When discussing dental insurance benefits, the cliche phrase “use it or lose it” truly applies. Most dental insurances allow so many dollars per calendar year, and any dollars that are not utilized are lost. Additionally, the same philosophy applies to Flexible Spending or Health Saving Accounts, which force you to forfeit any left over money that you have paid for. Therefore, it is in your best interest to use these benefits each year before they expire and your money is lost.

Now that the end of the year is quickly approaching and there are only a few short months left to maximize your dental insurance benefits, I thought some tips to help educate patients would be valuable.

Before scheduling a dental appointment, call your insurance provider to find out the exact amount of your unspent dental benefits. Additionally, ask them what is covered with your policy. Typically, preventative procedures like cleanings, x-rays, and dental exams are covered, while cosmetic procedures, like whitening and veneers, are not. Although, most dentists have staff members who check this for you, it is always nice walking into the office knowing what your out-of-pocket expenses may be.

When calling your dentist’s office, be sure to not only schedule for yourself but also for eligible family members. However, don’t forget that many dental offices may be seeing an influx of patients at this time, and the sooner you call, the more likely your dentist will be able to schedule your families’ appointments.

Sometimes it is possible and beneficial to complete dental treatment in phases. This works nicely at the end of the year and the beginning of the next year. Depending on your individual needs, careful planning to maximize your benefits remaining for 2013, while completing the remainder of your treatment in early 2014 can provide you with more reimbursement than waiting to do it all the treatment next year. But, it is important to keep in mind that when insurance renews, there may be coverage changes, which includes changes in procedures covered and co=pays.

Saving money shouldn’t be your only motivation when visiting the dentist. Routine dental visits can detect early problems like gum disease and oral cancers. In addition it is important to remember that even a small cavity left untreated can become a bigger, more expensive dental problem in the future.

Be sure to use your dental insurance benefits before you lose them!

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Have you ever been told by your dentist, “Gee! I seem to be off today! I cannot get you fully frozen”. There are many techniques to deposit local anesthetic into the oral cavity (tissue of the mouth) however, for this discussion; I will only deal with two basic modes, namely infiltration and complete nerve block.

Infiltration allows the dentist to freeze one or two teeth at one sitting, whereas the nerve block freezes a complete quadrant. For dental purposes the mouth is divided into four quadrants, to facilitate the numbering (of the teeth) process. Whether one is given an infiltration or a block, the desired expectation for the dentist is the same. He/she needs to be able to complete the procedure without the patient feeling no more than the initial gloved fingers of the dentist. In other words, that area of the patient’s mouth should feel like a piece of log. It is referred to as the “wooden effect” and dentists call this “class A” anesthesia.

However, according to all textbooks on dental anesthesia, failure is generally accepted to be around 15%. There are some 15 to 18 people out of 100 who will still have residual sensation, or in other words, will experience some discomfort and or pain. When this situation occurs, dentists will chat among themselves as to the reason(s) why. Discussion of marijuana comes later in the text.

There are many reasons listed, ranging from a bad batch of anesthetic solution to persons who may be classified as having accessory innervations. There could also be patients with anatomical variations, such as a wide flaring mandible and furthermore, the explanations could be an infection within the gum tissue. There are several more reasons, for example too rapid a delivery of the solution, or even an over anxious patient. These all add up to give us that 15% failure.

However, our changing lifestyles and habits are beginning to become a thorn in the sides of dentists. The growing use of cannabis…known on the street as marijuana, is being associated with the inability to achieve local anesthesia in some patients. The duration of action of local anesthetics depends primarily on the redistribution of the drug away from the site of action. This redistribution can be altered by several factors, some of which also influence onset. These considerations include diffusion away from the site, concentration, lipid solubility and protein binding qualities. This recreational habit is no longer an experimental phase of a growing youngster. It is now widespread among all walks of society.

