Many adults do without dental insurance until they have kids. There are a few reason for this but primary it because as an adult you may have proper dental care habits with good teeth and feel you can pay cash for your twice a year dental visit.

Things can be different once you have a child.  Child dental care can become expensive quickly so having insurance is a good way to reducing the cost for their dental care needs.

However when buying dental insurance for a young child under age six you will want to make sure that either the plan you are buying lets you go to any dentist you want or that there are dentist within the plans network that is able to provide services to young children. Not all dental office are kid friendly.

Buying a dental insurance for yourself or your family will help you save money on your dental care cost. However the an important key when buying dental insurance that can best fit your needs,  is knowing the facts about the plan first.

Such as if you are going to buy an “in-network” dental plan know how many dentists are in the network of approved providers. You will want to buy a plan that offers a wide selection of professionals in your area.

Know the plans limitations and exclusions. Typically, plans can have up 30 to 40 exclusions, limitations, and restrictions. Such exclusion can include the “missing tooth clause,” which excludes any dental work on teeth next to a missing tooth that is pre-existing.  Make sure you understand the claims process if you buy a dental PPO or Indemnity insurance plans.  Will the dental office be filing the claim or are you having to pay in full and wait for reimbursement from the company.  Knowing all the facts of the dental insurance plan and how it works will not only save you money but hassle latter on.

Fruit, yogurt, citric and soft drinks, may seem like harmless, but improper consumption and overuse may lead to devastating and permanent damage to teeth. It’s known as tooth erosion, the break down of tooth structure caused by the effect of acid on the teeth that leads to decay.

According to David Bartlett, BDS, PhD, he stated at the Academy of General Dentistry’s 55th annual meeting back in 2007,  That early diagnosis and prevention of the effects of tooth erosion are fundamental to keeping teeth healthy for life.

Dental enamel is the thin, outer layer of hard tissue that helps maintain the tooth’s structure and shape while protecting it from decay.  According to Dr. Bartlett Sipping or holding acidic drinks in the mouth before swallowing increases the risk of erosion on dental enamel.

Adults may make many decisions based on what they feel they can afford at the current time.  For the most part putting off buying a new pair of shoes, cell phone, video game, etc. until you can better afford it is a good idea.  Yet what about dental insurance?  Many adults either put of buying dental insurance or never buy dental insurance primary due to cost factors.   Stating dental insurance is too costly and if need be they can pay for the cost of getting a dental cleaning done.

Doing the Math: If you add up the cost for twice a year checkups and cleanings, for a single, couple or  family of three or more,  preventive dental services (without dental insurance) can range for a single person around $200 – $400, Couple $400 – $800 and Family of three $600 – $1200 a year. Now lets just say more then just preventive dental care services are needed.  Cost for fillings, crowns, extractions and root canals can start getting in to $1000 plus range on just one individual.

However, say you buy a lower cost dental insurance plan such as an HMO dental plan. Dental HMO plans can range around  $8.00 – $20.00 for a single  $12.00 – $35.00 for a couple and $15.00 – $45.00 for a family a month. At first on the high range this can seem costly. Yet most HMO plans provides benefits for free preventive dental care services such as office visits, oral evolutions, X-rays and basic cleanings.  You can see  how on just preventive dental care services, by having dental insurance you are already saving money on your dental care needs.   In addition when larger dental care needs are necessary, having dental insurance will cut the cost in (most cases) by half or more.

If cost is a factor as to why you do not have current dental insurance, then odds are you may not seeing a dentist regularly due to the same issue. Yet by deferring your dental care you run a much higher risk of needing larger more expensive dental care services in the future. So you would be much better off budgeting a low cost dental insurance plan now then trying to figure out how you are going to pay for dental care without it latter on.

Children and adults should see their dentist as least twice a year or as often as advise by their dentist. Many people think that the twice a year checkup is just about looking for tooth decay and getting a basic cleaning. Yet the dental checkup goes beyond that and the dentist is doing more then just checking your teeth for tooth decay.

During your checkup appointment, your dentist will likely evaluate the health of your gums,  examine your mouth for any indications of oral cancer, diabetes or vitamin deficiencies, Your dentist will likely look at your gums, mouth, tongue and throat in addition do not be surprised if your dentist also examines your face, bite, saliva and movement of your lower jaw joints (TMJs).

Parents will want to establish a dental home for baby by twelve months of age. Babies should start seeing a dentist regularly by age one and establishing where your child goes for their dental care early on is important.

