Baking soda may to help whiten your teeth. However, baking soda is an abrasive that may ware down your tooth  enamel as well. The wearing down of your tooth enamel may cause more damage to your over all dental health. Before using baking soda or any home remedies you should consult your local dentist to make sure that you will not be doing more harm than good.

Question: Where do you find a full coverage dental insurance plan that offers coverage’s for all dental services yet still be affordable to buy.  I have lots of dental work that needs to be done and I do not want to waste my money by buying a dental insurance plan that will not offer coverage’s for the services I need to have.

Answer: The term “Full Coverage” is one that should be avoided when speaking of any type of insurance product, since there is always something that may not be covered.  With regards to dental insurance I am unaware of any dental insurance plan that provides coverage’s for any type of dental services. One of the larger exclusions under many dental insurance plans is that they do not cover for cosmetic services. Cosmetic services are not only teeth whitening treatment but also can be veneers and will often include dental implants as well as many other dental services we may not think of as cosmetic but fall under that category.

What you will need to do (based the dental services you need) is to find a dental insurance plan that best addresses most if not all of your dental care needs. It may not be what is not covered under the plan but what is covered and which dental insurance plan will save you the most over all.

You may want to review a dental discount plan. Dental discount plans do provide discounted saving off any type of dental service render by a plan dentist.  Check to see if the reduce discount cost for all your dental services works out to be less or more then buy a well rounded insurance plan.

As you may already know cavities are caused by plaque build up. Plaque is a thin film of bacteria that builds up on  your teeth. So the more food and or drinks you have that contain high sugar content the higher risks are of plaque developing and leading to cavities. Protect your teeth by having a well balance diet with low sugar.   Not to say you can not have those sugary sweets once in a while but try to limit them and remember to brush twice a day and floss daily in order to help reduce plaque build up on your teeth.

A new means for public communication for dental and health care is the use of micro-blogging service such as twitter.   Dentist that uses such services are finding out that they are able to communicate not only with their current patients but as well as  any new patients. More dentist are opening up their offices to the internet communities by having their own websites and blogs as well as being on services such a Twitter.

Question: Dental insurance plans right now for me are just too costly running anywhere from $40/$45 on the low side to $60/$75 on the high side just for an individual dental insurance plan.  Is getting a low cost dental discount plan really a good alternative to dental insurance?

Answer: The dental discount plans that we offer on this site in New York run from $6.00 to $9.95 an individual so you see they are certainly less costly. The main thing to understand about a dental discount plan is that typically you are paying for everything just at a reduce cost that will hopefully make your dental care more affordable for you. For the price and like with anything else if you use it, a dental discount plan will save you money making the plan worth buying.  You do need to go to plan provider so make sure you check that you have dental providers in your area before buying a dental discount plan.

In addition to our Careington, Q-Direct Plus and Aetna Denta Choice discount plans we also provide HMO insurance options though Assurant and Healthplex. Yes with these plans you are paying for them on a yearly bases so their cost range is $152.10 – $177.00 plus their one time application fee for an individual but they are still much lower then a monthly cost of $40-$75 a month that you been finding. So if you can afford to paid an annual option you may want to also review our HMO options that are available to you in the state of New York

Based on studies done women who want to have a baby should make sure they are taking care of their oral health.  Research found for the first time from when a woman starts trying to conceive, her chances of falling pregnant can depend on how well she looks after her teeth and gums. That the effect of gum disease on conception is about the same order of magnitude as the effect of obesity.

Question: I have no dental insurance and my four year old son should see a dentist soon since he has yet to see one. I been thinking about going to a local dental clinic but I just not sure if he would really get good dental care there. If you have any other suggestions that could help me with my son dental care can you please advise. I tried to find dentist that are willing to offer a low payment plan for their services but have yet to find one willing to work with me on payments.

Answer: Dental can be much lower then your regular family dental office. Dental clinics will normally based their cost on what you can afford to pay. To start with I would call the local clinic you may want to go to and ask them about their fees and how they work. See if they are more affordable for you.  From there online and check to see if that clinic has any review from other people that when there. This is provide you with some helpful information about there service and care.

Once you done that I do suggest compare that to buying a low cost HMO plan. Most HMO dental insurance plans provide a low month cost of the plan and then greatly reduce your dental care cost at the dentist for services covered under the plan.  See if their covered services or lower then what the clinic would quote you if you where to go to them.

Take your time do a little research and compare all your options. Doing so will not only save you money but let you make the best chose for you and your family dental care needs.

New research is suggesting that oral health deteriorates during hospitalization and is associated with an increased risk of hospital-acquired infections and reduced quality of life.  This Research Published in the Journal of Clinical Periodontology provides the latest evidence that oral health is being overlooked in hospitals, with potential serious consequences. The study reviewed data from five studies between 1998 and 2009 in the UK, USA, France and Netherlands. The study identified increases in plaque accumulation and gingival and mucosal inflammation. The findings were worst amongst patients who required help with their breathing.

Question: I live in CA and I need to see a dentist but do not have any money.  Where can I go for dental care help? Are there any low income dental plans that I could get that will help me?

Answer: Yes, we provide several choices in CA for lower cost dental insurance and plans that will help reduce the cost of your dental care needs.  Just enter in your zip code in the quote box provider on our website. From their we will pull up all the plans that are available to you in CA which is over 40 plans.

For the lower cost options I would suggest that you review our dental HMO plans though Delta Dental, California Dental, PrimeCare and United Health Care.  All of these insurance plans are low cost run as low as $7.95 a month to $18.95 a month for an individual.

