Couldn't agree more. Teeth are the only part of our body that don't heal when damaged. And as you mentioned in this brilliant article, dental issues can lead to serious health complications if untreated. That ALONE should be enough to make dental care a basic human right and covered under our health plan. It's actually twisted that it isn't and is still considered a luxury...

And even if it remains a luxury, there is an argument to be made on how much it costs. A dental checkup/cleaning consists of the dental hygienist flossing your teeth, cleaning them with a baking soda solution and a quick consultation with the dentist before being sent out with a complimentary toothpaste, floss and toothbrush. There's no way on earth that that realistically costs in the ballpark of 150 bucks or more. It's absurd. Dental care simply needs to be more affordable, but preferably covered as dental health is as important as maintaining the health of any other part of your body. Period.