Health Care vs Disease Management
It was the famous physician, William Osler, MD who stated: “You can tell
the health of a person by observing the health of their mouth! The health of
the mouth is the window to the health of the body.”
One of my central goals for each person I serve is to bring the doctor
inside of them to life. I believe I best serve each patient when I can help
them prevent the causes of dental disease.
- Factors Contributing to Your Health –
20% - Heredity
10% - Medical Care System (Quality and Availability)
20% - Environment
50% - Lifestyle Choices
Based on figures from the National Center for Health Statistics, Centers
for Disease Control, and National Institute of Health.
America is experiencing a disease-care crisis. This forces us to recognize
several factors:
• People shift responsibility from themselves as agents of health, to the
Medical Care System as agents to treat their disease. In reality, 50% of your
own health status is a direct result of lifestyle choices.
• The Medical Care System contributes only 10% of the health care outcomes
of individuals.
How does this translate to dentistry and dental health? Since we are
dealing with all health, then certainly Oral Health must be included. Like the
Medical Care System, the Dental Care System and insurance contribute to only
10% of the factors that determine if a person preserves their natural teeth for
a lifetime or not.
Traditional medicine and traditional dentistry only react to disease.
Consequently, disease treatment increases in cost every month, whereas
preventing disease in the first place is the Proactive approach.
Because traditional dentistry is reactive, it focuses on repair and
treating symptoms and effects of disease; but does not focus on prevention and
true health, which is the absence of disease.
If you’re thinking how healthy can I be? How good can I feel? How much
energy and vitality can I have in my life? Then, you’re thinking like I think
and I want to become as healthy as I can become. I want the most out of the
rest of the years in my life. What about you?
If you’re tired of being the object of cure and disease treatment, perhaps
you are ready for a different approach; an approach where HEALTH IS FIRST!
Dr Sandlin | Sandlin DDS Lawrenceville, Ga
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