Question: I am a signal mom with two kids looking for an affordable dental and vision insurance in CA

Answer: Although this web site dentalinsurancekids.com will provide you dental insurance plans from HMO (the lower cost plans) to PPO and Free choice of providers plan (generally more costly then HMO’s) we do not provide vision insurance options.

However please visit our vision web site at bestvisionplans.com to review our vision insurance and plan options.

If you have any questions about our dental and vision insurance plans please call our office at 310-534-3444 M-F 8-4 as we be happy to help you with your dental and vision insurance needs.

People with dental phobia are more likely to have active caries or missing teeth, a new study from King’s College London has confirmed.

The latest study, published in the British Dental Journal, aimed to explore the social and demographic correlates of oral health and oral health related quality of life of people with dental phobia compared to those without dental phobia. The findings showed that people with dental phobia are more likely to have one or more decayed teeth, and missing teeth as well. In addition, the study showed that those with dental phobias’ reported that their oral health related quality of life is poor.

This may seem straight forward but you can avoid your children having dental decay by making sure they have the right brushing and flossing habits.  The first step to dental care and good oral health comes from home.

Make sure your children are brushing and flossing correctly.  That means brushing for at least two minutes two times a day.  I suggest that if they have a full breakfast, lunch and dinner they should brush after every major meal.   Your child should also learn how to floss.  Flossing need s to be done once a day.

Now I am not one to say do not give sweets to kids because the fact is tooth decay can happen with any food item if good brushing habits are not in place.  However it is a good idea try and avoid food that can be harmful to tooth enamel.. Food like sour candy, soda, even too many fruits with acids like oranges or orange juice can be harmful. Be mindful of these types of food as they can over time wear down tooth enamel that  helps protect the tooth from decay.

And do not forget the importance of seeing your family dentist at least twice a year.  Prevention is the key to keeping your dental cost low.

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.

Kid Dental Health, Tooth Decay in Children

Tooth decay in children is an occurring health condition. Due to dental issue children miss 52 million hours from school every year. If dental problems are left untreated children will develop further health problems. 30% to 50% of children between 4 and 5 years old already struggle with tooth decay.

There are many reason for this problem but a few are due to the fact that dental benefits are not provided though the parents employer. Some parents fail to acknowledge the important of early dental care for kids. Children of low income families are more predisposed to developing tooth decay and Dental care cost is too expensive for children.

How dose oral bacteria make colorectal cancer more aggressive? 

Though recent study, scientists have identified a molecular mechanism through which an oral bacterium accelerates colorectal cancer growth.

Tests have shown that around a third of people who develop colorectal cancer also have the bacterium, which has the name Fusobacterium nucleaturm. Their cancer also tends to be more aggressive, but it was not clear why until the study

Smoking is a major cause of gum disease

By now most parents know that smoking cause many over all health problems. Some of the visible health side effective from smoking is seen in your mouth. From simply staining your teeth to larger health issues such as gum disease.

Smoking harms the body’s immune system, therefore the body is less able to fight off the bacteria that naturally stick to the gums. Once the gums are damaged, smoking makes it harder for the body to heal its tissues. In addition studies are also showing a link between gum disease and heart disease, it all start to goes down hill from there.

Talk to your kids let them fully know all the health risks smoking has. Keep in mind if your are a a parent that smokes, the odds increases that your kids will also smoke so stop the cycle and quit you not be only helping

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.