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We have many types of bacteria in our mouths. Some bacteria are good as they help control destructive bacteria. When it comes to decay, Streptococcus mutans and Lactobacilli are the bacteria that cause the most damage to our teeth.

Co-payment is the fixed dollar amount that an enrollee under certain dental insurance plans (such as a Dental HMO) is required to pay at the time the service is rendered.

Most dental insurance plans do offer their plans on monthly premium basis in order to help make their plans more affordable.  If you are on a tight budget then you may wish to review our HMO dental insurance plans as they are the more affordable insurance options whether you paid in full for one year or choose their monthly payment option.

Plaque is a soft, gooey substance that sticks to the teeth. Plaque is a type of biofilm. It contains large numbers of closely packed bacteria, components taken from saliva, and bits of food. Also in the mix are bacterial byproducts and white blood cells. Plaque grows when bacteria attach to the tooth and begin to multiply. Plaque starts forming right after a tooth is cleaned. Within an hour, there is enough to measure. As time goes on, the plaque thickens. Within two to six hours, the plaque teems with bacteria that can cause cavities and gum disease.

Your mouth and teeth are constantly bathed in your saliva. We may never give much thought to our saliva, but this fluid is remarkable for what it does to help protect our oral health. Saliva keeps teeth and other parts of your mouth moist and washes away bits of food. Saliva contains minerals that strengthen teeth. It includes buffering agents. They reduce the levels of acid that can decay teeth. Saliva also protects against some viruses and bacteria.

A contracted fee is the fee for each single dental procedure that a contracted dentist has agreed to accept as payment in full for covered services render to the plan member.

If you want to have a dental insurance plan that provides you the freedom to choose any individual or family dentist of your choice, then you will want to review our Indemnity dental insurance plans as they have no network of providers you go to whomever you wish to have your dental care.  Like a PPO dental insurance plans you will have typical limitations such as waiting periods and maxim annual dollar amount so make sure you read thought the plans terms and conditions carefully

General Anesthesia: A controlled state of unconsciousness, accompanied by a partial or complete loss of protective reflexes. A variety of medications may be administered, with the overall aim of ensuring sleep. The optimal combination of these agents for any given patient and procedure is typically selected by an anaesthesiologist or another provider such as an anaesthesiologist assistant or nurse anaesthetist, in consultation with the patient and the medical or dental practitioner performing the operative procedure.

Here are some tips to keep in mind in order to prevent tooth abrasions and erosion.

* Avoid having many foods or drinks that contain acids.
* Do not press too hard when brushing your teeth.
* Use only a soft-bristled toothbrush.
* Use dental floss and dental picks properly.
* See your dentist regularly to maintain oral and dental health

Balance billing is when a dental office bills an enrollee for the amounts above the PPO payment and the enrollee’s coinsurance, If the dentist is within the PPO plan network of providers balance billing would generally be a violation of their contract with the PPO provider since the dentist within the PPO network agree to accept the PPO provider contracted fees and not the bill above that amount. However it is important to note with most PPO plans you are able to go to dentist that are not in the plan network. Therefore if you choice to go to a Non-contracted dentist (out of network provider) they are under no such obligation to limit the amount of their fees.

In a prior post we talked about what tooth abrasions are and how you can get them. Some signs that may indicate if you have tooth abrasions.

* Toothbrush abrasion causes V-shaped notches in the lower third of the teeth, near the gumline.

* Similar notches also can occur as a result of forces on the chewing surface of the teeth. These are called abfraction lesions. They have a different cause from abrasion, but can make the notching worse. Notches from abrasion by toothpicks may occur between the teeth.

* Abrasions can cause your teeth to be more sensitive to sweet, hot or cold food or drinks.

* Abrasions can also have an affect on how your teeth look. Talk to your dentist if start see these signs and make sure to maintain regular dental visits in order to maintain your dental and oral health

When it comes to having to have fillings it is a good idea to have dental insurance in force to help greatly reduce the cost of having to have a filling.  However, if you do not currently have dental insurance and you need a filling you do have a few options as listed below.

Dental Discount Plan: A dental discount plan is not insurance, it dose help to reduce/discount your dental care cost and will normally start within the next business day of buying one.  Note, under a dental discount plan you will need to go to a plan provider to receive the discounted saving under the plan.

HMO Dental Insurance: With an dental HMO insurance plan you will typically have fillings a  much lower cost then dental discount plans but you will need to choose a dentist within the plan network. There is no outside network benefits.  HMO will normally be effective the 1st of the following month of buying the plan. However each plans are different and may have cut of dates that can push out the effective date of the plan for another month if past their cut off.