The initial visit should include thorough medical and dental histories, a thorough oral examination, performance of an age-appropriate tooth brushing demonstration, and prophylaxis and fluoride varnish treatment if indicated.

It is best suggested that an infant should receive an oral health risk assessment from his or his primary health care provider or a pediatric dentist by six months of age. The oral health assessment well evaluate the infant’s risk of developing oral diseases of soft and hard tissues, including caries-risk assessment, provide education on infant oral health, and evaluate and optimize fluoride exposure.

Research has suggested that compounds that give colorful fruits their rich hues, especially berries, promote health and might even prevent cancer. But for the first time, scientists have exposed extracts from numerous berries high in those pigments to human saliva to see just what kinds of health-promoting substances are likely to survive and be produced in the mouth.

There are many choices to choose from when buying a dental insurance plan for you and your family.  Therefore it is helpful to understand some of the pros and cons for each type of dental plans.

Dental HMO Insurance Plans.

Pros:

* Cost of the Plan: Dental HMO plans are normally lower cost plans making them easier to fit in most budgets.

* Waiting Periods for Dental Services:  Most dental HMO plans do not have waiting periods for covered dental services. Therefore if you need filling, crown, root canals etc. soon after buying an HMO insurance plan, you are able to receive benefits for these types of services right away.

* No yearly maximum payouts. HMO plans do not have a yearly maximum dollar limitations on how much the plan is going to pay per person per year.  Though there may be limitations on dental services such as two cleanings a year or one set of x-ray a year etc.

* Cost of Dental Services:  There is no guessing as to your cost for dental services since most HMO plans are fee based. The cost for covered dental services on a HMO insurance have already negotiated with the dental providers. You are able to review the fee schedule before even buying the plan.  The only exception to this  can be that plan specialist may still be based on percentage.

Cons:

* No outside network benefits:  Under an HMO dental insurance plan it operates through a network of dentist. Generally you are assigned to a dentist in the plan network that you pick at the time of purchase.  You can change providers by notify the company but it still needs to be a network provider of the plan.

* HMO plans tend to have more providers in densely populated area such as major cities like Los Angeles but tend to have less dental provides in more rural areas.

* Under an HMO plan normally dentist are paid a set annual fee for each customer assigned to them through the network. Which can means the dentist makes more money when a customers required less treatment. There by making some people believe that a HMO dentist will either discourage treatment or encourage dental treatment not covered under the HMO plan.

* Specialist:  Some HMO dental insurance plans either provide no coverages for specialist or limited the coverages received by specialist.  Providing on average between 20 to 30 percent savings off the cost of network plan specialist services. Note: You will generally need a referral from the general dentist to see a plan specialist.

Dental disease is nearly 100 percent preventable yet fewer then 30 percent of people follow their dentist’s advice to brush and floss twice a day.  People are dropping the ball with their at home dental care habits.  In some state nearly 40 percent of people with dental  insurance still do not regularly see their dentist.   Early education about oral health care habits are important, and should be reinforced by parents, teachers and the community.

Dental restorations such as veneers, crowns, implants and even resin based filling can be expensive.  Protecting your investment and making it last longer just makes good  sense. Therefore with proper care and regular dentist visits you can look good and your crowns, veneers and other restorations will be able to last for many years.

Normally when you have cosmetic dental services your dentist will provide you with a list of dos and don’t,  but here are some tips to keep in mind.

* Do not use hard bristle toothbrush:  Hard bristle toothbrushes are abrasive and can scratch the surface of your restorations there by dulling their polish and luster.

* Do not use highly abrasive toothpastes:  For the same reason as why you do not want to use hard bristle toothbrush, abrasive toothpaste can also scratch the surface of your restorations.  An a example of a non abrasive fluoride toothpaste would be Rembrandt toothpaste, but there are others and you can talk to your dentist to see what he or she may advise.

* Flossing:  Good for your teeth and good for your restorations.  By flossing regularly you are removing debris and plaque from your teeth. This is good for your teeth but flossing will also increase the lifespan of your restorations since it  helps prevent tooth decay.

* Use alcohol-free mouthwash:  Studies show that mouthwashes that contain alcohol have a negative effect on composite fillings. In addition, the alcohol content in mouth rinses, over time, can degrade the bond between your restorations (crowns and veneers) and your teeth.

