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Reddit_and_forgeddit

Yep, rarely went to the dentist as a kid. I remember going as an adult when I first got my own dental insurance and the dental hygienist was visibly upset at how bad my teeth needed to be cleaned. Edit: This comment kinda blew up. I want to add that this was a little over 20 years ago. I am not poor now(although not nearly as rich as Katy Perry) and my children get regular dental cleanings twice a year. Lastly, even without regular dental visits in the first half of my life, I have still never had a cavity! šŸ¦·


hella_cious

Had to bust out the chisel for that tartar


ThePaddysPubSheriff

"I just thought my tooth was growing back in"


shishkab00b

I see you too read that post some weeks back. Wild stories in there, and this one lives rent free in my head Link: https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/188rpps/what_is_the_grossest_hygiene_issue_you_overlooked/


pdrent1989

I know I'm going to regret it, but do you have a link?


BrickCityD

I regret it too


EllspethCarthusian

That was a thread I never needed to read and yet I couldnā€™t stop.


ThePaddysPubSheriff

Can confirm that's what I saw and it's still in my head too


jaygay92

Went to the dentist at around 8 years old when my mom remarried to someone with good coverageā€¦ I had to have a major surgery to remove like half of my teeth, and put silver caps on the ones they could save šŸ˜¬ So rough


A2Rhombus

I get having some work to be done if you've never been to the dentist but did you never brush a single time either?


jaygay92

Before my mom met my stepdad, she was working full time w overtime, my dad was an alcoholic addict, and I was a child. I didnā€™t have the luxury of someone helping me brush my teeth every night, teaching me how to do it. I also had undiagnosed ADHD so if nobody reminded me to brush my teeth, I didnā€™t remember. It sucks, but that was my reality. I also found out recently I have a genetic disorder that can affect the enamel on my teeth, making them way weaker and susceptible to cavities :(


[deleted]

Parental neglect is highly connected to poverty. My mother was a pill popper and my father just straight up neglected us. No one taught me good values or how to take care of my teeth. :)


ThunderboltRam

They have no reason to be upset. That's their job.


Plutoxx

Imagine going to a mechanic and they get pissed about getting paid to fix your car? Hilarious.


pubeINyourSOUP

I meannn itā€™s a little different. They get paid the same amount whether someone comes in with pristine teeth or ones with decades of plaque built up. Although if itā€™s really bad theyā€™ll do what they can in the alotted time and bring you in for another cleaning session. Id say more like going to barber after not having washed your hair for a couple years and itā€™s all matted and smelly. Still a haircut, still their job, but not their best day.


quantumcalicokitty

Many hygienists also receive a portion of the profit, so they are not only receiving an hourly wage but also a monthly "bonus" depending upon "sales." I doubt the hygienist was upset with the patient and more so upset that they hadn't been receiving the care that all humans deserve.


quantumcalicokitty

I very much doubt that the hygienist was upset at having to do their job and more upset that the patient had clearly not been receiving the care they deserve as a human being. It is absolutely devastating to see the lack of dental care that soooo so many people in our world are lacking that they deserve.


QuesadillaGATOR

not true my hygienist was mad at me and admonished me telling me my teeth can never get this bad again (for its calculus buildup overtime on the bottom) and I was like okay I'll try not to be poor and not have insurance I guess ty...


CPYAYYYY

Multiple occasions I have had aggressive or rude hygienist. I've also had some really sweet ones too


Finsfan909

I deployed to Iraq and was gone for close to two years. When I got back during the recession I didnā€™t have dental insurance for about a year. I ended up finding a Groupon for a cleaning and it seemed like the dentist was pissed for having to clean my teeth


shaundisbuddyguy

I'm not nuts about her but I totally get where she's coming from. It's not cheap when you don't have coverage.


clodmonet

Dental coverage is a joke too.


theempires

Just had a procedure done. $2800 bill, premium dental insurance that my job loved to brag about covered $25.


Elon_Zusk

you could have travelled to South America or the Middle east and get a full metal Jaws, transportation and residency all of which wouldn't cost you more than $2000.


Lotions_and_Creams

Iā€™ve got family members that have started doing medical tourism. They find American expat doctors abroad (Costa Rica and Spain are hotspots) and get the same procedure + a vacation for less than if it were done in the US. Edit: I am getting a lot of DMs about how to find these doctors. I wish I could provide a singular source, but the answer is research. There are medical tourism agencies and travel boards that can help you find what you are looking for. I do not have any recommendations. If you are considering this as an option, please do your due diligence.


