{"id":8894,"date":"2016-02-18T11:56:06","date_gmt":"2016-02-18T19:56:06","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/projecthomelessconnect.org\/staging\/?p=8894"},"modified":"2017-04-20T11:00:13","modified_gmt":"2017-04-20T18:00:13","slug":"brighter-smiles","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/projecthomelessconnect.org\/staging\/2016\/02\/brighter-smiles\/","title":{"rendered":"Changing Lives through Brighter Smiles"},"content":{"rendered":"

Guest post by\u00a0Lauren Hodsdon<\/em>
\nLauren is a Masters\u2019 candidate in the Public Health Program at Boston University. She recently completed an internship with Project Homeless Connect.<\/em><\/p>\n

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Studies show\u00a0that having poor teeth can lead to poor chances of finding a job, and we also know that 41% of extremely low-income patients do not have proper access to dental care. At Project Homeless Connect, we believe that oral health is an essential ingredient in ending homelessness.\u00a0According to a 2013 survey of 9,000 homeless veterans, the people who received dental care were more likely to be working, financially stable, and living in permanent housing. Why is that the case?<\/p>\n

Unsolved dental issues often cause chronic pain. As anyone who has ever experienced it knows, chronic pain is directly linked to depression. People with depression often have trouble eating, focusing on their jobs, or performing daily tasks, and their bodies are more vulnerable to illness.\u00a0Better access to dental care (which alleviates chronic pain) is thus a key way to help people experiencing homelessness avoid depression and begin to take steps toward stability.<\/p>\n

Why don\u2019t individuals get the dental care they need? Some of the reasons include:<\/p>\n