinnati Ohio died from a tooth infection. Oral diseases get overlooked as a medical concern because few look at it as having deadly ramifications. A tooth infection can travel to the brain and kill someone; therefore, it’s a severe matter.

  1. Seek a Free Clinic:

    Many cities have free clinics. You just have to do a quick Google search. Add the city that you’re in and type, free dental clinics. A list of your available options will pop up. Call ahead because there’s more likely a waiting list for service. It might be a good idea to call the university and see if you can get discounted dental coverage. Many universities have a program where students who are soon to be dental professional help with dental care.

  2. Leave The Cigarettes Alone:

    According to a new study, even one cigarette a day is enough to cause concern. The team at the National Cancer Insitute found that people who smoke just one cigarette a day had a 64 percent higher probability of dying than those who don’t smoke at all. When it comes to oral health, the primary concern smokers have is gum disease. Smoking interferes with the natural function of gum tissue cells. The interference with gum tissue cells makes a smoker more accessible to infections. To get on the right track, start with a 30-day Smokers Cleanse. It should help you reduce your desire to smoke and relieve stress

  3. Fight Bacteria with Bacteria:

    There is much more that can be done for your oral health beyond daily brushing and flossing. A study published by the National Center for Biotechnology Information agreed that Streptococcus salivarius produced antimicrobial substances which can help fight oral bacteria. Taking a probiotic that contains S.salivarius K12 and S.salivarius M18, should be a part of your oral health routine.

  4. Pulling with Coconut oil and Trace Minerals:

    I learned about the methods of pulling after years of having gum issues. I was never big on flossing, and I ended up paying the ultimate price (bad gums) later on in my life. The method hasn’t been clinically studied but has received a lot of praise from practitioners. It’s also a practice endorsed by Dr. Axe. I follow the methods described by Dr. Axe but Instead of rinsing with warm water, I rinse with warm water and a teaspoon of Trace Minerals Concentrace drops to help fight off inflammation and disinfectant the mouth. The body needs Key minerals in order for the mouth to resist infection. The Lack of such minerals may contribute to oral diseases and infection. The healing properties of mineral salt water have been used by the Greeks and Egyptians to heal wounds and swelling in the mouth.

If you have any other tips or resources for oral health, please share. Share the post with someone who can’t afford dental insurance, and let me know if these tips helped.

To save you some time, I provided a video on how to properly perform oral pulling.

Instructions on How to Do Coconut Oil Pulling

 

Resources for Healthy Dental Practices
Tags: Bacteria, Brushing, Cleanse, Dental, Floss, Lungs, Nutrition, Probiotic, Rinse, S.salivarius k12, S.salivarius m18, Salivarius, Smoker, Smoking, Streptococcus, Streptococcus salivarius, Teeth, Toothache