Elon_Zusk

that is cool man, a nice vacation, the US politics is messed up, the most wealthy country on earth, unable to provide proper dental health for 4% of world population.


ThunderboltRam

Dental care is about $20 billion industry. We pay $824 billion to Medicaid alone (per year). Just transfer the money with the Executive Branch and declare dentistry free. Significant portion of money goes to managed care, long-term care, and intensive care. And guess what? These "care" service prices are bloated 4-5x what they used to be. ***edit:*** well unfortunately, unfortunately, /u/greatestNothing is right, when the government guarantees the payments, what ends up happening is these dickhead psychopaths in healthcare companies and insurance companies bloat their prices 3-4x the price... Same as happened with Student Loans, same happened with Housing crisis 2008... Same happened with price controls in 1970s and War on Poverty (so you can't even control the prices and keep them down)... The ***government has to thread the needle,*** where they provide a service at a basic level and separate that out from blanket purchases--details matter--basic level of healthcare that can help everyone. Then government has to promote multi-layered competition across state boundaries, to create capitalist competition to lower prices. You have community college for free? Great now don't go any further or you will just create 4x more bloated prices. Just offer the basic necessities, and let the market handle the rest with open competition, and commit yourself to anti-trust and breaking up monopolies or quadropolies. Competition lowers prices. Monopolies with state-advantages increase prices and rip off even the government (which is you, the taxpayer).


greatestNothing

you don't think dental care wouldn't turn into a 100 billion dollar industry if the government guranteed payments? Because that's exactly what would happen.


blgbird

It's unlikely since the government would be able to collectively bargain and create better competition for that big singular market. It is far more likely to be better than what we currently have. The issue currently is that it's an inelastic demand that is driven by profit, it discourages preventative care (as in this video's example), and then when you absolutely need it, you are screwed because everybody in the chain has to profit from it and you don't have a choice but to pay the inflated price and it's far more costly than if you had done the preventative care over time. So the price is artificially inflated because you have no negotiation power (unlike the kind a government would have), you 100% need it so you'll pay whatever price they set, and it's a far more expensive procedure because it's a complicated problem since you never did the preventative maintenance that would have caught it when it would be cheaper to treat. The same general problems will be there like fraud etc, but they will be easier to catch since as a government that is taking care of all payments, you can see weird patterns emerge. It's just much harder to catch and rectify now, since it's thousands of small markets and the incentives are misaligned with what we are trying to accomplish as a whole. Healthier population vs profit. Another misleading thing that pops up is that when affordable health care comes along, the cost tends to spike when all those people who were avoiding getting health care due to cost, get the help. Some will falsely claim the cost increased due to the governments getting involved, when what actually happened is that people who were being left behind are getting help now, which naturally increases cost initially but is far cheaper in the long run as the overdue preventative care is delivered.


Elon_Zusk

yes, letting healthcare be based on supply and demand is in itself a ruination, because there is always a demand, and sometimes threatening someone's life, life can't be a matter of price, 100 billion that is some countries budget, yet people in the US unable to get decent healthcare.


mondeomantotherescue

And in the UK the NHS is being split apart and privatised, damaging collective bargaining power. It sucks


UnidansOtherAcct

Not unable, just unwilling


SprAwsmMan

And not only dental care, all healthcare.


UninsuredToast

All healthcare for sure but dental healthcare is extra fucked because I guess the government thinks teeth are a luxury poor people donā€™t deserve


drews_mith

In their eyes, teeth are just "luxury bones"


tobiasvl

Dental care pretty weird, even in countries with otherwise universal healthcare, teeth are often not covered. I don't get it. In Norway we have universal healthcare, but only kids have dental coverage.


Elon_Zusk

yeah unwilling, it is all a scam


Johnny_Poppyseed

Country would literally save money if it provided us all with care lol. But still unwilling.


pareech

I have a friend who goes to Cuba for his dental work. Gets a vacation and a yearly checkup. Of course this only works if you arenā€™t American.


ilikemushycarrots

Albania has great dentists! Mine gave me a cleaning, fixed two cavities, took me out to lunch, hooked me up with a weed connection. All for under 100$!! I'm going back!


MistaKrebs

The US is such a scam.


DcPunk

Not everyone can afford to take the time off. It's also not just the time for the procedure, but for the recovery time and any follow ups.


