In order to determine the correct time to add your child to your dental insurance plan requires knowing just a few facts about your dental insurance.   If you have a new born and are not sure if you should add your child now or latter to your dental insurance plan.  Call the insurance company and ask them what their policy terms are for adding  additional household members.

Some dental insurance plans do not charge more for having another child,   if  you currently have their family plan.  Therefor,  you can add your child at any time without it effecting you premium cost.

With that being said if you have dental insurance for only you and or you and a spouse,  adding a child may make the cost of your insurance go up.  You may therefor what to wait until the child is older.  Doing that will help avoid any increases in the cost of your plan, until you  start taking your child to see the dentist.

Always check with your plan carrier to verify if you are subject to any enrollment or cut off dates.  That way you can make any necessary plan changes before the cut off period to avoid being out another year or policy term.

The cost of seeing a dentist keeps going up, making it harder and harder to see a dentist regularly.  However, you can help control the rising cost of seeing a dentist just by having dental insurance in place. Depending on your dental needs and preference, there are different dental insurance plan types available to help you.  Do not put of buying dental insurance until major dental care is needed since some dental insurance plan may have waiting periods. Think of your current as well as any future dental needs in order to buy a plan that can best fit both.

It is important that kids maintain their dental health, and although dental health care start at home that is not where it stops.  Kids need to see their dentist at least twice a year or as often as advised by their dentist in order to maintain their dental health care.  Cost can be a factor for many people that is why having dental insurance for your family is equally important. Dental insurance helps to keep dental care cost affordable in many cases provides free to very low preventive dental care costs.

Toothpaste with whitening  is one of the cheapest and easiest ways to help whiten your teeth.  Toothpaste with whitening is really no more costly then toothpaste without whitening. Since you are having to brush your teeth twice a day any way, if you are wanting to brighten up your smile this may be one good affordable way to do so.   Toothpaste with whitening is not consider a bleaching product.  Whitening toothpastes focus more on mild abrasion, working on the discolored surface each time you brush your teeth. Results can be noticeable, however it can take much longer period for that to happen compare to other whitening products.

As of January 1, 2014, most Americans will be required to have dental coverage for their children. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is charged with defining what the benefit plans look like and what the age limit will be. In a November 2012 Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on the essential health benefits (EHB), HHS proposed an age limit of up to 19, with the option for states to raise it higher.

Also starting in 2014, individuals and small businesses will have access to kids’ dental plans through Health Insurance Exchanges. People who meet certain income requirements will get subsidies to help pay for coverage.

There has been some studies that suggest that green tea may help oral health by improving the health of your gums. Although much more research is needed to establish the benefits, it is believed that the antioxidant catechin present in green tea is an active promoter of healthy gums.

Though many studies done over the years it has been clearly shown that there are links between our oral health and our overall health care. In fact our mouth is like a window into the health of our body. Yet that being said, oral health is still often taken for granted.

Good oral health mean taking care of your entire mouth, which includes your teeth, gums, tongue, jawbone, and any mouth tissues.  By having good oral health care habits, you can help to prevent tooth decay and gingivitis (gum disease) that becomes more common with aging.   Make it a daily habit to brush and floss your teeth regularly. Use a fluoride toothpaste and brush thoroughly at least twice a day or 30 minutes after eating.

Also do not forget to floss your teeth. By flossing each day you can also help to prevent tartar buildup, as the floss cleans between your teeth and stimulates the gums. Flossing is one self-care technique that can greatly reduce your chances of developing serious gingivitis. Make sure see your dentist at least once every six months for checks ups and cleanings.

Your teeth should last you a life time. Yet, having poor oral hygiene and making unhealthy food choices, can effect your teeth and your oral health. Even though poor oral health may not show up right away it will eventually given enough time.   There are many symptoms of poor oral health here are a few you should look out for.

1) Build up of plaque and tartar
2) Bleeding and/or painful gums
3) Consistent bad breath
4) Teeth sensitivity or pain
5) Decay in one or multiple teeth
6) Infection/Abscess that can cause dental pain
7) Loose teeth

Keep in mind the best way to avoid having these symptoms of poor dental health is by having good daily dental habits at home.  Also make sure to see your dentist regularly in order to maintain health teeth and gums.

Another look at an existing studies points toward a potential role for vitamin D in helping to prevent dental caries.   The review, published in the December issue of Nutrition Reviews, encompassed 24 controlled clinical trials, spanning the 1920s to the 1980s, on approximately 3,000 children in several countries. These trials showed that vitamin D was associated with an approximately 50 percent reduction in the incidence of tooth decay.

There are two categories for teeth whitening. First is extrinsic the removal of surface discoloration. Brushing your teeth is extrinsic whitening by physically removing colored biofilm adhering to teeth and uncovering the natural enamel underneath.

There there is intrinsic, changing the color of the tooth. Chemical bleaching is  intrinsic whitening it penetrates the surface and actually whitens the enamel. The bleaching procedure can be done professionally at a dental office or be a prepared product either in a dental office or at home under dentist supervision. It also can be done at home using over-the-counter products you can buy in most food stores.  You may want to talk over your whitening options with your dentist to find out what is the best choice for you.