Dental PPO and Indemnity Insurance: These types of plans are great for staying with a current provider or just choosing your own dentist without worries about them being a network provider.  However these plans you would need to buy in advance, has they will typically have waiting periods.  Therefore you could be waiting up to six months before the plan provide benefits for a filling. This is important to note when choosing this type of dental insurance plan.

An annual maximum limitation is important to understand since most PPO and Indemnity dental insurance plans have maximum limitations.  Annual maximum is the total dollar amount that the plan will pay for dental care received by an individual enrolled or family (under a family plan) in a specified benefit period, generally a calendar year.

As an example: If you have a individual PPO plan with a $1000 max limitation the insurance company will only spend up to $1000 in dental services on you per year. However if you buy a family plan with a $1000 max limitation then the company will only spend up to $1000 in dental services per person per year.

Dental Abrasions are caused by something rubbing or scraping against your teeth. This can happen by brushing too hard, using your teeth a tools by opening bags or holding items with your teeth. Abrasion can also be caused by partial dentures or retainer that you can remove.

If you have dental fears, know that you are not alone. Many people to some degree have some dental fears that they have to address.  There are a few ways to help ease any dental fears you have.  Below are some tips that may help you

1) When booking your dental appointment, let them know ahead of time that you have some dental fears and to make sure they book your appointment with enough time so that the dentist can give you any additional needed time.

2) Bring along your music.  By listing to your favorite toons you are able to relax more while you are having your dental services.  The dentist can tap you on the shoulder should he or she need your attention.

3) Ask questions from you dentist if you do not understand what he or she is doing.  Being well informed about your dental care and treatment will help to ease your worries.

4) Don’t try and tough things out.  If you are feeling pain let the dentist know they are not mind readers and you being in pain will only increase your fears and dislike of going in for dental care services.

Question: I brush by teeth twice a day and use mouthwash each time too, do I really need to floss?

Reply:  By not flossing it permits plaque and tartar build up between your teeth and gums along with places brushing alone can not reach. Make sure to start flossing daily before brushing your teeth. Flossing only take a few more minutes out of your day but can prevent you from having larger dental care needs throughout your life time.

Question: What are some things you can do while the dentist works on your teeth? I have to go to the dentist for a check up, cleaning and I think I will need to have a filling on of my teeth. I have some slight fears of having dental work done. Wondering if there is anything I can do to keep my mind off what the dentist is doing.

Answer: Music is a great way to relieve your stress while having dental work done. By bringing your music to listen to you are not only able to be distracted from what the dentist is doing but it will help drown out any dental noises such as drills. Let your dentist know if he or she has something to tell you to tap you on the shoulder so he or she can get your attention.

Save Money on Dental Crowns With Dental Insurance

Dental crowns can become costly additional so when you do not have dental insurance in place. Most PPO plans will pay out up to 50% of crown cost after any waiting periods. HMO dental insurance plans will typically not have waiting periods for crowns, and base your co-payment off a fee schedule stating the amount you would have to pay for crowns.

If you have a current dentist you want to stay with but is not a provider of any HMO dental insurance plan it is best to get a Dental PPO or Indemnity plan in advance of needing any major dental care due to their waiting periods.

Question: I brush my teeth twice a day as advise but when I do brush my teeth my gums bleed. I do not understand why they are bleeding when I brush them regularly

Answer: There can be a few reasons as to why you gums bleed when brushing your teeth. One you could be brushing to hard there by causing your gums to bleed. Another reason is that even though you are brushing you teeth you may still gingivitis plaque and tarter build up on your teeth by the gum line causing your gums to bleed when brushing them.

I noted you did not state that you are flossing your teeth daily. Remember flossing your teeth is just as important as brushing them. I suggest seeing a dentist to confirm if you have any signs of gingivitis as well as getting a complete dental check up.  Bleeding gums is never a good sign and it should be address right away.

Why do dentist take your tooth out instead of filling it.

Question: I have not been to a dentist in a while since I have issues with dentist in the past. However two of my back teeth started hurting so I had to go, and all the dentist wants to do is pull the teeth instead of filling them. Why do dentist always want to pull teeth.

Answer: The fact is generally dentist will try his or her best to save your teeth. However if there is no way to save it or it it is causing damage to your other teeth then there may be no other choice but to pull the tooth. You can always get a second opinion.