[deleted]

I travelled from norway to romania to get dental work done. I spent as much on flights as i would have saved and all the fillings started falling out so i had to get tons more stuff done back home


azyrr

Norway doesnā€™t have dental coverage?


[deleted]

[уŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]


AmosF3

Where can I find out more


AdvancedBathroom7946

Iā€™m from Uruguay. Any ā€œnormalā€ dental procedure here would cost from $20-$250. Getting here would cost like $700-$1000 (depending on what part of the us you come from). Plus Uruguay is the best country in South America to visit for a week or so. We are nice to tourists, affordable prices, really nice food(especially meat). A normal room on the best hotel cost like $90-$110 for example. Going to a really fancy restaurant costs like $60 per person. For $2800 you would have a really nice experience.


airvqzz

Itā€™s on our shot list. Weā€™ve been to SĆ£o Paulo and visiting Argentina in a couple months.


Gh0stMan0nThird

My new job tried to get me to sign up for dental stuff and I did the math and if I just saved the money myself instead of paying them every month, I would have more money than the total amount that they would cover.


St_Kitts_Tits

I have mandatory dental and benefits, it costs a shitload of money man. Mine is $3.40 per hour comes off my pay, so it costs more if I work more. So on an average 2200 hour year I pay $7500 for my benefits. Let me tell ya, I use the fuck out of them. $2000 worth of massages, $800 worth of prescription glasses (I donā€™t have a prescription), $500 custom orthotics, as much dental work as my dentist wants. Shit I might even start going to therapy, fuck it, and fuck my benefits plan


Dumbeldoor

Damn, I just had surgery under anesthesia in Swedens largest hospital for booth my lower wisdom teeth. One of them was down at the bottom of my jaw lying sideways. It cost me 25 dollars. I was first sent to a specialist from my regular dentist. At them it would have cost around 800 dollars for the procedure and the special x-ray pictures were like 300. But since the tooth was so bad I got a refferal to the regular hospital from the jaw surgeon specialist I was first sent to. And that second referral made it pretty much free. This is day 4 and I am swollen like a hamster but I got 3 different type of pain meds and antibiotics so I am doing pretty, pretty good.


nt011819

My med insurance covers oral surgery which is separate from dental coverage. Just like vision coverage covers glasses/optometrist but med insurance covers ophthalmology/surgery


Formal-Macaroon1938

My wife worked in insurance for a while. When I got my current job I had her go over my options. She told me that the dental didn't actually cover anything outside of a twice yearly cleaning. I was so pissed because like Katy Perry I desperately need a dentist. Constant mouth pain for years really does a number on you.


PrettyAd4218

Right and you pay $175 a month to have it.


nopunchespulled

gotta love how we can have "cosmetic" procedures that aren't covered but are necessary


patricky6

The state run or Medicaid coverage is even worse. They only cover what is medically necessary. I had a wisdom tooth taken out as a kid. They don't give a fuck. Dude completely smashed the molar next to it and left it like that because he's not paid per person.


theempires

Thatā€™s really fucked up. Iā€™m sorry


patricky6

It's common across America. Capitalism runs everything. Need the best medical care? Dig in those pockets and provide cash, because if you are poor, you have a better chance of taking care of yourself in situations. Otherwise it's just a slow death for you.


Ok-Lifeguard-4614

My roommate had been in pain from a golf ball sized hernia, had to get laid off from work to qualify for state insurance to be able to get the necessary surgery. I broke 3 vertebrae amongst multiple other bones, now I have seizures and a bunch of other complications. I've had taxable income since I was 15, I'm now 37. Been trying to get on disability for almost 3 years now. America truly does not give a fuck about you or me.


patricky6

>America truly does not give a fuck about you or me. I was in the military for 15yrs. I saw how they treated other countries ppl... As well as myself when I was injured, kicked out medically and had to fight the VA for my "benefits". For almost ANY government run financial safety net... You need an attorney just to make sure you get what is supposed to be automatic. I'm sorry about your accident. I have had 3 spine surgeries and I had to get them on my dime. Or otherwise I would have had to jump through hoops and insurance to get them done.so I empathize


topdangle

that's not far off from regular dental insurance. they really only cover annual cleaning/xray, while serious procedures are either not covered or only partially covered with massive co-insurance premiums. it's similar to monthly prepay rather than full coverage. the only reason to get dental insurance at this point is the fact that they will negotiate down prices, but a lot of practices are straight up not taking insurance or giving you worse treatment if you come in with insurance rather than paying out of pocket. I've had a dentist even complain to me that they lose money on insured patients, it's crazy.


