Cosmetic dental services includes such procedures as:  Whitening, bonding, veneers, reshaping and contouring. Dentists can also use a variety of methods to correct misshapen or crooked teeth. Veneers are thin shells of porcelain or plastic that are cemented over the front of teeth, and bonding is the use of tooth-colored material to fill in gaps or change the color of teeth. Tooth reshaping or contouring are used to alter the length, shape or position of teeth and are ideal for patients with normally healthy teeth seeking subtle changes in their smile.

It has been suggested that breast-feeding over bottle-feeding is better for overall health of your baby. However with regards to early childhood cavities breast feeding is no better or worse then bottle feeding.  Both can cause dental decay in baby teeth if proper dental care is not provided.

Baby Bottle Tooth Decay or BBTD is caused by frequent and prolonged exposure to any liquids such as formula, milk, fruit juices or any liquids containing sugars.  If these liquids pool around baby’s teeth and fum for a long period of time they will lead to cavities that first develop in the upper and lower front teeth.  This will normally happen when one leaves a baby with a baby bottle to sleep with or as a means of pacifying a baby from crying.

You should never let your baby fall asleep with a baby bottled filled with anything other the plain water.  See if your dentist has a pacifier that they would recommend for you to use. If you are breast feeding try to avoid letting your child nurse continuously.  Also remember to wipe your baby’s teeth and gums with a clean damp washcloth after feedings.   BBTD  is preventable with proper dental health care habits.  Ask you dentist of any  more dental care tips for your child and make sure they have regular dental check ups.

Although there has not yet come out with a  study that states whitening your teeth during pregnancy is harmful to your child, waiting until after the baby is born to whiten your teeth may still be a good idea. The concern  is that the chemicals used in teeth whiten products could be swallowed during the whitening process and the effects that may have on your baby.  Some dentist will encourage you to wait until after pregnancy and even some teeth whitening produce recommend not to using during pregnancy.  However if whitening your teeth is important to you the consult your doctor and a dentist before having your teeth whiten, in order to go about it in the safest way possible.

MultiFlex is an extensive individual or family dental indemnity insurance plan created to offer you the protection and dental care flexibility at an affordable monthly cost. This is real dental insurance and not a discount plan.

This indemnity dental insurance plan allows you to select any individual or family licensed dentist for service – and when you buy the MultiFlex online dental insurance plan, you receive one of the best dental plans for basic, preventative, and major dental services in the country.

The individual or family dental plans offer both indemnity and PPO dental insurance coverages with maximum benefit limits ranging from $500 to $2000 per calendar year. In addition, the dental insurance plan rates are based upon age and zip code where you will receive your individual or family dental insurance services as quoted online.

Family or General dental offices generally do not see children under the ages of five or six, many people take their younger children to see a Pediatric dentist.  However many times Pediatric dentist are either not covered under their dental benefits or they are but at a lower cover cost.  Pediatric dentist are normally consider in many cases to be specialist and not general dentist.

Therefore once a child is old enough to see a family dentist, many people make the change so that their child dental care can become more affordable.  However, if change is done abruptly it can be overwhelming and cause some anxiety. But if you’re both prepared and plan accordingly, it can be a smooth process.  Try and find a general/family dentist that still provides a kid friendly office. Make sure the dentist you are seeing is well equip to handle younger children.

Having good dental and oral health care start right from the beginning of  your child’s life. There are factors that may affect your child teeth appearance, such as tetracycline and antibiotic that can cause tooth discoloration.  This is something to beware of and should not be used by nursing mother or expectant mothers in the last half of pregnancy.

The standard brushing and flossing health care procedures are not required for infants.  Though infants do have special oral health care need that need to be met.  Parents should know about how to guard against baby bottle tooth decay.  Parents also need to take their child to see a dentist when the cut their first tooth or no later then one year of age.  Prevention is the key so the sooner you start with proper dental care the better.

Some people may thing that gum disease is what happen to older people and not to children.  However that would be incorrect.  Gum Disease can effect anyone at any age.   Gum Disease is an infection of the tissues and bone that help support the teeth.  If untreated gum disease can become very serious dental issue causing teeth to become loose and even fall out.

Gum disease is one of the main reason why people in the U.S. lose their teeth.  It is normally caused by plaque buildup.  Plaque contains bacteria, which produce toxins that irritate and damage the gums.  By having proper dental habits at home (brushing and flossing twice a day) and by having regular dental check ups you can help to prevent gum disease.  A child should start seeing a dentist from the time they cut their first tooth or by their first birthday.

