Petition - TruBridge Dental Restoration

Make Oral Health a Fundamental Tenet of Insured Personal Health Care

Dear Dental Health Advocate,

Sign this petition to ask Washington State to follow New York State’s landmark decision to cover implant-supported dental bridges that dramatically improve dental hygiene and restore functional teeth and a presentable smile for millions of afflicted Washingtonians.

Oral health is a vital and integral part of overall human health care, and as fundamental a human right as any other form of health care covered by health insurance.

To allow patients health insurance protection for the repair of a broken finger or toe but deny restoration that is necessary for the ability to chew food, speak and breathe normally, or to get and keep a job that takes into account one’s personal appearance, not to mention one’s self-esteem, is a punishment that has harmful and far-reaching consequences.

Individuals who have lost teeth have difficulty eating and swallowing which can lead to an increased risk of numerous diseases. Women with gum disease, as those missing teeth due to gum disease, have a greater risk of breast cancer. Studies show that men have a higher risk of prostate cancer. Missing teeth are linked to rheumatoid arthritis and some studies suggest that the risk of rheumatoid arthritis increases with each tooth lost. Having diabetes raises the risk of gum disease and people who have diabetes and wear dentures are more likely to develop mouth sores. Adults are more likely to develop high blood pressure if they have gum disease or have lost teeth due to gum disease.

The cost of prosthetics to restore full sets of teeth has fostered a migration in America known as “Dental Tourism” those who cannot afford the cost of dental restorations — like the All-on-4™ ($60,000-$80,000 USD) or Clear Choice ($50,000-$70,000 USD) — are constrained to seek dental care outside our borders and in the doing, incur serious health risks.

Add your name to this petition and make affordable dental restorations a vital reality for the citizens of Washington State covered by Medicaid. Your signature will also be applied to making the case for Medicare recipients as well as those who have private insurance but are currently denied this essential coverage.

I, the undersigned, hereby assert my right as a citizen of Washington State to protect my oral health as part of my overall health and hereby petition Medicaid in the State of Washington to fully-cover implant-supported dental bridges for those in need.

Giovanna L. Di Domenico, Margherita Minoli, Nicola Discepoli, Alessandro Ambrosi, and Massimo de Sanctis, “Effectiveness of Periodontal Treatment to Improve Glycemic Control: An Umbrella Review,” Acta Diabetologica 60, no. 1 (January 2023): 101–113. DOI: 10.1007/s00592-022-01991-z
Philip M. Preshaw, A. L. Alba, David Herrera, Søren Jepsen, Antonis Konstantinidis, Konstantinos Makrilakis, and R. Taylor, “Periodontitis and Diabetes: A Two-Way Relationship,” Diabetologia 55, no. 1 (2012): 21–31. DOI: 10.1007/s00125-011-2342-y

Ngozi N. Nwizu, James R. Marshall, Kirsten Moysich, Robert J. Genco, Kathleen M. Hovey, Xiaodan Mai, Michael J. LaMonte, Jo L. Freudenheim, and Jean Wactawski-Wende, “Periodontal Disease and Incident Cancer Risk among Postmenopausal Women: Results from the Women’s Health Initiative Observational Cohort,” Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention 26, no. 8 (August 2017): 1255–1265. DOI: 10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-17-0212

Birgitta Söder, Maha Yakob, Jukka H. Meurman, Leif C. Andersson, Björn Klinge, and Per-Östen Söder, “Periodontal Disease May Associate with Breast Cancer,” Breast Cancer Research and Treatment 127, no. 2 (June 2011): 497–502. DOI: 10.1007/s10549-010-1221-4

Jo L. Freudenheim, Robert J. Genco, Michael J. LaMonte, Amy E. Millen, Kathleen M. Hovey, Xiaodan Mai, Ngozi Nwizu, Christopher A. Andrews, and Jean Wactawski-Wende, “Periodontal Disease and Breast Cancer: Prospective Cohort Study of Postmenopausal Women,” Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention 25, no. 1 (2016): 43–50. DOI: 10.1158/1055–9965.EPI-15-0750

Tingting Shi, Min Min, Chenyu Sun, Yun Zhang, Mingming Liang, and Yehuan Sun, “Periodontal Disease and Susceptibility to Breast Cancer: A Meta- Analysis of Observational Studies,” Journal of Clinical Periodontology 45

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Make Oral Health a Fundamental Tenet of Personal Health Care Insurance

Oral health is a vital and integral part of overall human health care, and as fundamental a human right as any other form of health care covered by insurance.

Individuals who have lost teeth have difficulty eating and swallowing which can lead to an increased risk of numerous diseases. Women with gum disease, as those missing teeth due to gum disease, have a greater risk of breast cancer. Studies show that men have a higher risk of prostate cancer. Missing teeth are linked to rheumatoid arthritis and some studies suggest that the risk of rheumatoid arthritis increases with each tooth lost. Having diabetes raises the risk of gum disease and people who have diabetes and wear dentures are likely to develop mouth sores. Adults are more likely to develop high blood pressure if they have gum disease or have lost teeth due to gum disease.

The cost of prosthetics to restore full-sets of teeth has fostered a migration in America known as “Dental Tourism” wherein those who cannot afford the cost of dental restorations — like the All-on-4™ ($60,000-$80,000 USD) or Clear Choice ($50,000-$70,000 USD), are constrained to seek dental care outside our borders and in the doing, incur serious health risks.

PETITION

I, the undersigned, hereby assert my right as a citizen of Washington State to protect my oral health as part of my overall health and hereby petition Medicaid in the State of Washington to fully cover implant-supported, dental bridges for those in need.

Footnotes:

Philip M. Preshaw, A. L. Alba, David Herrera, Søren Jepsen, Antonis Konstantinidis, Konstantinos Makrilakis, and R. Taylor, “Periodontitis and Diabetes: A Two-Way Relationship,” Diabetologia 55, no. 1 (2012): 21–31. DOI: 10.1007/s00125-011-2342-y

Reclaim Your Tru Smile!™ Schedule a Free Information Appointment. Call 1-(866) TRU-BRID (1-866-878-2743).

Make Oral Health a Fundamental Tenet of Insured Personal Health Care

Make Oral Health a Fundamental Tenet of Personal Health Care Insurance

Reclaim Your Tru Smile! ™ Schedule a Free Information Appointment. Call 1-(866) TRU-BRID (1-866-878-2743). Note: (You could use the telephone icon on derrheatoing.com )