Teeth: The Story of Beauty, Inequality, and the Struggle for Oral Health in America

I saw the audiobook version of this book as a daily deal selection. The topic was interesting and the reviews were very positive. I am familiar with a large portion of this book, having already been aware of how medical insurance and care far exceed dental care and insurance. Nearly everyone I know has had a toothache at one point or another. Most people do not have dental insurance or kid themselves that they won't need it. You will need to go, it's just a matter of time.Still portions of this book were real eye openers. The ADA's fight against dental hygenists, the marketing guru teaching dentists how to push services that may not be needed are just a few. I was aware of the lack of dentists not participating in Medicaid because of the low reimbursement rates, how the poor go untreated and the push for coverage and care for children. The deaths of several mentioned in this book were preventable. The sad case of Deamonte Driver was used as a rallying cry for more coverage for children. A good third of this book covered children's care and the lack thereof, though improvements have been made.Despite this, coverage for adults is virtually non existent. I would've liked to have read more about the challenges of coverage for adults. The cost of dental care is often worse than medical in some cases, even with insurance you still have to pay a growing share of fees.A biting commentary, this book is an excellent read. I read this using Immersion Reading, while listening to the audiobook. The narrator was superb, a beautiful voice with the perfect amount of emotion.

Mary Otto has been involved in the tragic death of Deamonte Driver due to dental infection for several years. She deserves enormous credit for bringing this story to the public. In her new book, "Teeth," Ms. Otto takes her formidable investigative skills and applies them across an accurate, and interesting account of the founding of the dental profession, and on why it was never integrated into medicine. Most importantly, she unearths the many sad tales on the inadequate resources allocated for dental services in the USA. At a time when it has become clear that dental disease, especially periodontal disease, is a contributory cause to many inflammatory based systemic diseases like diabetes, stroke, heart disease and renal disease, it is important to read this book. Indeed, it has been estimated that providing dental care within Medicare can generate a net savings of $12 billion per year from reduced hospitalizations due to the impact of reducing a key source of inflammation in the body.

Going through the process of implants on my #8, 7, 6 and other work including a root canal on #21, I wanted to educate myself on dental work and 'Teeth' and Mary Otto surfaced.Her research into the history of dentistry and its evolution from the 17th century to mid-1900s as the medical profession struggled to recognize the 'trade' of dentistry is useful perception. I am still reading the book and just finished the story of Deamonte Driver and am saddened (Chapter 5).Her style of writing flows well. Allow me to continue soon!

This is an important book on an important topic easily read by the lay person and professional alike. It is extensively researched and provides little known history as well as both fascinating and disturbing stories. There is a clear political agenda. That being dental care is part of medical care and thus should be provided to all as an entitlement by our government. However you may feel about that agenda, it is a good first step in starting an urgently needed dialogue critical to the health of Americans. I can suggest three additional chapters to cover issues that were either avoided or neglected:1.) "Access to care" is a euphemism which really means, "who covers the cost". So who does? Can anyone cover the cost of neglect or ignorance?2.) "Organized dentistry" is consistently and repeatedly characterized as being self-serving if not profiteering. (Just wait until corporations and venture capitalists take over the practice of dentistry!) Yet the two things dentists CANNOT ORGANIZE around are fees and 3rd party ("insurance") participation. The FTC uses impressive intimidation tactics to squash all such discussion within the profession. The profession which must lead to solve the problem.3.) There is no realistic discussion about what "dental insurance" really is. Is it really insurance? Does the industry behave monopolistically by fixing fees? Is it more like a cartel? It may have been illuminating to have legal analysis of participation contracts, intimidation tactics and government collusion. All of this adds huge unnecessary cost to the delivery of care. I urge you to read this book, brush and floss diligently and require your children to do the same! 95% of dental diseases and disorders are preventable with simple, inexpensive, responsible behavior. Take care of yourself. Be a good patient. Dental disease could go away.

I have suffered for years from periodontal disease - it's now advanced. I happened across this book and it is an eye opener. It exposes the deplorable state of dental care in the US - the deplorable state caused by the intransigence of the American Dental Assn. plus the same for the various state assns. The intransigence I speak of is their resistance to most all attempts to expand dental care to a larger percentage of the population. (50% have periodantal disease, and about 1/3 of the people have never in their life been to a dentist.) The two main causes of this situation are the high charges for services, (a situation of course vigorously defended by the dentists themselves), and the scarcity of service in many areas of the country. This book triggered my curiosity to research my own condition. I am confident I am now on the way to putting a stop to the progression of my disease. Thank you, Mary - thank you greatly. A.

I purchased a "new" teeth book here but it got to me looking used and with a 3 dollar price tag, bit disappointed with the look of this book but still going to read it