Are You A Pain Driven Dental Patient?

Going to the Dentist Only When You Have Pain is Costing You Money

Save Money on Dental Care With Preventive Dentistry

You might think that avoiding the dentist for regular checkups and cleanings is a good way to save money on dental care.  The fact is, avoiding the dentist unless you have a painful problem costs you more money than maintaining regular check ups and cleanings.  

50% of Americans do not see a dentist regularly.  The reason for this is not that half of Americans have perfectly healthy teeth.  Avoiding regular dental care prevents your dentist from detecting small areas of tooth decay or early stages of gum disease.  Small dental problems are not usually painful, and you might not even notice them. Once these problems have progressed and become more serious, they begin to cause pain.  Advanced dental disease can be a lot more expensive to repair than early dental disease.

  

How Dental Work Becomes Expensive

 Your dentist is trained to detect early signs of dental disease, and can repair the problem more easily and more affordably than saving a tooth with advanced disease.  For example, a small cavity is painless, almost invisible.  Over time it grows and expands into the vital structures within your tooth, causing pain and infection. 

A regular check up every 6 months would ensure that the tiny cavity was detected and filled long before serious and painful damage was done to the tooth.  A small filling is one of the most inexpensive dental procedures you can have.   

Take the same small cavity, but without a regular dental check-up.  Over time, the cavity will grow, infiltrating the pulp of the tooth.  Once the cavity has grown to this point, it will become painful and sensitive to hot/cold/sweet.  If you seek help from a dentist at this point, a larger filling is almost guaranteed and a porcelain crown may be required in order to restore the tooth’s strength.  Without repair, the cavity continues to overtake the tooth.  As it reaches the pulp, it causes intense pain, swelling and even infection.  The decay may cause the tooth to fracture and chip apart.  

At this point, you are seeking an emergency dental appointment, and the cavity needs much more than a small, inexpensive filling to repair it.  If the tooth can be saved at this late stage of disease, it could need a root canal treatment and a dental crown in order to remove the decay, heal the infection and strengthen the tooth.  This type of extensive repair can be several times the cost of a small filling, even with dental insurance. 

Regular Dental Care Saves Money

Good dental habits at home, including brushing and flossing, combined with regular dental care can help you save money on the cost of dental work.  A professional dental cleaning every six months removes harmful plaque and tartar that collects along the gumline and causes tooth decay and gum disease.  Annual x-rays make it possible to detect small areas of tooth decay, making simple, inexpensive repairs possible.  Your regular dental exam allows your dentist to diagnose dental problems before they become serious and painful.  

Most dental plans cover the cost of preventive dental care, such as exams and cleanings, because insurance companies know that prevention works.  If you have dental insurance, you can stay current with your routine dental care at no cost to you.  If you do not have insurance, the cost of an exam and cleaning is far less than the cost of major dental work.  

Be a Prevention Driven Dental Patient

Save your teeth and help them last you a lifetime by having a preventive attitude about dentistry.  Practice good dental hygiene habits every day, and see your dentist for a professional cleaning and exam every six months.  This formula for success has been proven to reduce the need for expensive, extensive dental work over time.  

 Even more important than saving money on dental care, having a preventive attitude about dentistry will help you maintain healthy teeth and gums for the rest of your life.

Avoiding Ghoulish Tooth Decay

Don't get tricked!  Avoid cavities on Halloween and every day!

The team at Forest Lane Dental of Dallas wishes you a Happy Halloween and safe trick-or-treating tonight!  When it comes to taking care of your teeth and cavity prevention, Halloween candy is not the only culprit that can damage teeth and cause cavities.  Read on for tips on preventing tooth decay on Halloween and every day.

• Choose a healthy diet.  Everyone knows that eating healthy foods is best for your dental health and overall health.  Did you know that snacking on crunchy veggies is good for your teeth?  In addition to a healthy diet, finishing a meal with a fresh vegetable such as carrot sticks, fresh celery or even a crunchy apple helps remove sticky residue on teeth and stimulate gums and saliva production, reducing food particles that can be left behind on teeth.

