Every once in a while, someone will say, “There must be a lot less cavities today than there were years ago because of improved home care, fluoride, etc., right?” Maybe in general, but there is still way too much decay. Poor diet and home care are the two most common culprits leading to decay. Dentists have seen a significant increase in decay during COVID.  When and what you eat and drink is important. Improvement in home care means changing what is being done now, and requires discipline.

Yesterday, I went into one of my hygienist’s rooms to check her patient, a 13-year-old boy, and asked the hygienist how his home care was, because his gums… (Read More)

Diagnosis is the key to success in any area of medicine, including dentistry. Proper diagnosis leads to success in treatment. In dentistry, there are different exams used at different times of a patient’s “career” at the dental office. I would like to clarify some of these in this column.

The Comprehensive Oral Evaluation is the term used to describe the initial exam with a new dentist. This evaluation usually is a more detailed exam performed by the dentist. It includes charting of the patient’s teeth (including present/missing teeth and existing restorations), a periodontal exam (to determine the health of the gums and bone that support the teeth), a visual oral cancer screening (a detailed exam… (Read More)

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)

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)

As you can imagine, most dental offices are bombarded daily with questions about dental insurance. “Do you take my plan? How much is covered? Why is dental insurance coverage so bad?” These are just a few of the questions we hear daily. So, why is dental insurance the way it is?

Dental insurance was first offered back in the early 1970’s. Back then, the first insurance companies offered a yearly maximum benefit level of $1000 per year per patient. In 2019, those insurance companies, and many others, offer an average yearly benefit of $1000 per year. Yes, you read that correctly; it has not changed. However, back in the 70’s you could have gotten a… (Read More)

I have focused the majority of my career on family preventive and general dentistry. While I enjoy most aspects of what I do, I firmly believe that a good percentage of dental problems are avoidable, which means that dentists shouldn’t be as busy as we are with routine fillings, removal of teeth, and many other procedures. While there are other factors at play, such as genetics, personal responsibility is often at the head of the pack.   

Prevention often takes a back seat to fixing problems.  Decayed, broken and worn teeth all had nothing wrong with them at some point. Granted, you have to fix what is already broken, but “How could it have been… (Read More)

I think it is safe to say that our healthcare system has some flaws. Wouldn’t it be nice to have a healthcare system that realized that everything in the body is connected? Unfortunately, there are no reasonable solutions for this in the near future. Therefore, it is important for you to take your health into your own hands and plan appropriately.

Patients will sometimes balk at treatment not covered by their dental insurance. Dentists will often hear, “Just do what my insurance covers. I don’t want anything extra.” In fact, a recent ADA poll showed that a lack of dental insurance was the #1 reason most patients gave for not visiting a dentist. Here are… (Read More)