Prioritizing Oral Health

The mouth is often referred to as a window into the body’s health. When managing a rare or chronic health condition, oral health may not always be the first thing that comes to mind. Doctor appointments, medications, treatments, insurance concerns, and daily symptom management often take priority. However, maintaining good oral health is an important part of overall health and can play a significant role in supporting long-term well-being.

A Healthy Mouth Supports a Healthier You

Oral health extends far beyond teeth and gums. Poor oral health can contribute to pain, infections, difficulty eating, speaking, and maintaining proper nutrition. It can also affect mental health, self-confidence, and quality of life.

Many rare diseases—affecting an estimated 25 to 30 million Americans—manifest in the mouth. About 15% of all rare diseases directly impact craniofacial structures, teeth, or salivary functions. Dental professionals often play a crucial role in early diagnosis, and maintaining oral health is vital for managing systemic health and preserving vital functions.

Common Dental Challenges

For anyone, dental problems can range from minor annoyances to serious health concerns. Some of the most common oral health challenges include:

• Tooth decay and cavities. One of the most widespread oral health issues, often worsened by limited access to preventive care.
• Gum (periodontal) disease. An infection of the tissues that support the teeth, which research links to several chronic conditions, including diabetes and heart disease. 
• Tooth loss. Often the result of untreated decay or gum disease, tooth loss can affect nutrition, speech, and self-confidence.
• Dry mouth (xerostomia). A common side effect of many medications used to manage chronic conditions, dry mouth increases the risk of decay and infection.
• Oral pain and infection. Left untreated, oral infections can spread and, in some cases, become medical emergencies.

For individuals managing a rare or chronic condition, these everyday challenges can be compounded by the disease itself, its treatment, or both.

Why Oral Health and Chronic Disease Are So Closely Linked

Researchers have spent decades studying what’s known as the “oral-systemic connection”—the relationship between the health of the mouth and the health of the rest of the body. According to the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR), scientists have identified connections between oral diseases, such as gum disease and tooth decay, and conditions including diabetes, heart and vascular disease, dementia, preterm birth, and cancer. These connections often run in both directions: an oral disease can raise the risk of a systemic condition worsening, and a systemic condition can make oral disease more likely.

For example:

• Diabetes. High blood sugar can encourage the growth of bacteria that cause gum disease, and gum disease can, in turn, make blood sugar harder to control.
• Autoimmune and connective tissue disorders. Conditions such as Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, Marfan syndrome, and Loeys-Dietz syndrome have been shown to affect oral tissue, jaw structure, and overall oral health-related quality of life.
• Genetic and rare syndromes. More than 900 genetic syndromes are associated with oral or craniofacial manifestations, meaning that for many rare disease patients, a dentist may be one of the first providers to notice signs of an underlying condition. 

This is part of why maintaining oral health isn’t just about a healthy smile—for people managing rare or chronic conditions, it can be directly tied to how well their broader treatment plan works.

The Barriers That Get in the Way

Despite how closely oral health is tied to overall health, dental care remains one of the hardest types of health care for many Americans to access and afford.

• Cost is the single biggest barrier to dental care. Among U.S. adults aged 20–64 who report an unmet dental care need, 80% say it’s because they couldn’t afford it — and 40% of low-income adults have untreated cavities as a result. 
• Insurance gaps are common. Millions of adults have no dental coverage at all, and even those with insurance often face high out-of-pocket costs, since dental plans typically cap annual benefits far lower than medical insurance.
• Access varies by geography. Many rural and underserved communities are considered “dental deserts,” where a shortage of providers makes it difficult to find care within a reasonable distance.
• Medical and dental care are often disconnected. Medical and dental records are frequently kept separate, which can make it harder for dental and medical providers to coordinate care for patients managing complex or chronic conditions.
• Chronic illness adds complexity. For someone already managing frequent appointments, treatments, and out-of-pocket medical costs, dental care can understandably fall to the bottom of the priority list—even when it’s urgently needed.

For individuals with rare or chronic conditions, these barriers can be even higher. Oral health procedures are sometimes required before a patient can begin or continue critical medical treatment, such as chemotherapy, transplant procedures, or certain therapies—meaning a dental delay can become a medical delay.

How Accessia Health Is Helping Close the Gap

Accessia Health created the Healthy People. Healthy Communities. Oral Health Fund to help address exactly this kind of gap. Programs like this are prioritized in high-risk communities and among those who are privately insured or uninsured. Through the Oral Health Fund, eligible individuals with private insurance or who are uninsured in the states of Indiana, Ohio, and Michigan can receive financial assistance for services such as:

• Dental cleanings and exams
• X-rays
• Cavity fillings
• Root canals
• Other urgent or medically necessary oral health procedures

The fund was launched with support from the Delta Dental Foundation and operates as part of Accessia Health’s broader Healthy People. Healthy Communities. initiative, which works to reduce health disparities by addressing the real-world, social, and structural barriers that stand between people and the care they need—including housing, transportation, and food insecurity, in addition to health care access itself.

Because vital oral health procedures are often required by medical specialists before other critical treatments can move forward, closing this gap doesn’t just protect a patient’s smile, it can help keep their entire treatment plan stay on track.

Explore Oral Health Financial Assistance

If you or someone you love is living with a rare or chronic condition and facing barriers to dental or oral health care, help may be available. Program space is limited and offered on a first-come, first-served basis.

Learn more or apply for assistance through Accessia Health’s Oral Health Fund at accessiahealth.org/patient-programs.