This
series of fact sheets explains in layperson’s terms the interrelationship
between oral health and major medical conditions, such as diabetes, heart
disease and cancer. Each fact sheet offers important oral health tips for
persons living with these medical conditions, as well as their caregivers,
advocates, and health care providers. While individual prevention and
management of oral and dental disease are important in the context of certain underlying
health problems, access to affordable dental coverage and care can be
absolutely vital as well. This latter component is one that too many Medicare
beneficiaries currently lack. We hope these fact sheets will serve to
illustrate why the meaning of health care needs to include oral health care,
and why oral health benefits should be added to Medicare.
The
fact sheets are developed in collaboration with Larry Coffee, DDS, the esteemed
dentist who founded the Dental Lifeline Network, a national nonprofit
organization that provides critical dental therapies to needy disabled,
elderly, and medically fragile individuals through volunteer dentists. Like the
Center’s advocates, Dr. Coffee has long been a champion for expanding dental
coverage in Medicare, having witnessed the profound challenges faced by people
who require but cannot afford medically-essential, and sometimes
life-sustaining, oral health care.
- Newest Fact Sheet - Oral Health, Rheumatic Diseases, Arthritis, and
Joint Replacement
- Fact Sheet - Dental Issues Related to Cancer Treatment
- Fact Sheet - The Dental and Heart Disease Relationship
- Fact Sheet - The Diabetes and Dental
Disease Connection
- Fact Sheet - Dental Issues Related to Pulmonary Diseases
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