Oct 1, 2008 2:49 PM
A toothache hurts, which is reason enough to take good care of your teeth, but good dental care is far more vital than that: According to the 2000 “Surgeon General’s Report on Oral Health in America,” American workers lose more than 164 million hours of work annually due to dental disease or dental visits. And their children lose an additional 51 million hours of school due to dental-related illnesses — causing more lost work time as parents care for their children’s needs.
Caring for teeth and gums helps keep you on the job!
That’s one of the reasons that the UFT Welfare Fund’s dental plan covers cleanings every three months. Fund officials note, however, that this is an underutilized benefit.
Failing to see your dentist or oral hygienist frequently can have serious physical and financial consequences. It can affect your job productivity, health and well-being, not to mention your family’s bottom line. Research indicates that poor dental health is related to an increased risk of developing major illnesses such as diabetes, heart disease and stroke; and is a factor in preterm births. Such complications can cost you far more than lost time and wages. When you work with your dentist to prevent and treat dental disease before it causes expensive problems, you can help avoid the costs of urgent dental care.
Since dental disease may be painless in its early stages, its progress may go unnoticed. That’s why regular dental checkups are so important and that’s the reason the UFT Welfare Fund increased its benefits a few years ago to cover four cleanings a year.
Don’t wait until it hurts. Even serious problems may not cause pain in the early stages. When detected early, many oral health problems such as gum disease can be easily treated. Yet, three of every four people will be affected by gum disease at some time. More than half of all adults currently have some form of gum disease.
Detection involves regular dental exams to check the color and firmness of the gums, how the teeth fit together and perhaps X-rays to evaluate the bone supporting the teeth. Complete dental exams like these combined with a balanced diet, excellent home care and not smoking can protect your teeth and gums — and your ability to work — for years to come.
It’s also very important that you begin scheduling regular dental visits for your child at an early age. Despite tremendous declines in childhood cavities, tooth decay remains the single most common chronic disease of childhood. Studies show that that 52 percent of 6- to 8-year-olds have tooth decay, making it five to eight times more common than asthma, which is typically cited as the most common chronic condition of childhood.
The good news is that fewer children are experiencing tooth decay overall. To detect and prevent cavities and other oral health problems, the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends that your child should see a dentist as soon as his or her baby teeth appear.
More information on the importance of regular preventive dental care is available on the CIGNA Web site, www. cigna.com.