How do you know if you have a cavity?

Question: I do not have any teeth pain, but I have not been to the dentist in over two years since I got drop from my parents dental insurance policy. I think my teeth are find but my mom has been getting on me to see the dentist saying I could have cavities and not even know it until it is too late. Is that true? Or is there a way for me to know then go to the dentist if needed.

Reply: Yes you can have a start of a dental cavity without having any pain from it. You will Typically not have pain from a cavity until it is a larger issue. There is no way for you to know without really seeing a dentist, that is unless you wait until you are having dental pain issues.

If cost is a factor, think about buying a low cost dental HMO insurance plan. Most HMO plan provide free preventive care which is your office visit, x-rays and basic cleanings. From there a dentist would be able to advise if you have other dental care issues that need to be address. By having an HMO insurance plan in place it will also help to make the cost of filling as an example more affordable as well.

Question: I just got some dental bonding on five teeth. However I forgot to ask if it was okay for me to eat anything. Or if I needed to wait. If so for how long to I need to waiting after having bonding done? I need to know.

Reply: First I would suggest you call the dentist office that did the bonding and ask them. A dentist would normally go over the aftercare of teeth bonding with you. Below are general suggestions but I would advise talking to your dentist

• You should be able to eat normally within five or so hours afterwords. Avoid eating hard foods until the bonding resin has a chance to fully set up and harden cause until then it remains soft and vulnerable. Due to that you should avoid eating any hard or chewy foods until your dentist tells you it safe to do so.
• Drink cold or lukewarm drinks. This is especially true during the first few days after having your teeth bonded, avoid drinking hot beverages.
• Use a straw to drink. Wherever possible you will want to avoid drinking beverages that can stain the bonding resin while it is still setting up. Such drinks can include coffee, tea, fruit juices and wine. One way to drink such drinks if you want to is though a straw as it will help minimize contact with your teeth.

Question: I do not have current dental insurance and very little money. I was told that I need some dental work on my teeth so I started looking for dental insurance. Right now insurance seems too costly for me but a few of my friends are telling me to stay away from dental discount plans because they are not really insurance and are bad to get. Is this true?

Reply: Well it is true that a dental discount plan is not insurance. They are well, discount plans. They provide discounted savings at plan dental providers for dental care services. Discount plans are and have been useful for many people, they help one to save money on their dental care needs. The only issue is sometimes people buy a dental discount plan thinking they are insurance, only to get upset latter on when they fine out what they bought not insurance. Whether that happens because the site they where on was on unclear or because they themselves did not really take the time to read what the plan is before buying it, is hard to say.

However, if you are wanting a lower cost dental insurance plan then you may want to review dental HMO insurance plans as they are typically much more affordable on a monthly cost then PPO plans.

Whichever you choose you should make sure to read each plan terms and conditions carefully so you know what the plans benefits and or saving are and whether or not it would be a good fit for your dental care needs and budget

Regardless of age daily brushing and flossing is essential in order to keep them in good dental health. Plaque can quickly build up on the teeth of seniors, this is especially true if oral hygiene is neglected and lead to tooth decay as well as gum disease. Some seniors can run a higher risk of poor dental hygiene due to health, medication and age factor limitations. In order for anyone to maintain good oral health it is important to maintain proper dental health care habits.

If you are on a tight budget or you want an insurance plan that benefits are more budget friendly then you may want to review your HMO insurance options. Not only are HMO the lower cost insurance plan option but most base their benefits on a fee schedule that brakes down the cost of each covered service. Hence making it easier to budget your dental care.

An annual maximum occupational exposure for radiation workers in the US is 5,000 millirems. When you spread low doses out over a period for time, it is not as destructive to the body because it has time to recover. To help put this in perspective to dental X-Rays, you would need to have 2,000 dental x-rays to equal the radiation in 1 mammogram. To reach that maximum safety dose, you would need to have taken approximately 10,000 dental X-Rays. On average people receive 3 dental bite wings work of radiation a day just from being outside in the sun or around concrete building and road.

When buying a dental HMO insurance plan it is important to call the dental providers and confirm they are still accepting the plan and to ask additional questions that are important to you in choosing a dental office. Another good tip to keep in mind try choosing a dental HMO that has more then one dental office locally to you so that if you want to change dentist you have other options available to you.

Question: Looking for a good family PPO dental insurance plan. Are there any PPO plans that do not have any waiting periods? I do not care if we have to pay more for it but I do not want to have to worry that I may not have coverage’s for services needed due to waiting periods.

Answer: Yes there are PPO’s plans that do not have any waiting periods they do tend to be more costly. However, if that is not an issue our Website provide two PPO’s plans without waiting periods. Just enter your zip code in the quote box provided to review all our dental insurance plan options. If you have any questions about out plans please call our member service number at 310-534-3444 M-F 8-4

Sippy cups may be a good training tool that can help your child transition from a baby bottle to a cup. However, if your child continues to use a sippy cup throughout the day, fill it with water only (unless with a meal). The prolonged period of exposures to liquids containing sugars will promote the cavity causing bacteria in your child mouth,

Do you have a dentist that you trust and like going to? One main reason why people do not visit a dentist regularly is that they do not trust their dentist or they feel their dentist is over priced but worry about seeing a different dentist.

