As is known, the oral health is a very important variable in the general state of health. Numerous studies, for example, link some gum diseases with diabetes and some cardiovascular diseases. Others even relate the dementia with the dental health.
Before reaching those diseases, digestion begins in the mouth. Therefore, teeth in poor condition can decisively influence the way we absorb our nutrients. For all these reasons, since 2022, the Ministry of Health is expanding its services and benefits of oral health to eliminate the economic bias and that more and more people can go to the dentist for free in Spain. In June 2024, the Minister of Health, Mónica García, confirmed in a press conference that “the distribution of 68 million euros to the autonomous communities to expand oral health coverage and strengthen public dental care throughout the territory”.
Who does the measure include?
Until now, each autonomous community had different dental services in public health. The Government’s plan seeks to expand both coverage and recipients. At the moment, children under 14 years of age are included, as well as general services for the entire population and specific services for pregnant women, people with disabilities and people with cervical-facial cancer.
In the case of younger patients, between 0 and 14 years old (16 in the case of children with disabilities), periodic reviews to evaluate, in addition to the general condition of the teeth, if there is a risk of cavities and what treatments are the most appropriate.
For their part, adults and those over 14 years of age will be able to access these services at starting from an income level which will be reviewed annually based on the minimum interprofessional wage (SMI). Be registered in some Spanish city and have the health card in force will be sufficient to receive this coverage. The expansion of services It will be done in each autonomous community progressively.
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Treatments that will be free
As the Ministry of Health explains in its weboral health services distinguish between patients under and over 14 years of age. For children and adolescents, the periodic reviewsthe application of fluoride, fillings and sealing in fissuresfillings, endodonticsextractions and oral cleanings.
In adults, care will be taken infections or inflammationstrauma, mucosal injuries, minor surgery, jaw joint pathologies, biopsies and treatments pharmacological. Additionally, in the case of pregnant women, free check-ups and application of topical fluoride will be provided.
What does it not cover?
For their part, the orthodontic treatmentsone of the largest expenses for any patient, continue excluded in the new public health coverage. Restorative treatments for temporary dentition, extraction of healthy teeth and the treatments exclusively aestheticas well as other tests that are not included in the list of coverage of the National Health System.
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