You may have heard the phrase “the mouth is the gateway to the rest of the body.” The mouth is connected to the rest of the body, and the only healthcare providers who spend time examining this area are your dental team. The days of the dentist being just the “tooth fixer” are gone. The key here is the practitioner thinking “outside the box” and treating each patient’s total-body health.

The average physician spends seven minutes every two years with a patient. There may be a 5 second glance inside the mouth during those visits. If you see a dentist on a regular basis, we (dentists and hygienists) spend an hour twice a year concentrating… (Read More)

Last week I discussed some of the content that was presented in a recent U.S. News & World Report which featured seven pages of information on dentistry. This is a continuation of that.

One of the columns in this section of the report entitled, “Guarding Kids’ First Choppers”, mentions that childhood tooth decay is “the most prevalent chronic disease in children”. This is true. According to the report, 28 percent of preschoolers have dental decay. There are many factors that contribute to dental decay, including poor dietary habits and insufficient oral hygiene. This increase is not only in preschoolers but right through high school.

However, the column goes on to say that “dental visits should… (Read More)

The importance of routine dental checkups goes much further than checking for cavities. Your dentist will thoroughly polish your teeth and remove stubborn plaque and tartar, but they’ll also perform various other tasks you may not know about. What else are they doing when checking your pearly whites? Read on to learn five things your dentist does during your appointment!

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A recent U.S. News & World Report featured seven pages of information on dentistry. Although I was surprised that most of the information was accurate, as the media often skews the facts to make a point, there were a few things that I felt needed clarification.

The first article highlights the fact that 75% of adults have some form of periodontal disease. This is true. It also mentions many of the known facts with regards to gum disease and systemic health. One of those is that uncorrected gum problems can make it more difficult for diabetics to control their blood sugar, and in turn worsen their gum problems. This is also true.

With regards to… (Read More)

In the last couple of columns I discussed the state of dental insurance in 2022. If you missed them you can read them at www.thetowncommon.com or my blog. The basic gist was that the dental insurance industry has not changed significantly in 40 years.  

It’s great if you get dental insurance from your employer for regular dental hygiene visits and have relatively small amounts of dental work to do. However, there are only a few reasons to purchase dental insurance on your own, even if you need a significant amount of dentistry. In this column, I will discuss the best strategies to get the dental care you need.

One thing is certain; most… (Read More)

Last week I explained how dental insurance works in general, and why there is no “good” dental insurance. This week I will break down the general differences between dental insurances, offer some things to consider when using your dental insurance, and when it makes sense to consider purchasing insurance if you don’t have it.

We get asked just about daily by patients who are either self-employed or are not offered insurance through their employer, “Should I consider getting dental insurance?” In most cases, it does not make sense to purchase dental insurance on your own. This goes back to last week’s column as to how dental “insurance” is set up to begin with.

As discussed… (Read More)