Gingivitis is an inflammation of the gums. This commonly occurs because of films of bacteria that accumulate on the teeth which is called plaque.  A person who has gingivitis will normally have red and puffy gums. Their gums will most likely bleed when they brush their teeth.

Generally, gingivitis can be resolved with good oral hygiene habits, such as longer and more frequent brushing, and flossing. Some people may find that using an antiseptic mouthwash, alongside proper tooth brushing and flossing also helps.  People that have gingivitis may need to see a dentist more then just twice a year to make sure that dental habits are being maintain and for check ups. Since untreated, gingivitis can progress to periodontitis, which is more serious and can eventually lead to loss of teeth.

Preventive dental care start from home with good dental habits. Regular brushing along with flossing your teeth will help to prevent gum disease a number one reason for tooth loss.

According to other studies that was presented to the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology, it found that gum disease could up the time it takes for a woman to become pregnant.  In the study, women with gum disease took an average of seven months to conceive, compared to five months among their peers without gum disease. One hypothesis for the cause is, the inflammation resulting from gum disease.

According to a new study that was published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, it found an association between the use of a non-alcohol antimicrobial mouth rinse in pregnant women and a decreased rate of delivering babies prematurely.  While the study didn’t look to find the reason for the difference, lead author Marjorie Jeffcoat of the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine told Reuters that one theory is that gum-disease-induced inflammation could trigger early birth.

Your dentist may remind you at each appointment to make sure you are brushing and flossing daily. Although you may feel the dentist is nagging you about proper at home dental care habits your dentist knows that along with regular cleaning are the key components to keep your teeth and gums healthy. In addition your dentist know that how well you take care of your mouth could actually affect your entire body.   Think about it your mouth is the front door to the rest of your body, and it is not pristine. Your mouth is filled with bacteria. Having proper oral and dental care habits helps reduce harmful bacteria in your mouth, as well reduce what is getting though the door to the rest of your body.

It is important that pregnant mom’s have a good dental hygiene routine.  A 2007 study published in the Journal of Periodontology Online showed that periodontal disease is linked with pre-term low birth weight.   The study showed that performing periodontal therapy on pregnant women who have periodontal disease may reduce the risk of preterm delivery to equal that of periodontally healthy women.

When shopping for a low cost dental HMO insurance plan make sure the plan you are reviewing has more then one dental provider you may want to go to.  Most HMO dental insurance plan requires that you pick the dental provide you wish to see under their plan during the application process.  Yet you should make sure that there are at least two or more dental providers under the selected plan you are reviewing.

By picking a plan that has more then one dental provider in the mile radius you are willing to travel, you are leaving your self open to make changes if necessary.  You can not change dental providers if there is only one provider in the plan to pick from.  Therefore it may be best to choose and HMO with more dental providers, then one with fewer dental providers, even if benefits are slightly better with the plan that has less providers.

An NYU nursing-dental research team has found, that oral blood samples drawn from deep pockets of periodontal inflammation can be used to measure hemoglobin A1c.  Hemoglobin A1c blood glucose measures from oral blood compare well to those from finger-stick blood, the researchers say. The findings are from a study funded by an NYU CTSI grant awarded to the research team last year.

According to Prevention, brushing your teeth can serve as an indicator to your brain that mealtime’s over.  Therefore by brushing your teeth after a meal, it can help ward off mindless eating and consuming more calories than you need.  It’s worth mentioning that after brushing your teeth, food doesn’t quite taste the same, which you can thank chemicals in toothpaste for that taste-bud effect.

Ceramic braces are made of clear materials and are therefore less visible on your teeth than metal braces. Ceramic braces are used mainly on older teenagers and adult patients who have aesthetic concerns.  While ceramic braces are visually less prominent, they do require more attention to oral hygiene as ceramic braces are larger than metal braces. The only drawback to ceramic brackets is that they are more fragile, and the elastic ties can discolor between orthodontic visits with certain foods and smoking.

Traditional metal braces are normally the more affordable brace option, since these are the type of braces that dental insurance plans will provide coverages on, when it is an available benefit under the plan.  Traditional metal braces are the most common type of braces and are smaller and more comfortable then in the past. Made of high-grade stainless steel, metal braces straighten your teeth using metal brackets and archwires. With metal braces, you have the option of adding colored elastics (rubber bands) for a more unique and colorful smile.

