Food texture can cause problems with teeth. Sticky substances seem to find their way between teeth and along gum lines. The bacteria in your mouth interact with the sugars to weaken tooth enamel. Therefore, avoid candies such 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 afterward.

Wine may improve in flavor with age, but its high acidic content can harm your teeth. Wine’s acidity can swiftly erode the enamel of your teeth, leaving them vulnerable to damage. Additionally, the dark pigments in red wine and some white wines can cause stains on the teeth, affecting their appearance. Furthermore, indulging in wine can contribute to dry mouth, which can lead to oral health issues.

Although one of America’s favorite morning and afternoon beverages may be coffee and tea, they have compounds called tannins, which can cause unsightly stains and discoloring of your teeth. Therefore, to avoid staining your teeth, limit the amount of coffee and tea you drink throughout the day. If you drink coffee and tea, do so with a straw to limit contact with your teeth. Avoid slowly drinking these types of drinks. It can be fun to hang out at the local coffee house and buy one cup of coffee during your hour or more stay, but it could be more fun for your teeth if you don’t baby your drink or at least drink through a straw.

When you get a dental HMO and have to choose a dentist in the network, how do you choose the best one? I can only afford a dental HMO insurance plan. Since I do not have a current dentist, choosing one in a network is not a big deal other than ensuring stuff gets done.

Reply: You want to start with calling the dental office in the plan network of providers and confirming that they are still accepting the plan and new patients. Once you confirm that, the next step would be to ask some basic questions that may be important to you. Such as hours of operations, how long they have been in business if you have any special needs, and whether the office can address your needs. Do they have a website you can review for additional information about the dental office? You should check review sites such as Yahoo, google, and Yelp, to name a few. Remember that people tend to want to leave reviews when they have a terrible experience, but only sometimes when they do not. However, if one office has excessively bad reviews, you may want to rethink picking them as a provider.

Dental health care is critical, and there are many ways to ensure you do all you can for your oral health care. There are many ways to ensure you are doing all you can for oral health care: simple things like brushing your teeth at least twice a day, flossing daily, using tarter control, and gum care mouthwash. The primary dental care you do for yourself is low-cost and takes very little time each day. The next step is to see a dentist at least twice a year for check-ups and cleanings.

Cost can be a factor, but it does not have to be. One way to control dental costs is through a low-cost dental insurance plan. Many dental insurance plans offer free to low-cost preventive dental care. The money you spend on dental insurance is well worth it. And by seeing your dentist regularly, you will avoid any major dental issues. However, if you need more extensive dental services, having dental insurance will also help control your dental cost. Be thoughtful about your oral health and think ahead. Good dental care now makes for good dental care in the future.

Question: I just got some dental bonding on five teeth. However, I did not ask my dentist if it was okay for me to eat anything or if I needed to wait. If so, how long do I need to wait after having bonding done? I need to know.

Reply: You don’t have to wait to eat or drink after your appointment. However, you may experience slight tooth sensitivity to heat and cold after teeth bonding for a few days afterward. To prevent staining, avoid or keep to a minimum coffee, tea, soy sauce, colas, grape juice, blueberries, fresh cherries, and acidic foods like citrus juices and tomato sauce. You may want to call your dentist, who did the bonding, for any aftercare instructions, which they would typically give you at the time of your appointment.

What is Tooth Decay? Tooth decay is the destruction of a tooth’s outer surface from acid-forming bacteria produced by food containing carbohydrates (sugars and starches). Tooth Decay Prevention: Brush your teeth twice a day with fluoride toothpaste. Preferably, brush after each meal and before bedtime to help prevent bacteria from staying on your teeth for a certain length. Consider these helpful tips: Floss your teeth daily to prevent tooth decay and gum disease. Check with your dentist about using supplemental fluoride, which strengthens your teeth and helps prevent tooth decay. Consider dental sealants; sealants are placed on the top of the molars to protect the teeth from decay. Use mouthwashes with fluoride. Many kill 50% or more of the bacteria that cause tooth decay. Chewing gum with the ingredient Xylitol © may also kill some of the bacteria that cause tooth decay.

Question: I need to find a family dental plan where we can all go to the dentist whenever we need to and pay the dental office bills after the dental insurance company pays their part before making us pay our share of the cost.

In the past, we had plans to pay the dentist upfront for the total cost of our dental services and wait for the insurance company to refund us. In this day and age, who can afford to do that? I know we can not. 

Those types of dental insurance plans keep us from going to the dentist, and at that point, I do not see paying $120 a month for a dental insurance plan we do not even use because we can not pay upfront for dental services. What options are left for us that would be more affordable?

Reply: Welcome! I hope you are doing well today. I want to discuss dental insurance plans and how claims are processed. I can understand why the claims process can be upsetting, particularly regarding how claims are paid. Let me assure you that you are not alone. Many people have questions about dental insurance plans and how they work.

