Dental benefits coverage, together with community water fluoridation, are thought to be the driving force behind the steady improvements in oral health in the United States.

The oral health status of Americans significantly improved during the past decade, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The CDC cited school programs that offer dental sealants or promote oral hygiene as examples of initiatives that seem to have increased the number of children, teens and adults who never had a cavity in their permanent teeth. The same survey reported a decrease of nearly 20% from a previous survey in the number of adults aged 60 and older who had lost all their teeth.

The dramatic improvement in the oral health of Americans coincides with increases in the number of people covered by employer-sponsored dental insurance. In 1970, only 6% of all Americans had private dental insurance. Today, approximately half of the U.S. population is covered by employer-sponsored dental insurance, according to the National Association of Dental Plans.

Here are more statistics that show how greater access to dental benefits improves oral health:

* From 1979 to 1990, regular checkups increased by 70% nationwide. During that same period, more expensive procedures like amalgam fillings declined by 27%.
* In 1960, Americans over 65 had an average of only seven original teeth. Today, this group retains an average of 24 original teeth. * People with dental insurance visit dentists almost twice as often as people without coverage, according to the National Center for Health Statistics.

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Importance of Dental Visits Increases with Understanding of Greater Connections between Oral, Overall Health

Heading to the dentist's office? Your visit may double as a private health investigation.

As research continues to uncover links between the health of our mouths and the rest of our bodies, regular visits to the dental office are becoming all the more important.

"Routine dental visits can uncover a number of things about our health, and put us on the path to preventing and managing bigger health issues for ourselves and our families," says Dr. Scott Navarro, dental director, Delta Dental of New Jersey.

Here are some diseases and the clues they leave in our mouths for oral health professionals to discover.

Upper respiratory disorders. Viral infections in the lungs of sufferers can produce lesions or sores inside their mouths.

Acid Reflux and Hiatal Hernia. Sufferers who repeatedly burp bile into their mouths can experience eroded tooth enamel, sensitive teeth and a bitter taste in their mouths.

Diabetes. Clues left in the mouths of diabetics include inflammation, infections, dry mouth, burning tongue, persistent gingivitis, and multiple lesions. Even patients who know they have diabetes may require special care. They may be taking medications that inhibit their ability to produce saliva, an important ally in the fight against cavities and gum disease.

Kidney failure. Dentists can also find evidence of kidney failure. Retarded tooth development in children, dry mouth, odor, metallic taste, ulcers on the tongues and gums in adults may lead the dentist to suggest a visit to a medical doctor to check for properly functioning kidneys.

Anemia. Some of the earliest signs of anemia, where our bodies don't produce enough oxygen-carrying red blood cells, are oral. These signs include burning, fiery red tongue, inflamed mucous membranes and difficulty swallowing.

Osteoporosis. As part of standard first visits, dentists and their staff take x-rays of the mouth area to spot oral health problems, typically no more serious than cavities. However, in some cases these x-rays show jawbones that have eroded and become thinner, a symptom of osteoporosis.

So what does this potential for finding other conditions mean for people heading to the dentist?

For dentists, the emphasis remains on protecting and promoting oral health. But as part of that commitment, patients are finding their initial and follow-up exams to cover health topics outside their mouths. Dental professionals often inquire about medical history, discuss medications the patients are taking, and may measure vital signs. All of this is a part of diagnosing the oral health of patients and developing treatment plans.

"There are many factors that contribute to the state of our oral health and our bodies. Patients can expect the contemporary dental professional to take a systematic approach to protecting and promoting their oral health. That's what works best," says Dr. Navarro.