Homeless people are defined by the Department of Housing and Urban Development as people who are living either on the streets or in shelters, in addition to those who are at a high risk of losing their current home. Every year, about 2 million people in the US are living without a conventional residence. An estimated 25% of the homeless are children.

Causes of homelessness can range from low-paying jobs to substance abuse and untreated mental illness. Regardless of the reason, people who are homeless often have little to no access to everyday care that others may take for granted. Whether it be professional dental visits, everyday care like brushing and water-flossing or oral care  information such as what is offered at pearlywhytes.com, homeless people have a right and a need for proper dental care.

Homeless people are twelve times more likely to have more throughout their teeth, as well as missing teeth, than the general population. People with an unstable residence are about six times more likely to have dental issues than those with a long-term residence. Homeless people have intensive dental problems that only get worse, however they do not have the means to fix them. With 83% of the homeless population not having a professional cleaning within the last 4 years, their rate of poor dental health is high.

Oftentimes, homeless children have never seen a dentist. This leads to pain and infections in the children that could otherwise be prevented. Studies have shown that dental hygiene is very important in getting a homeless person back on their feet.
Missing and decayed teeth diminish self-esteem, which can then hurt a person’s ability to get a job, eat, and return to society. It can be an embarrassing thing for homeless people to deal with along with their other struggles.

Because it may be difficult to carry around teeth cleaning supplies, and with uncertain access to clean water sources, homeless people often give up on their oral health. Inadequate nutrition further adds to the reduction of oral health. Missing teeth may also cause dietary limitations that affect overall health.

Pregnant women who are homeless may have nutrient deficiencies that impair the development of their baby’s teeth, especially during the initial phases of tooth growth. This is not a good or fair start to a baby’s life. It is important for pregnant women to eat a well-balanced diet because a baby’s teeth begin development between the 3rd and 6th months of the pregnancy. Nutrients such as vitamins A, C, and D, as well as protein, calcium, and phosphorous are needed in a woman’s diet to produce healthy teeth in the baby.

Among all of the vulnerable populations in the US, homeless have the least access to
any reasonable health services. Not only do healthcare providers not want to spend their time with patients without money or health insurance, they are also reluctant to have homeless people in their private offices during normal office hours when other patients are present. Many want to offer some help but are unsure how. Some dentists have made an effort to provide their services outside of the office, but that is not a national trend that is gaining popularity.

While most homeless families are eligible for dental care through Medicaid and CHIP, this often does not cover a wide range of localities or families and the coverage varies by state.

People who have access to regular dental care may think of it as a painful thing to go through, but it is really something that is taken for granted. Although visiting a dentist may be unpleasant, not having access to dental care results in a much more painful experience in the long run; Some food for thought the next time you are sitting in a dentist chair. Everyday dental hygiene should be taken advantage of if there is access to it, including brushing twice a day and flossing on a regular basis. There are modern tools, such as water flossers, that make dental hygiene easy and effective.

Have you ever saw someone volunteering and thought to yourself “maybe I can get involved with that”? If so, it is a lot easier than you may think. A lot of people are choosing volunteering as their main job because it offers flexible hours and may offer benefits, not to mention, there is probably some kind of tax credit for that. Anyway, the main reason people are choosing charity work today is because of the different they make or because they are supporting a cause that is meaningful to them. If you are thinking of making the switch, here are a few tips to keep in mind.

Using Your Network

If you are trying to get into the line of charity, talk about the people you know and the people that they know. If you know someone who works for a charity or someone who could put you in touch with someone who does, you could use this information to gain insights about getting work or the experience you need to start your charity work. You should not expect immediate results, but the benefits that you could gain in the long term, may surprise you. If anyone has offered your advice or helpful tips, thank them with a short note or a thank you card, this makes for a good first impression. By doing this, if that person hears about a vacancy in a charity job, they are likely to remember that note you sent them and may get back in touch with you to let you know that something has come up. Show your appreciation and it could come back to you in a good way.

Where to Find the Work

Charities come in all sizes from small local concerns to huge organizations that have many employment opportunities and a handful or more of staff. From fundraising, financial management and IT, to lobbying and public relations, these are how different each charity can be from one another. There is such a huge range of charity jobs that you could find an employment opportunity in any combination of A level subjects. If you want to specialize in a certain area, you should make sure you have the relevant qualifications. Also, keep an eye out for vacancies in the local and specialist press online. Charity People, a special recruitment agency, may be able to help you search for the right job.

Check Your Motives

One of the most important things you should do before you get involved in a charity is to ask yourself why you are doing it. Some people want to join a charity because it is for a cause that hits home for them such as a charity for breast cancer or multiple sclerosis. Working for a charity is not the only way you can make a difference. You can choose to just support a political party or a pressure group. Joining a charity just for the benefits is not the way to go, if you are going to join a charity, make sure it is something that is meaningful to you.

If you want to volunteer but work full time or part time, volunteer outside of working hours or combine your volunteering with paid work. Gain your skills, professional qualifications in the public or private sector, and experiences then move into charity work later in your career.

In these times of a shakily recovering global economy, lots of people have lost their jobs – many have ended up on the streets, being unable to pay their mortgages and loans. You may have come across stories of people having to live in their cars for months on end. Sadly, many of us don’t heed their plight until we ourselves get a taste of the difficulties they’re faced with.

All that is needed for society to be healed again is a small contribution from everyone to help humanity in distress – remembering that we’re all the same in the end is what matters most. Here are some ways in which you can help the homeless, for they are us, and we might find ourselves in their shoes one day.