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The importance of mental, physical and financial health to overall wellbeing has been highlighted in numerous studies and surveys in recent years. A new study from Cigna Healthcare adds dental health to that list.
Oral health problems such as tooth decay, dental pain, gum disease and tooth loss have long been connected to mental health as a collateral effect often attributed to diminished overall self-care or a lack of interest in health or appearance. Patients with severe mental illness are 2.7 times more likely to lose all of their teeth than the general population, the report said.
New research shows a more direct link between oral and mental health. Chronic inflammation associated with periodontitis, for example, can pass through the gums and supporting bone and enter the bloodstream, leading to elevated stress hormones that impact mental health.
Amid a growing consensus around the connection between oral health and overall wellbeing, dentists and dental carriers are beginning to include dental care as part of whole-person health strategies while working to lower barriers to access for optimal oral care. Employers should consider the positive impacts of quality dental care on overall wellbeing, health care costs and employee productivity, the report said.
“Dental benefits are often treated as optional, but the data tells a different story,” said Dr. Cary Sun, Cigna Healthcare’s chief dental officer. “Oral health is deeply connected to chronic disease, mental health, and even ER utilization. For employers looking to build a truly comprehensive health strategy, dental care must be part of the equation.”
About one-third of people recently surveyed said they haven’t had a dentist appointment in more than a year. There are several barriers to care, including a racial bias in dental care delivery, scarcity of dental providers, data exchange limitations between carriers and providers, and the high cost of dental services, said the Cigna Healthcare report.
New tools are helping extend care to patients who might otherwise have difficulty accessing dental services, many of which are supported by dental insurers, the report noted. These include teledentistry to triage oral health issues, recommend next steps and provide prescriptions or medications. This availability helps the patient determine whether follow-up care with a dentist is needed and can be an essential step in diverting a patient from a potentially expensive and time-consuming ER trips.
Other developments include at-home oral screenings that leverage smartphones, artificial intelligence and licensed dentists, and mobile dentistry, which brings the dentist to worksites to make primary oral care, such as X-rays, check-ups and fillings, convenient for patients without the need to miss work.
Employers are in a unique position to help improve employees’ oral and overall health through incentives for preventive dental visits, said the report. Employers can also team up with carriers to offer employees access to home oral care tools, such as power toothbrushes and electric flossers, at a negotiated discount.
“Access to dental care is one of the most overlooked equity issues in health care,” said Sun. “By investing in tools like mobile dentistry, teledentistry, and culturally competent care, employers can help close critical gaps — especially for employees in rural areas or underserved communities.”
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