Question: I like to get braces but I want to get some help with the cost. Is there any dental insurance plan that helps pay for adult braces? 

Reply: Yes you can get dental insurance and dental discount plans to help you with the cost of having braces. With respect to dental insurance make sure the plan you want to get covers not only braces but braces for an adult if you are over the age of 19. In regards to dental discount plans age is not a factor and in general the average discounted saving is around 20% off.

When a tooth as untreated dental decay damage to the exterior of the teeth will affect the pulp and can cause an infection. When that happens, you will require a root canal but in a lot of cases, the infection can get so bad that a root canal or antibiotics will not be able to fix it and that is when the extraction of teeth will be necessary so that the infection does not spread anywhere else in the mouth. This type of extraction happens to be very common in adults especially those with a bad diet 

Supplemental Dental Insurance: Supplemental dental insurance is an individual or family insurance policy purchased to cover a portion of the dental costs. Supplemental dental insurance will normally not cover the entire dental care procedure. If you have a primary dental insurance plan that you purchased or your employer provided, the supplemental dental policy typically covers the remaining dental bill.

For example: if the dental plan policy covers half of the dental cost, the secondary or supplement dental insurance plan should cover the remaining balance of your dental procedure.

A less recognized symptom of a heart attack is jaw pain. During a heart attack, the blood supply to the heart is blocked, and this causes the body to sense pain in various areas. The lower jaw rather than the upper jaw is usually affected during a heart attack. If jaw pain is accompanied by one or more of the other symptoms of a heart attack such as pain or pressure in the chest, discomfort spreading to the back, jaw, throat, or arm, nausea, indigestion, or heartburn, weakness, anxiety, or shortness of breath,rapid or irregular heartbeats, then emergency treatment is a necessity

Having dental issues such as cavity, abscess, or gum disease can also cause pain to radiate throughout the jaw.  In addition if a person’s teeth are severely misaligned or have gaps between them, the acts of biting and chewing can put stress on the jaw, causing pain. All of these conditions require medical attention from a dentist to treat properly.

For the most part people know that by having good at home dental habits they promote good dental and oral health. However, did you know that dental insurance also helps to promote preventive care habits? Most dental insurance companies knows that people who take care and practice good dental habits will have fewer larger dental care needs. Therefore with most insurance plans they provide preventive dental care services for free to very little cost. Thus helping their insureds maintain good oral and dental health at very low cost to them.

 People are often times unaware that they grind their teeth since they do so while sleeping. While other people may grind their teeth when feeling tense or stressed.  However teeth grinding is a serious issue that can damage your teeth, as well as causing jaw pain. 

Teeth grinding and can also lead to larger problems if let untreated. If you notice your jaw is sore talk to your dentist. A dentist can provide a mouth guard that is worn at night to prevent teeth grinding while sleeping, as well as recommending stress-relieving techniques.

When shopping for dental insurance you first need to identify your own dental care needs and what you want in a dental insurance plan.  Here are few questions to ask yourself so you can find a dental insurance plan that can best fit your dental care needs.  

1) Do you need a dental insurance plan that your dentist/dental office accepts? If so it helpful to find out want dental insurance plan they are a provider of head of time.  
2) What are your current dental needs?  Knowing what your current dental needs will help you find a plan that will provide benefits at the best coverage.  
3) What are your long term dental care needs?  Understanding your long term dental care needs with also let you shop for a dental insurance plan that can best fit those needs as well.  
4) Are you wanting an cosmetic dental care services? It is important to understand the most dental insurance plan do not provide benefits on cosmetic dental services. Therefore you may want to review dental discount plans in order to get saving off your cosmetic dental care needs.  
5) Will you need specialist dental care?  Such as for 1 though 5 year old’s may need to see a pediatric dentist.  If so make sure the plan provide coverage’s for specialist.

Temporomandibular Disorder is one of the most common causes of jaw pain. Temporomandibular Disorder has many different causes, and it affects the temperomandibular joint of the jaw. Besides causing jaw pain, Temporomandibular Disorder can also cause the jaw to become locked, or stuck, cause popping or clicking sound in the jaw which occurs during chewing and opening and closing of the mouth. Medical attention is required to determine the individual cause and course of treatment for Temporomandibular Disorder. If you feel you may have Temporomandibular Disorder make sure to talk to your dentist about it.

Is it normal to use one?

Yes in fact more and more tooth brushes are including a tongue scraper right on the back of the brush. You can use a tongues scraper or you can brush your tongue. This helps in not only having a clean mouth but helps kill the germs that you may have on your tongue

You can walk into almost any store and the tooth brush sections  is over filled with many different choices.   What is the best toothbrush?  How do you know which one will be the best?  It is simple it is the one you are going to use. 

