Wish article included the importance of dental hygienists in the maintenance or oral health...hygienists are the main providers of early periodontal care and of oral health instruction in most dental offices.

yes the dental that is covered under my regular plan only covers very minimal work and if I want the extra dental I could pay for it, but in the long run I am still not getting very much coverage. And some dentists, like mine, does not participate with any insurance, because I am sure that he has to charge more in order to recover the actual amount due, thus the reason why we all pay more for our insurance.....its a vicious cycle. And I have been getting a refund check of $24.00 for the last 20+ years........so what does that tell you about our insurance. anyhow......good article.

Gluten Intolerance, which damages the intestines ability to absorb vitamins/minerals can be a cause of gum disease. My grandfather lost all his teeth at age 25. My mom had her's all pulled around 40 and got dentures( she also had lactose intolerance and bowel issues for years. I found out because of my son on the Autistic spectrum that he has the genetics for Celiac disease. Until his genetic testing we had no idea that these genes were in the family. I have receding gums, bone spurs( mouth and hips), hypothyroidism, food allergies and now RA all said to be linked to gluten intolerance. My children have receding gums, food allergies and the youngest (on the spectrum) has Type 1 diabetes. So, do some research and check out gluten intolerance. If your doctor will not test you (and even if he does you can have a false negative which is pretty common) you can pay for your own test (if you have the $$). Enterolab does tests for gluten intolerance and also issues related to having gluten intolerance (or full blown Celiac disease). Hope this helps.

I have been slightly concerned with my receding gums, there are spaces inbetween my teeth towards the bottom. I don't think I have osteoporosis seeing as I am still younger and I am a man. Still I should probably get that looked at. Are there any other causes for this?

Yvon L.

Mcurran, I've always wondered about that too, it never made sense that dental insurance had to be bought separately. Even harder trying to find one where your favorite dentist is part of the network. Most of the plans I had in the past, the insurance would cover half of the bill. Right now I am without so I drag my feet when it comes to making appointments :(

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I never understood why medical insurance does not cover dental care, especially now that there is an abundance of evidence that dental health goes hand-in-hand with overall health. I even asked my dentist if he knew the history of that, but he did not.

My grandmother lost all of her teeth due to poor dental care. My mother had gum disease in her 30's and had lost most of her teeth by age 70. Both of them suffered from Alzheimer's. I don't miss a day of brushing and flossing. I'll let you know in 20 years if it paid off.... Every little bit helps (i hope!).