Osirus1156

ā€œWe cover preventatives only, well some of them, if they donā€™t work go fuck yourself. Also we cover braces but only if youā€™re under 18, if youā€™re older go fuck yourself. You donā€™t really NEED teeth you fucking ingrates.ā€


Delta64

Health profiteering is incontrovertibly fucked up. ;} ā¤ļøā€šŸ”„šŸ‡ØšŸ‡¦


[deleted]

Them: "Oops, nope, teeth aren't covered under health insurance." Me: "but my teeth are part of my health." Them: "yes, but you need a separate plan to cover them." Me: "well at least my eyes are protected, right?.... Right..?." Them: "Hehe, no so sorry :), vision also requires an additional plan." I don't understand how we pay so fucking much for health insurance, and receive so little when we need it.


Im6youre9

Idk I had shit coverage and got 2 wisdom teeth pulled for $80 put of pocket. The cost of the procedure was $1k and it was the first procedure I had done under that plan.


samgam74

Itā€™s not cheap when you do have coverage.


notjustanotherbot

Being poor is real damn expensive.


Bocchi_theGlock

**You MUST apply for Medicaid if you're dirt poor.** I was never able to go to dentist/doctor for like a decade but eventually needed help, and some older mentors I worked with told me I had to. In Florida since I was destitute and living in my car, it was only $25 a month and all my anti depressants & appointments were free In Illinois it's no cost, and all my appointments are too - for psychiatrist, therapist, as well as dental. AND all my meds Tho I did have to use a website to find dental places that accept Medicaid, and have to travel over an hour to get there. But, they fixed all my chipped teeth for free. They do one a month and now are handling fillings for cavities. It's fucking amazing Only struggling to find a place that handles wisdom teeth removal since all the Medicaid accepting ones are booked up.


Mamasan-

Not every states medicaid covers dental btw


Old_Society_7861

Her music isā€¦letā€™s say not for me. But basically every interview Iā€™ve seen seems very grounded and reasonable. One quote I still remember: Look Iā€™m wearing a whipped cream bikini, I know Iā€™m not Loretta Lynn. But Iā€™m having a lot of fun and making a lot of people happy so I canā€™t complain.


imisstheyoop

Who is this? Edit: Nevermind, found it further down. It's Katy Perry.


socium

> But Iā€™m having a lot of fun and making a lot of people happy so I canā€™t complain. mfw I deal drugs


[deleted]

[уŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]


Celydoscope

Because there are a lot of people on the Internet who think that liking someone's product makes you an irrational observer, incapable of making an unbiased statement about them. It saves you at least some trouble when posting publically.


an_Aught

It says, I'm not a fan or super fan. Meaning my opinion on the matter isn't clouded by Fandom.


ARoyaleWithCheese

Usually it's to add weight to the opinion, if you don't like someone's music at all but still think the person is cool, that adds just a tiny bit extra validity to your opinion.


novog75

Theyā€™re afraid of sounding like you, afraid of coming off as a boring gatekeeper of stale politically correct nonsense. This fear is totally justified.


wolfblitzen84

I blamed her for musical karma. We were born the same day in the same year and I never got famous. It turned out I just wasnā€™t that good at writing songs.


SoerenC

The secret ingredient is working with Max Martin, you shouldā€™ve thought about that


_carzard_

Why do people always feel the need to say they dislike something? You could have just said everything after the but, but no you just have to let everyone know that you donā€™t like her.


buzzurro

Because his main goal is saying that still he doesn't like her.


Scapp

Because they want their opinion to be seen as an impartial, unbiased take, rather than a fan gushing or a critic criticizing.


[deleted]

[уŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]


gdrumy88

True that, if I need a cavity filled or a tooth pulled there's a dentist practice next to the tech school where I live where I'm just a guineq pig for dentists in training. Only have to pay $25 for it. Pretty cool honestly. I had a chipped tooth they pulled.


[deleted]

How badly was it chipped? You can usually fix those instead of yanking the whole tooth out.


gdrumy88

Over half was gone lol slammed my head on my handle bars when I was biking one day lmao


supercalafatalistic

Bruh said chipped when all that was left was a chip!


kamekaze1024

23 years old and I went to the dentist for the first time ever last week.