Based on what you have told me, you have either a dental PPO or an Indemnity dental insurance plan. If you like the plan benefits and coverages overall and it is just about how claims are paid, consider talking to your dentist. With dental PPO and Indemnity plans, the payment process and how the dentist gets paid is really up to the dental office. It does not typically come from your insurance company.

The dentist can choose to submit the claim and get paid by the insurance company before billing out any remaining balances to their patient. In the past, many dental offices processed claims that way. However, sadly, many patients would fail to pay their part, and then the dentist’s office would have to chase them down for payment. This is why many dental offices have started billing their patients in full and making them file claims to the insurance company to get paid back (refunded) the part due them.

Some dental offices charge you what they think your part of the cost would be based on your policy coverages, then bill or credit you depending on the outcome. However, few dentists still do this, as it can still be an issue of fully getting paid for services already rendered.

Based on what we have discussed, it is not an issue with the insurance plan per se but more of knowing how your dentist is willing to file claims and how they expect you to pay for services. Therefore, if you are still facing issues with your dental insurance plan, you may need to change your dental office, not your dental insurance plan. I hope this information was helpful to you. If you have any additional questions, please do not hesitate to ask.

California Oral health care, Red and sore gums

I recently noticed that my gums have been hurting slightly and seem redder than usual. I brush twice a day and floss almost every day. They do not bleed when I am doing that but they just kind of hurt when I do. Could I have gum disease?

Reply: Some of the start signs of gingivitis (gum disease) would include but are not limited to, Swollen or puffy gums, Dusky red or dark red gums, and tender gums. I suggest visiting your dentist as soon as possible, so if you have the start of gingivitis, your dentist can treat it before it becomes a more significant issue. Consider buying dental insurance if you do not have any current, as it will help to keep your dental care cost more affordable.

Are You Getting the Facts Before You Buy Dental Insurance?

When shopping for dental insurance online or through an agent, know all the facts about each type of dental plan before buying one. Mistakes happen when you need clarification on how a dental plan works. Purchasing dental insurance online is easy and convenient, but people need to read and understand what they buy. Before hitting the submit button, ensure you understand the plan’s terms.

Does the dental plan have waiting periods or yearly max dollar amount limitations? Is the dental insurance plan an in-network dental provider only, or can you go outside the network of dental providers? When is the insurance plan effective? Did you call the dentist to confirm they still accept the dental insurance plan? Is what you are reviewing a dental insurance plan or a dental discount plan? What are your dental needs, and are you getting a dental insurance plan that best fits them?

Taking the extra time to fully understand the dental plan you are buying will save you from headaches and being upset later on.

I do not have current dental insurance and very little money. My dentist told me I needed dental work on my teeth, so I started looking for dental insurance. Right now, insurance seems too costly for me, but some friends tell me to avoid dental discount plans because they are not insurance. Is this true?

Reply: That is correct. Dental discount plans are not insurance. Dental discount plans help you save money on your dental care cost as long as you go to a dentist who is a provider of the plan. Discount plans are an excellent way to help make dental care more affordable at a low cost. If you want dental insurance, consider reviewing dental HMO plans. Dental HMO plans are the more affordable dental insurance option.

Are Individual PPO Dental Insurance Plans worth buying?

Some people may feel that getting dental insurance is not worth the plan’s cost. That may be true for some dental insurance plans if the person wanting it only wants the dental insurance for short-term use. Many people put off their dental care until they are in pain or have significant dental issues. Then get upset when they find out that many PPOs or Indemnity insurance plans have limitations that will not be able to help them with their major dental care needs immediately. A dental PPO plan is not for those who only want to buy a dental insurance plan to fix a current dental issue and then turn around and cancel the plan once they have their dental work done. The reason is that dental PPOs are designed to be long-term plans and not short-term ones. When considering buying a dental PPO or Indemnity plan, the thing to keep in mind is your long-term dental needs. When getting these types of insurance plans, it is a dental plan you want to keep for at least a few years.

PPO Full Coverage Dental insurance for a dental crown

Question:I require two dental crowns. I seek a dental insurance plan covering at least 50 percent or more on a crown and one without waiting periods. Is there a dental insurance plan like that?

Reply: We have two options for you; any of our HMO dental insurance would work. On the HMOs we provide, there are no waiting periods. The crown’s cost typically ranges from $100.00 – $250.00+. Another option would be our Delta Dental PPO plan. That does not have waiting periods; however, the first-year benefits on majors services such as crown run around 10 to 15 percent, and you only have 50 percent benefits on majors services once you have the plan for three years.

Question: I have a two year old that will need to start going to the dentist for dental check ups. I do not get dental insurance though my job only medical. Can I get dental insurance just for my son as I do not really need it.

