Obama Care Ignores Dental Care

In a recent shared article, the American Dental Association quoted: “Taking care of your teeth and gums isn’t just about preventing cavities or bad breath. The mouth is a gateway into your body’s overall health. And since gum disease and other health problems may be linked, brushing and flossing are more important than ever. See your dentist regularly to keep your smile, and yourself, healthy.”

And yet, dental care is not included for anyone above the age of 18 in the Affordable Care Act, promoted by President Obama.

This forces the cost of dental care to become so excessive that most middle-class people are just skipping routine care, while others are in immense debt to their dentists for recurrent costly procedures (such as root canal treatments, the placement of crowns, or periodontal work). Even I am in hundreds of dollars of debt because I can’t afford dental care anymore.

What these representatives voting for our dental care apparently do not see, is that without affordable dental care, the majority of people will have to go without seeing a dentist. They simply cannot afford to visit their nearest dentist. My main question is that if Obama believes we all deserve affordable health care then why isn’t dental care part of the Affordable Care Act?

If the American Dental Association tells us that “The mouth is a gateway into your body’s overall health” then wouldn’t it make the most sense for dental care to be included in our health care coverage? We have the right to good dental care and it care should be included in the Affordable Health Care Act.