Preventative Dental Benefits: Insurance and Issue Detection

• Cleanings: Routine professional cleanings twice annually remove stains and plaque buildup to keep your teeth cleaner for longer. 
• Fluoride treatments: Your dentist applies a specially formulated gel or paste to your teeth to seal them with protective fluoride. These formulas contain a higher fluoride concentration than over-the-counter products. 
• Sealants: The dentist applies a plastic seal around cavity-prone teeth to prevent future decay and infections. 
• X-rays: TMJ disorders and shifting teeth can indicate new oral health concerns and cause increased discomfort. X-rays can determine the severity of these issues and help dentists determine how to manage them.
• Examinations: Regular oral exams are fantastic early detection tools. Oral cancer, diabetes, and heart conditions often affect the mouth early on. 
• Fillings: If you develop a cavity, you can stop the decay’s progress and prevent infections with a dental appointment. 
• Patient education: You have the opportunity to ask questions and learn more specifics on how to create a better dental hygiene routine during routine visits. 
• Oral hygiene routine recommendations: Your dentist can help you customize your daily hygiene routine with product and technique suggestions tailored to your needs. 

Dental exams don’t just uncover oral health concerns. They can also diagnose conditions affecting your entire body. Your dentist can inform you of symptoms related to the following issues:

• Heart disease can cause bleeding gums and dry mouth. 
• Dementia can be preceded by symptoms like forgetting your oral health routine, gingivitis, and increased tooth decay. 
• Early arthritis symptoms might include increased oral infections or TMJ disorders. 
• Osteoporosis may manifest as painful infections in teeth, jaws, and gums. 
• Symptoms of oral cancer include odd growths on oral tissues, loose teeth, and unexplained mouth pain. 
• Diabetes causes burning and dry mouth, oral yeast infections, and fissured tongues. 
• Anemia manifests as pale gums, constant ulcers, and changes in tongue appearance and texture called atrophic glossitis.
• Crohn’s disease can cause swollen soft tissues and painful ulcers..

When oral symptoms develop before other indicators, they are often too subtle for you to notice. A dentist will quickly pick up on them and schedule preventative dental treatments with full or partial coverage from your insurance provider, or let you know to contact your physician. 

When you know what to look for, you know when to take action. After learning about frequently missed warning signs for diseases and conditions, you can keep your finger on the pulse of your oral health and report your observations to your dentist. When medical professionals have a broader understanding of a specific patient’s condition, they can make more accurate diagnoses and prescribe protective treatments faster. 

No way around it — dental care is expensive. Even the most basic services can put you out a couple hundred dollars without coverage. With insurance, you’ll ultimately save money by:

• Preventing dental issues: Severe dental health problems grow more costly without prompt care. Tackling them immediately means fewer treatment expenses.
• Getting an early diagnosis for other conditions: When health conditions go untreated, they worsen and require more intensive treatments. Treating them early and consistently can save on hospital bills. 
• Not paying out of pocket: Your plan will at least cover part of the service costs, keeping you from shelling out hundreds. 
• Lowering premiums by maintaining your health: Some plans reward policyholders for consistent and proactive health maintenance by lowering premiums and other costs. 

Peace of mind makes you more confident and comfortable in your daily interactions. Dental healthcare is an essential component of overarching coverage that grants you confidence throughout each life stage. 

Sugary substances invite bacteria to colonize your teeth and gums. These microbes gradually eat away at your enamel and cause cavities. Similarly, acidic foods erode your teeth’s minerals, leaving vulnerable areas. 

You can incorporate diet plans that sustain your oral health by strengthening your jaw, increasing saliva production, and even protecting your teeth.

Although most Americans know they should brush and floss their teeth, many don’t know how to do these tasks properly. Brushing too hard doesn’t lift away plaque; it weakens your enamel. Similarly, flossing too much can irritate your gums and leave you susceptible to infections. 

Your dentist can refresh you on correctly applying these daily habits to your hygiene routine without doing more harm than good. They can also help you navigate additional tools, such as:

• Mouthguards: Properly fitted guards can protect you from oral trauma during intense sports like football. They can also improve your sleep patterns and prevent TMJ discomfort. 
• Mouthwashes: Not all mouthwashes are created equal! Some formulas can kill good and bad oral bacteria, which may cause complications. 
• Fortifying or desensitizing toothpaste: If you struggle with demineralization or extreme sensitivity, speak to your dentist about a prescription-strength toothpaste to mitigate these symptoms. 
• Interdental brushes: Sometimes, floss doesn’t cut it. Interdental brushes, when used correctly, clean between teeth more effectively. 
• Electric toothbrushes: Toothbrushes powered by electricity or batteries often remove more plaque than their analog counterparts. 
• Tongue scrapers: Your tongue catches lots of food debris, too. A tongue scraper effectively lifts and removes the debris for better breath and oral health. 

These implements can significantly improve your oral hygiene and health when used correctly. 

Most oral issues don’t interrupt your life with pain or discomfort until they have significantly developed. Therefore, you might not know you have a problem if you don’t visit your dentist regularly. For example, most people don’t detect hidden cavities until they cause advanced decay and expose a nerve inside the affected tooth.

Once these issues cause noticeable symptoms, they typically require more invasive and expensive treatments. Some can even threaten your financial stability or your life. A plan that covers preventative dentistry will help you protect your health and financial assets.