What is Tooth Decay? Tooth decay is the destruction of a tooth’s outer surface from acid-forming bacteria produced by food containing carbohydrates (sugars and starches). Tooth Decay Prevention: Brush your teeth twice a day with fluoride toothpaste. Preferably, brush after each meal and before bedtime to help prevent bacteria from staying on your teeth for a certain length. Consider these helpful tips: Floss your teeth daily to prevent tooth decay and gum disease. Check with your dentist about using supplemental fluoride, which strengthens your teeth and helps prevent tooth decay. Consider dental sealants; sealants are placed on the top of the molars to protect the teeth from decay. Use mouthwashes with fluoride. Many kill 50% or more of the bacteria that cause tooth decay. Chewing gum with the ingredient Xylitol © may also kill some of the bacteria that cause tooth decay.

Question: I need to find a family dental plan where we can all go to the dentist whenever we need to and pay the dental office bills after the dental insurance company pays their part before making us pay our share of the cost.

In the past, we had plans to pay the dentist upfront for the total cost of our dental services and wait for the insurance company to refund us. In this day and age, who can afford to do that? I know we can not. 

Those types of dental insurance plans keep us from going to the dentist, and at that point, I do not see paying $120 a month for a dental insurance plan we do not even use because we can not pay upfront for dental services. What options are left for us that would be more affordable?

Reply: Welcome! I hope you are doing well today. I want to discuss dental insurance plans and how claims are processed. I can understand why the claims process can be upsetting, particularly regarding how claims are paid. Let me assure you that you are not alone. Many people have questions about dental insurance plans and how they work.

Based on what you have told me, you have either a dental PPO or an Indemnity dental insurance plan. If you like the plan benefits and coverages overall and it is just about how claims are paid, consider talking to your dentist. With dental PPO and Indemnity plans, the payment process and how the dentist gets paid is really up to the dental office. It does not typically come from your insurance company.

The dentist can choose to submit the claim and get paid by the insurance company before billing out any remaining balances to their patient. In the past, many dental offices processed claims that way. However, sadly, many patients would fail to pay their part, and then the dentist’s office would have to chase them down for payment. This is why many dental offices have started billing their patients in full and making them file claims to the insurance company to get paid back (refunded) the part due them.

Some dental offices charge you what they think your part of the cost would be based on your policy coverages, then bill or credit you depending on the outcome. However, few dentists still do this, as it can still be an issue of fully getting paid for services already rendered.

Based on what we have discussed, it is not an issue with the insurance plan per se but more of knowing how your dentist is willing to file claims and how they expect you to pay for services. Therefore, if you are still facing issues with your dental insurance plan, you may need to change your dental office, not your dental insurance plan. I hope this information was helpful to you. If you have any additional questions, please do not hesitate to ask.

California Oral health care, Red and sore gums

I recently noticed that my gums have been hurting slightly and seem redder than usual. I brush twice a day and floss almost every day. They do not bleed when I am doing that but they just kind of hurt when I do. Could I have gum disease?

Reply: Some of the start signs of gingivitis (gum disease) would include but are not limited to, Swollen or puffy gums, Dusky red or dark red gums, and tender gums. I suggest visiting your dentist as soon as possible, so if you have the start of gingivitis, your dentist can treat it before it becomes a more significant issue. Consider buying dental insurance if you do not have any current, as it will help to keep your dental care cost more affordable.

I do not have current dental insurance and very little money. My dentist told me I needed dental work on my teeth, so I started looking for dental insurance. Right now, insurance seems too costly for me, but some friends tell me to avoid dental discount plans because they are not insurance. Is this true?

Reply: That is correct. Dental discount plans are not insurance. Dental discount plans help you save money on your dental care cost as long as you go to a dentist who is a provider of the plan. Discount plans are an excellent way to help make dental care more affordable at a low cost. If you want dental insurance, consider reviewing dental HMO plans. Dental HMO plans are the more affordable dental insurance option.

