We need to stop acting like having "bad teeth" is a moral…
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We need to stop acting like having "bad teeth" is a moral failure when it’s actually just a wealth gap
tired of the "just brush and floss" gaslighting tbh
We’ve all seen it. Someone has a visible cavity, a missing molar, or some crowding, and the immediate vibe from society is that they’re lazy, dirty, or just don’t care about themselves. But can we actually be real for a second?
I went for a checkup last week. I brush twice a day, I floss (mostly), and I still got hit with a "you have deep grooves, you need three fillings and a crown" bill. Total cost? $2,800. After insurance? $1,600. If I didn’t have that sitting in a savings account, I’d just... have bad teeth. That’s it. That’s the "secret."
The difference between a "perfect" smile and a "messed up" one usually isn't discipline, but it's having a spare $5k-10k or a high-limit credit card. Genetics plays a massive role, but we treat dental health like it’s a personality trait.
I see people in my office getting Invisalign or veneers like they’re buying a new iPhone, while other people are literally walking around with low-key infections because they can't swing the $1,200 root canal co-pay.
It feels like the "Great American Gatekeep." If you’re poor, you’re supposed to just deal with the pain or get the tooth pulled. If you’re middle class, you’re one "surprise" cracked tooth away from a financial crisis.
like what are y'all even doing when the quote comes back at $4k+? Are we all just one crown away from debt, or is everyone secretly using those 24-month payment plans just to be able to chew?
TL;DR: Having "good teeth" in this country is 10% hygiene and 90% having the disposable income to fix what nature messed up. Stop judging people for their smiles when the entry fee is a down payment on a car
#conversation
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tired of the "just brush and floss" gaslighting tbh
We’ve all seen it. Someone has a visible cavity, a missing molar, or some crowding, and the immediate vibe from society is that they’re lazy, dirty, or just don’t care about themselves. But can we actually be real for a second?
I went for a checkup last week. I brush twice a day, I floss (mostly), and I still got hit with a "you have deep grooves, you need three fillings and a crown" bill. Total cost? $2,800. After insurance? $1,600. If I didn’t have that sitting in a savings account, I’d just... have bad teeth. That’s it. That’s the "secret."
The difference between a "perfect" smile and a "messed up" one usually isn't discipline, but it's having a spare $5k-10k or a high-limit credit card. Genetics plays a massive role, but we treat dental health like it’s a personality trait.
I see people in my office getting Invisalign or veneers like they’re buying a new iPhone, while other people are literally walking around with low-key infections because they can't swing the $1,200 root canal co-pay.
It feels like the "Great American Gatekeep." If you’re poor, you’re supposed to just deal with the pain or get the tooth pulled. If you’re middle class, you’re one "surprise" cracked tooth away from a financial crisis.
like what are y'all even doing when the quote comes back at $4k+? Are we all just one crown away from debt, or is everyone secretly using those 24-month payment plans just to be able to chew?
TL;DR: Having "good teeth" in this country is 10% hygiene and 90% having the disposable income to fix what nature messed up. Stop judging people for their smiles when the entry fee is a down payment on a car
#conversation
source
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