Can someone really die from a tooth infection? 

Treating your dental problems early is far less expensive than waiting for inevitable day when the pain you are experiencing forces you to cancel your schedule and try to find a dentist who is not too busy to accommodate you. In the meantime you will experience more discomfort, infection, time lost from work, feeling miserable, irritable, and know that the longer you ignored the problem means the more extensive and expensive the treatment will be. This was not to be the case for a 12 year old boy Deamonte Driver as reported in the Washington Post February 28, 2007 issue.

"By the time Deamonte's own aching tooth got any attention, the bacteria from the abscess had spread to his brain, doctors said. After two operations and more than six weeks of hospital care, the Prince George's County boy died.

Deamonte's death and the ultimate cost of his care, which could total more than $250,000, underscores an often-overlooked concern in the debate over universal health coverage: dental care."

The cost of Deamonte's failed treatment could have provided 10,000 fillings or extractions for patients needing it. Over 2,500 cleanings could have been performed as well as other preventive treatment. One practice consultant estimates that for every year that a patient stays away from the dentist it costs them $1,000-$2,000 to bring them back to optimum health. The costs of having dental care increases ten to twenty fold if preventive measures are not taken.

A tooth that could have been treated with a filling if left until a root canal, foundation, and crown is done increases the price to the patient ten-fold. The cost of extraction surgery, bone graft, implant, implant post, and implant crown increases the expense fifteen-fold. The overhead of a dental office increases with the increasing complexity of treatment, therefore it is more profitable and less time consuming for patients to come in for preventive treatment.

 

How much is too much to spend for your health?

In the May 2009 issue of Dentaltown Howard Farran, DDS, MBA, MAGD the publisher voiced his opinion on healthcare in America. It was very enlightening and it should be a part of your thought processes when deciding to invest in your dental health.

"Famed American economist Milton Freidman was once asked how much would "too much" be for a country to spend on health care, seeing as Americans spend more on health care per person than any other country.

Friedman explained how Mayo Clinic founders Charles and William Mayo had noticed that most people spend 50 percent of their entire lifetime medical expenditures in the last two weeks of their lives. Friedman indicated that there would always be a market for those who valued the highest quality of medicine available."

The point being it was best to spend your money earlier on your healthcare so you can enjoy the benefits for a long time. Even if your diet is "healthy" you cannot properly masticate it in order to achieve the best benefits from the food you consume if your dental health is less than optimal.

In that same issue of the magazine Chris Kammer DDS was discussing Gum Disease is Killing Our Patients to give us a better sense of urgency when treating this infection.

"The Surgeon General reported that 80 percent of the adult population has some form of gum disease. Reader's Digest reported on an 18-year study which concluded that people with gum disease were twice as likely to die from a heart attack and three times more likely to die from a stroke. Periodontal disease wreaks havoc on blood sugar levels, resulting in a significant role in our country's diabetic crisis. If you have diabetes and your gums bleed, your chances of dying can increase 400 to 700 percent. More than 30,000 Americans are expected to lose their lives to pancreatic cancer this year. Periodontal disease appears to be strongly linked to pancreatic cancer, according to a Harvard study on 63,000 male health care professionals, where a 62 percent increase in pancreatic cancer was shown in those who had periodontal disease. This is all life and death stuff!

Studies have linked periodontal disease to not only conditions like heart disease, stroke, diabetes, cancer and pregnancy complications but also to pneumonia, Alzheimer's disease, wrinkly skin and erectile dysfunction. New connections seem to be arriving every day."

For more information on the connection between poor dental health and heart disease go to Gum disease and your heart and Oral and Health Connections. Our family general dentistry staff goes out of their way to help you set up appointments that fit your budget, benefits, as well as provide you with financing options. In the long run you will come out ahead. The life you save may be your own!

Patients sometimes put off needed treatment because of fear. Fear of the dentist, fear of pain, fear of the needle, fear of the drill, or fear of the unknown. That is why our many ways of treating fearful patients with Sedation Dentistry is helpful. Some patients have Sedation Dentistry Safety concerns because they are not aware of the technological advancements that can help them. Most patients can be treated with sedation, although a few will need medical clearance because of their complex medical history. We consult with or refer patients who come to us for screening to the appropriate medical specialists that allow them to enjoy the benefits of oral or IV sedation dentistry as well as cosmetic dentistry that helps them to function comfortably. 

Give us a call at 336-841-0000.