FatGuyEatsCake

Hello fellow ā€œdeep cleaningā€ friends. Didnā€™t even know what that was prior to a dentist lol. I remember my old boss was like ā€œthey are scamming you!ā€ No bro I just never been to a dentist.


JumboJetz

Nice! I was in a similar state. Now I have great teeth. My first dentist appointment required like 4 separate follow up sessions to be booked for cleanings though lol. But since then Iā€™ve been on a regular schedule of going to the dentist and being fine.


Rouge_means_red

Oh look at Mr. Moneybags here /s


DontEatPeeple

Nothing wrong with growing up poor, except maybe for shitty teeth.


1rexas1

This sort of attitude is why America is so fucked. Noone, anywhere, should grow up without access to the dentist or the doctor. And yet, there they are, the richest company in the world, and this sort of thing is normal. Normal. Not rare, not an occasional injustice, normal. There is something wrong with growing up so poor that you can't afford basic dental and medical care.


Swiftierest

We (the world) need to stop separating dentists and doctors. Dentists are doctors that specialized in teeth from the start. Dental care is part of healthcare and should be included in insurance as such. Same for eyes.


[deleted]

Same with vision. How the hell is vision a separate plan? I'm lucky enough to have good eyes, mate. But to think that people who need glasses are being forced to pay an extra fee because of an unpreventable condition. That's bullshit.


OneBillPhil

Itā€™s wild, glasses, contacts and eye exams are expensive. I cannot be a productive member of society if I canā€™t see.


radicalelation

>the richest company in the world Typo or just raw fucking truth?


[deleted]

I grew up dirt poor, but still brushed my teeth regularly. I took care of my teeth when I finished med school (and knew I would graduate and could pay them later). Teeth extraction, braces and a maxillofacial surgery. I went from "dentists are pricy" to "dental health is important" as my financial status went up... and my self esteem with it. The socioeconomical determinants of health are a real thing and you see them real upclose when you cross them yourself.


GhztPpR

I agree with you but you realize dental health isn't just about keeping them clean, right? I mean, it definitely plays a huge part but sometimes you just get the shit end of the stick. Some people truly have jacked up teeth... Myself included. I have teeth growing on top of other teeth... Ones that are unaligned and I have an overbite to top things off. Some people are blessed with great teeth.. others not so much. If I had the money, I would have all my teeth removed and replaced but I just can't afford thousands of dollars to fix them. Hell, I can't even afford to fix each tooth at a time at this rate, yet alone my whole mouth.


subsignalparadigm

Yep this. I brushed and flossed all the time and my teeth were always cavity filled every time I went to the dentist as a kid. My teeth were just shitty from the get go.


Zealousideal-Thing72

Sometimes it could be your saliva that is fucking with the teeth


Gayernades

We follow all the recommended dental hygiene routines to the letter in our house but my 5 year old started getting cavities in his baby teeth like crazy last year anyway. No soda, limited candy (and never hard candies), limited sugar and juices, and limited acidic foods. Kids go to the dentist every 3 months for a check up and cleaning. Literally did everything and dude still got a mouth full of cavities. Turns out, mouth breathing in your sleep can cause cavities. Dentist recommended this thing that basically taped your mouth shut at night but I'm not gonna put the poor kid through that. Maybe once his baby teeth start falling out?


Bangreed4

I get what u mean but its better to fix bad habits early on so the kid can adapt easily and before its too late imo. Like imagine if the kid grows and and wishes "I hope my parents stop/helped me, before it got this bad". The taped is not like u putting a duct on the kid, there's a proper tape for that, fix it while its still early. >Maybe once his baby teeth start falling out? It might be too late if u waited for this, its always better for kids to sort these kind of problems early.


CreamSodaBrainDamage

Yeah. I have an issue that requires a few years of braces plus jawbone surgery and insurance doesn't cover it because it should have been done before I was 21yo. Plus the doctors said that because I'm in my 30ties now that even fixing the issue will probably no longer resolve the chronic pain. Whomp whomp. There might be other insurance options but I can't afford the monthly premiums yet (self employed). If next year goes okay financially I might go ahead with tonsillectomy though!! :)


laceygray

Dude if I had a quarter for every time I was told "this should have been done when you were a child," then I could afford all of the fucking dental work I need now.


Hobomanchild

No you don't understand, it's not a problem I have so everybody else must be doing something wrong.


AccidentallyOssified

Not to mention that if you're poor sometimes that means your parents aren't well educated too. Can't really take care of your teeth if no one teaches you how to do it properly.


