There are dental clinics throughout the country that offers low to free dental care to low income households. In addition, Dentistry From The Heart has hundreds of events each year, during which free dental care is made available to communities across the country

if you ca not afford dental insurance, a dental discount plan may be a good alternative. Dental discount plans are not insurance, however they offer saving by as much as 10-60 percent on a broad range of dental services provided by participating dentists with in the plan network of providers.

Most dental insurance plan have some type of dental provider date base.  So a good start when looking for a new dentist is to use the provider date base your dental insurance plan provides. Also in some plans by using the plan network of dental providers you receive better benefits under the plan.  However you may still want to call the dental office to do further research on the potential dental office you have found. Here are a few tips on what to ask when searching for a new dentist.

1) Ask about the dentist educational background and credentials
2) Ask what you should expect during the first exam.
3) Ask to make sure if the office staff goes over the treatment options and cost before work is started. It is important to make sure you have the right information including what is covered by your dental insurance plan and your cost before making treatment decisions.
4) How does the dental office file out claims and what is expected from you at the time of service.  Some dental office may file the claim and bill you latter for any unpaid balances. Where as other dental office may make you pay in full at the time dental services are render, and have you file out your own claim so premium benefits are paid back to you.
5) Know the office hours and how patient emergencies are handled outside of regular hours.
6) Ask any additional questions that are important to you in choosing a dentist.

In a study of 1566 community-dwelling Japanese elderly who were followed for 5 years, the risk of developing dementia was elevated in individuals with fewer remaining teeth.

Individuals with 10-19, 1-9, and no teeth had 62%, 81%, and 63% higher risks of dementia, respectively, than individuals with >20 teeth. Likewise, an inverse association was observed between the number of remaining teeth and the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.

Source:Society for the Study of Addiction

If cost is a factor for why you do not see a dentist regularly, remember that by having dental insurance you are able to have dental care services at a much more affordable cost.  In addition most dental insurance plans provide free preventive dental care hopefully so you will not need to have larger more costly dental care services.

When searching for a new dentist make sure to know what their business hours are and how they deal with dental emergencies. The reason you want to confirm their business hours is that you are more likely to make and maintain regular dental visits when the practice has hours that works around your time frame.

Someone that has to take time off from work will tend to put off their dental care needs. Check if the dental office is open on a Saturday or if they provide latter hours during the week. In cases of emergencies know what their practice is. Will they take a walk-ins or get you in that same day or the next in case of an emergency. Knowing this ahead of time will help make choosing a dental provider that is best for you and your needs.

This type of headache pain can have several causes from nerve injury to dental problems. The cause of the headache behind the ear will determine symptoms and treatment.

With regards to dental problems. 

The temporomandibular joints (TMJ) can cause aching behind the ear and it usually accompanied by jaw pain. The temporomandibular joints are the ball and socket joints of the jaw. These joints can become inflamed and painful. While most people with TMJ inflammation feel the pain in the jaw and behind the ear, others may just experience a headache behind the ear.

TMJ can be caused by:

• stress
• teeth grinding
• arthritis
• injury
• jaw alignment

If you feel you maybe having TMJ issues talk it over with your dentist. As a dentist will be able to confirm if in fact that is the case and help treat it.

What is Tooth Decay

Tooth decay is the destruction of the outer surface of a tooth from acid forming bacteria that is produced by food containing carbohydrates (sugars and starches).

Tooth Decay Prevention

Brush your teeth twice a day with a tooth paste that contains fluoride. Preferably, brush after each meal and before bedtime to help reduce the bacteria from staying on your teeth for a certain length of time.

You may wish to consider these helpful tips as well:

• Floss your teeth daily to prevent tooth decay and gum disease.
• Check with your dentist regarding the use of a supplemental fluoride which strengthens your teeth and helps prevents tooth decay.
• Consider dental sealants which is a plastic like substance placed on the top of molars to protect the teeth from decay
• Use mouth wash with fluoride. Many of them kill 50% or more of the bacteria that cause tooth decay.
• Chewing gum with the ingredient Xylitol may also kill some of the bacteria which causes tooth decay.
• Visit your dentist regularly
• Maintain dental insurance and or a dental plan to keep your dental cost low.

Babies Avoid fruit juice up to the age of  one year, say the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Parents should avoid offering fruit juice to infants under the age of one year, unless advised by a doctor, as it provides “no nutritional benefit” and may harm their health. This is the according to new recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Unless you have a dental HMO plan where most dental services are based on a fee schedule that lays out your cost for the different dental services, (therefore avoiding the claims filling process) you are having to fill out claims forms. 

Knowing your cost for dental services can be difficult since most PPO and Indemnity plans pay claims based on a percentage up to UCR (Usual, Customary & Reasonable) rates. Your dentist may provide you an estimate based on your plan stated coverage’s but there is no guarantees that will be your total cost. 

In order to make sure you know what your cost is going to be have your dentist submit the treatment plan to your insurance company as a quote only before dental services are started. That way the dental insurance company can be able to state what is covered and for what amount. Stopping the guessing game before it starts. 

How to stop bleeding gums at home. 

People can usually treat minor gum bleeding at home using good oral hygiene and natural remedies 

One of the most common reason a person would have bleeding gums is because of plaque or tartar buildup.  Plaque/tartar buildup allow bacteria to grow along the gum line.  By having good oral hygiene you can prevent sensitivity and bleeding. 

