The old saying, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,” has never been more accurate regarding dentistry. Preventative dentistry is relatively easy, quick, and inexpensive. Preventive dental care starts from home with brushing, flossing, and eating well. You can avoid larger dental issues by taking care of your dental health and having good dental habits. However, preventive dental care continues beyond there. Seeing a dentist for your twice-a-year checkups is also essential to your dental care health. Only a dentist can catch and correct minor issues before more extensive dental care is needed. Combining good oral health care habits with dental insurance makes preventive dental care costs more affordable. Many dental insurance plans want their insureds to have preventative care services. Therefore preventive care usually is free to very low in cost to their members.

Orthodontic Insurance How it Helps to Save You Money.

Orthodontic dental services is a specialty that focuses on aligning crooked teeth and fixing improper bites. (over, under, and crossbites) Orthodontic dental care is mainly associated with children up to 19, but more and more adults seek orthodontic services. By having dental Insurance in place, in most cases, you can save money on your orthodontic dental care needs. However, some dental insurance plans will only provide benefits for orthodontic services to children up to a stated age. However, besides dental insurance plans, there are also dental discount plans that help save 20 percent office the cost of orthodontic care regardless of age.

Studies suggest that women who want a baby should look after their oral health care. A fertility expert stated in a meeting in Sweden.  During the meeting, delegates heard about preliminary research that found for the first time, from when she starts trying to conceive, a woman’s chances of falling pregnant can depend on how well she looks after her teeth and gums.

Deteriorating Oral Health During Hospital Stays.

According to recent studies, our oral health deteriorates during hospitalization and is associated with an increased risk of hospital-acquired infections and reduced quality of life. The study published in the Journal of Clinical Periodontology provides the latest evidence that oral health care is being overlooked in hospitals, with potentially serious consequences. The research identified increases in plaque accumulation and gingival and mucosal inflammation. The finding was the worst among patients who required help with their breathing.

Studies show how obesity can contribute to poor oral health. Links are being found that show obesity can affect your oral health. According to a recent study, the deeper the periodontal pockets, the higher the proportion of subjects with a body mass index of 30 or over, which according to the World Health Organization, is generally considered obese.

Innovative Dental Device Helps to see Invisible Tooth Decay and Plaque.

Technology is improving dental care. A team of scientists from the University of Liverpool has won an award for developing a device that can identify early tooth decay and plaque before it is visible to the human eye. The innovation, “iDentifi” comprises a clinical digital camera that incorporates qualitative light-induced fluorescence technology to take images of the mouth using blue light and special filters that can show cavities and plaque.

Things you should know before getting dental implants.

Gene combination is identified as a risk factor in the success of dental implants. The health of the surrounding tissue and gums will affect the success of dental implants. Therefore identifying and reducing the risk factors is a critical step in dental implants. A combination of genes has been identified as a possible indicator of more significant tissue destruction leading to a negative outcome for implant patients. An article in the Journal of Oral Implantology reports on a study of individuals with the combination of interleukin (IL) 1 allele 2 IL-1A-899 and IL-IB+3954. These people are “genotype positive” and are susceptible to increased periodontal tissue destruction

Dental Discount Plans Save You Money and Provide More Flexibility.

One of the best features of a dental discount plan is that you can afford to have as much dental work as you want. Dental insurance policies impose an annual dollar limit for the dental work you can have fulfilled. These annual dollar limitations usually range from $500 – 2000. Any other extra dental work needed in the same year will have to be paid out of pocket by the member, or the member will wait until their plan rolls over for the following year to continue their dental care.

But it is different with a family dental discount plan. Family dental discount plans can be as low as $12 a month. With a dental discount plan, you will discover that dental services such as teeth whitening, veneers, and other cosmetic dental procedures are also discounted. In contrast, your basic dental insurance policy will generally exclude that type of dental service.

Family Dental HMO Insurance Plans Can Save You Money.

HMO Family dental plans are an excellent way to save money on your family’s dental care needs. HMO dental plans usually have no waiting periods; moreover, in many cases, their activation is within the next month of buying the plan. Most dental HMO insurance plans do not have yearly limits or paperwork that must be filed. Your savings range on dental care needs will start from 10% up to a maximum of 60% many times, including braces for children and adults.

Family Dental Insurance Can Cut the Cost of Dental Care.

Dental insurance helps to keep your family’s dental care cost more affordable. Dental care can be costly, and without dental insurance, it can be financially challenging to meet the rising cost of dental care. Statistics generated by American Dental Association stated that more than 50% of families living in the US are unaware of dental insurance coverage. However, many family dental insurance plans can reduce dental care expenses by 50%. Family dental PPO insurance plans starting price is generally around $79.95 per month. In contrast, other dental HMO insurance plans can run much less.

What is Dry Socket?

After removing a tooth such as a wisdom tooth, a dry socket can occur when the blood clot for the healing process becomes dislodged or does not form. When that happens, the bone and fine nerve endings are exposed to air, liquids, and foods. A dry socket will delay the healing process and can be very painful. One should see a dentist right away if one suspects they may have a dry socket

What are the potential long-term hazards of using whitening Toothpaste? 

