How To Reduce Healthcare Costs

How to reduce healthcare costs, lower childhood obesity rates and improve overall health

1. "Force" kids to brush their teeth after every meal

In order to incent those who may not be interested, institute an extra 5 minute window in which they are allowed to brush while the non-brushers have to return to class. If this isn't enough time, you take away 5 minutes of their "free time" during the eating break and then add the additional 5 minutes to the eating/brushing window. So, for example, if you normally have a 30 minute lunch, the brushers get 25 minutes of free eating time, then 10 minutes to brush, for a total of 35 minutes. The non-brushers have 30 minutes of free time, with no extra brush time, for a total of 30 minutes.

What are your questions?

Q. Why are so many kids overweight?

A. Because they don't brush their teeth after every meal.

Q. How does this work?

A. First, it reduces the cravings because there's a small "cost" added to the activity. It's a form of negative reinforcement, or, if you like, negative positive reinforcement, since we're not taking something away (which is sometimes the definition of negative reinforcement), but what we're adding is a "negative" aspect. This makes the activity less desirable, which will naturally result in a reduction of frequency/degree.

Q. How else does the practice of brushing help curb appetite?

A. It removes the taste from the mouth. Part of the reason we fixate on food in between meals is because we can still taste some of it. It's a constant reminder. A clean mouth removes that source of fixation, thereby reducing the craving, which naturally leads to a more reasonable appetite. There is also a natural tendency to drink more water instead of sugary drinks, both because of the "potential cost" involved with the sugary drink, as well as the effect that a clean mouth will have on taste buds. When your taste buds are already being excited by leftover sweet tastes, water isn't as attractive. It just can't compete.

All of these factors tend to be self-reinforcing, and as such offer great promise for long-term results.

Q. How else does the practice of brushing help overall health?

A. Well, obviously the reduction in eating and associated obesity rates will be the most immediate benefit, but one can reasonably assume a corresponding increase in "healthy activities". When you feel healthier in your mouth, or when you feel cleaner in just about any other way, you tend to want to be more active. This hypothesis would have to be tested, of course, but it is assumed for current purposes.

Also, by forcing young people to accept this process as part of their daily routine, they are much more likely to engage in the practice as they get older, with all the direct and indirect benefits that can be assumed. Not to mention the obvious improvement and dental hygiene and health, whether or not we regard the concept of "focal sepsis" as having any merit, or view the removing of teeth as a cure for mental illness.

Thanks for coming and thanks for your questions. Have a great day and remember to brush!