Question: I am unsure if I have a cavity in one of my back teeth. Sometimes, it hurts when I drink or eat something too cold. I’ve not been to the dentist in many years, mostly due to cost issues. How do you get cavities, and how can a dentist know if I have one that needs fixing? If I do have a cavity, must I fix it, or can I at least wait until I can better afford to get it fixed? Would it be worth the cost of getting dental insurance first? I don’t see myself going to the dentist much unless I have to, so paying out of pocket might be better than paying more for dental insurance.

Reply: A dental cavity, also known as tooth decay, occurs when bacteria in the mouth produce acids that attack the tooth’s enamel, forming a hole.   

Dental cavities, or tooth decay, are a result of a complex interplay of factors. Plaque, a sticky film of bacteria, is a key player. It builds up on your teeth and the bacteria it harbors produce acids that can gradually wear down the enamel, leading to small holes or cavities. Consuming sugary and starchy foods and drinks can contribute to this process. However, regular dental check-ups and cleanings are not just about cleaning your teeth; they are essential for early detection and treatment of cavities, providing you with the necessary information to maintain your dental health and can significantly reduce the risk of developing them.

A dentist can identify the presence of a dental cavity through various methods during a dental examination. They may visually inspect your teeth for signs of decay, such as discoloration or visible pits or holes. Additionally, they might use a dental instrument to check for soft spots on the enamel, which could indicate the presence of a cavity. X-rays can also detect cavities between teeth or beneath the surface. Furthermore, special dyes or lasers may help identify areas of decay that are not easily visible to the naked eye. If a cavity is suspected, the dentist may recommend further evaluation or treatment to address the issue.

Treating a dental cavity is crucial. If left untreated, it can lead to various complications. Cavities can cause pain and discomfort; if the decay reaches the tooth’s inner pulp, it can lead to infection and abscesses. In severe cases, untreated cavities can even result in tooth loss. However, promptly treating cavities can prevent further damage to the tooth structure and restore the tooth to its normal function and appearance, bringing relief from pain and discomfort. Treating cavities can also help avoid more extensive and costly dental procedures. This underscores the importance of not delaying treatment, as the consequences of untreated cavities can be serious.

Dental Insurance

About buying dental insurance, since you have a current dental need beyond preventive care, I suggest purchasing a dental HMO plan or a dental PPO that does not have waiting periods. If you want a lower-cost dental insurance plan, start by reviewing dental HMOs, as they can be as low as $7.95 a month and still provide preventive care free to low cost. Filling costs are typically very affordable with HMO insurance plans. Dental care costs get more costly as you start to have major care such as a root canal or crown. Having dental insurance would reduce major dental care costs compared to not having insurance, making it a worthwhile investment if you anticipate needing more than just preventive care.

If your current dental provider doesn’t accept dental HMO insurance, the next best option is a dental PPO plan. However, keep in mind that there may be a waiting period for certain dental needs with a PPO plan. Choose a dental PPO plan that offers immediate benefits to ensure you have coverage for a filling without any waiting periods. Dental PPOs are more costly than HMOs, typically starting around $45.00 a month.

Remember that you are not just paying for a filling if you see a dentist without insurance. You would generally have to pay for the office visit and X-rays. The average cost of a new patient’s dental exam can be about $285.00, depending on factors like location, age, and the number of dental X-rays to be done. Whereas taking an HMO dental insurance as an example, office visits and bitewing X-rays are typically free. We have not even addressed the cost of a filling, which would also vary depending on the size of the cavity and the filling you have done.

You can shop out insurance plans and verify the cost of the plan again coverages and see if it is worth buying and having before getting your tooth taken care of. At DentalInsurancePlus.com, we can help you with dental insurance questions as we sell a broad range of plans, from HMOs to PPOs. Our member service can go over the dental insurance plan options we provide and help you choose one that will best fit your current dental care needs. Since cost is a factor, an HMO dental insurance may work for you not only for your current filling but also to help you maintain your preventive dental care services, thereby avoiding any more cavities in the future. Call our office at 310-534-3444 Monday – Friday, 8 am – 4 pm. We can provide you with a free dental insurance quote and get you started with insurance so you can afford to see a dentist.

Dry mouth is the result of low-producing or non-functioning salivary glands. The often devastating condition known as xerostomia. Dry mouth has a number of causes, including medication use, radiation treatment for head and neck cancers, autoimmune diseases, diabetes and the process of aging.

Drug use can have a negative impact on dental health as well as overall health. Patterns of oral health pathology attributed to methamphetamine users, for example, include rampant tooth decay, accelerated tooth wear, unexplained advanced gum disease, missing multiple teeth, and overall detrimental dental effects that are rapid and severe. These patients also often seek cosmetic dental treatment, such as veneers and whitening, which give dentists another opportunity to discuss suspected substance misuse, provide referrals for treatment, and encourage cessation of drug misuse.