•  Brush and Floss.  Our busy lifestyles sometimes prevent us from making time to take care of brushing after meals.  If you cannot brush after eating, you can rinse your mouth well with warm water to help remove food particles that can become trapped between teeth and on tooth surfaces.  Make sure you floss every day to clean the 35% of tooth surfaces that cannot be cleaned with a toothbrush alone.

•  Avoid foods which are high in sugars and carbohydrates.  You might know that sugary foods cause cavities, but did you know that carbohydrates can be culprits, too?  When carbohydrates break down, they produce sugars, which are food for the destructive bacteria that cause tooth decay.  Keeping carbs in the middle of your meal, and in moderation will help prevent cavities from forming.  

• Avoid Acids.  Tooth enamel is the strongest substance in the human body, but it is still susceptible to acid erosion.  A diet high in acidic foods can damage tooth enamel over time.  Avoid behaviors such as sucking on lemons.  Brush or rinse well after consuming acidic foods.

• See Your Dentist.  A professional dental cleaning and check-up every 6 months is an important step in cavity prevention.  Brushing and flossing are great for daily care, but tartar (hardened plaque) cannot be removed with brushing and floss alone.  A professional cleaning will remove tartar and the cavity causing bacteria along with it.  When you see your dentist every 6 months, you will notice healthier teeth and gums. 

For more information on cavity prevention, or to schedule your dental check-up at Forest Lane Dental, contact Dr. Jack E. Burroughs today. 

It’s Back to School Dental Check-Up Time!

Every school year, American kids miss over 51,000,000 hours of school because of dental problems and toothaches.  You read that correctly, 51 Million!  Although it is the most common childhood disease, tooth decay, is also one of the most preventable.  Taking simple steps to help ensure that your kids go back to school with healthy teeth and gums will save you time, money and lost school hours this year.

 

Schedule a Dental Check-Up and Professional Cleaning Every 6 Months

We often hear people say that they aren’t having any dental pain, and they can’t see any problems so they do not need to go to the dentist.  This is especially true among school age children.  In fact, kids should start seeing the dentist along with the appearance of the very first baby teeth.  Turning them on to regular dental care from an early age helps prevent anxiety and dental fear.  Just as important, regular dental check-ups and teeth cleaning help keep teeth and gums healthy.  If a problem does begin to develop, you can be sure your dentist will identify it early, before it becomes an expensive and painful dental problem.  Staying on track with dental check-ups every 6 months is a proven way to avoid serious dental problems. 

Sealants for Permanent Teeth

When it comes to children’s personal dental hygiene, a very reliable rule of thumb is this- a child does not have the dexterity to brush their teeth effectively on their own until they can successfully tie their shoes.  Because kids’ dental habits are not always consistent or predictable, dental sealants can help seal out destructive plaque and bacteria on the chewing surface of the back teeth.  A dental sealant is a simple, painless and extremely affordable treatment that can help prevent tooth decay.  Seal permanent teeth as they come in.  Dental sealants usually last long enough for kids to become more effective at dental hygiene every day. 

Fluoride Treatments

Fluoride helps teeth stay healthy and strong.  Fluoride treatment can inhibit tooth decay and help keep enamel strong and durable.  Your dentist can recommend a professional treatment that will help prevent cavities.  Fluoride treatments can be applied in the dental office or given as a prescription gel to use at home.  Proper use of fluoride treatments has been proven to help prevent cavities. 

Schedule a Back to School Dental Check-Up

There is more to a kid’s dental check-up than just a polish and a quick check!  Your child’s dental appointment is a learning opportunity.  Your hygienist is responsible for educating kids about the best personal dental hygiene habits and providing instruction for good home care.  She can talk to your kids about how to keep their teeth healthy and clean.  Using fun visual aids, demonstrations and instructions they can understand, your hygienist knows how to talk to kids about their teeth.  To schedule your family’s Back to School Dental Check-Up, contact Forest Lane Dental today.