As working class people who suffer from inadequate access to dental care services in British Columbia, Canada, we started this blog with the aim of documenting our experiences to advance our campaign to have basic dental care services covered by our public health insurance, the Medical Services Plan (MSP).
There are reams of research evidence to support our claim that dental and oral health cannot be separated from our overall physical and mental health. The Canadian Dental Association defines oral health as “a state of the oral and related tissues and structures that contribute positively to physical, mental and social well-being and to the enjoyment of life's possibilities, by allowing the individual to speak, eat and socialize unhindered by pain, discomfort or embarrassment.”
As the under and un-insured in Canada, we have lived experience to demonstrate how those without adequate access to dental care suffer.
Working class people wait until there is trouble to access dental care, with the result that we’re more likely to suffer: loss of teeth, chronic infections, chronic pain and all its many complications, as well as an increased incidence of some chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart disease. We also know first-hand that Poor oral and dental health impacts our: self-esteem and sense of self-worth, employment, access to education, nutrition and the pleasure of eating, emotional expression, communication and relationships, participation in community activities, quality of life, and our sense of human dignity.
It is time to take action! It is not enough to fight the privatization of public health services, though this is a critical battle. We must also stand up and demand the expansion of public health services! Health, including dental care, is a human right. It is shameful that in a country with such wealth, 98% of the middle and upper classes have their natural teeth while 25% of the poor have no teeth at all.
Smile With Dignity! 