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Dental bill support from Hollis state Sen. Peggy Gilmour

To the Editor:

State Sen. Peggy Gilmour, D-Hollis, should be congratulated for her prime sponsorship of a bill (SB 193) that would examine the pathways to oral health in our state.

The EngAGING NH board of directors supports this legislation because we believe there are many barriers to dental care access for older residents, especially those on fixed incomes, with high medical expenses or who lack transportation. Creating another tier of dental professional who could perform certain tasks, such as simple fillings, is one of the solutions that should be discussed with passage of this bill.

That dental problems impact overall health is undisputed. The impact can be either direct, such as infection moving into the whole system, or indirect, such as weight loss when mouth pain or ill-fitting dentures lead to chewing problems, resulting in poor nutrition and a compromised immune system.

Please urge House members to support Senator Gilmour’s bill that would help address this important issue.

Visit www.engagingnh.org for more information.

BARBARA SALVATORE and CAROL CURRIER

Co-chairwomen of EngAGING NH
board of directors