What Dental PPO and Indemnity plans have to offer. Dental PPOs and Indemnity plans allow you to choose your dentist, and for many people, that can be a deciding factor in buying those types of dental insurance plans. For people who want to stay with their current dentist or to be able to choose their dental provider, these types of insurance plans are for that. Dental PPO and Indemnity plans are usually more costly than HMO’s dental insurance plans. Are dental PPOs and Indemnity insurance plans worth the cost? The answer is yes. If you know your dental needs and understand the terms and conditions of the insurance plan, many people are happy with their PPO plans. Trouble comes when you fully understand dental insurance plan’s limitations.

I need to understand how dental insurance works. I have a dental insurance PPO plan through my job, but it could be better. I am considering removing it and getting just the medical. Why have insurance if you have to pay the dentist?

Reply: Medical insurance has a cost paid out by the insured, too. Dental insurance is designed to make dental care more affordable, not necessarily free. You may not think dental care without insurance is so bad, but to give you an example of how even in preventive care, dental insurance is worth the cost. Say all you need is preventative care.

Without insurance, preventive care costs (Office visits, Bite-wing X-rays, Oral Exam, and Basic Cleaning) can range around $200 – $400, keeping in mind most low-cost HMOs plan range from $8.00 to $20.00 a month with preventive care typical being free. More extensive dental care services become expensive when you don’t have dental insurance.

The popular California Dental Network HMO Plan 411 was reviewed online today at YouTube. Here is the link http://youtu.be/KpR1g4IcA9Y   We can help place your dental order online.  This dental plan offers individual and family dental services to eligible residents in the household, including their lawful spouse and dependent children.

Dependents shall also include all unmarried children under the age of 19 who are chiefly dependent on the subscriber for support and maintenance. Extension of eligibility may be made up to the age of 23 years for unmarried children who are principally dependent upon the subscriber and are registered students in regular, full-time attendance at an accredited school, college, or university (subscriber will be required to submit evidence of full-time status).

There are no deductibles and no yearly limits on services, and there are no claim forms to fill out. Your savings are in place when you visit network dentist. You just show up for your dental appointment and make your co-payment – what could be easier? The dentists must meet the Plan’s standard of quality and service. All have agreed to provide dental care at a low cost available only to its members. There is no waiting period for your dental services to begin, pre-existing dental conditions are covered. A reminder your application must be received by the company on or before the last day of the month prior to the following month’s coverage effective date.

Individual Dental Insurance for a student in Florida.  Hello  I am a full time student part time worker living in Florida with no dental benefits.   Unlike medical where I am on my parents plan since they do not have dental either I have to find a plan I can get on my own.  So what is a good cheap dental insurance you have that I can get?

Dental care in California for a couple.  I am a single dad of a five year old.  Due to a move and change in jobs I do not receive dental benefits only major medical care.  My son see a dentist twice a year and in the next month he will be due for his dental visit.  I would like to find a lower cost dental plan for the two of us.  I would also like to know if I can pay for the cost of a couple or do I need to get a family priced plan.  Please advise.

Texas Dental Insurance, with no waiting periods, Need dental work ASAP. I need more dental work then just preventive dental care. Yet so far all the dental insurance plans that I have review have long waiting periods for anything other then prevent dental care.

Therefore I would need to have a dental insurance without waiting periods for basic and major dental services. I would rather stay with my current dentist but I am willing to change dentist if that what it will take to get a dental insurance that will help me with out all the limitations.

Dental Insurance Dental Care, Missing Tooth Clause. Over the coarse of many years and bad teeth care habits I have lost a few teeth. I never had dental insurance and would hardly to to the dentist because to be frank I do not like dentist very much. I am currently paying the price for having such a bad attitude about my oral healthcare and dentist. I am trying now to do the right thing and get my teeth fixed up but I am finding out that there are no dental insurance plans willing to help me.

Many of the dental insurance plans I see have long term waiting period for the dental services I know I will be needing to have. If I have not choice in the matter I may be willing to wait out the waiting periods but I was told that many dental insurance have missing tooth clause and it may not be worth my buying dental insurance since the plan will not cover the dental work I would need to fix my teeth.

