When shopping for a new dentist it is important to know some back round information. One key question to ask and find out about is how long the dentist in question as been in practice. How many years has the dental practice been in the same location? Ask for references or use web sites such as Yelp, Google, Annie’s List.  The more you know about the dentist and the dental practice the better off you will be.

Find a dentist that is right for you and or your family does not have to be difficult if you know what you what to look for in advance.  Before calling any dentist make a list of items that are important to you. Doing this will help you to be clear in asking questions and finding the answer you want.

* If you have current dental insurance is a dentist a provider of that plan.  If so are they accepting new patients under the dental insurance plan you currently have.

* How long has the dentist been in practice.

* Do they have referrals that can be provided you.

* How long has he/she been at their current location?

* If you or a family member has any special conditions such as physical handicaps, diabetes HIV/AIDS, Autism etc. is the dentist able to treat patients with special conditions.

* Does the dentist treat children as well as adults.

* What are their hours and how do they deal with dental emergencies.

Bitewing radiographs (dental X-rays) Are generally consider preventive dental care and under many dental insurance plans bitewing radiographs are free to little cost.  When reviewing different types of dental insurance plans see what is consider preventive services and compare cost. You want preventive care to be either free to little cost so that you are more likely to maintain your dental care needs and see a dentist as advised

Bitewing X-rays are often used by dentist during your dental check up. Without dental insurance these types of X-rays can run between $50.00 – $100.00. However, most dental insurance plans provide this dental service for little to no cost. In addition to also provide little to no cost check ups and basic cleaning. Make sure you are not spending more money then you need to by having current dental insurance.

Many dental insurance plan have a lifetime maximum limitation. Which is the cumulative dollar amount that an insurance plan will pay for dental care incurred by an individual enrollee or if on a family plan per member,  for the life of the enrollee or the plan. Lifetime maximums generally apply to specific dental services such as orthodontic treatment.

Bitewing radiographs are X-rays that are used to reveal the crowns of several upper and lower teeth as they bite down. Dentists use radiographs for many reasons such as to find hidden dental structures, malignant or benign masses, bone loss, and cavities.

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, the most widely used drugs for the treatment of depression, have been reported to reduce bone formation and increase the risk of bone fracture. Since osseointegration is influenced by bone metabolism, this study investigates the association between SSRIs and the risk of failures in osseointegrated implants

The primary outcome was that compared with non-users of SSRIs, SSRIs usage was associated with an increased risk of dental implants failure (HR= 2∙31; P< 0∙01). The failure rates were 4.6% for SSRI non-users and 10.6% SSRI users, respectively. The secondary outcomes were that small implant diameters (≤4mm) (P=0∙01), bone augmentation (P=0∙04) and smoking habits (P<0∙01) also seemed to be associated with higher risk of implant failure. The main limitation of this retrospective study was that drug compliance dose and treatment period could not be acquired from the files of the patients.

Within the limits of this study, these findings indicate that treatment with SSRIs is associated with an increased failure risk of osseointegrated implants.

Bicuspid or Premolar tooth is a tooth with two cusps. The term bicuspid refers to eight of the 32 permanent teeth. There are no bicuspids in primary teeth, the bicuspids grow in to replace primary molars. Two bicuspids are on each side of the upper and lower jaw, behind the canine teeth and in front of the molars.

In the US, around 92% of adults aged 20-64 have experienced dental cavities/tooth decay, in at least one of their permanent teeth. To tackle the growing problem of tooth decay, researchers from University College London and the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, both in the UK, say the World Health Organization’s recommendation of a maximum of 10% total daily calories from free sugar should be reduced to 5%, with 3% as a target.

Some people can be more likely to get dry socket after having a tooth pulled due to a few factors. That includes people who:

* Smoke

* Have poor oral and dental hygiene

* Have wisdom teeth pulled

* Have greater then normal trauma during the tooth extraction surgery

* Use birth control pills

* Have a history of dry socket after having teeth pulled

* Rinsing and spitting a lot or drinking through a straw after having a tooth extracted also can increase your risk of getting dry socket.

Children on Medicaid and their parents may have a reason to smile more. A study by University of Florida researchers shows that a change in the state of Florida’s Medicaid policy to reimburse pediatricians and other medical primary care providers for basic oral health screenings and cavity prevention has increased the likelihood of children receiving these essential services by 20 percent.

