The Importance of Dental Benefits: Oral Health and Overall Health | Solstice

Are dental benefits a worthy investment for your clients? As a broker, it is important to understand dental products. Your employer groups and individual clients can greatly benefit from having this coverage.

Not only can clients save money with preventive care. Studies also show a direct correlation between oral health and overall health. Dental problems affect overall health because the mouth is home to thousands of bacteria. When periodontal disease or gingivitis is left untreated other health conditions can occur throughout the body.

Key takeaways:

• Maintaining good oral health is key to ensuring strong overall health and wellbeing.
• Poor oral health can increase the risk of chronic diseases such as diabetes and coronary artery disease
• Respiratory problems, like pneumonia and bronchitis, can be caused by bacteria from the mouth. It is inhaled into the lungs.
• Gum disease can increase the risk of pre-term birth, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, and forms of cancer.
• Mental health can be affected by poor oral health. People may feel self-conscious about their appearance. This leads to anxiety and depression.
• Having dental benefits can improve productivity and save money.

The bacteria that cause gum disease can enter the bloodstream and contribute to inflammation and other health problems. If a person’s body is fighting an infection, it becomes difficult to battle complications from serious diseases. This can mean more doctor and hospital visits.

Bottom line: Oral health problems, when not managed, can equal poor overall health, and increased medical expenses.

Employers Are Listening
More companies are understanding the importance of oral health. 87 percent of benefits managers said they feel dental benefits are essential or a differentiator in a survey from the NADP.

Employer-sponsored dental plans have the highest participation rate for ancillary benefits. 68 percent of eligible employees choose to enroll in dental benefits, per the LIMRA Trends in Dental Insurance. Pitching group dental benefits is a strong prospect.

Dental is also a great pitch for individual and self-insured clients. More people are understanding the connection between oral health and overall health. And dental is growing in importance for people searching on the public insurance marketplace.

Removing Barriers to Dental Care
Other than fear of pain, cost is frequently cited as a reason for people skipping dental visits. In some cases, the perception of cost is enough to keep people away.

Many dental plans cover basic preventive services, like x-rays and exams, at no cost to members. So, clients can stay on top of their oral health without breaking the bank.

It is also worth highlighting that dental insurance makes treatment more financially accessible. insurance can cut down on the out-of-pocket costs. Having these benefits in place can make a world of difference to your clients when it comes to their health and self-confidence.

Medical Costs Lowered with Dental Care 
Dental insurance is a sound investment. Consider the impact of regular dental visits: prevention and treatment of dental issues. This can help reduce the risk of more severe, and costly, medical conditions. Routine dental visits are the key to prevention. This should be combined with daily brushing and flossing, and a balanced diet.

People with dental benefits can actively manage their oral health. Nearly 8 in 10 people in the U.S. with group dental benefits visit the dentist one or more times per year. That is compared to less than half of those without coverage. Untreated dental issues lead employees to miss more than 164 million hours of work each year due to dental disease or extensive dental visits.

Now is the time to partner with your clients to offer dental benefits. It is a wise choice for companies looking to improve employee satisfaction and retention, as well as employee health and cost.