Answer: There are some dental insurance that will write a policy for a minor where as others do not it dose depend on the plan. I suggest looking into dental insurance for a couple (you and your son) because even you should see a dentist at least twice a year. If you have any questions about the available dental insurance plans we have to offer please call our member service line at 310-534-3444 as they be happy to go over the plans with you.

For this question you will want to have your pediatric dentist evaluate the fluoride level of your child’s primary source of drinking water. If your child is not getting enough fluoride internally through water (especially if the fluoride level is deficient or if your child drinks bottled water without fluoride), then your pediatric dentist may prescribe fluoride supplements.

Dental4Less.com offers over 30 dental insurance and discount dental plan options in most states. In addition to that we have dental plans and dental insurance that also comes with vision care. If you are wanting both dental and vision you will want to review our dental discount plans though Careington and Aetna or our dental insurance plans though  StandarLife. If you have any questions please call our member service line at 310-534-3444 as they will be happy to help.

One of the largest benefits to a dental PPO’s is that you are able to choose and pick your own provider. Once you find a dentist you like and trust the thought of having to change your dentist just to have dental insurance can be scary. Yet with a PPO dental insurance plan, even if you are seeing a dentist that is not a plan provider most dental PPO plans will provide out of network benefits, allowing you to stay with the dentist you love.

Get an instant quote for many different dental insurance plans in order to compare and shop out the best dental insurance plans for your own dental care needs. When shopping out dental insurance plans it best to compare many dental insurance plan options so that you can choose the plan that will best fit your personal dental care needs. Not all dental insurance plans are the same. Some start right away with no waiting periods where other let you pick or choose your own dentist. If you have any questions about the dental insurance plan options we provide please call our member services at 310-534-3444 as we be happy to help.

Get an instant quote for many different dental insurance plans in order to compare and shop out the best dental insurance plans for your own dental care needs. When shopping out dental insurance plans it best to compare many dental insurance plan options so that you can choose the plan that will best fit your personal dental care needs. Not all dental insurance plans are the same. Some start right away with no waiting periods where other let you pick or choose your own dentist. If you have any questions about the dental insurance plan options we provide please call our member services at 310-534-3444 as we be happy to help.

We provide individual dental insurance plans that help make dental care easy and affordable. Our dental insurance plan options range from Lower cost HMO insurance plans to PPOs and Indemnity’s insurance plans that let you choose or keep your own dental provider. Keep your teeth health by having good at home dental care habits and by going to your dentist regularly for your check ups and cleaning’s. Keep your dental care more affordable by having a current individual dental insurance plan.

Our website provides over 40 dental insurance options for people of all ages including seniors. Not only do we provide dental insurance plans to help keep your dental care cost more affordable, we provide a Blog so that you can learn about the special concerns that seniors may have with their dental health care. For a free dental insurance quote just enter your zip code in the quote box provided. To read our many post about dental insurance, dental care, and current health news just click on the blog link provide. Remember our member services is happy to help you if you should have any questions about any of our dental insurance plans options. Just call 310-534-3444 M-F 8-4

For only $158.40 that is less then .45 cents a day, you can get a twelve months dental insurance plan for a couple for that cost, it is even less for an individual dental plan. In addition this same plan provides Free X-Rays, Free Check ups and Free Cleaning’s.  You go to the dentist to do just those services without dental insurance and it on up to $150.00 or more. What are you waiting for? Rating factors will vary, just enter your zip code in the quote box provided to review all our dental insurance plan options. Call our member service line at 310-534-3444 if you have any questions about the dental insurance plans available

Individual dental insurance plans, help to make dental care easy and affordable. Dental care cost is increasing each year, making it harder to see your dentist regularly do to the ever increasing cost. Dental insurance helps to control dental care cost keeping dental services more affordable. Studies suggest that more people are liking to visit their dentist regularly when they have current dental insurance in place. Review our dental insurance options just by entering your zip code in the quote box provided. If you should have any questions about our dental insurance plans please call our customer service line at 310-534-3444 as we be happy to assist you.

We are not saying not to get tongue piercings if you want to, however be mindful of the risks of having a tongue piercing. Biting down on the metal stud can crack a tooth. Lip piercings pose a similar risk. And when metal rubs against the gums, it can cause gum damage that may lead to tooth loss. The mouth is also a haven for bacteria, so piercings increases the risk of infections and sores. Think about discussing the health risks with your dentist first.

Indemnity Dental Insurance Benefits

Indemnity dental insurance plans usually employ an “open panel” of dentists.  Indemnity Dental Insurance Plans. This type of dental plan pays the dental office (dentist) on a traditional fee-for-service basis.  Like a PPO dental plan, indemnity dental insurance plans give you the freedom to go to the dentist of your choice.