Infants will tend to suck their thumb and while there are not teeth it will not hurt them to do so.  The real issue with thumb sucking comes from prolonged thumb-sucking.  Therefore it is in yours and your child best interest to do your best to discourage this thumb-sucking as your child gets older.  There are dental problems that may result from prolonged thumb-sucking in a child’s formative years.

One of the large dental issues linked to prolonged thumb-sucking is tooth misalignment.  If a child sucks his or her thumb for a long time, it can cause baby teeth to come in crooked. This can lead to issues with their permanent teeth later in life and in some cases, it can even affect the jaw alignment, causing your child to develop and underbite, crossbite, or overbite. However crooked teeth are not the only issue to prolong thumb-sucking. The roof of your child’s mouth may gradually become deformed if the sucking is frequent. This can lead to a number of issues later in life. The altered palate and crooked teeth may result in speech difficulties or impediments.

Many people fail to understand why they should take their child to see a dentist on or before their first birthday.  Yet there are many advantages to beginning dental visits at an early age.  One of he main one reasons is not really about receiving treatment at all.  The first dental visit is more to establish a comfort level for yourself and your child while under the care of a dentist.

It is better to build a relationship with a dentist over time, then to wait until an emergency happens and then have to have real treatment provided under stressful circumstances. The child will be less panicked and, hopefully, more comfortable when more extensive dental issues need to be addressed if he or she is introduced to the dentist early and if able to experience the dentist under less traumatic conditions.

Another reason is to monitor for early dental problems that may arise. One early concern is known as “baby bottle tooth decay” and is usually attributed to babies who are given a bottle to fall asleep with. In reality, babies’ teeth are susceptible to tooth decay as soon as they erupt, and overall gum health prior to the teeth coming in can have a huge effect on the long-term health of baby teeth.   Of particular concern is when an infant’s diet starts to include anything more than breast milk or formula, when more solid foods are introduced which may contain more sugars and ingredients or components that can encourage bacterial growth resulting in cavities.

The AAPD advises that a baby should have their fist dental visit at least by their first birthday.  Most general or family dentist are comfortable working with young children but you should confirm before booking an appointment.  Also you always have the opinion to be referred out to a pediatric dentist who specializes in infant dental care.

Assuming you have taken your child to see a dentist on or before their first birthday, there is not to much going on with their first dental appointment. It is relatively simple and probably won’t involve treatment at all. The first appointment is usually used to introduce your child to the concept of the dentist and hygienist.

Most dentists have no problems with including the parent in all aspects of the first few dental visits. The parent will be invited to sit and hold their child during the examination, while the dentist or hygienist looks for existing tooth decay, structure of your child’s bite and health of their gums, jaws and other oral tissues.   Your dentist may also discuss good oral hygiene practices, the effects of thumb sucking or pacifiers, teething issues, and when to book the next appointment.

General dentists would be your primary dental care provider. General dentist are also refer to as Family dentist as they are able to help patients of all ages. They can provide dental services to you and your entire family and they take care of your overall oral health.  Your general dentist takes responsibility for the diagnosis, treatment and overall coordination of services to meet your oral health needs. If you need a specialized dental procedure performed, the general dentist may either work with other dentists that are specialist or refer you out to a specialist in order to make sure you get the dental care you need.

A composite resin filling (white/tooth color filling) is a plastic and glass mixture used to restore decayed teeth. Composites can be used for cosmetic improvements as well such as changing the color of the teeth or reshaping disfigured teeth.

The main advantage of a composites would be aesthetics, since dentists can blend shades to create a color nearly identical to that of the actual tooth. Composites bond to the tooth to support the remaining tooth structure, which helps to prevent breakage and insulate the tooth from excessive temperature changes.

Lyme disease, which is initiated by a black legged tick, is difficult to diagnose, but your dentist may be able to detect this mysterious disease, reports the Academy of General Dentistry. Patients with Lyme disease report pain in their teeth, chewing muscles and jaw joint, which drives them to the dentist.    Based on a study of 120 patients with Lyme disease revealed that about 75 percent of patients reported pain in the chewing muscles, and 72 percent reported temporomandibular joint pain. Burning mouth was reported by 25 percent of these patients, and 70 percent reported a sore throat. About 47 percent of the patients visited up to 10 doctors before being properly diagnosed.

Poor dental health, especially tooth loss, is associated with several established cardiovascular risk factors, including diabetes, smoking, blood pressure, obesity and other novel risk factors, according to research being presented at the American College of Cardiology’s 62nd Annual Scientific Session.

The day a new “biotooth” can be grown in the gap left by a missing tooth as an alternative to having a false one implanted came a step closer recently when UK researchers revealed how they have developed a way to bioengineer new teeth from a person’s own gum cells.

Scientists have developed a new method of replacing missing teeth with a bioengineered material generated from a person’s own gum cells. Current implant-based methods of whole tooth replacement fail to reproduce a natural root structure and as a consequence of the friction from eating and other jaw movement, loss of jaw bone can occur around the implant.