Question: I had my wisdom teeth pulled two days ago and now the extraction sites really hurting me more then before. Is this a sign of dry socket?

Answer: You will want to look at the site where the tooth was extracted. If you have dry socket you will probably notice a dry looking opening. Instead of a dark blood clot you will notice there will just be whitish bone. The pain typically starts about two days after the tooth was pulled. Over time it becomes more severe and can radiate to your ear. Additional symptoms of dry socket include bad breath and an unpleasant smell and taste in your mouth.  If you are noticing these symptoms you should consult with your dentist right away.

Oral diseases can be prevented or improved with regular dental visits. The objective of this study was to assess and compare national estimates on self-reported oral health conditions and dental visits among pregnant women and non-pregnant women of childbearing age by using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES).

Local Anesthesia: The loss of pain sensation over a specific area of the anatomy without loss of consciousness. The most commonly used local anesthetic is lidocaine. Lidocaine  half-life in the body is about 1.5–2 hours. Other local anesthetics in current use include articaine, septocaine, marcaine (a long-acting anesthetic), and mepivacaine. A combination of these may be used depending on the situation

The International and American Associations for Dental Research (IADR/AADR) have published a paper titled “Global Burden of Periodontitis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Regression.

In 2010, severe periodontitis was the sixth most prevalent condition in the world affecting 743 million people worldwide. Between 1990 and 2010, the global age-standardized prevalence of severe periodontitis was static at 11.2%. The age-standardized incidence of severe periodontitis in 2010 was 701 cases per 100,000 person-years, a non-significant increase from the 1990 incidence of severe periodontitis. Prevalence increased gradually with age showing a steep increase between the third and fourth decades of life that was driven by a peak in incidence at around 38 years of age. There were considerable variations in prevalence and incidence between regions and countries.

When you do not have your teeth as white as you may like but can not afford whitening treatment many people turn to baking soda as a home home remedy.  However there are good and bads to baking soda being use to white your teeth which should be consider before using.

Goods:  

* Cost: One of the main driving factor is that baking soda is the poor man way to whiten teeth. Since baking soda can be bough for under five dollars.

* Baking soda is also a mild abrasive, and that is why it is so effective for removing surface stains from your teeth.

* As a bonus, baking soda has been found to neutralize bacterial acids and other components that cause bad breath.

Bads:  

* Baking soda does not whiten your tooth color it only helps to remove surface stains from your teeth.

* It is also believed that baking soda can erode orthodontic glue and fasteners for bridges.

*  The most notable mark in the negative column for baking soda as a tooth whitening product is that it is highly abrasive. Teeth are rather delicate and can be easily damaged by products like this.

Boston: Despite a policy focus on expanding access to care for adults with developmental disabilities, this vulnerable population continues to have significant dental disease. In the October 2014 issue of The Journal of the American Dental Association, researchers from Tufts University School of Medicine and Tufts University School of Dental Medicine report on the first large-scale survey to investigate factors influencing at-home oral care provided by caregivers to adults with developmental disabilities. The study findings suggest that, in addition to addressing access to care, policy initiatives must improve support for caregivers.

Question: I do not have money to spend on whiten products but I been told that baking soda can whiten your teeth. Is this true.

Answer: While baking soda can help to brighten and prevent discoloration of your teeth, it will not necessarily make your teeth a whiter shade of white. You will probably need a whitening product that contains bleach for that.

Perhaps more well established is the association between dental hygiene and heart disease.   In 2008, MNT reported on research from joint teams at the University of Bristol in the UK and the Royal College of Surgeons in Dublin, Ireland, who found that people with bleeding gums from poor dental hygiene could be increasing their risk of heart disease.

A research team from Harvard School of Public Health in Boston, MA, were the first to report strong evidence on a link between gum disease and pancreatic cancer, back in 2007.

The type of gum inflammation associated with pancreatic cancer in the study was periodontitis, which affects the tissue that support the teeth and can cause loss of bone around the base of the teeth.

The other main kind of gum disease – gingivitis; where the tissue around the teeth becomes inflamed – was not linked to increased cancer risk. However, gingivitis can lead to periodontitis if persistent. Gingivitis happens when bacteria in the plaque around the base of the teeth build up due to bad dental hygiene.