American Without Dental Insurance | Guest Post

According to a report released by the Senate Subcommittee on Primary Health and Aging, more than 130 million Americans are without dental insurance. Many cannot afford the out of pocket costs for a dental checkup. In 2009, there were more than 830,000 emergency room visits due to dental conditions which could have been prevented by regular dentist visits.

Lack of regular preventative dental care has been found to have a significant impact on overall health. Findings include: increased risk of heart disease (the leading cause of death in the U.S.), diabetes, and high risk pregnancies.

In 2007, a 12 year old boy in Maryland died from a brain infection which was caused by an untreated abscess in a molar. Many children who do not see the dentist regularly suffer from serious and potentially painful dental diseases. Dental diseases only get worse if untreated. Untreated dental problems can also lead to serious health problems including cancer and even death.

Millions of families lack dental insurance because coverage is not provided by their employer or they simply cannot afford the high monthly premiums. However, with discount dental plans, dental procedures can become affordable. With a discount dental plan, there are no maximum benefits or age limits and anyone can join the plan. The plans are extremely affordable and give families access to the dental procedures that they desperately need.

Regular dental care is a crucial part of maintaining good overall health. No one should ever have to choose between protecting their health and putting food on the table, but unfortunately, that is the reality for millions of families. There is an answer to this problem and it is discount dental plans.

About the Author: Emily Chandler is the Marketing Director for Connection Benefit Group in Nashville, TN. She is a graduate of The University of Alabama where she studied Advertising. She enjoys running, couponing, and spending time with her husband.