Dental conditions related to stress include:
The American Dental Association survey found that more than half of the dentists who responded were seeing an increase in stress-related conditions among patients.
A quarter of the dentists reported an increase in cavities and gum disease — quite likely a result of changes in people’s diets and hygiene during Covid.
Here is another statistic from an informative NYTimes article:
By mid-April, almost 60 percent of private practices were operating at full capacity, compared with roughly 35 percent of their public counterparts, according to A.D.A. polling, showing the disparities in dental care among different socioeconomic communities.
If the mouth was considered a part of the body, and an annual wellness visit was covered by medical insurance, early detection of tooth decay and gum disease could prevent disorders like diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
Do you think medical insurance will ever allow an annual wellness dental visit? If so, when? If not, why?