There really is not much involve in taking care of your teeth and gums. Yet when you do not have proper dental care habits your oral health is put at risk. Listed below are the simple steps you can take to making sure to maintain good teeth and gums.

1) Brush your teeth twice a day with fluoride toothpaste.
2) Floss your teeth at least once a day.
3) Make sure to visit your dentist regularly for your checkup’s and cleaning.
4) Eat a well-balanced diet.
5) If you smoke, Quit. Smoking increases your risk for gum disease as well as increase your risk of having many other health issues.

By practicing good oral health habits you greatly reduce your risk of having large dental care needs

In a prior post it talked about sugar consumption and it’s effect on our dental health. One sure way to reduce the risk of tooth decay due to excess sugar consumption is by reducing the amount of sugar you and your family consume.

Instead of having soda or fruit juice have a glass of cold water. Water will not harm your teeth and is also good for your body. Make sure that you and your family members are seeing your dentist at least twice a year. Maintaining your dental checks ups helps to spot and stop any small dental issues before they become large dental care needs.

Most all dental insurance plans will provide some coverage’s/benefits for the treatment of gum disease. When reviewing insurance plans you will find gum disease treatment either listed under Periodontics category in an HMO dental insurance plan or under majors services under most PPO and Indemnity insurance plans.

Note: It is important to beware when buying a PPO and or an Indemnity dental insurance, that they will typically have waiting periods for majors dental care services. Waiting periods can very depending on the plan but in general terms, they can run around a year to 18 months.

To treat gum disease condition, your dentists scrape off the tartar on the surface of your teeth and under your gums. This type of dental service it normally call a deep cleaning. After having a deep cleaning done they may also have to use conventional antibiotics

Gum disease is a common condition among adults that occurs when bacteria form biofilms or plaques on teeth, and consequently the gums become inflamed. Some severe cases, called periodontitis, call for antibiotics.

Many people have had some degree of gum inflammation, or gingivitis, caused by dental plaque. The gums get red and swollen, and they bleed easily. If left unchecked, the condition can progress to periodontitis. The plaque hardens into tartar, and the infection can spread below the gum line and destroy the tissue supporting the teeth.

Question: I live in New Jersey I would like to be able to compare dental insurance plans to make sure I am getting the best coverage’s for the best price. I see many dental plans that are costly but the coverage’s do not look all that good to me.

Answer: Depending on your dental care needs and what you are wanting in a dental insurance plan higher price dose not always mean better coverage’s. There are many personal factors that need to be taken into account when buying a dental insurance plan that best fits your needs. There are also two factors to take into account with regards to affordability. First the cost of the dental insurance plan, and second the plan benefits. You may find a really low cost dental insurance plan but the plan benefits may be not as good as buying a plan that may cost a little more. I suggest reviewing the dental insurance and plan options we provide and calling our member services at 310-534-3444 if you should have any questions about our plans cost and benefits.

Question: I looking for free to very low cost dental care help for my 2 year old son. I do not need to take him to a dentist right now, however I currently do not have any benefits for dental care and since I am a low income I get some state aid but not for dental. Where can I take my son for free to really low cost dental care?

Answer: For free dental care you would need to see when they are running the programs for free dental care. You can find that on the American Dental Association web site they will normally have dates listed. You may also want to look into going to any local dental schools they will normally charge you based on what you can afford to pay.  In addition I also suggest reviewing our HMO insurance plans or our dental discount plans as these are low cost dental plans that will help to greatly reduce your dental care cost.

Question: I have two girls and we live in California. Both my daughters have very good teeth, and I want to make sure they maintain their dental care. I changed jobs for better pay but lost the dental benefits I use to have with the prior job. Now I am looking for a good dental insurance plan that is still low in cost since I do not think we will ever need more then just your basic dental care.

Answer: We have quite a few Dental insurance plan options in CA ranging from Dental Discount plans to HMO Insurance plans and PPO’s to Indemnity insurance plans. However if you are wanting a lower cot dental care for just preventive and basic dental care needs I would suggest reviewing our HMO plans though California Dental or Delta Dental both plans are lower cost plans with no waiting periods. If you have any questions about our dental plan options please call our member services at 310-534-3444 as we be happy to help

Question: I need to get dental insurance for my self and my 10 year old son. My question is when getting a dental insurance quote would I be looking at the family rates ? Since it is for my son and I. Or would I be able to get the couple prices since there is only the two of us. Not sure if couple mean that you need to be husband and wife.

Answer: Generally speaking dental insurance and dental plans would yet you choose the couple pricing for you and your son. Couple being two people. Husband and wife but also an adult with a dependent child. However, you should make sure by reading the plans summary, exclusions and limitations or by calling the customer service line and checking to make sure that the dental plan you are reviewing does what you want it to do.

Question: I have a really bad toothache pain in one of my back molars. I have been babying it for some time but I can not take the pain any more. I do not have and current dental insurance and I looking for a plan that will starts like right away, so that I can see the dentist about this terrible pain.

