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The new movie Sicko by Michael Moore , which I have only seen trailers of and read an article about, depicts our health care system as at least seriously wanting if not wholly un-American in its pathetic distribution and effectiveness. Michael presents damning medical care statistics and tragically demoralizing and "hard to believe we could do this to our fellow American" real life stories. Unfortunately, dental care is another cliff Michael Moore could jump off and not hit bottom on for "many are going to die-harder" sequels.

Hollywood movie making and partisan battles aside (or not), we need to really take a look at what we are doing with this Laissez-un-faire health care system and the policy driving it.

There is damage being done to our fellow citizens, the nation's national security, and to many of us. By sitting on our hands and waving the "everyone is on their own" flag so much, we forget about what is most important: keeping as much of the almighty dollar in our own pocket as possible! In God, Greed (and lots more consumer) Goods We Trust.

Okay, I forgot what we are really forgetting. But I will get to that and a link to damning dental health statistics in the next section. Tragic real-life dentistry destruction stories as in the aforementioned movie will be left until we (hide the hard truth from us) Americans have the stomach for them.

Get Damning Dental Health Statistics and some partisan jabbing here (and left hook there) reading the rest of this dental blog.

There are many people who would rather let people lose their teeth than spend an extra dollar to help. Ironically, dental disease often cuts across socio-economic boundaries. Even wealthy people can end up with unhealthy teeth because of lack of regular dentist visit preventive care and fluoride deprivation, which according to the CDC still is not in large enough quantities to protect teeth in the water over 100 millions Americans drink.

While the "fluoride is terrible" ranters" will argue against the value of this substance, what would their success in stopping its deployment do to the current ugly dental health statistics? Tooth enamel fluorosis, however, seems to be mostly cosmetic and only usually occurs in small children. While some say it causes other maladies such as bone cancer, the research is very inconclusive according to sources like the American Dental Association. The value of fluoride might be overblown by its big dental cheerleaders and excessively rebuked by the little guy dental whistleblowers, but the energy used in this brouhaha could be better spent improving dentistry for the masses first.

Getting past the fluoride debate and onto what we all can see is happening without another round of clinical studies should be dental topic number one. The crisis of dental health ignorance and government incompetence in combating something that is damaging us here at home. One hundred billion dollars on a dental care Star Wars child protection shield would be a start.

It is unfortunate we have so many boogie men in other places that distract us from what is really killing our future as a nation. We have been fighting the dental health terrorist in our backyards and losing for many years. Why are we losing at something we could almost eliminate and fighting other things we have a lot less control over?

Republicans want less government. Democrats want higher taxes. Independents want something in between. So here we are -- on different planets while people suffer. Dental decay, periodontal disease and oral cancer plague our neighbors, our family members and our ability to fight anything else very successfully.

Why can Michael Moore even come close to criticizing our health system? Why are we sickos in dental health too?

This Dental Health Commentary is one person's opinion. Please take a look at some links below to fill in the blanks for yourself. HOWEVER, if you are ready, tell somebody about how bad dental care is in the country (use links below).

Write, Call, Email the Commander in Chief of a Failed Dental Health Policy.

Contact the Senate of Dental Health Policy on Sedation.

Rail on your Representative about how bad dental health is in such a great country.

Click here for Damning Dental Health Statistics"

See Michael Moore do his Sicko thing--via youtube.

The Official Michael Moore site.

A Community Group Attacks Fluoride's Supposed Attack on Teeth/Dental Health

Here is where the American Dental Association Puts in its two Teeth worth about Fluoride

Doctor Speaks out on the Fluoride - Oral Cancer Problem?

Here the American Dental Association Says, No Conclusive Link to Bone Cancer

More on Fluoride from American Dental Association

Dental Blogger is the web blog for dentists and consumers that takes a humor-serious look at dental health.