Tips to Avoid Bleeding Gums

• Brush your teeth at least twice a day
• Use a toothbrush that is not hard of stiff 
• Change out your worn toothbrush. Toothbrushes that are frayed will not clean effectively 
• Floss daily but correctly.  Do not use your floss roughly,  be gentle pushing it down and hugging the sides of each tooth as you floss 

Additional Tips if  You Have Bleeding Gums 

• You can gently press gauze in the place until the blood stops
• You can use ice. Ice packs are especially helpful to soothe minor mouth injuries that cause swelling such as cuts and scrapes. 
• Use mouthwash. Mouthwash can kill bacteria and reduce inflammation to sooth sore, swollen and bleeding gums
• Avoid Smoking.  Due you know that smoking is a major cause of gum disease, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention ? 

Taking care of your dental health at home is very important but it dose not stop there.  If you see your gums bleed while brushing/flossing make sure to tell your dentist.  Having proper dental care from a dentist is key in maintaining your dental health. 

If cost is a factor. Make sure to have dental insurance there are many different types of dental insurance plans that can help you keep your own dentist or that is low in cost helping you better afford your dental care.   If you have any questions about the dental insurance plans we offer please call our office at  310-534-3444 M-F  8-4 

Kids Dental Insurance and Their Dentist. 

It is important to understand your dental insurance plan and to know what is covered and what may not be. There are dental insurance plans that have limitations such as yearly max dollar limits and deductibles. If it a new plan you may also have plan waiting periods. 

Other plans that do not have these types of limitations may have provider limitations making you stay within the plan network of dental providers. Many plans may also limit the amount of one type of dental service you can have with in the year. Common examples of this would be one set of X-rays per year, 2 cleaning 1 every 6 months.  However many times plans will limit the number of crown you may be able to have such a 5 crowns per year.

An additional thing to keep in mind is that for the most part dentist do not basing their decisions for treatment on what is or is not covered by your dental insurance plan. A dentist may advise dental services that are not covered or that is limited in coverage.  

If you want to say within your plan coverage’s, then you need to advise your dentist ahead of time.  They may still suggest services not covered by your plan but at that point you can address the reasons why. The dentist job is to be committed to taking care of your child’s teeth, not to worry about your dental insurance. So before dental services are render you should make sure what is covered by your plan and what is your cost. That way you avoid any surprises along the way.

New research which was published in the journal  Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology,  suggests that a substance commonly found in mouthwash destroys “friendly” oral bacteria that help maintain normal blood pressure.

Baking soda and lemon juice combinations have been a popular home remedy for some time now.  People claiming that baking soda and lemon juice can improve the skin, treat heartburn and whiten your teeth.

However, several studies have examined the health benefits of baking soda and lemon juice separately, yet there is not much research to support the combined effects of baking soda and lemon juice

In a prior post we talked about how mouth sores are typically a result of irritations. There are many things that can irritate the mouth and lead to mouth sores. Below is some common causes

• Poorly fitting dentures. Make sure to maintain your dentures and get them aligned/adjusted so that they fit correctly
• Sharp or broken tooth/teeth. If you have a sharp/broken tooth see your dentist in order to fix it so that it will not cause a mouth sore
• Braces / retainers
• Burning your mouth on hot foods or drinks

Some additional causes can include

• Certain medication
• Tobacco use
• Hormonal changes during pregnancy
• Stress
• Vitamin and folate deficiencies

Mouth sores are a common complaint, and they can occur for a variety of reasons, including irritation, hormonal changes, and infection.

In most cases, mild  irritation causes a sore to appear, by avoiding the irritant can help you prevent mouth sores in the future

In other cases mouth sores can for due to underlying health conditions.  Since some mouth sores can be contagious and may require treatment, if you are concerned about chronic or long lasting mouth sores you should speak to your doctor about them.

Until you are able to see your dentist there are some home remedies you can do to have some relief from dry socket.

Dry socket occurs when a blood clot falls out of the extraction site of a recently pulled tooth. It can be very painful but here are some tips that may help

• Use Hot and Cold Compresses:  You can apply a cold compress to help relieve pain and reduce swelling the day after the tooth extraction.  Afterwards switch to using a hot compress on the outside of your face.
• Honey:  Studies show that by applying a honey dressing it decreasing pain and inflammation in people with dry socket
• Aloe Vera: Research show that applying aloe vera to a tooth extraction site can promote healing and even prevent dry socket form forming.

These are helpful tips, however know when to see your dentist.  If you have sever pain after a tooth extraction and have any symptoms of dry socket you should see your dentist for treatment. Your dentist can diagnose dry socket by a visual examination, and provided needed treatment

The best practices for healthy teeth and gums include at home care of regular brushing twice a day, flossing daily and avoiding certain types of food and beverage.

The follow are suggestion to help with sensitive teeth.

* Use Desensitizing toothpaste. There are a few over the counter toothpaste options for sensitive teeth to pick from. Your dentist also may recommend a brand of toothpaste to use as well.

* Use a soft bristled toothbrush
* Avoid drinking or eating highly acidic foods.
* Use a mouthwash/rinse with fluoride
* If you grind your teeth,consider getting a mouth guard.

Tonsil stones can normally be treated at home. They often detach during vigorous gargling.

You can use a cotton swab to loosen the stone and gently press on the tissue immediately surrounding it. You should position the swab behind the stone and push forward pushing the tonsil stone toward the front of the mouth instead of into the throat. Do not use your finger or anything pointed or sharp to try and remove the tonsil stone.