There is no real different between an electric toothbrush and a manual as far as one being better then the other.  It is all in what you prefer.  Manual tooth brushes are normally cheaper in cost then the electric ones.  They are easier to travel with and cheaply replaceable.  Electric toothbrushes  vibrate which some people like the feel on their teeth and gums.   Some have timers on them so you can make sure you are brushing at least the two minutes recommended time period. 

Kids tend to like the electric ones just for the fun of it which may make them brush more.   So try out the different types and see which ones you like and will be willing to use as recommended two times a day.

According to A group of researchers at the University of Birmingham in the United Kingdom, sparking water can  harm your teeth .   In fact, they found that flavored sparkling water has as much or more of an erosive effect on teeth than orange juice, which is known to be very erosive to the teeth.

Questions: I have bad breath, and would like to know what are the natural treatments for bad breath?  

Answer: Having bad breath is a common complaint that afflicts many people. It is caused by the presence of bacteria in the oral cavity. Bacterial growth can occur due to many reasons, and in many places that may cause a foul odor to emanate from your mouth. Usually the most common reason is infrequent brushing leading to bacterial decomposition of leftover food particles in your mouth and in between your teeth. 

Also, certain kinds of food like garlic and onion tend to make your mouth smell as they themselves have strong odors. The disintegrating food particles may cause foul odors to emanate from your mouth, from the skin of your tongue, the gaps in your teeth from under the gums.   B

ad breath is caused by a variety of factors, the primary one being the breakdown of proteins from food particles in the mouth by bacteria. Certain kinds of food and drink are also responsible as they have strong smells as well, like onions, cheese, tobacco, and garlic.  Bad breath may also be caused by throat infections, dental decay, worms in the intestinal tract, constipation, gum diseases, gastritis, and accumulation of food between the teeth. In short, any sort of bacterial build up in the gastrointestinal tract can lead to bad breath.

Does the plan give you the freedom to choose your own dentist or are you restricted to a panel of dentists selected by the insurance company? If you have a family dentist with whom you are satisfied, consider the effects changing dentists will have on the quality or quantity of care you receive. Because regular visits to the dentist reduce the likelihood of developing serious dental disease, it’s best to have and maintain an established relationship with a dentist you trust. 

Who controls treatment decisions–you and your dentist or the dental plan? Many plans require dentists to follow treatment plans that rely on a Least Expensive Alternative Treatment (LEAT) approach. If there are multiple treatment options for a specific condition, the plan will pay for the less expensive treatment option.  If you choose a treatment option that may better suit your individual needs and your long-term oral health, you will be responsible for paying the difference in costs. It’s important to know who makes the treatment decisions under your plan. These cost control measures may have an impact on the quality of care you’ll receive. 

Does the plan cover diagnostic, preventive and emergency services? If so, to what extent? Most dental plans provide coverage for selected diagnostic services, preventive care and emergency treatment that are basic for maintaining good oral health.  Yet the extent or frequency of the services covered by some plans may be limited. Depending upon your individual oral health needs, you may be required to pay the dentist directly for a portion of this basic care.

Find out how much treatment is allowed in any given year without cost to you, and how much you will have to pay for yourself.   Such as:

• Initial Oral Examination-once per dentist
• Recall Examinations—-twice per year
• Complete x-ray survey—-once every three years
• Cavity-detecting bite-wing x-rays—-once per year
• Prophylaxis or teeth cleaning—-twice per year
• Topical Fluoride treatment—-twice per year
• Sealants—-for those under age 18

Question: I have a friend that likes to eat toothpaste, she does it all the time but I thought that would be bad for you.

Answer: Yes! If your friend is eating tooth paste with fluoride. Fluoride is toxic. On most tooth paste with fluoride you can read a warning label. Note below:

ADA POSITIONS & STATEMENTS  ADA STATEMENT ON FDA TOOTHPASTE WARNING LABELS  The American Dental Association’s (ADA) Council on Scientific Affairs believes that one part of the warning now required on fluoride toothpastes by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) could unnecessarily frighten parents and children, and that the label greatly overstates any demonstrated or potential danger posed by fluoride toothpastes.  The label language, “If you accidentally swallow more than used for brushing, seek professional help or contact a poison control center immediately” is now required on all fluoride toothpastes. But the ADA, in a letter sent to the FDA last year, pointed out that a child could not absorb enough fluoride from toothpaste to cause a serious problem and that the excellent safety record on fluoride toothpaste argues against any unnecessary regulation.  Recent media coverage has focused attention on the safety of fluoride toothpastes, but the coverage has not revealed that the ADA limited the amount of fluoride allowed in ADA-Accepted toothpaste years ago for this reason.   In addition, back in 1991, the ADA began requiring that toothpaste manufacturers include the following language on all ADA-Accepted toothpastes: “Do not swallow. Use only a pea-sized amount for children under six. To prevent swallowing, children under six years of age should be supervised in the use of toothpaste.” The new FDA labels are consistent with the ADA statements, with the exception of the poison control warning.  The ADA warning labels were required to help reduce the risk of mild fluorosis, which is a cosmetic defect noticeable as very light spots on permanent teeth and develops only while the teeth are still forming. Fluorosis only occurs when more than the optimal daily amount of fluoride is ingested.  Through its ADA Seal of Acceptance program, the toothpaste manufacturers must submit clinical data to the ADA in order to meet its guidelines on safety and effectiveness. Additionally, all products with the ADA Seal must submit the product’s advertising and packaging for review so that consumers and dentists have assurance that the claims the product makes are supported by the clinical data.