Another low cost option would be our dental discount plans.  Our dental discount plans though Careington and Aenta are not insurance plans.  But that are plans that will provide you discounted saving for all your dental care needs at plan providers.

Take you time and review a few of these plan options.  If you should have any questions about any of our dental insurance and or discount plans please call our member services at 310-534-3444 as they be happy to help you.

Normally a baby will start teething around six months though can take as long as a year or more. When your child starts to have teeth you will want to look for a baby toothbrush with a small bristle head but still provide for a grip that fits your hand.   You will want to brush your baby’s teeth at least twice a day and as long as you are cleaning your child’s teeth regularly toothpaste is not needed until advise by your dentist. Brush your child tongue if possible since this will also help to fight bacteria growth. You only need one quick swipe of the tongue. Also it is strongly suggest that your baby see a dentist when they cut their first tooth. For additional dental care for you child talk to your dentist.

As a mom you want to try and give your child the best of everything.  However moms that have poor oral health problems may be passing down poor oral health to her child.   A 27 year long study that was done theorize that a combination of shared genetic factors and environmental risk factors that affect oral health—including social/economic status, attitudes, beliefs and oral health knowledge—are passed from mother to child.

We have posted several post about how your oral health can effect your overall health care. Many studies show a high correlation between heart attack, stroke, diabetes, bone loss and lung disease and your oral health.   Take your oral health seriously, have good at home dental habits, see a dentist at least twice a year or as advise by your dentist, and have dental insurance to help keep your dental care cost low. People that have dental insurance are more likely to make and keep their dental appointments.

Question: What is the best dental insurance in CA?  I do not know much about dental insurance but don’t want to spend a lot of time looking into getting a plan just need something for basic checks up and cleaning’s anyway.

Answer:  We often get this question asked to us but really the best depends on your own dental care needs. Our member services (310-534-3444) can help you with all our dental insurance plan options and help you best choose a plan that fits your current dental needs.

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Question: Do minors have access to dental insurance in California without having to have an adult on the plan?

Answer: Some dental insurance plans will write a policy on just a minor but it does depend on the plan. Such as our California dental and our StandardLife Dental plans will write a minor only.   You may also want to review our dental discount plan options though Careington and Aetna as they too will let you have their plan for just a minor.

In a recent University of Illinois study confirms the presence of bacteria associated with early childhood caries in infant saliva. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Early Childhood Caries (tooth decay/cavities) is the most prevalent infectious disease in U.S. children.  40 percent of US children will have cavities by the time a child reaches kindergarten. New parents should minimizing snacks and drinks with fermentable sugars. As well as wipe the gums new born babies who do not yet have teeth. A baby should also have their first dental appointment at the time they cut their first tooth.

Studies are revealing that Obesity contributes to a higher risk of Gum Disease.  With Obesity there are higher risk to your over all health care, however now studies revealed the deeper the  periodontal pockets, the higher the proportion of subjects with a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 30 or over, a figure according to the World Health Organization is generally considered as obese.  The deeper the periodontal pocket are the greater the risk.

Question: I looking for an individual dental insurance plan for my minor son. Preferable a PPO insurance plan so he can keep is current dentist.

Answer: There are very few insurance companies that will let you buy a individual dental insurance plan for a minor.  However, we do have one PPO insurance though StandardLife dental that well accept a parent buying an individual dental insurance plan for their minor child. To review our StandardLife Dental insurance plans just enter your zip code in the quote box provide on our website.

According to a recent study put out by the European Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, it showing that sugar-free lollipops that contains licorice root extract significantly reduced the bacteria that causes tooth decay. The study was done on 66 preschool students ages 2 to 5 enrolled in the Greater Lansing Area Head Start Program.

Each student received a lollipop for 10 minutes twice daily for three weeks. The Results of this study showed a significant reduction in Streptococcus mutants, (which is the primary bacteria responsible for tooth decay) During the three-week period when the lollipops were being used and lasting for an additional 22 days before beginning to rebound.  Course lollipops will not replace your daily dental care of brushing and flossing as well as seeing your dentist at least twice a year.  However it may be another way to help fight tooth decay.

In California our website offers over 40 dental insurance options for your review. A Few of the dental insurance options we provide would be though Delta Dental. Many people who are looking for a PPO or free choice of provider plan may find that Delta Dental fits their needs since often times their dentist is a provider of most Delta Dental plans.  Review your plan options just by entering your zip code in the quote box provided on our website. If you should have any questions about any of our dental insurance plans please call our member services at 310-534-3444 as we will be happy to help you find the best plan for your dental care needs.

Dental injuries can happen. These dental injuries can sometimes happen when playing sports or when you are involved in an accident. Here are some helpful do and don’t when you or someone you knows knocks out a tooth.

Don’t Touch the tooth root as it can become easily damaged.

Don’t put the tooth in water as it can cause the root cells to burst and make it much harder for a dentist to save the tooth.

Don’t wipe the tooth off if it is dirty, wiping the tooth may cause more damage.

Dos: If the tooth is dirty you can wash it off with milk If possible try gently putting the tooth back into it socket. That is the best way to preserve the tooth.   If you can not put tooth back in it’s socket then put the tooth is a glass of milk.  Milk will help provide nutrients to the cells to help keep them alive. Go see a dentist right away.

Time is very important matter in trying to save a knocked out tooth. Delays will only make it hard to save the tooth in question.  Make sure you follow the dentist aftercare instructions.  As the aftercare of saving the tooth is just as important in successful healing.