According to a 2010 study from the NYU College of Dentistry, it showed that gum disease may increase the risk for Alzheimer’s disease. By brushing your teeth and having good dental care habits it can help ward off oral infections and possibly lessen the risk for Alzheimer’s disease.

No real surprise that smoking can cause yet another health issue.  According to a New Study, smoking causes the body to turn against its own helpful bacteria, leaving smokers more vulnerable to oral disease.    The mouth of a healthy person contains a stable ecosystem of healthy bacteria, however research on the mouth of a smoker shows a much more chaotic, diverse ecosystem  which is much more susceptible to invasion by harmful bacteria.

One main benefit of a dental PPO plan, is being able to either use a dentist that is in the plan network or outside the plan network of providers.  This is key when trying to stay with your own dentist that may not be a provider of any dental HMO insurance plan.  Another benefit is since you have a free choice of choosing your own dentist you can also choose to see a dental specialist when needed. Such as a Pediatric dentist for young children or children with special needs.

We talked in prior posts about the importance of having good at home dental habits (brushing and flossing your teeth regularly) in order to maintain healthy teeth and gums. Yet one step that is often forgotten is being aware of changes within your mouth.  While you are brushing and flossing your teeth make sure to look inside your mouth each time for any noticeable changes.  Are your gums nice and pink, or  red or swollen? Do your gums bleed while brushing or flossing your teeth?  If you know what the inside of your mouth normally looks like, you will be able to quickly spot discoloration or sores. If you do see changes in your mouth that is outside the norm,  speak to your dentist and have it check out.   Add this important step in your daily dental care routine in order to maintain healthy teeth, gums and overall wellness.

Researchers and Professor Huakun Xu (who led the new study) at Maryland University School of Dentistry have managed to fill a dental cavity using nanotechnology in a material that not only kills the harmful bacteria, but is also able to regenerate the tooth structure that is lost to decay.

Bone-regenerating protein could help to improve the success of dental implant.  Researchers keep finding better ways to help build up bone in the jaw that is too thin to support the anchoring of dental implants.  Studies using bone inducing proteins could help to improve dental implant success in cases where bone-loss presents a challenge, according to Georgia Health Sciences University.

Sometimes a person can put off buying or having dental insurance until there are larger dental needs to address.  This is common but not highly advise. However say you are shopping for dental insurance do to a toothache need.  Even though you may have a toothache it is important fully understand the dental insurance plan you are going to buy and how it is going to benefit your current dental need.

You will want to make sure the dental insurance plan you are buying does not have any waiting periods. In cases like this, you may want to review dental HMO insurance plans. Most dental HMO plans do not have waiting periods. Therefore you are able to receive benefits for all covered dental services. Where as most PPO insurance plans do have waiting periods therefore they may not be the best dental insurance option when you have a dental toothache issue.

For over two decades, scientists have relied on studies that linked juvenile primate tooth development with their weaning as a rough proxy for understanding similar developmental landmarks in the evolution of early humans.   New research from Harvard, however, is challenging those conclusions by showing that tooth development and weaning aren’t as closely related as previously thought.

Though for the most part dental HMO plans may have fewer limitations then dental PPO’s and Indemnity insurance plans they still have limitations that need to be carefully read and understood.  One such limitation which many people know is that you have to go to a dentist that is a provider of the plan.  There is no benefits if you choose to go to a dentist that is not a provider of an HMO plan.

Generally under an HMO dental insurance plan, coverages are based on a fee schedule which shows the cost for all the different dental services that are covered under the plan. Yet the fee schedule that is provided is normally only for the general dentist you pick to be your provider and it is not the benefits may receive if you need to be refer to a network specialist.

This is important to know since HMO plans will either not cover for specialist or only provide saving of around 20 – 30 percent off network specialist depending on the plan. Although HMO plans will not normally have a yearly dollar max limitation per person per year they may have limitation on how many of one dental service you can have. You may already know the two cleaning per person per year but many HMO’s insurance plans will only provide benefits on four to five crowns per person per year.