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Dentistry is in our mouth. Do we forget that when asked to open our wallets for dental care? If you are focused on “cheap as you can get it” dentistry, you could be choosing between saving money and losing your life.

China makes a lot of stuff for us. Much of it is pretty good stuff. But when it goes in our bodies and affects us in many ways, getting it from overseas for a very low price – should raise our conflicts with reality radar.The China syndrome is their lead love affair – it was lead on toys just a few months ago. Now the news from Columbus, Ohio shows the syndrome has moved to the dental office. High levels of lead – more than what is considered dangerous on toys – were found on dental work from an overseas Chinese dental lab.

While I am not a buy American only, patriot zealot – this issue crosses some lines that are more worrisome than US flags from a communist country.

But our getting-it-cheap addiction – is the reason we buy US flags from countries that are antithetical to the values the flag represents. And sometimes we are just lazy and don’t look at the label. But this cheap addiction can have a cost.

Some times we treat our body like it’s a flag – not reading the label – ignorant of what we are actually signing on for. Even when it is not cheap, there is risk. Remember that story about cadaver tissue? A 23 year-old man from Minnesota goes in for some routine knee surgery in 2001 and the cadaver tissue used for the repair has bacteria on it. He was a very healthy person and the infection kills him.

While China is not sending us killer teeth as of yet, we do need to consider how we value our dental health. Maybe we need to contribute more: money and awareness. No one wants to get ripped off. But maybe the rip off starts at home and in our own heads.

This might not be you – but it is a common story about dentistry… We go to the dentist with fear and loathing. We complain about how much dental care costs. And let our dental insurance dictate our care rather than the dentist. With all this baggage, it is no wonder the dentist ends up searching out the cheapest way to help our sorry ass smile.

If cost is not an issue for you, the other side of the coin is to make sure we are getting the dental care we want.

Did you know your dentist is not even required to tell you where they get their dental lab work? The dental lab needs to tell the dentist – but they don’t need to tell you. This is our Food and Drug Administration at work. Maybe we have outsourced the FDA’s work to China as well.

Few dentists are out to get us. Most dental labs – wherever they are located – want to deliver safe, quality services. The overriding issues are what we expect, request, understand, value and will actually pay for.

If we trend toward cheap, those serving us will go there as well. The equal and opposite reaction - watch out for what we wish for - principles take over.

Addicted-to-cheap consumerism leads to some dental lab (that really does not care about the person getting the dentistry) producing a dental crown to “hit a price point” so your dentist can fit the price under our turned up noses. And even though we (and our dental insurance collaborators) are a big reason the price snowball is rolling down the hill of little value, the dentist becomes the bad guy.

While China can take the blame for that bad dental crown, hammering them is not the answer either. Remember, we good freedom loving, capitalistic Americans are saving money by utilizing semi-communist, low paid, speech restricted labor.

Contradictions like this always have some consequences. On Flag Day you might want to check the label on your addictions. Then floss with some – get what you pay for - value reality.

Dental Blog Commentary by RAC