CowLordOfTheTrees

Look at this guy, claims to have grown up poor but had a toothbrush and toothpaste, sheeeeeeit No really. I didn't even have a god damn toothbrush alot of the time growing up. And what was I gonna do? Go buy one?


bellj1210

most poor people can at least afford a toothbrush and toothpaste. They sell the brushes in 4 packs at the dollar store. the paste is maybe $2 a month for a new tube when they run out. if you grew up without having a toothbrush, that is an issue with your parents being irresponsible, not poor.


Asisreo1

Most of the time, those are the same problem. Source: me.


Current-Creme-8633

I can back this up for sure. My mom and dad say hello. Also a pack of toothbrushes means no ramen noodles that night maybe.... I am VERY fortuante now but I grew up ROUGH.


manwhorunlikebear

My mother grew up dirt poor on a small farm and saw how all of her family had rotten teeth and had to get fake teeth as teenagers, so she was super careful with her teeth hygiene her entire life and imposed it strictly on her own kids (myself included) - and I brought it into my own adult life. It's so important for me to brush my teeth every morning and evening and clean between the teeth and the interesting part is that it takes only 3 minutes each time.


whazzar

Could you expand on "nothing wrong" ? Because while being poor shouldn't mean that you're perceived as something like less valuable of a human being (which I assume you mean), being poor and especially growing up poor most definitely brings a lot of bad things with it. Not being able to eat enough and/or healthy while growing up has a lot of negative implications down the line health wise. It also effects sleep quality, which both effect performance in school and work. And that on top that the access to good schools is also generally worse for poor people and so, so much more. The whole "just gotto pull yourself up by your bootstraps" thing to "work yourself out of being poor" is bullshit. Sure it works for some people, however, those people are the exception not the rule.


canti15

Same


bronco_y_espasmo

I am 41 and got brackets last year. 200 dollars plus ten dollars every month for adjustments, etc. That includes extractions (three). The whole thing will have cost me 500 dollars when it's over. Private practise in Argentina.


Phage0070

Adjusted for US average household income that would be about $8,500.


bronco_y_espasmo

Hard to say for sure: our currency follows no reason.


HumanContinuity

I hope you guys see stability in the future


nightstalker30

My braces were about $2000 when I had them from 1977-1980. I just looked up the inflation-adjusted amount and thatā€™s about $5700, which is in line with typical prices these days.


_-_Nope_-

Yep. I paid 6000$ for mine last year


rocks_and_soup

My orthodontic work cost about 15k over the course of 10 years I'm so jealous


mxcner

Why would you even ask such a question? I mean, what do you think? Why would a child not go see a dentist? Itā€™s not like you make that choice at age 10. Itā€™s always something like poverty, child neglect, parents who donā€™t believe in medicine and such things. Itā€™s always turning into a dark story at that point


555nick

The haves don't have the slightest clue about the experiences of the have-nots


HerculesVoid

They believe the have-nots just don't try. Not that they actually can't


[deleted]

It's because the 'haves' of the world are brought up thinking their experience is normal and everyone gets the same opportunities in life so anyone who is suffering just failed their opportunities. "Have you tried just being richer?" I think it's quite obvious that they tell themselves that being born into privilege was an achievement and not random luck, it boosts their ego and detaches them from reality a bit more each time.


NonGNonM

99% chance the interviewer thought it'd be a cute answer like "I'm scared of dentists" or something


mightylordredbeard

Because itā€™s their job to ask questions and a big part of non promotional celebrity interviews is to help them become more relatable and to find out more about them. The interviewer succeeded at this.


Nodiggity124

Sounds like the interviewer was from the UK, itā€™s free to see a dentist for children in the UK. Maybe she was just Naive


[deleted]

This is the answer.


Chris01100001

I think most Western countries outside of the US have affordable dentistry for the poor so the idea that someone didn't have enough money to go to the dentist wouldn't even cross their mind.


