Apples may be good for the Doctor but not for your teeth.  According to studies done eating apples can be up to four time more damaging to your teeth then carbonated drinks such as soda.  

Doctors are right in saying that eating apples is good, however what is bad for your teeth is the way you eat apples.  The high acidity level in apples can damage your teeth if you eat them slowly. Where as drinks most often associated with dietary erosion, particularly cola, showed no increased risk.

Scientists recently presented their work at the Society for General Microbiology’s Spring Conference in Dublin. Studies done show that oral bacteria that escape into the bloodstream are able to cause blood clots and trigger life-threatening endocarditis. Further research could lead to new drugs to tackle ineffective heart disease

Patients with congenital heart disease who have poor dental hygiene behaviors are increasing their risk of endocarditis. Teens with congenital heart disease floss, brush and visit the dentist less than their peers. But they have healthier behaviors when it comes to alcohol, cigarettes and illicit drugs. Adults with single ventricle physiology (a type of congenital heart disease) also have poorer dental hygiene practices than their peers despite having better health behaviors overall.

With current technology, it may take four to six months before the bone surrounding the implant screw has healed and is strong enough so the patient can begin to benefit from surgery. Now, for the first time, a drug coating that has been tested on humans allows titanium screws to adhere to the bone better and faster. The Linköping researchers behind the method report that the results are good.

The old saying “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” is never been more truer in regards to dentistry. Preventative dentistry is relatively easy, quick, and inexpensive. Preventive dental care first starts from home with brushing, flossing and eating a well. By taking care of your dental health and having good dental habits you will be able to avoid larger dental issues. However preventive dental care does not stop there. Seeing a dentist for your twice a year check ups is also an important part of your dental care health. Only a dentist can catch small issues and correct them before larger dental care is needed.   

When you combine having good oral health care habits with dental insurance, preventive dental care cost is more affordable. Many dental insurance plans want their insured’s to have preventive care services. Therefore preventive care is normally free to very low in cost to their members.

I am trying my best to find some type of dental insurance plan that is affordable for me for my three year old son. We live in Texas and I do not get offer any dental benefits though work. The dental plans I seen so far are too costly with long term waiting periods. I can afford to wait but I do not want my son having to put of dental care if it is needed.  Please offer some help.

Reply: On this website I suggest reviewing our HMO insurance plans or our Dental discount plan as both are a low cost dental insurance/plan that can help you save money on your child dental care needs.

When you are a low income or fixed income sometimes buying dental insurance can be out of your budget. However that does not mean you have to go without. Take the time to review dental discount plans and see if they will fit for your dental needs.

For a very low monthly cost dental discount plans will save you money off all your dental services and care needs. They offer their discounted saving with no waiting periods, yearly max limitations and no deductibles. Also you do not have the hassle of dealing with claims forms. By giving a dental discount plan a second look you may find out that it can be very useful to you at a very low cost staying with in most people budgets

Tips on shopping out dental insurance and or a dental plan when you already have a dentist you want to stay with.

It can get a little over whelming to shop out dental insurance when you are trying to stay with a dentist. Many people will get online to find a dental insurance plan,  before even knowing what plans their dentist accepts. Knowing ahead of time what type of dental plans your dental office accepts, will save you time in searching and reviewing dental plans they are not acceptable.

Ask your dental office if they are in network of any dental HMO or dental discount plans.  Since these type of dental plan have not outside net work options.  Therefore if they are not a provider of these types of plans getting one will not work for you.  If they are then find out what plans so you are saving time by just looking  for and reviewing the acceptable plan options.

If our dentist is not a provider of any HMO or dental discount plans then your next option would be by getting a Dental PPO plan or a Dental Indemnity insurance plan.  These plans either have no net work of providers or they do allow you to go out side their provider data base.   On these types of plans it is still help to know if your dentist is a provider of a dental PPO plan because inside network coverage’s can be better then outside net work coverage’s and know this can be a helpful factor when reviewing dental PPO and Indemnity plans.

Did you know that as a senior you need to see the dentist some times more then just twice a year for your oral health check ups? 

Cavities can be more frequent in seniors for many reason. Although fluoride is in community water supplies today that was not always the case for some of the older seniors. Adults are also more likely to have tooth decay around older fillings if not regularly checked by a dentist. Cavities in the tooth root are more common in seniors due to receding gums lines. Receding gums exposes more of the tooth root surface to decay. 

Seniors also can have dry mouth due to either age or different medications they may have to take.  Dry mouth can lead to a higher risk of tooth decay because without an adequate amount of saliva the acids produced by plaque can not be neutralized. Seniors often put off their dental care needs due to many factors. 

Such as not having transportation, No dental insurance, other health issues that keeps them from seeing a dentist and cost for dental services. However these issues can be address.  There may be some ride care services available for seniors. By buying dental insurance you can control your cost for dental services to be render.  If there are other health issues keeping you way from a dentist that can be difficult to address.  But many time it is these same health issues that make it even more important to see a dentist regularly.

Tips you should know about insurance for dentures. If you already have dentures but need to get new set of dentures make sure you know the dental insurance term and conditions for dentures cost. Many dental insurance plans come with waiting periods. Dentures falling into majors dental services. In this case you may have to wait a year or more before the dental insurance plan will start to cover for dentures. This makes sense since they have to earn premium on the plan first before they can start to pay out for a high cost dental service.  Other wise you can see where one could get dentures and then cancel the plan with in the next month after only paying a month or two in premium.