Dental Discount plan in Texas, I can not find the dental ADA code I need. So I am on your web site reviewing the different dental discount plans you have listed and I am thinking about getting the Careington dental discount plan.

The main problem I am having is my dentist gave me a treatment plan with ADA codes and I am using it to find the best dental plan for me. However, there are two codes I can not seem to find on the Careington dental plan you have listed and for that matter the codes I am looking for are not on the other plans I looked at.

Does that mean that services is not covered? They are the ones that cost the most so a course they be the ones not listed. Where do I find a plan that covers all dental services?

How do I compare different dental insurance and plans in California. So I live in Los Angeles California and I am on line looking and the many different dental insurance plans and dental plans that are available in California. What I really need is help in understanding the coverages.

I know I am going to need a cleaning more then likely a deep cleaning since it has been some time since I last saw a dentist. There also a good chance that I many need to have a filling or two. When I try to review the coverages of the different plans there are more then just one filling and I not sure where to find a deep cleaning on the coverage chart.

The same thing goes for crown there too many listed and I am not sure which would be the correct crown that most people get. How am I to know what one is needed so I can figure out my cost for those services and compare it to your other plans. Please advise

California Dental Care, Don’t forsake quality when buying a dental insurance plan. Sometimes finding the plan with “the” lowest cost, isn’t the best solution. It’s should be about finding a quality dental health care insurance plan at a competitive price.

Costs for dental procedures can be quite high but, by having dental insurance it will help make dental services more affordable. Today’s health insurance, including your dental plan, is designed to help you get the care you need at a reasonable cost.

Most individual dental insurance plans tend to emphasize preventive dental care. By offing free to very low cost preventive dental care to the insured it helps the company save money in paying out larger dental claims. If preventive dental care is affordable under the dental plan, the odds are higher that you will go and have the required dental check ups and cleanings. Therefore a dentist will be able to catch small dental problems before they become major dental services. In the long run saving money not only for the company but the plan holder.

In combination with information about different costs, benefits, discounts, choices and services make sure to compare dental insurance plans carefully. Look at more then just preventive care. Compare some of the higher cost dental services whether you need them now or not. By buying a dental insurance plan that offers good benefits on more then just preventive care you will be more likely to keep and use the dental insurance plan you purchased.

Low monthly cost dental plans for Braces on a minor in Washington. My son has very crooked teeth and needs to have braces. After speaking to an Orthodontic dentist that gave me a free consult I quickly found out that I do not have the money it would take for me to afford for him to have braces.

I need to know where can I go for low cost braces for a minor. He is only thirteen and I want him to have nice teeth but braces are so costly. I was quoted $750.00 down and a $150.00 for as long as he is in them. I do not have that kind of money.

Dental Care, Toothache pain in New York, I need low cost dental plan. I woke up today with a killer toothache. I am not sure why I now have such pain I did not do anything to the tooth that I know of. But the pain ins just terrible.

I called a dentist but just having them look at it and do X-rays will be very costly. I was told that I may want to get some dental insurance first. So can you please advise a low cost plan that start right away. Also what am I to do about the pain I currently having? Tylenol is not really helping me. Is there anything else I can try to do until I get into see a dentist?

Dental care in North Carolina, Toothache pain and need dental help. I have a bad toothache and I need to see a dentist right away. However I need to find both a low cost dental plan that can help me save money off my dental care and a dentist this is willing to work out payment with me for services render.

I do not have much money but I am not asking for free dental care. I can afford about $50.00 a month. Are there dentist that willing to be kind enough to fix my tooth and let me make low monthly payments?

Individual Dental Insurance for Less in California. Dental Bridge work needed. I am currently missing four of my front teeth. I do have teeth on either side of the gap so I was told that I could have a bridge put in. I have been dealing with this gap now for over three years and I just hate the way my teeth look.

I have been slowly saving up my money in order to fix up my teeth. I would like to have some idea on just how much getting a dental bridge would cost me? I tired calling a few dentist but they said they could not tell me any cost without seeing me first. I told them that I just wanted an idea of cost but even that seemed to much for them. Please advise so I know if I have enough money if I still need to be saving up some more.