Dentists have never had to deal with this variable factor back in the sixties and seventies. However, before he/she starts the “marinating” process, this is when the dentist deposits several different brands of anesthetic solution in numerous. Areas of the mouth, hoping to strike luck. But this luck is seldom present. There is a small window with which the dentist has to play. If anesthesia is not apparent within that time, then the tissue has become too acidic and another attempt can be made later when the pH of the tissue has settled down somewhat.

Contrary to popular beliefs, the administration of a “cocktail” anesthetic concoction offers very little, if at all any pharmacological advantages. Patients using cocaine should allow at lease twenty four hours, if a dental visit would involve the use of epinephrine (present in anesthetic solutions). The interaction of these two substances can cause a rise in blood pressure as well as a change in heart rhythm. The explanation of this phenomenon (marijuana) can be answered pharmacologically. Smokers of marijuana trigger high liver enzyme activity, which is known to hasten the breakdown (metabolism) of the local anesthetics. This results in a situation of not being able to sustain profound anesthesia.

References:

References: Haas DA. Localized complications from local anesthesia. Journal of the California Dental Association 1998 26:677-81. Haas DA. Drugs in dentistry. In: Canadian Pharmacists Association. Compendium of pharmaceuticals and specialties. Ottawa: CPA, 2002, L51-54.

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Most people think that sugar is largely to blame for poor oral health, especially as far as teeth go. But in a real sense, if you eat sugar and clean your teeth thoroughly, you are less likely to see any adverse effects. The real problem with sugar on teeth is what it does when it is left in the mouth. When you leave sugar in the mouth after taking sugary food, drinks or treats, the mouth produces a lot of acid and this is what leads to cavities. To keep cavities at bay therefore, you should always brush your teeth after eating meals especially sugary meals. You can also help the situation by limiting the sugar amount that you consume.

If you have dental retainers, then you need to be extra careful with the sugar. This is not only because sugar can ruin them, but also because they can trap sugar and make it harder for you to keep your teeth and mouth free from the harmful sugar levels. When you eat too much sugar with your dental retainer on, there is a likelihood of getting spots on your teeth, especially if you are not very careful with your brushing and flossing. The sugar increases risk of tooth decay and you also risk grim buildup on your it. Such buildups are not only unhygienic but they can also end up weakening your retainers meaning you are likely to have broken retainers.

It is important to remember that the acid in the mouth eventually starts eating away on your teeth and this can create pockets where bacteria thrive. With time, you will have painful erosion and you also remain susceptible to cavities. To keep your teeth healthy and your dental retainer in top shape, adopt a good cleaning regime. It is actually a very simple way of keeping dental retainer repair minimal because you will have fewer damages.

Oral Health and Dental Retainer Care Tips

· When you are wearing your dental retainers, avoid eating hard and sticky sugary foods. These foods can actually cause damage to them.

· Cut your consumption of sugary foods. Remember that dental retainers can trap foods, making it harder to clean plaque away leading to an easy start of tooth decay.

· Make a habit of brushing your teeth thoroughly at least thrice every day most importantly after taking your meals. A soft bristled toothbrush and fluoride toothpaste should do the trick in keeping your teeth healthy.

· Apart from the teeth, make sure that you also schedule dental retainer cleaning times every once in a while. You can use simple techniques such as using a toothbrush and paste to clean them and also ensuring that they remain in water when not worn. Find out from your dentist the best way to clean and care for your retainers to get it right and keep damages minimal.

· Have regular oral checkups with your dentist and make sure that you have your broken retainers repaired or have lost retainers replaced as soon as possible. If you experience any teeth issues or concerns, you also want to check with your dentist.

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While many of us understand the need for regular dental care, a surprisingly large number of people still will not see a dentist regularly. Oftentimes, this is a result of concerns about cost. When asked why they have not seen a dentist recently, more than one-third of individuals asked, reported that it was due to the price of care.

While dental insurance is able to reduce these costs, a lot of people have difficulty getting a plan that is both affordable and comprehensive. In 2008, nearly 45 million people had no dental insurance. Of people with health insurance through work, nearly 80% also received dental benefits. Only 30% of those people also had a dental plan.