With a PPO dental insurance you are able to stay with your current dentist. For many people that is an important issue that is not changeable. Yet even if your dentist is not a provider of a PPO plan most PPO dental insurance plans do provide benefits for non network providers. And because PPO dental insurance plans helps you to keep your dental care cost more affordable your are more likely to visit your dentist as advised.

According to a recently conducted study done by Delta Dental on Preventive Dental Care, they found that even among insured individuals, many people at higher risk for tooth decay or gum disease are not getting proper preventive dental care.

According to a study done by Delta Dental they found that a third of children ages 6-18 area at higher risk for tooth decay, and of those children

• More than 70 percent are not receiving two fluoride treatments a year
• More than 60 percent ages 6-9 did not receive sealants on their first molars
• More than 80 percent ages 11-15 did not receive sealants on their second molars

Although it can be difficult to avoid flour based white starchy foods, for good dental health try limiting your refined carbohydrates. Refined carbohydrates are correlated with increased inflammation, which in turn causes complications like gingivitis.

Although many people’s morning and afternoon favorite beverages may be coffee and tea, they have compounds called tannins, which can cause unsightly stains and discoloring of your teeth. Therefore, to avoid stating your teeth try and limited the amount of coffee and or tea drinking you do throughout the day. If you are going to be drinking coffee and tea try and do so with though a straw to limited the contact it has with your teeth.

Also avoid slowly drinking these types of drinks, it can be fun to hang out at the local coffee house and baby the one cup of coffee during your hour or more stay, yet it is not so much fun for your teeth.

Did you know if you are missing one or more teeth you may see a difference in your chewing as well as speaking. You may even notice a difference in your face and profile. For many people missing teeth can cause low self esteem. Making them smile and laugh less for fare of people seeing their teeth.

Proper dental care can and will help fix your teeth. Bridges will not only fix the gap cause by missing teeth but will restore the shape of your face as well as alleviate the difference in your bite. A dentist could also advise fixed or partial dentures when needed. Bridges and partial will look just like your normal teeth and give you back the smile you want to have. Another option though be it normally a more costly option would be dental implants. Dental implants are artificial teeth that attaches directly to the jaw. Though not everyone can have implants but a dentist can advise if that is an option for you. Talk to a dentist over all your dental options and see which one you feel will be best for you.

Most dental insurance plans will cover a portion of the cost for dental bridges, partials and or dentures. At this time it is still hard to find dental insurance that offer coverage’s for dental implants. Therefore when it comes to implants you may want to review dental discount plans for cost savings. Mare sure to read your dental insurance plan terms and conditions and when in doubt call the company so you can know for sure what you are and are not covered for. Keep us in mind for any of your dental insurance dental plan needs. We are hear to help you get the best dental plan for your current dental needs.

Question: I want to combine two dental plans for the same dental services. I have an PPO dental insurance plan that I get though my job. It has a 1500 year max limit and for majors only covers out 50%. I was shopping dental insurance and notice that my dentist is listed on this HMO plan I saw. It looked really good because the crown I need is only $380.00 and my dentist charges $900.00 for the crown. With my current insurance plan that would leave me with $450.00 but if the dentist uses the HMO plan at $380.00 and bills that off to my current policy then I would only have to pay $190.00 making it well worth the cost paying for the HMO insurance plan he takes. Can I do this ?

Reply: Generally no. Dentist typically will not combine an HMO with a PPO as under HMO they are lowering their cost to the HMO pricing. Where with a PPO they charge their cost the the PPO plan pays accordly to it’s policy terms but the dentist is not having to reduce their cost.

However, I would suggest calling your dental provider and confirm this. Not all dental offices are the same, and all he/she can say is no. If the don’t you may still want to pick up the HMO so you can still clearly save money on the crown cost just by using the HMO plan

Question: I am currently looking for either a dental insurance or dental discount plan. I am not picky but would like to get the better of the plan option. I have not been to the dentist in over three years so it time to a least get a check up.

Answer: In a prior post “Dental Plan or Dental Insurance” we addressed some of the basic differences. However no one plan is better then the other. Meaning what is best really depends on your own current dental needs. I would suggest call our member service line at 310-534-3444 M-F 8-4 they be able to address your dental care needs and help you find a dental insurance and or plan the right for your needs.

Did you know that food texture can create issues for your teeth? Sticky substances seem to find their way in-between your teeth and along your gum line. The bacteria in your mouth interacts with the sugars to weaken your tooth enamel. Therefore avoid such candies as toffee and anything gummy (such as gummy bears) If you do eat this type of treat be extra diligent with your flossing and brushing afterwards.

Tooth decay is damage that occurs when germs in your mouth make acids that eat away at the tooth. Which can lead to a hole in the tooth, called a cavity. If not treated, tooth decay can cause pain, infection and tooth loss. One of the best ways to avoid tooth decay is by having proper at home dental care habits.

Having a tooth pulled can hurt, however pain depends on the person. If you are not going to be under anesthesia during the dental process of having your tooth pulled, the dentist will numb out your mouth enough so that you are not feeling any pain. If you do feel any pain you only need to let the dentist know this so that he or she can numb out that area some more

You may have some pain after the process is done. This is normal and the dentist may prescribe you something for the pain if necessary or you can normally take an over the counter product such as Avil or Alive ect.