Dental Insurance, Business Dental or Group Dental Plans in New York.  As a business owner, you are facing many difficult dental insurance plan decisions. One of the decisions is buying a business dental plan. Business dental insurance plans have become essential to businesses due to the increasing benefit needs of the employees, especially when they visit the dentist.

Group business dental insurance coverage is more affordable since all the participants of the plan are under one policy normally paid by the employer. Offering dental insurance to employees can aid in the employer recruitment and retention.

Studies indicate that supplemental employee benefits such as dental insurance can help retain high quality employees. The cost for business dental insurance will very, depending on the number of employees, the plan specifications, employee contributions, and the cost limitations you specify with your dental insurance agent.

Dental Insurance Coverages in New York, ADA code for a Root Canal. Last year I was told by a dentist that I should have a root canal done on a back molar. At the time I was in the process of moving so I put off having the dental work done and since then forgot all about it. Now that tooth is starting to hurt when I eat certain foods.

I been trying to find some dental insurance that can help me have a root canal done. The few places I called said that they can not give me a price quote for a root canal without an ADA code. As well as some plans stated to me that they would only cover a root canal if the general dentist in the plan can preform the service. That they do not cover specialist the plans that do still tell me I would need to know the ADA code.

I called the dentist office that told me a year ago about what I needed but got no help from them. So how do I know the ADA code that I will need and I do I know if I will need to see a specialist or not? Any advise

Dental Insurance Plans in Texas and staying with your dentist. Please do not give me any advise if it will not let me stay with my current dental provider. I have been seeing the same dentist since I was ten years old and I really like my dentist and trust him 100%. I will not change my dentist since the one time I try changing dentist to use the dental plan I get though work I had a really bad experience and will not be doing it again.

Since I have a dentist I love I am only looking for a dental insurance plan that will let me stay with him. One of the issues I seem to be running into however is that he is only a provider of Delta Dental but when I called Delta Dental I am told that they only offer group dental plan and not individual plans. How do I get insurance that will let me stay with my dentist regardless.

Individual Dental Plans in Virginia,  Looking for Low Cost Dental Care. I need some dental help. I know that I will need major dental work done to my teeth since it has been many years since I last seen a dentist. My problems was and still is that I am on an very tight income with not much left for extras.

Since I receive no dental benefits from work dental care is an extra cost that I can not always afford to spend. I was told getting dental insurance keeps you from seeing a low cost dentist that once they find out you have dental insurance they charge you more. I am not sure what to do can not afford to go to the dentist without a dental plan but worry that getting one will still not help me.

Comparing Dental coverages in New Jersey, What are ADA dental codes. Three days ago I sent in to see a dentist for just a regular dental check and cleaning. The dentist told me after taking X-rays, that my teeth were in good shape but that I will need to have a deep cleaning. I stated to him that I would look into it and see if I can afford to have it done after speaking with my insurance company.

So I called my dental insurance company that stated that without a the ADA codes they could not tell me my cost for the service. I told them it is just a deep cleaning but they said it was not enough information for them to tell me cost. I though a deep cleaning is just a deep cleaning what is a ADA code and were would I get that from?

Dental Insurance for Adult Braces in Connecticut, Wanting Invisaligns. I am over 30 and I need to have come corrected services for some gaping issues I have with my teeth. Although I do receive some dental benefits from my employer the plan they offer us does not provide benefits for adult braces.

I am willing to buy a dental insurance plan for myself as an addition to what I currently have if it will offer coverages for adult braces. In addition I do not want to have a mouth full of metal at age thirty. That said I would need the dental insurance plan to not only covers for adult braces but covers for invisalings.

Low Monthly Dental Insurance Quotes for Pennsylvania. I want to get the best dental rate for dental services render. I was told that I need to have four filling and a possible root canal with crown work done I do not have insurance so I need to get something in force before going ahead with having any dental work done.

I think I am like most people I do not have a lot of extra money after paying my required bills. I would like to keep my cost low. How do I go about not only shopping the dental insurance but making sure I am getting the best price for the dental services I will need to have?