Question: Do to a job change I no longer have dental insurance. It is very important that I maintain dental insurance for my health care. I have diabetes and because of my diabetes I have on and off again problems with my teeth. I have problems mostly with my gums but I also get many cavities due to being a diabetic. I have to see my dentist every three months just so I can keep my teeth in good shape. So I would like to know if getting dental insurance is going to be a problem with having diabetes? Also I do not want to change dentist since mine knows about my diabetes and I like the way he takes care of me. I do not know where to look for dental insurance and I want to make sure I will be covered for my future dental needs.

Answer: Most dental insurance plans do not exclude for pre-existing. You being diabetic and having dental care under the plan should not be an issue. However just read terms and conditions of the plans you are viewing. Most dental insurance will not cover work in progress which is not what you have. The other factor you mention was about keeping your current dentist. I would suggest calling your dental office up and finding out what plans they are a provider of. This will save you from reviewing plans they they do not accept. If you have to buy a PPO or Indemnity dental insurance plan in order to stay with your current dentist then make sure you carefully read the plans term and conditions, since these types of plans will normally have waiting periods and maximum limitations that may effect your current dental care needs.

Question: Right now I an in school so I do not get benefits from my part time job. Is it possible for me to get dental insurance on my own? I do not have a lot of money but want to have some dental for my oral health needs.

Answer: Since you are looking for a lower cost dental insurance plan I would suggest reviewing any dental HMO options available in your state. Dental HMO insurance plans are the more affordable plans with fewer limitations, however you will need to go to a plan provider. You may so want to review any dental discount plans that are available to you in your state. As dental discount plans make dental care more affordable for a very monthly cost.

Question: I am self employed and I have been looking for good dental insurance plan for my family.   What I am finding are plans that do not cover much and has a max limit of  $1000.00 – $2000.00.  I want something that does not have a max limit and overs better coverages without all the waiting periods.   

Answer: It is common for dental PPO or Indemnity dental insurance plans to have waiting periods and maximum limitations. You may want to review any HMO insurance options that are available to you in your state. HMO insurance plans generally do not have those types of restrictions and limitations.

Question: I am in need of a low cost dental insurance plan for my daughter.  My daughter is six years old and is missing a tooth.  The dentist told us that at this point it does not look like she will be getting an adult tooth either.    I was informed that when she looses all her baby teeth she will need to get braces in.  Right now I am paying for a space maintainer.  But once her adult teeth come in she will need an implant.  You can see were her dental cost are getting higher and higher.  I really need help with the increasing cost I am going to have with my daughter dental health care.   

Answer: You may want to get a second option about her not having an adult tooth to replace the baby tooth that may have came out too soon.  Most dental insurance plans at this time do not offer benefits for dental implants. Though getting dental insurance for you and your daughter is a good idea. The sooner the better since dental plans like PPO or Indemnity dental insurance plans have waiting periods for basic and major dental services.  If cost is an issue you may want to review any of our HMO insurance options. HMO insurance plans are the lower cost dental insurance option, however you will need to choose a dentist in their provider network.  This may mean having to change current dentist if your current providers do not on any HMO plans.    

I suggest reviewing our dental insurance plan options just by entering in your zip code in the quote box provided. After reviewing any of our dental insurance plans, if you have any questions call our member service line at 310-534-3444 as they will be happy to assist you with the available plan options provided on our website.

I was wondering if there are any dental insurance plans that cover for cosmetic services?  My current dental plan will not cover for me to have any dental cosmetic services such as teeth whitening, veneers or dental implants. That said I would still like to have some help with the cost of cosmetic dental services.  I have yet to find a dental insurance that will cover for cosmetic services.    

Reply: Most dental insurance plan to not offer benefits/coverage’s for cosmetic dental care services. So it may be hard to find one that dose. However you may want to review a  dental discount plan options such as Careington. With a dental discount plan you save off all your dental care needs including cosmetic services.  Generally your average discounted saving on cosmetic dental services is around 15% to 20% not bad on a plan that cost you less then $10.00 a month for an individual.