Many West Virginians have trouble with their teeth. In fact, there’s a big gap between the folks who can reliably access an affordable dentist and those who can’t.
That’s no surprise when half the state’s counties have fewer than six dentists. National rankings consistently put West Virginia at or near the bottom in overall oral health care and a state report shows that by third grade, 56% of children show signs of tooth decay. Twelve percent of older adults have had all their teeth extracted.
But as Us & Them host Trey Kay learns in this award-winning encore episode, there are new approaches that aim to change some old habits.
This episode of Us & Them is presented with support from the Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation and the West Virginia Humanities Council.
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Photo by Trey Kay
“Most of the patients we see have not been to a dentist ever—or maybe they haven’t been in ten or twenty years. They only come when something hurts. That’s the mindset we’re trying to change. We want people to see a dentist regularly so we can fix problems while they’re still small.”
— Dr. Malav Shah
Photo by Trey Kay
Photo by Trey Kay
“People couldn’t eat because their mouths were decayed or they had dentures that didn’t fit. You can’t bite into an apple. You can’t eat a steak. That’s where I started connecting the dots between oral health and overall health.”
— Bobbi Muto
Photo by Trey Kay
“Someone with poor oral health may end up having a heart attack in their forties or fifties. They may have digestive problems because they can’t chew their food. They may not get a job because of their teeth. You really have to look at the full picture.”
— Dr. Ron Stollings