Answer: At this time for your current toothache pain you may want to look at a dental discount plan since those types of dental plans normally will start within the next business day. At least that way you will be able to see a plan dentist ASAP and get the discounted saving on having your tooth fixed. Depending on the enrollment date of an HMO plan if you can put off your dental care until the first of the following month you may want to look into a HMO dental insurance plan. HMO’s normally do not have waiting periods or dollar maximum limits. You should be able to find an HMO that does offers free office visits, X-rays, and cleaning’s, that alone is going to really save you money.

Question: I have a really good dental insurance plan though work. However when I go to the dentist they bill me almost as much as my dental insurance company is paying. I never get any of my money back either. Some people tell me that the dental office I am going to seems to be dishonest were other people say this is very typical and that dental work is very expensive. How would I know if the dental office is ripping me off or not. Should I just go to a different dental office?

Answer: It is hard to say without knowing the total cost of the services render and how your dentist is filing the claims. First I would suggest find out what your total cost are for you dental care services. How can you know what your true cost is, if you do not know the total billing amount. If you still believe the dentist is not correctly charging you. Call your insurance company to verify the facts. See what your insurance company as paid out. Sometimes they pay less then what your are thinking they did. If it shows that your dentist is over charging address the issue with the dental office first. Mistakes do happen and you want to at least clear up the matter with little hassle as possible.

In a prior post we had someone stated that they have a $2000.00 maximum limitation but had dental care cost of $2200.00. They paid the dental office $200.00 thinking that should be the only cost for them to pay. Yet was surprised that they received a bill for an additional $400.00. Now there are a few ways this can happen but here are a few listed that could be the likely reason.

1) They forgot about their plans Co-pay: In most plans there are co-pays you need to take into account. Such as the company will pay 50% for major dental care and your co-pay is the other 50% left. Normally the dental insurance plan dose not pay out %100 of your dental care with the exception of preventive services that sometimes will be paid %100 however not always with in the plans first year.

2) They forgot their deductible: Many PPO’s/Indemnity insurance plans have they can normally range from $50.00 – $150.00 per person per calender year.

3) They went over UCR: Most PPO’s/Indemnity insurance plans pay out up to UCR (Usual And Customary Rates) They may have also gone over this UCR cost.

The reason in this cast could have been one or a couple of these factors. Understanding how your dental insurance works, it terms and conditions will help you to avoid these types of unwelcome surprises.

Question: I have always had dental insurance either though my parents plan or it came with my job benefits. Now is the first time I do not have dental insurance and I am looking for an affordable private dental insurance plan I could buy in California.

Answer: On this website, in California we provide 20+ dental insurance and dental plan options. Affordability will very depending on what you may feel is affordable.

However our lower cost dental insurance options would be our HMO’s though California Dental and DHS. We also have low cost Dental Discount plan for your review though Aetna. To review all our plan options just enter your zip code in the quote box provided. If you should have any questions about the available plans please call our member services at 310-534-3444

Question: What is the best individual dental plan I could get in California

Answer: All our dental insurance plans and dental discount plans are the best. However, what is best for you and your dental needs really depends on you. That means in order to determine what would be the best plan for your dental needs would mean we would need to know what you are wanting in a plan.

As an example: Are you wanting to stay with a current dental office? If so then you would need to buy a dental insurance and or plan that they are a provider of or get a plan that let you go out of their network of providers.

Another example: Do you have current dental needs to take care of such as a crown or filling? What dental care services you may need can also effect what type of plan may be best for you. That’s because most PPO and Free choice of provider plans will also have waiting periods for certain dental services such as filling and crowns. I suggest reviewing the different plan types we provide then if you have any questions about out plans please call our member services at 310-534-3444 as they will be happy to help you choose a plan the will best fit your dental care needs.

Question: I am shopping out dental insurance and most of the plans I see that you have to buy them online. I don’t normally buy anything on line so just wondering how safe it is.

Answer: I can not speak in regards to other website but with our website, we provide a secure website once you get into the application of any of our plan options. You may want to keep in mind how safe it is to buy anything on line, also depends on your own computer. However with that said, we do provide a member service line (310-534-3444) where you can also place your dental insurance order over the phone M-F 8am-4pm.

When shopping for dental insurance it is a good idea to review more then just one or two plans. Luckily on this website, we provide quotes though many different companies as well as quotes for different dental plan types. From PPO to HMO and Indemnity to Dental Discount plans. We believe the more plan options you have to review the better you will be able to find a plan that is right for your own dental care needs.

Teeth grinding (Bruxism) is a common problem in adults as well as children.  In fact according to a study three out of ten children grind or clench their teeth.  This is usually due to losing teeth, jaw growth or other discomforts such as allergies. Kid also grind their teeth in response to stress and by taking measure to reduce or stop stress can help solve the problem.  However make sure you talk to your child dentist and inform him or her that your child is grinding or clenching their teeth.