Posted on 10/17/2024 9:49:46 PM PDT by ConservativeMind
A series of recently published opinions and letters present varying perspectives on the current state of US dental care all emphasize the need for evidence-based practices and changes in economic models.
The conversation kicked off when Paulo Nadanovsky, DDS, Ph.D. and colleagues presented "Too Much Dentistry," arguing that dental diseases and procedures are highly prevalent, costly, and often exceed spending on other major health conditions such as diabetes and hypertension.
They suggest that dental care in the U.S. is driven more by economic pressures and patient trust than clinical evidence, leading to excessive diagnoses and interventions.
Examples offered include the treatment of noncavitated caries lesions (white spots) and routine fillings in children, practices that lack substantial evidence of benefit in preventing pain or infection.
The collective viewpoints acknowledge themes of overdiagnosis, the influence of economics on dental practices, and the urgent need for basic evidence-based guidelines.
Another way of phrasing that is, yes, the current state of US dental practice is a somewhat of a scam with some really good outcomes. While perceptions of dentistry often come down to patient confidence and trust in the profession, I offer a few anecdotal tales from the ever-skeptical author of this article as examples.
I was once told that I had eight cavities and was handed a detailed schedule of the order in which the dentist would recommend addressing them. A visit to a new dentist for a (blinded) second opinion revealed that I had zero.
When my oldest daughter was three, a dentist took X-rays that revealed five cavities. When I looked at the X-rays, I couldn't see anything. I was told it was because I wasn't a dentist. The new dentist she visited later found none.
The implications of oversight for dental practices and health care policy are significant.
(Excerpt) Read more at medicalxpress.com ...
I am against fluoride in the drinking water because when you are taking supplements unknowingly it is easy to overdose.
Centuries of advice with the adage "Brush your Teeth" are misguided ... "Brush your Gums" is what it should be. Massage the gunk out from the cleavage between the teeth and gums, even if just with a soft brush and water. IMHO.
Did someone say "cleavage"?
Never had bleeding gums, but I can see how much healthier it is overall without sugar and carbs. I can say no to obvious sugary stuff, but pasta and potatoes ... I love those things.
You're a bad, bad girl.
(I presume "girl" from the "ie" in mairdie - sorry if I've presumed in error)
Subtle you are!
“They” - what I have, sans package info - are at least: soft, abundant bristles that have very finely-shaped tips.
A little older, I would eat chocolate and not swallow before opening my mouth.
And I can remember the eye doctor kneeling on my chest to get eye drops into me.
They earned every penny they made from my family.
What were the bad opinions about it?
This is for teeth - not ingesting, though it is sometimes used as a sweetener in cooking and chewing gum.
Ingestion can give you loose stool.
My dentist, who I liked, retired. I don’t trust the new guy after he said I needed a crown and wiped out my dental insurance maximum allotment. I will be looking for a new dentist.
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