Four people over 75 y.o. have needed surgery, in the last two years.
but , guess what

A. they waited two years longer than they should have to get it done
AND !

B. all four had to have dental work done , causing another 45 day wait , prior to having their surgery done, to get rid of the crap ,crud, and Yak ! growing in their rotten crappy ass teeth.

Just take care of your damn teeth!

one fella had to have seven teeth pulled.

the other three had all kinds of crap done

I always had a hard time wrapping my head around people letting their teeth go to shit. Not only is it gross and looks bad, but they get used all that time and you only get that one set. WTF, people?

Agree with the above, however, Dental Insurance is very expensive and most major work is only covered at 50%. With a fixed income it may cause financial problems for them.

brush'em or pull'em
it's your choice

or just go ahead and ignore them and maybe
cause your premature death

quote:

Originally posted by bendable:
brush'em or pull'em
it's your choice

or just go ahead and ignore them and maybe
cause your premature death

Strong warning to follow!

My son worked for a 73ish guy who started having heart issues. They decided he needed surgery to correct his issues. But he was told he had to have 12 rotten teeth removed first. He had them all removed and the very next week under went the heart procedure. He never woke up and his family pulled the plug 4 days later. I’m not qualified in any manner but sure seemed to me they should have waited a lot longer then a week for his mouth to heal.

quote:

Originally posted by Johnny 3eagles:
Agree with the above, however, Dental Insurance is very expensive and most major work is only covered at 50%. With a fixed income it may cause financial problems for them.

One typically doesn't need major work unless they have been neglecting their teeth for years (or decades). Brush, floss, and toothpaste are pretty cheap. Yes, major work can be the result of trauma, but that is the exception.

Trying to remember the last time I went to the dentist. Oh yeah, it was 2 hours ago. And 2 Saturdays from now I'm getting my 5th implant. Paying out of pocket. But teeth is teeth.

I do the best I can to take care of my teeth and my overall health. But, when I go to the dentist, he throws out four figure estimates like he is ordering a quarter pounder. And multiple visits to accomplish his care plan.
My dental insurance is nearly worthless. Love to have the work done, but not at the cost of financial ruin.

Other side of the coin:
My mother is 80 and has always taken good care of her teeth.
BUT! She has also been on prednisone, methotrexate and other immunosuppressive drugs for going on 4 decades.
This last year, her teeth started literally crumbling and falling out.

quote:

Other side of the coin:
My mother is 80 and has always taken good care of her teeth.
BUT! She has also been on prednisone, methotrexate and other immunosuppressive drugs for going on 4 decades.
This last year, her teeth started literally crumbling and falling out.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Yep. Genetics plays a big role as well. Nothing like chemotherapy to produce issues.
Radiation to treat cancer of the salivary glands is a huge problem. Drugs to treat osteoporosis often cause osteonecrosis. This is where your jaw basically breaks down causing a dental nightmare. To suggest that poor dental hygiene is the ulitmate cause is simplistic.

My last Dentist had a needle point piece of artwork on his wall...

"Only Brush The Ones You Want To Keep"

quote:

Originally posted by Johnny 3eagles:
Agree with the above, however, Dental Insurance is very expensive and most major work is only covered at 50%. With a fixed income it may cause financial problems for them.

Dental insurance is a scam. You pay out the ass and get next to nothing in return.

Brush your teeth or pay a bunch of money to get them fixed.

It's as simple as that.

(No offense MNSIG )

quote:

Originally posted by Gustofer:
Dental insurance is a scam. You pay out the ass and get next to nothing in return.

Brush your teeth or pay a bunch of money to get them fixed.

It's as simple as that.

(No offense MNSIG )

Dental insurance has always been more like pre-paid care (with a middle man sucking up some profit) than true insurance. For the most part, they are paying for VERY predictable expenses like cleanings, x-rays, etc. It's generally not a very good deal unless someone else is paying the premium.

No offense taken! I'm an orthodontist, so haven't fixed a rotten tooth in 30 years. I like clean teeth/braces.