Have you ever wondered why so many dental implant offices open in malls, business districts and next door to your local dentist? Sure, dental technology always moves forward.
It's wonderful that a long time has passed since wooden dentures replaced George Washington's real teeth.
Of course we like to think new devices make our lives better.
Or does the growing use of dental implant devices indicate something ominous.
Should you and your family grow cautious about how your teeth are being cared for today? Bottom line: Short of a broken tooth due to accident or fracture, dental implants would not be needed in the quantities they are being installed -- costing thousands of dollars apiece -- were the dental patient truly educated today.
I'm sorry to tell you this.
The dental industry has been misleading us with very subtle changes or simply omissions.
The data, if provided, would result in healthy teeth for most people and a great decrease in tooth loss in seniors.
And no one is telling you this.
Nothing in the Dental Patient Bill of Rights requires it.
Next time you visit your dentist or hygienist, inform them of what you learn here.
When they laugh and say, "Not true!" simply respond: "If I or a family member ever lose any teeth, I will have them analyzed in a laboratory to see what is on the roots of the teeth.
" A lawyer may be needed.
But having your teeth analyzed could pay for the dental implant that costs $3,000 to $5,000 for just one tooth.
Imagine your nest egg if you need two, three or more implants because your teeth were not cleaned properly for a decade or two, or longer.
Some people in their 40s and 50s need nearly a mouth full of implants.
Get ready for this one: The truth is dental patients are told their mouths are healthy when they are not.
The overwhelming majority of people have very mild inflammation to mild inflammation in their gums, and they don't know about it.
Most people who sit in dental chairs have moderate inflammation, at least around the upper teeth in the back of the mouth.
This fact is not revealed to them either.
It's not hard to imagine why these back teeth are the first to fall out.
Inflammation signals the beginning of gum disease.
When you have any inflammation, your teeth and gums are not healthy.
It may take 20-30 years before you are in danger of losing teeth.
But if you are told you are healthy for years when you actually have even "very mild" chronic inflammation, you are not going to get better on your own.
Chronic means you have had it for a long time.
And when you start losing teeth, your dental professional will say it is due to age.
To this I emphatically reply, "Not true!" What is really disheartening is teens and patients in their twenties in need of dental surgeries to save their teeth -- surgeries that only older patients required 20 years ago! The key is certain dental procedures today are setting all of us up for dental implants in our future.
But there is good news.
With a relatively small amount of information, poor oral health can be improved fairly quickly.
There are steps for patients to take better care of their teeth.
They can also make sure their dental office provides the necessary service to prevent unnecessary pain and cost due to inflammation and tooth loss.
People have the power to change their lives.
They must care enough to take an honest look at their oral health.
Then they have to reach for a solution that works for them.
But first, the right questions must be asked.