Besides brushing my teeth right after drinking coffee which is not always possible how can avoid having coffee stain my teeth while I am drinking it?

Answer:  I enjoy drinking coffee too, so I know where you are coming from since the last thing I want is coffee stained teeth.  Therefore try drinking any sustainable drinks such as coffee and teas though a straw.  This will help limit the direct contact the coffee has with your teeth.

Most parents want to hear at the end of their child dental appointment that there where no cavities.  Preventive dentistry is keeping more and more children fee from tooth decay then ever before. Half of all U.S. children under the age of twelve have never had a cavity. That good news, however it also means half of them do.

If a child has tooth decay new dental treatments are available that are far more attractive and comfortable then in the past.  A parent can be a wise consumer if you make sure to know your options and discuss them with your child pediatric dentist.

Medical insurance is primarily designed to cover the costs of diagnosing, treating and curing serious illnesses. This process can normally includes a primary care physician and multiple specialists, a variety of tests and multiple procedures to be performed by doctors and laboratories, as well as medications. Rating medical insurance depends on the health, age and attitudes of people in the medical coverage group, so costs can fluctuate widely.

When reviewing dental insurance, you will be able to note that most dental coverage is designed to ensure that the patient receives regular preventive care. Where as high quality  medical care requires the complex, multiple resources, That is rarely the case with high quality dental care. A thorough examination and a set of x-rays done by the dentist is all it usually takes to diagnose a problem.
Dental care is normally provided by a general practitioner, although some cases may require the services of a dental specialist.

However, because most dental disease are preventable, dental benefits plans are structured to encourage patients to get the regular, routine care vital to preventing and diagnosing the onset of serious dental disease.  Because preventive dental is so important in dental health care, most dental benefits plans require patients to assume a greater portion of the costs for treatment of dental disease than for preventive procedures. By placing an emphasis on prevention, and by covering regular teeth cleaning and check-ups, Americans saved nearly $100 billion in dental care costs during the 1980s.

I need to have invisaligns, however and the only insurance I have is Medicare. I would like a list of all the kinds of dental insurances that will help cover some of the cost for invisaling treatments, and I do not care if it has a year waiting period.

Answer:  Generally speaking most dental insurance plan do not offer benefits for invisaligns. Dental PPO plans may have limited coverages for invisaligns but many do not provide orthodontic services to adults and when they do it is very limited. Therefore in most cases with regards to adult braces and PPO plans they may not be cost effective.  Make sure you read the plan terms and conditions carefully.

HMO dental insurance plans often provide benefits for adult braces. These plan are very affordable and are cost effective however they generally only provide benefits on basic braces and not invisalings.

Another non insurance option would be a dental discount plan. These dental discount plans are not insurance, but they do provide dental saving on all dental care services done by network providers.  Average saving for braces 20 percent including invisaligns.

Most dental ailments are preventable, unlike medical which can be both unpredictable and catastrophic. With dental preventive care would including regular dental checkups and cleanings. By having regular visits to the dentist, problems can be diagnosed early along treated without extensive testing or elaborate and expensive procedures.  Which helps keeps the costs of dental care much lower than those of medical care. In fact, total spending for dental care is decreasing. In 1970, it made up 6.3 percent of total health care expenditures. But in 1991, dental care’s share of health care spending was only 4.9 percent.

No one wants to have a cavity by they do happen. In order to treat a cavity, the first step is to remove the decayed part of the tooth.  A dentist is able to offer three choices for decay removal.  The a “drill”, microbrasion and laser treatment.

This post will address the more traditional method the drill. The drill called the handpiece, remains the technique of choice for removing tooth decay. High speed handpieces make dental treatment quicker and more comfortable then in the past, however with the handpiece you may feel vibrations during the dental treatment.

Question: If you need to go the dentist for dental treatment are you require to pay upfront at the time services are render?  Or can the dentist invoice you latter if you do not have all the money needed for treatment?

Answer:  That depends on the dental office in question.   Each dental practice sets up their own policy regarding payment.  You would need to call around and confirm with the dental office before booking a dental appointment to verify it they will accept payment plan for their services.

I need to get braces in order to straighten out my teeth but I also still have all my wisdom teeth.  I do not think they are causing any issues.  Well my wisdom teeth need to be pulled before I get my braces on?

Answer: In most cases you will have your Wisdom teeth pulled prior to them putting on braces so that they do not start causing any issues while you are in braces as well as after the braces are removed.  However talk to your orthodontic dentist he or she will be able to go over all your question that directly pertain to you and your dental care needs.