After receiving a composite filling, some people may experience postoperative sensitivity. Also, the shade of the composite fillings can change slightly if the patient drinks tea, coffee and any other drinks that can stain.  A dentist can put a clear plastic coating over the composite in order to prevent the color from changing. Composites filling tend to wear out sooner than silver fillings in larger cavities, although they hold up as well in small cavities.

Proper dental care for your child begins even before your baby cuts their first tooth.  As and infant you want to keep your baby’s gums clean.  You can do this by running a damp washcloth over your baby’s gums following feedings, by doing this it can help to prevent buildup of damaging bacteria. Once your baby has a few teeth showing you can then begin to brush them with a soft child’s toothbrush.

Feeding habits for babies is very important in maintain dental health.  Even babies can have problems with dental decay when parents do not practice good feeding habits. Putting a baby to sleep with a baby bottle in his or her mouth may seem convenient but it can do great harm to your baby’s teeth. A Parent should consider taking your child to a dentist who specializes in treating kids. Pediatric dentists are trained to handle the wide range of issues associated with kids’ dental health

One way some people are trying to cost the cost of dental care is though dental tourism. Due to the high cost of dental care in the U.S. going out of the country for dental care and a vacation in one is how some people are able to save money.  When many dental insurance plan do not offer or provide coverages for cosmetic dental services such as whitening, veneers and implants for many the next best choice is Mexico.

A mistake that Americans tend to make is to visit for dental tourism only the dental offices that are located at the so called cross border shopping areas.  However, some even more specialized and high quality dental offices can be found in the true heart places such as Playa del Carmen, Puerto Vallarta or Cancun are where the world renowned dental tourist destinations can be found.  Also just like in the U.S. one should do some homework about the dental office you may want to go to.

One of the main advantage of composite filling would be aesthetics. Dentist are able to blend shades to create a color nearly identical to that of your actual tooth. Composites bond to the tooth to support the remaining tooth structure, which helps to prevent breakage and insulate the tooth from excessive temperature changes.

Composite fillings are tooth-colored plastic and glass mixture used to restore decayed teeth. Composites are also used for cosmetic improvements of the smile by changing the color of the teeth or reshaping disfigured teeth. Cost for Composite filling can vary but they are normally up to two times the price of silver fillings.  However, most dental insurance plan provide coverages for composite fillings making them more affordable.

San Diego California,  In a oral health survey of U.S. Hispanics shows that patients in this growing population group want more information on good oral health habits, access to affordable care and dental insurance, and more dental health care professionals who are Hispanic or who speak Spanish. Survey results come at a time when U.S. Census Bureau reports show that between 2000 and 2010, the Hispanic population grew by 43 percent.

A study done of 902 people in nursing home, concluded that oral hygiene was poor. The study was on  the oral health care in nursing home residents with different cognitive statuses.  Forty per cent of participants in the impaired group were edentulous, significantly higher than the edentulism rate in the demented group (29%, p = 0.01). More than 60% of the participants lost 16 or more teeth prior to examination. Depending on their cognitive status, 82–92% of the participants arrived with one or more caries or retained root. Dentate participants in the impaired and demented groups averaged about six caries or retained roots, significantly more than 4.7 caries or retained roots in the non-impaired group (p = 0.01).

Dental professionals stress the importance of taking your child for a dental checkup at least twice a year (once every six months.) That said many parent worry about how to find the best dentist for their child. This is especially true for children ages 1-6 since it is sometimes difficult to find the perfect dental professional who knows how to behave with younger children.

Here are some tips that may help you find the right dentist for your child.  Try and get and consider recommendations of pediatric dentist from other mothers. Go to the dental office and talk to the dentist if you feel everything is alright you can take your child in for a consultation If you have dental insurance find out if it covers for specialist. Since pediatric dentist are specialist you want to make sure you are covered under your plan.  If this is your child first dental appointment let the dentist know that is the case. Most pediatric dentist keep their waiting room kid friendly.  This will help the child stay in a good mood and make them feel like going to the dentist is a fun place to be.

CHF (Congestive heart failure) affects over three million people with approximately 400,000 new cases each year in the US.  CHF is a condition in which the heart cannot pump enough blood to the body’s organs.  People with a history of poorly managed or untreated CHF can be at a higher risk during dental treatment for infection, cardiac arrest, stroke and heart attack.  This according to the lead author of a new study that appears in the May/June 2002 issue of General Dentistry.

Parents in California are concerned about their children’s dental health care. However there many concerned parents that worry they can not afford proper dental care for their kids. Californians for Patient Care wants to reminds all Californians, especially those who are low income or without adequate dental insurance benefits, that there are no to low-cost dental care providers in CA. Californians for Patient Care can help to connect you to these dental resources through an online tool called My Health Resource. The online tool, is free and confidential just visit calpatientcare.org