* Food and Drinks.  Try to either limit or avoid food that are high in sugar in order to prevent cavities. Also limit the and consumption of coffee, soda, tea and other stainable drinks.

* Do not bite and or chew on hard objects such as pens and do not use your teeth as tools to open or bit off objects.

* If you grind your teeth make sure to wear a fitted night guard

Treat your teeth and dental restorations well and your resin-based restorations (such fillings) can last anywhere from three to nine years or longer and your porcelain restorations (such as veneers and crowns) can last 10 years or more before they need to be replaced.

The number of preschoolers with serious dental tooth decay is on the rise, across all income levels. Some young children have six to ten cavities. Some of the reasons for the increased rise in tooth decay among young children, is mainly snacking and juices or other sweet drinks before bedtime.  But other reasons includes children drinking bottled water instead of fluoridated tap water.  As well as parents who have simply grown lax about making their kids have proper dental care habits such as brushing and flossing daily.

With people wanting their smile to be as white as possible but without the fake look, professional teeth whitening treatments have become the most popular cosmetic dental procedure to date.  Although cost will always very from dentist to dentist depending the the what type of whitening treatments are provided, the average cost range can be from $100.00 to $600.00.

One should also keep in mind that since teeth whitening is a cosmetic dental service, many dental insurance plans will not provide benefits for this service to be done.  Talk to your dentist to determine what best fits your needs and budget.

Too many American, particularly kids are showing up in emergency rooms with rotten teeth issues.   According to surveys done by the Federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in 10 state within the past three years, the percentage of third graders with untreated tooth decay running as high as 40 percent in Arizona, to just under 15 percent in Washington State.  A study by the Pew Center for the States found that preventable dental conditions were the primary reason for more than 830,000 emergency room visits in the U.S. in 2009, up 16 percent from just three years before.

Did you know that around 20 percent of Americans have some type dental phobias?  Some commons dental fears include: Fear of pain, needles, injections, and the feeling of helplessness.  In addition, because of these anxieties, many people will tend to avoid going to the dentist even for needed dental care services.

Yet the key in coping with dental anxiety is education. The more you know about the dental services you may need the better you are able to understand them, there by making them less scary.  Discuss your dental fears with your dentist. Once your dentist knows what your fears are, the better he/she will be able to work with you and address your fears.  Doing this will reduce your anxiety and make your dental visit much more comfortable.  Keep in mind if your dentist does not take your fears seriously, it is time to find another dentist.

It is important to know that by having proper dental care habits at home  along with regular dental checkups, not only does it help to reduces the risk or tooth decay and gum disease, but will save you money in the long run.   Preventive dental care services such as, office visits, X-rays and cleanings are much more affordable then filling, root canals and crowns. Take into account that even lower cost dental insurance plans offer free to very low cost preventive dental care, it makes no sense not to maintain your dental health. By taking care of your teeth with good dental habits and seeing your dentist you decrease your chances of developing larger more costly dental issues.

Most people like to have fresh breath and worry that what they had for lunch may still be around hour later.  Yet, why is that the case?

Well basically, all the food you have eaten is first broken down in your mouth. Certain foods and beverages are notorious for causing bad breath. Some of the biggest culprits include such foods a garlic, raw onions, cabbage, coffee, alcoholic beverages, and even dairy foods.  Many other foods can also cause bad breath, in fact all kinds of food particles can leave your breath smelling pungent if allowed to linger in your mouth, causing bacteria to build up.  By brushing and flossing you are removing food debris and plaque which in turns helps you to maintain fresh breath.

Fear of visiting the dentist is a frequent problem in paediatric dentistry.  A new study conducted by scientists at the Rey Juan Carlos University of Madrid highlights the important role that parents play in the transmission of dentist fear in their family.

Many parent encourage their children to practice proper dental care habits at home.   However, having the right dental health care products for your children to use is just as important.

For children who do not brush their teeth on their own yet, you may want to avoid toothpaste with fluoride until they know not to swallow.  Yet for older children, the Center for Disease Control recommends that parents get their children toothpaste that contains fluoride in order to protect their teeth.

In regards to using mouthwash parents may want to avoid using mouthwash that contain alcohol.  There are many kid friendly mouthwashes that do not contain alcohol just read the label to make sure.

Flossing is an important part of daily dental care, however your child needs to know how to floss correctly.  Make sure you or your dentist correctly shows your child how to floss.  A parent should floss their child teeth until they are able to do so on their own.