Original Medicare does not cover most dental care, dental procedures, dental devices or cleanings, fillings, tooth extractions and other related services.

If this news has you thinking that you may as well skip supplemental dental coverage, you might want to reconsider. Whether your teeth are vivid white and you’ve only ever had a couple of cavities, or you are currently dealing with some oral health issues, there are a number of valid reasons to invest in dental coverage.

Oral Health Can Decline with Age

Oral health problems in older adults are pretty common, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. For instance, about 68 percent of seniors aged 65 and up have gum disease, and nearly one in five adults 65 or older has lost all of his or her teeth. Prescription and over the counter medications can also lead to dry mouth, which in turn can increase the chances of getting cavities. Even if your teeth and gums are in terrific shape right now, it’s wise to keep these statistics in mind and have some type of dental insurance in place that will enable you to continue to see a dentist and get the care you need.

Dental Care is Expensive

The cost of dental care can depend on what area of the country you live in and what tooth needs treating. Granted, you might find room in your retirement budget for a couple of routine cleanings every year. But do you have an extra $1,000 burning a hole in your pocket? If the answer is “no,” please know that this can be the average cost for a root canal in some areas. If you need a root canal in a molar, it will probably be more in the range of $1,300. If your dentist decides you need a crown after the root canal procedure, you can expect to shell out anywhere from $300 to $3,000 more. By investing in supplemental dental coverage, you can rest assured that these procedures will be paid for by your policy instead of your nest egg.

Budget-Friendly Options Exist

Even though Original Medicare does not cover dental insurance on its own, dental care is still available for those who are eligible for Medicare. For instance, Anthem offers Medicare dental insurance plans with oral care coverage built right in. The Medicare-approved insurance company also has dental insurance packages that can be added in separately to your existing Medicare plan. This way, you can plan for your regular care like routine cleanings and X-rays as well as any unexpected issues that may pop up with your teeth and gums. For more information, Anthem’s website has in-depth details about its various dental coverage plans.

Your Oral Health is Important

The health of your teeth and gums is too important to ignore, and taking care of those pearly whites can also be very expensive without insurance. Fortunately, there is really no reason to skip supplemental dental coverage and put the health of your mouth and budget at risk. Staying proactive about dental care may prevent other, more serious, issues from coming up later on. With a Medicare dental insurance plan, you can feel a sense of relief that your care will be well covered.