Question: I have a seven year old daughter and no dental insurance. She been to the dentist a few times but not on a regular basis since I can not always afford to take her. I would like to know where I can go to get affordable dental care for low income household kids. I not asking for myself but I would think there would be something for kids. Please advise.

Reply: The lower cost dental insurance option would be an HMO insurance plan. We provide a few dental HMO’s options depending on the state you are in. You can review our dental insurance plans just by entering your zip code in the quote box above.

Dental Insurance for Kids Dental Caries.

Question: I need a great deal of help for my six year old daughter dental care. My daughter has dental caries and I was told by a dentist willing to give me a free consult that she will need to have extensive dental care and without dental insurance I can not afford her to get the dental care she needs. Please advise a good plan that will help me take care of my daughter teeth.

Reply: You will either want to review dental HMO plans as they typically do not have any waiting periods for services to be render and are generally the lower cost dental insurance option. You may also want review PPO’s plans that do not have waiting periods. These plans are more costly but will let you keep your current dentist or choose your own dentist.

Question: I have a three year old daughter that seems to have a cavity I was brushing her teeth when I notice a small black dot that I could not brush off. This is the first time I seen it there and I am really careful about taking care of her teeth since we do not have dental insurance. I would like to know if you have any dental plans for kids or family that would be affordable and help us with our daughter dental care needs.

Reply: Affordable will depend on your budget but the more affordable dental insurance plan type would be HMO insurance plans. Dental HMO cost will very depending on the plan you are reviewing. However in generally speaking terms they can run for a family plan around $20 – $40 a month. You may want to review our dental insurance plans options. You can do that by entering your zip code in our quote box above.

After receiving a second dental opinion it is important to keep in mind the different perspectives of your dental care providers as you weigh your options. some things you may want to think about

• Your current dentist is familiar with your dental health history and has hopefully establish a good relationship with you
• Where as a new dentist may have the advantage of a fresh outlook
• if the second opinion is vastly different then the first opinion, you may even want to get a third opinion
• avoid making any major decisions about your dental health until you are comfortable with the care and information you have received

Once you decided to see another dentist for a second opinion it is a good idea to be prepared by having thought out some questions to ask that will help you make a more informed choice on your dental care treatment options. You may want to consider asking some of these questiosn to get you started

• Do you agree with the diagnosis and treatment plan my dentist has made?
• What treatment options do you suggest for my dental care needs?
• How much will each option cost me?
• What will happen if I delay some of the dental services until I am more able to pay for treatment suggested?
• How will each treatment option improve my dental health?
• Will I need future dental care treatments for the same issue?

In the previous post we talked about how if you feel like you should get a second dental opinion on a dental treatment, then you probably should. after all getting a second opinion may also provide peace of mind about the dental care services needed. However, it may not make best sense to get a second opinion for every little cavity or other minor dental health care issue. Here are a few reason why you may want to seek out a second opinion.

• your dentist has diagnosed a major health care problem, such as oral cancer
• your dentist has provided dental work, but it is not fixing your problem
• Your are unsure if the recommended treatment is necessary, or you are concerned about the cost
• You feel that your dentist is not qualified to treat your major dental health problems
• You do not have good rapport with your current dentist

You may benefit from getting a second opinion on major dental services. If your dentist is advising major dental services and you feel like you want to have a second opinion about your dental health care, it probably means yo should. You really can not go wrong with seeking out a second opinion.

You may want to keep in mind that not all dentist address dental care services in the same way. Therefore getting a second opinion does not mean one dentist is right and one is wrong but it does afford you with more options on how you may want to have your dental care addressed .

If it is your child’s first visit to the dentist or a visit to a new dental office, you will want your child to feel comfortable and have a great experience. In order to do that it is helpful for you to inform your child where they are going and make sure to always be positive.

Stay away from using any negative words such as hurt, needle, shorts or anything unpleasant, which may plant the seed of fear into his or her mind that would not have been there otherwise. let your child dentist go over what he or she is going to be doing. Dentist are trained to tell your child what is going to happen in a very non threatening way. For children under the age of six, it is often recommend scheduling their appointment as early as you an when he or she is fresh and alert.

Infants have a natural reflex to suck on their thumb and fingers. Babies use fingers or pacifiers to help them feel secure and or content. Thumb and fingers sucking is also relaxing habit for babies and toddlers that can help induce sleep.