Also some dental insurance plans with want proof that you had your old dentures for X amount of years. (Generally five years but can very depending on the plan)   Before they will cover out any replacements for new dentures. So make sure you know ahead of time the dental plan term and conditions before buying the dental plan of your choice. Picking the right dental plan from the start is always a good idea.

Do: When you are not wearing you dentures keep them in cool water or dentist advise denture solution Don’t use hot water or put them in a dry place as this can cause your dentures to warp or dry out. Making them ill fitting

Don’t put your dentures in a paper towel as not only will a paper towel absorb the moisture but it can be mistaken for trash and be toss out. Do: Keep your dentures safe from small kids and dogs. Kids love to play with most anything they find. Dentures in a child hands tends to not hold up well. Also pets like dogs may find your dentures if they are not kept in a safe place and then you may as well start saving your money for a new set of dentures.

In conclusion making sure you take good care of your dentures will make them last long and therefore save you money from having to get new ones sooner then necessary.

One should keep in mind that dentures are fragile and they should be handle carefully to avoid braking them. Dentures do not like to be droop and there is a high chance that they will brake when you do. So be careful when cleaning them. A good idea is when cleaning your dentures stand on a soft towel or rug so if you do accidentally drop them the chances are lower that they will brake. You want to make sure the sink is full of water when cleaning so that if you do drop them they are safe You can wrap your dentures in a hand towel or keep them in their hard cover case when you are moving around your house with your dentures.  As soon as you are finish cleaning your dentures and you want to put them aside make sure you keep them soaked in warm or cold water or in your denture solution. .

Having Proper Denture Care is Important.

Dentures even when covered by dental insurance can still be costly so making sure to take proper care of your dentures will help them last longer and safe you money in having to have them replaces sooner then necessary.

You will want to use a soft bristle toothbrush in order to avoid damaging your dentures. You still need to brush your dentures carefully.  Make sure you are careful not to damage the surface of your dentures or bend the attachments. You can clean your dentures is by using over the counter denture cleansers available in most food stores. 

Although you can use regular toothpaste I suggest avoiding them since dentures are sensitive and you can easy damage their surface, with abrasive toothpaste.   Another cleaning option for dentures is by using an ultrasonic denture cleanser. However I suggest making sure you buy one that has been proven safe.  

DONT.  Do not use bleach when cleaning your dentures.  Also do not use vinegar as it can cause your dentures to dry out. Do not use house hold cleaners. Though there are some people that will use mild hand soup or dish soup I would not suggest doing so. If you do make sure you rinse them thoroughly  in under the faucet with warm to cool water.

When your child needs urgent dental treatment, contact our office as soon as possible. If it is a permanent tooth try to find the tooth and/or missing pieces of that tooth to bring to our office. Rinse it gently in cool water if there is debris on it. DO NOT SCRUB IT OR CLEAN IT WITH ANY TYPE OF SOAP! If your child allows you to do so please try to replace the tooth in their socket and hold it there. You can use a clean gauze or a wash cloth for them to bite on if necessary. 

If you can’t put the tooth back in the socket, place the tooth in a clean container with milk, saliva, or water. Get to our office immediately. The faster you act, the better your chances of saving the tooth.

Space maintainers are appliances made of metal or plastic that are custom fit to your child’s mouth. They are small and unobtrusive in appearance. Most children easily adjust to them after the first few days. Space maintainers hold open the empty space left by a lost tooth. They steady the remaining teeth, preventing movement until the permanent tooth takes its natural position in the jaw. It’s more affordable — and easier on your child — to keep teeth in normal positions with a space maintainer than to move them back in place with orthodontic treatment.

Eat healthy foods Fruits, vegetables, nuts, cheese and milk are foods for strong, healthy teeth. Foods with a lot of sugar are can be bad for teeth. Sugars in food stick to the teeth and bacteria (germs) gather in the sugar and cause plaque. Plaque can melt the surface of teeth and cause decay. Brushing and flossing teeth keeps them clean and healthy. Brushing and flossing removes bits of food and plaque. Plaque is germs which can make teeth rot or decay. After each meal is a good time to brush or floss teeth but they should be brushed at least twice each day. Water Drink plenty of water during the day to help wash your teeth.

First there is a big difference between fresh cows milk and formula milk. (Also soy milk is not safe for teeth). Anyone who has prepared formula milk knows how sticky it can be on your fingers. The different sugars in formula milk will not be safe for a child’s teeth during a nap or before bed time. Cow’s milk is completely different. Cow’s milk is actually protective of teeth and can be classified as safe. Research shows that if you consume cow’s milk in combination with products that would otherwise damage teeth (cookies perhaps ) the milk will be protective.

Heavy smoking can reduce milk supply.

A study done on breastfeeding and smoking states that cigarette smoking significantly reduces breast milk production. On rare occasions cigarette smoke has caused symptoms in the breastfeeding baby such as nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, and diarrhea. Smoking can stop or inhibit the milk let-down reflex. Smoking has been linked to early weaning. Smoking can cause fussiness and colic. Nicotine levels in the breastfeeding mother’s blood and milk first increase and then decrease over time.

It takes is 95 minutes for half of the nicotine to be eliminated from the body, otherwise known as half-life. Breastfeeding mothers should avoid smoking just before nursing and should never smoke while feeding her baby.

It is important to start flossing your child teeth as soon as they start to touch each other. Around two to two and half years old. Flossing makes a big difference in the prevention of cavities. Normally by the time your child start kinder garden he or she should be able to start flossing their own teeth. Though they may not have the skills yet to do a good job, you should supervise and give tips and pointers now and then to encourage good oral health care. Just like adults a child should floss their teeth every day. A good time is right before they go to bed but as long as they are flossing each day that is what is important.