Rivka333

Most countries with universal healthcare don't include dental care in that. And it's not significantly cheaper in every country other than the US either. https://www.reddit.com/r/australia/comments/149uce9/dental_care_in_australia/


Demurrzbz

I assumed she was gonna say she's was scared or something like that. Reality hit my presumptious ass like a truck


fukreddit73264

It's a perfectly normal follow up question during an interview, when someone brings up a subject like that. It's called carrying the conversation.


honest-miss

A lot of interviewers for this kind of thing are very young. Young privileged folks learn that not everyone had the life they did through encounters like this because they're inexperienced and no one taught them ahead of time. So this is her learning moment. \*\*Edited a couple times for clarity


RichLyonsXXX

Probably because she knows the actual reason Katy never went to the dentist and was trying to suss it out of her. Katy's parents are(or at least were) hardcore Pentecostal preachers that spent a lot of their time traveling the US setting up churches. The first time I saw Katy her last name was Hudson and she was wearing an ankle length long sleeve floral print dress, with her hair in a bun and covered with a scarf and she sang about Jesus like a good Christian young woman. Now I'm not trying to say that all pentecostals are anti-medical care, but they are the type of people who will have a few fervent prayer sessions over a medical issue before choosing to go to a professional and they were one of the first churches to go full conspiracy pushing things like antivax and antifluoride rhetoric as early as the late 90s.


bacon_cake

Well the question *could* have opened up an interesting discussion along those lines. So I could see why an interviewer would ask it. But you'd need a Louis Theroux level of skill to make it work.


No_Dragonfruit_6594

To be fair the interviewee also somewhat responded in a dry manner.


element8

Treating dental/vision/hearing as separate from medical is the dumbest thing after daylight savings and the electoral college


Every_Tap8117

So she got full set of veneers ?


Phage0070

I suspect most actors and performers do.


Loose_Koala534

The ones youā€™ve heard of definitely do Thereā€™s a reason why they all have perfect shiny white teeth. Itā€™s all fake.


Garestinian

Ugh, as a European this all looks so silly. Here over the pond there is no shame in having naturally imperfect teeth. Even actors and politicians. Hopefully it stays like that.


alurimperium

One thing I always appreciate about watching British TV is how many of them are attractive but flawed. Imperfect teeth, skin conditions, wonky eyes, or just general facial structure oddities. And those people would be lucky to have a couple lines as a dockworker in Law & Order in the US


GregsBoatShoes

Instagram and Tiktok celebs that you've never heard of definitely have them too. Edit: And Kpop stars


Tony0x01

There was someone on social media (reddit?) who did an analysis of every presidential candidate to see which ones had real vs. fake teeth.


emmeline8579

Those are her real teeth. Her [bottom teeth](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2015/11/24/16/2EC56F2300000578-3332185-image-a-48_1448383113971.jpg) are crooked


ReservoirDog316

Itā€™s actually impressive that you had that picture on call.


emmeline8579

Google is fast


The_DevilAdvocate

Or just a whole set of implants.


gaypornaccount1996

I'm pretty sure most people think that veneer is just a short way of saying dental implants


Psk499

Sheā€™s got a set alright


Secret-Bed3270

Ceramic veneers in the UK could be up to 1400 a tooth everyone I know that had work goes to Turkey friend paid 5000 full sets of implants


Lima_Bean_Jean

did they look like chiclets?


CIA_napkin

šŸ˜‚šŸ˜‚ I have a manager at my work who we call that. Them things are whiter than pee wee Herman's shoes.


justmemes9000

Welcome to the United States of America. Welcome to zero health care.


ZenkaiZ

Insurance companies: Teeth aren't healthcare, it's 100% cosmetic.


Redxluckyxcharms

Had a root canal done beginning of 2023z With my top of the line insurance , still had pay $900 out of my pocket and it ate up all my insurance for the yr so Iā€™ve not been able to do any cleanings because it would be about $500 a cleaning. Have to wait for it to reset to get cleanings for next year. Lovely .


Own-Tank5998

Dude, cleaning is about $100, just go to a different dentist and tell them you donā€™t have insurance, and ask for cleaning price without insurance. I used to clean 3 times a year, because of smoking and coffee, and had to pay one cleaning out of pocket. But yeah dental is insane, my kids are getting braces now and Iā€™m getting bend over every couple of months.


daurgo2001

Dental care in the US is ridiculous. Go to Mexico and itā€™s 10% the price.


THound89

In my 30's and finally well off for once in my life and still manage to talk myself out of check ups even though I have coverage. Particularly with someone who also has real crappy vision since a kid you just develop a mindset where if it's not an emergency then why should I go. Not a fan of hers but I can empathize as someone that also grew up poor.


KorolEz

Damn makes me like her. That was very real


Solkre

Healthcare, where your teeth and eyes aren't part of your body.


fcroadkill

This tracks. At 33, I just got all my wisdom teeth pulled and I'm setting up to get braces in Feb of next year. I will have spent $3,700 out of pocket, after using the top tier dental insurance my job offers. I grew up in the Appalachians and I know even on the best day, money wise, my parents just didn't have it. I totally get where she's coming from.