Thumb and fingers sucking start to become a problem when it continues after the eruption of the permanent teeth. That’s because it can affect the growth of the mouth and the proper placement of the new teeth coming in. Pacifiers are no different, they affect the mouth in the same way however they can be easier to control then finger habits. It is advise that a child should stop sucking their thumb between the ages of 2-4

Parents frequently have concerns of the noise they hear their kids teeth are making at night. There are several theories surrounding why kids often grind their teeth at night. The two most common are stress due to changes in environment )home, school etc) and pressure in the inner ears at night.

Either way, the majority of kids with teeth grinding issue do not need dental treatment. If there is evidence of excessive wear on your child’s teeth, your dentist may recommend a night guard. Most children will outgrow this condition between the ages of 9-12 and if will decrease over time as they reach the 6-9 age range

Some people worry about dental X-rays do to excess radiation exposure but the fact is that one would need to have 2,000 dental x-rays done to equal the radiation in one mammogram, yet it still important for women to have regular mammograms done as advise by their doctor.

X-rays are equally important tool for your dentist in order to provide you with good dental care. Knowing the low dose may help put into perspective the importance of having dental x-rays and how x-rays help the dentist to detect hidden tooth decay, the presence of a cyst or tumor, determining the presence of permanent teeth detect oral cancer problems, root involvement with the sinuses and to help determine whether or not to remove a primary tooth

What is Pediatric Dentistry ?

Pediatric dentists, specialize in taking care of babies and your kids teeth/oral health. They do extra years of training after dental school to dedicate themselves to working with children. Babies, toddlers, and adolescents all need unique approaches with dental care, seeing a Pediatric dentist provides them the added dental care services they may need

Sippy cups are good training tools that can help your child transition form a baby bottle to a cup. However like with a baby bottle if your child continues to use a sippy cup throughout the day, fill it with water only (unless with a meal ) The prolonged period of exposure to liquids containing sugars will promote the cavity causing bacteria in your child’s mouth

Baby Bottle Tooth Decay or BBTD is serious condition that is a result of long exposure of your infant’s teeth to liquid that contains sugar. These liquids can include milk, breast milk, formula, juice and any other sweetened drinks.

Putting your infant to sleep whether for a nap or bedtime, with a baby bottle containing anything other than water ca result in severe and rapid tooth decay The sugar pools around the teeth gives the plaque a chance to produce acid that attacks their tooth enamel

When babies are born they typically have around 20 teeth partly formed inside the gums. The front tow, lower first and then upper, are the first to erupt between 6-12 months of age. By age three, most kids have a set of 20 primary teeth in their mouths. The american Dental Association recommends scheduling your child’s first dental appointment between the arrival of his/her first tooth and first birthday

Did you know that, mothers who have poor dental health could be at a higher risk of passing bacteria that causes cavities to their children? However there are many things that can be done to help decrease this risk such as:

• Having a health diet that is low in sugars and starches
• Having regular dental visits
• Daily burnishing and flossing
• Choosing a toothpaste with fluoride
• rinsing daily with an alcohol free rinse
• do not share eating utensil or things that can transmit bacteria with your children
• If you chew gum, choose something with xylitol as this can decrease you and your children’s caries rate

The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends that all pregnant women obtain dental health care during their pregnancy. according to research done it has linked periodontal disease with preterm birth and low birth weight. Speak with your dentist on ways you can prevent or treat periodontal disease during pregnancy.

According to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry at 12 months, your baby is old enough to visit the dentist. Cavities are a common concern with children that is why it is important to take your child to the dentist regularly. according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, more then one in four children have tooth decay by the time they enter kindergarten

How to brush your baby’s teeth

When brushing your baby’s teeth you will want to put your baby on your lap, facing away from you. Brush the teeth from behind, making sure to support your baby’s head. When you brush, focus your efforts between the gums and teeth, that’s the most important area. Consult with your dentist about frequency, and if you should add flossing to your child’s routine

Did you know that roughly 130 million American still do not have dental insurance ? Even though according to studies the number one primary reason people delay dental visits is the cost of having dental care services render. Buying dental insurance is one sure way to help save money in the cost of y our dental care. In addition people with insurance tend to make and keep their dental appoints