All toothpaste will help remove surface stains. However, whitening toothpaste has more abrasive formulations and acts more quickly, so you see a result faster. Whitening agents in toothpaste are low and are typically not in contact with your teeth long enough to whiten your teeth. The Abrasiveness helps remove stains from your teeth—agents such as silica, calcium carbonate, or dicalcium phosphate. The potential hazard of using tooth-whitening toothpaste is that long-term use of these heavily abrasive toothpaste will eventually weaken enamel to the point where plaque and bacteria begin to damage the teeth. All toothpaste has some abrasiveness, but before using whitening toothpaste long-term, talk to your dentist to see what is best advised.

What Causes Tooth Sensitivity?

Many people deal with having sensitive teeth on a daily bases. Usually, when eating or drinking something hot, cold, sweet, or acidic. Sensitivity can happen when tooth enamel starts to thin or wear down, exposing the underlying root surface dentin. Receding gums can also expose your tooth dentin, causing tooth sensitivity. There are many reasons why you can wear or thin down your tooth enamel. A few would be drinking Acidic beverages like sodas, Teeth grinding, Brushing with abrasive toothpaste or brushing incorrectly, or overbrushing more than recommended. At the same time, gum disease can cause receding gums. Other ways to expose your tooth dentin would be by a chipped or fractured tooth. With proper dental care, you can avoid sensitive teeth. Talk to your dentist if you currently have sensitive teeth to find the best treatment option.

Studies indicate that older adults have a higher risk of periodontal disease and need to do more to maintain good oral health. Dental health care is essential at any age. When you consider that almost one out of four people over age 65 have lost most of their teeth and that receding gums tissue affects most older people, proper dental care for seniors is a critical issue to address. Yet many seniors still need dental care they are not currently getting due to no transportation to a dental office, the cost of dental care, and a lack of dental insurance. Many seniors feel they do not need dental care even though poor dental health care has been linked to other health risk factors.

Improperly maintained swimming pools can be hazardous to your teeth. 

Did you know improperly maintained pools can cause severe and rapid dental enamel erosion? Maintenance by a professional pool service can be costly, which is why many pool owners will do the work themselves; however, If the chemical levels are not adequately maintained, pool water contact with teeth can cause severe enamel erosion damaging your teeth permanently

Vending Machines can Influence a Child’s Diet and Oral Health Care. 

Although many schools are changing what foods are in their vending machines, many more vending machines still provide sugar-filled sodas, sweetened fruit drinks, and non-nutritious snacks that can affect children’s teeth. In the younger grades, the school is either removing vending machines altogether or offering healthier snacks. Though in high schools and colleges, junk food in vending machines is still wildly offered. Many dentists are concerned that their patients are still consuming too much of the sugar-filled sodas, sweetened fruit drinks, and non-nutritious snacks that are found in many vending machines. These snacks typically have very little, if any, nutritional value; over time, they can take a toll on one’s teeth. Food choices among children and teens are important factors that affect how quickly they may develop tooth decay.

Risk factors of having your tongue, lips, and cheeks pierced includes:  

• Dangers like chipped and fractured teeth 
• Damage to your gums 
• Periodontal disease 
• Problems with speech 
• Swallowing and chewing 
• The studs themselves could be harboring bacteria increasing risks for infection. 

Studies found that studs made of steel seemed to promote the development of a biofilm, a thin layer of microorganisms that adhere to the surface of a structure. Types of bacteria associated with staph infections were found on the steel and titanium studs, leading researchers to conclude that metal studs increase risks for complications if a piercing channel becomes infected.

Taking Away the Fear and Anxiety from Your Dental Visit with Conscious Sedation. 

We are someone, or we know someone, who has had bad experiences with their dentist or is afraid of any dental pain. Sometimes this leads to high anxiety for many, making them avoid regular dental care because of anxiety and fear. However, with Conscious Sedation, you will be able to be in a comfortable and relaxed state of mind. Conscious Sedation Dentistry is administered by simply taking a pill. No need to worry if your body will act funny because all body functions will remain completely normal. The advantages to conscious sedation are that the pill is easy to administer, safe and easy to monitor, works well for most people, and can be given at a low cost. Also, unlike anesthesia, where a patient is completely unconscious, under conscious sedation, can respond to commands or questions. With conscious sedation, there is no real reason why you should not take care of your dental health and see your dentist regularly. Talk to your dentist about conscious sedation and see if this is a good choice.

Dentist Opens Their Dental Practice to the Online Community. 

When finding a new dentist, people turn to the internet. More dentists see that more than the phone book and word of mouth is needed to get them noticed. They are opening their practice to the online community. Doing so not only helps them get new patients they might not have had otherwise but also provides added service to people visiting their sites. Many dental office websites provide information on their practice and for increased knowledge of dental healthcare. Dental offices may also offer specials on their website for dental services you may not get otherwise.