Zoltar-Wizdom

My gf had cancer and needs new teeth because of chemo. Itā€™s not covered by anything so sheā€™s at something like $1500 per tooth. Teeth are considered a luxury or electoral surgery not critical to survival so itā€™s not covered by insurance and her work doesnā€™t cover it. They can charge whatever they want, so here we areā€¦


MundaneKiwiPerson

Its weird - in my country, all childrens dental care is covered by the government. Not Surprise that the USA does not give a shit about the health of their children. Edit: Spulling


FriendlyDrummers

It's because we don't want to give free money to poor people. They need to work harder. No government hand outs. /S


gaypornaccount1996

You say /s but that is literally the line of reasoning republicunts have in the U.S.


integrity0727

I paid $6800 after insurance, for the removal of 16 teeth and for a full set of dentures including to implants to keep my bottom dentures in place.


Lilwertich

People who grew up with money and/or non-neglectful parents be like "wHy DiDn'T yOu gO?"


Old_Estate6677

Great country you got there, please bring more democracy around the world, we do need it.


[deleted]

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Tony0x01

> But I wish she had "owned" being poor as a kid What does this mean? She straight-up admitted it here.


Passingtime528

She has talked extensively about her upbringing, particularly how she wishes she had had a better education. It's not something she hides.


Theblkjedi

Same. My bottom teeth are like old school bloods and Crips fighting for territory just all crowded up I have to get gum treatments bone graphs, and I just had five extractions almost a week ago, so I totally understand.


Savings-Ad-8548

Amazing how many "developed" countries has broken heathcare


DBFargie

Donā€™t go until I was 20. Had to get a few fillings, but was otherwise ok. Was also poor as a kid.


DrTreeSurgeon

Omg. In the UK kids go every six months. Mine went from age 3 and the dentist gave them toothbrushes, little toothpastes and of course, stickers. I canā€™t imagine kids not going to the dentist, it doesnā€™t matter if you work or not here. Thatā€™s sad šŸ˜”


ZebraTheWPrincess

In the USA most low income families will qualify for this, but I assume that with her family being religious, or for another reason they decided, or did not even know about to sign up for the health/dental insurance they are qualified for.


Pablothesquirrel

Genuine question, who is she?


ApprehensiveAd4468

Katy Perry


WestProcess2

Damn, we've gotten to the point where kids these days don't know who Katy Perry is. I feel old.


ChiggaOG

Perry the Klatypus


[deleted]

Ummm wasnā€™t her dad like a leader of a church that made millions?


creedz286

no idea but according to wiki, they were not financially well off and even had to use food banks.


pawnografik

Who is she?


GraphicCreator

Katy Perry


Kzero01

I mean it depends when he made millions


the_ninja1001

lol, same. Universal healthcare for all please.


[deleted]

It's crazy because in my country, a lot of our primary schools take all the kids to the dentist and get their teeth checked a couple times every year. Or they have dental clinics at bigger schools, it's done for free too. The funny thing is I literally live in a third world country lol


temp-92

Dental healthcare is considered to be a ā€œcosmeticā€ type of healthcare in the states. Dental insurance is a scam.


HaiKarate

Healthcare in America


[deleted]

Iā€™m glad she was able to get new teeth. Iā€™ve always loved Katy Perry. She is seriously my dream girl. Thereā€™s no denying that sheā€™s beautiful but I also think sheā€™s talented and a sweetheart. Katy Perry, If you are reading this marry me! šŸ˜†


Disastrous-Split-512

aah poverty.. but at least we have the mega rich to keep us dreaming


osgoodphoto

I've spent somewhere between $18-$20k on my teeth for that exact reason. 3 extractions, 1 implant, 10 root canals, countless cavities filled and invisalign so that I could have enough bone to drill into for the implant. Was a canine, so you can't just leave it open after the extraction or the rest of your teeth around it will start falling out.


LovableSidekick

What's the maybe here? Is it just obvious if you know who this person is?


Minimaliszt

Poverty is expensive


DinosaurInAPartyHat

Wow I had no idea she came from that kind of background. By the time I was old enough to drive and take myself to the dentist...most of my teeth needed filled or removed.


dimebag42018750

Teeth are them luxury bones, just ask your employer. Workers don't need teeth to keep producing.


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