Moms should having their children drink lots of water.  Drinks such as Gatorade, Juices, Kool-Aid and Sweet teas contain large amounts of sugar and even though they may be tasty and refreshing, they can cause cavities.   You can easily encourage your kids to drink water by drinking water with them. You can add flavor to your water by slicing up fresh fruit, cucumbers and mint leaves. Doing this will provide the fruity water that the kids like with much less sugar.   Another option is Crystal Light On-the Go as an alternative to juice that your kids can mix into their water bottles during a trip.

I have a tooth that hurts a little and right now do not have any money to see a dentist about it. So that is not an option for me. I hear that gargling with warm salt water may help until I able to see a dentist.

Well normally you are advised to gargling with warm salt water when you have some of the following:

1) sore/swollen tonsils
2) sore throat
3) dental pain
4) abcess/infection

Doing this may help your dental pain a little but will not fix the issue as to why you have dental pain. Hopefully you will be able to see a dentist sooner then latter.  Look into buying a low cost dental HMO insurance plan. By buying dental insuance it will make your dental care much more affordable.

Researchers at University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) reveal that it is not necessary to throw away your old toothbrush and get a new one after you recover from sore-throat, cold or flu.  The study done supports that it is probably unnecessary to throw away your toothbrush after a diagnosis of strep throat.

Often times your dentist will be able to detect whether you have a cavity that needs to be filled before you will notice signs of trouble.  That is if you are seeing your dentist regularly (at least twice a year).  During a dental checkup, your dentist will use a small mirror to examine the surfaces of your teeth.

Anything that looks abnormal will then be closely checked with special instruments. The dentist may also take X-rays of your entire mouth or a section of it. The type of treatment your dentist chooses will depend on the extent of damage caused by tooth decay.

Composite or plastic resins are matched to be the same color as your teeth and therefore used when a natural appearance is desired. The ingredients are mixed and placed directly into the cavity, where they harden. Composites may not be the ideal material for large fillings as they may chip or wear over time. They can also become stained from coffee, tea or tobacco, and do not last as long as other types of fillings generally from three to ten years.

Porcelain fillings are also refer to as inlays or on-lays. They are produced to order in a lab and then bonded to the tooth. They can be matched to the color of the tooth and resist staining. A porcelain restoration generally covers most of the tooth. Their cost is similar to gold.

Generally speaking gold fillings are made to order in a laboratory and then cemented into place. Gold inlays are well tolerated by gum tissues, and may last more than 20 years. For these reasons, many authorities consider gold the best filling material. However, it is often the most expensive choice and requires multiple visits.

Amalgam or Silver fillings are resistant to wear and relatively inexpensive. However, due to their dark color, they are more noticeable than porcelain or composite restorations and are not usually used in very visible areas, such as front teeth.

A filling is a way to restore a tooth damaged by dental decay back to its normal function and shape. A dentist will first remove the decayed tooth material, cleans the affected area, and then fills the cleaned out cavity with a filling material.

By closing off spaces where bacteria can enter, a filling can also help to prevent further dental decay. Materials used for fillings include gold, porcelain, a composite resin (tooth-colored fillings), and an amalgam (an alloy of mercury, silver, copper, tin and sometimes zinc).

I want to whiten my teeth and they have whitening strips that are cheaper then name brands such as Crest.  Do they work though.

Answer: I am sure that they will like most whitening stips help to whiten your teeth if use correcty.

According to the National Association of Dental Plans, approximately half of the U.S. population does not have an affordable dental plan. The cost for affordable dental insurance can vary. Therefore, it is important to understand all your options in obtaining the most affordable dental plan coverage.

The company where you work may provide the most affordable dental insurance plan options. Dental insurance plans for individual and families are usually an HMO (Health Maintenance Organization) or a PPO (Preferred Provided Organization) and operate much like traditional health insurance organizations.

Affordable dental insurance plans from an HMO have a limited pool of dentist to select, but it is a more affordable insurance plan. If you are self employed and looking for a more affordable dental plan, a discount dental plan may be an alternative.

Scientists have developed a new chemical which they claim could make the teeth “cavity proof” and do away with your need for visits to the dentists forever.  Developed by a team of researchers from the US and Chile, the chemical, called “Keep 32″, wipes out all the bacteria that cause cavities in just 60 seconds in tests.

The chemical could be added to any current dental care product, turning toothpaste, mouthwash and chewing gum into “super cleansers” that could get rid of the underlying cause of tooth decay, the researchers said.