As these numbers indicate, having a good dental insurance plan is directly correlated with better health. The better your insurance, the less likely you are to have cavities or more serious issues with your teeth. Even if you do not get dental insurance by your employment, you must find an individual plan that will make it affordable to see a dentist.

Fortunately, you can find individual dental insurance plan policies that can help. However, prior to choosing a plan, there are a few key elements that you should bear in mind. Otherwise, you may end up with a plan that will not provide you with the coverage that you need.

If you are already a patient of a particular dentist, and you are happy with using this type of care, you should choose a plan that he accepts. Otherwise, either your new insurance will not actually save you any money or you will have to get a new dentist. Before you start shopping, talk to your dentist’s office to find out which plans he accepts.

Consider your personal needs and the needs of your family when you are looking for a plan. Are you simply looking for insurance for yourself, or are there other members of the household who need coverage as well? For example, if you have children, you need to look for a plan that covers pediatric dentistry.

Additionally it is a good idea to consider the future cost of orthodontics when choosing a plan. The odds are that at least one of your children will need braces. More than 80 percent of orthodontic treatment is done on patients under the age of 18. Look for a plan that gives generous benefits for such treatment.

Make sure to balance the cost of the monthly premiums against your own out-of-pocket obligations. Many people automatically choose the plan with the lowest premiums, only to be shocked when they learn how much they have to pay before their benefits kick in. It may be worthwhile to pay a bit more each month so you pay less later on.

There is a lot to consider when you are shopping for individual dental insurance. Take your time and don’t make any hasty decisions. This way, you can find a plan that works for you.

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One of the best options to manage the financial implications of dental care for a senior is to consider signing up for the best discount dental plans for senior citizens. A low monthly amount can save in the region of fifty percent if not more on dental appointments with guaranteed acceptance, with no waiting period or limitations on the number of dental visits allowed each year.

One of the most common problems encountered when it comes to senior oral health is dry mouth. Dry mouth may be caused by certain prescription medications. Saliva is essential to protect the teeth. The alkaline saliva helps to fight acids found in what we eat and drink, helping to protect the teeth. When there is a limited amount of saliva or no saliva, the teeth fall prey to dangerous acids and more in the mouth, which can result in cavities, decay and tooth pain.

Another of the very common problems found in seniors when it comes to their dental health is root decay. This may be a result of not attending routine dental appointments or not following a good oral health routine at home. Root decay can be a serious problem which will result in detailed treatments, such as root canal or even tooth extraction, depending how bad the decay is. The problem is that many seniors today live with the pain as they cannot afford the cost of dentistry. With the best discount dental plans for senior citizens, they are able to address tooth decay issues before they become more serious, by reducing the cost of their dental treatment considerably.

Gum disease is a serious problem within the elderly community and something that would be picked up quickly in routine dental checkups. Gum disease occurs in patients with natural teeth and dentures. Don’t be fooled, having dentures still means you are also in a high percentage bracket to get gum disease. Periodontal disease is the biggest concern, a bacterial disease which causes inflammation and can spread to other organs in the body.

Tooth loss is another big concern within the elderly community throughout the world. Poor oral hygiene, ignoring tooth sensitivity and more can result in tooth loss. With tooth loss comes bone degeneration. It is imperative that steps are taken to preserve the seniors’ natural teeth. This is done through a good oral health routine at home and regular dental checkups, which can be affordable with the assistance of the best discount dental plans for senior citizens.

A big concern within the elderly when it comes to oral health is poor overall oral health. This can be due to anything from the loss of fine motor skills to dementia, or simply forgetting to brush and floss. Those who are struggling with arthritis in their hands and fingers may find that brushing and flossing is a painful experience, therefore they don’t do a proper job. This is why routine dental checks ups are so important, helping the senior population preserve their natural teeth for as long as possible while maintaining an excellent level of overall oral health.

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