Question: I am not having any dental pain but I have not been to the dentist in over four years since I got drop from my parents dental insurance policy.   I think my teeth are find but my mom has been getting on me about seeing a dentist, saying I could have cavities and not even know it until it is too late.  Is that true?  Or is there a way for me to know then go to the dentist if needed.

Answer: Cavities are funny they can be there but may not hurt you until they become a larger issues. So yes, your mom is right. Going to the dentist at least once every six months for your dental check up and cleaning is important in order to avoid having larger dental issues latter on.  If it is about cost You can get a low cost dental plan like an HMO which in most cases provides free preventive dental care services.

Question:  I only dental a dental plan for my son and dental insurance forces me to add myself on the plan and pay more for the cost of insurance when I only need it for my son’s dental care needs. Can I buy Careington dental plan for just my minor son without having to add myself to it as well?

Answer: You can buy your son the Careington dental plan at the monthly cost of 9.95 a month for an individual. Just make sure that the plan as a dentist in their network that you can take your son to.

It is important to take care of your dentures and to keep them clean. There are many different types of denture cleansers such a creams, pastes, gels and solutions that are made to clean both full dentures and removable partial dentures. If you are not sure what is best for you talk to your dentist.  By taking good care of your dentures will prolong their life span and save you money on buying new ones too soon.

Question: I was looking at your California dental and the Primecare dental plans, but do not really know which one I should get.  They both look good but what are the differences?  Why should I get one over the other.  What should I be looking for when buying dental insurance?

Answer: What many people like about dental HMO plans is that their coverages and cost are all laid out for them. You know what you are covered for and how much you are going to have to pay for the dental services listed.  Therefore when comparing dental two HMOs dental plans you want to compare their coverages and your cost for the dental services you feel you currently need.   Another factor for you could be their provider list. Compare dentist that are listed in the plans network. Make sure you have a dentist you want to go to under an HMO. I would advise giving the dentist a call before making the final decision on which plan to buy.

The hard calcified tissue covering the dentin of the crown of the tooth. Tooth enamel is one of the four major tissues that make up the tooth in humans.  It makes up the normally visible part of the tooth, covering the crown. The other major tissues are dentin, cementum, and dental pulp. It is a white ‘parasol’ that protects the teeth but can easily decay and be destroyed.

Ibuprofen is a medicine that help to relieves pain. Ibuprofen is sometimes suggested after having dental work such as a root canal or extraction.  You can buy it without getting a prescription from a doctor/dentist. Advil and Motrin are both examples of ibuprofen.

Gum disease is a disease that may cause gums to be red, swollen and bleed easily. If left untreated, gum disease can get worse and damage the tissues that hold your teeth in place. It is also called gingivitis or periodontal disease, depending on the severity.

Remember one of the best ways to avoid gum disease is by brushing and flossing daily and seeing your dentist regularly.  Not only will doing so help to reduce your risk of having gum disease but you also reduce the risk of having to have larger dental care needs and there by save money on your over all dental care.

I only need a dental insurance plan for a short term.  Less then six months.   The reason is that I will not be stating in the US after that time frame.  Can you buy dental insurance for only six months?  Or if I do buy it monthly will they lock me into a year or more contract?   How do you get just a short time dental plan?

Answer: I would first suggest reviewing either a monthly dental HMO insurance plan option or a dental discount plan.  I say this because most PPO or free choice of provider plans will have waiting periods so even if they do cancel your plan at your request you may not have received any benefits do to the waiting periods.

With that said in most cases HMO and or dental discount plans will let you cancel their monthly plans with a 30 day written request. Otherwise if you are required to keep the plan for a year it will be stated in whitening before buying the plan.  Therefore just read the plan terms and conditions prior to buying a dental plan.

I have two boys under 13 and they both look like they may need braces in the future.  The dental insurance plan we have under my husband dental does not cover much for braces.   Can I get a dental discount plan when needed to get the saving in addition to my current dental insurance plan that only pays out $1500.00 towards the cost of braces

Answer: It would depend if you are able to find a dentist that takes both types of dental plans and be willing to still offer you the discounts and bill your dental insurance carrier.  I would make sure that you have a dentist that knows that you are wanting to combine a discount plan to your current insurance. Do not forget under dental discount plans you have to choose a dentist that takes the plan for it to be valid.

Dental floss is a thick string used to remove food trapped between your teeth and remove bacteria that cannot be reached by brushing alone. It is usually made from nylon filaments or plastic monofilaments and may be treated with flavoring agents to make flossing more pleasant.

Flossing daily is a key part of your at home dental care habits. Wish to maintain healthy teeth and gums? If so make sure flossing is part of your daily routine.

How do I get my dentist to file the claims? I got a dental PPO insurance plan because the dentist I want to go only takes PPO dental insurance plans.  I have to deal with the waiting periods and yearly max limits in order to continue seeing my dentist.  I was find with that but now I am being told that they are going to make me pay for my dental services in full!!  That it is up to me to file the claim to my insurance company.  They would fill out the form but that is all they will do.

This is something they did not inform me of when I went to the trouble of getting dental insurance that will aloud me to go to them.   I am to say the least really pissed off.  How do I get them to file the claim so that I only have to pay for what my plan does not?  Since my dentist changed his staffing and drop the one HMO plan that I had I am left feeling like he does not care for my business, and I am the one left jumping all of their hoops.

Answer: There is not much you can do about it.  The dentist/dental office can choose how they wish to file out claims.  Many more dental office are filing claims in this manor and finding a dentist office that will just billing you for any unpaid balances after you have already received their services may become harder for you.  You may want to go back to an HMO dental insurance plan and choose a new provider.

Question: How do I know if I have an dental abscessed? I been having this pain behind my last tooth on the bottom right side of my mouth.  When I try and look in my mouth it does seem to be redder then normal.  Also I can feel a little bump that was not there before.  I am not sure if it is a wisdom tooth coming out since I never had mine pulled.  Or if it is a dental abscess.  Before I just go to the dentist since I do not have a lot of money I would like to have some idea what it is.  I do not want to go to the dentist over nothing.

Answer: An abscessed is normally a painful infection at the root of the tooth or sometimes it is in between the gum and the tooth. You can get an abscessed tooth due to untreated tooth decay. However you can also get an abscessed if you have trauma to your tooth, such as braking or chipping your tooth, or if you have gum disease or gingivitis.  If you think you have a abscessed tooth it is very important that you see your dentist right away. The abscessed or an infection may spread from the tooth root to the bone causing a much large oral health issue. If you need dental insurance there are many affordable dental plan available that can address your dental needs.

 My job will no longer be offering us dental insurance. I do not know what to look for when it comes to buying dental insurance on my own.  I always just got whatever my job gave to us and dealt with it. Can you give me some helpful advise on what I should know when it comes to buying a family dental insurance plan?

Answer:  What is your budget for dental insurance? Family plan can range any where from $30- $120 or more a month depending on the type of dental plan you want.  HMOs dental insurance and Dental discount plans would be the more affordable or lower cost plans.   Where as PPOs dental insurance and Indemnity dental insurance plans are on the higher month cost range.

My best advise to you is to make sure you read and understand the plan terms and conditions. This is so important! Some plans have waiting periods, yearly max limits, and deductibles.   Where other plans you have to stay within their plan network of dental office providers. Knowing what each plan limitations are will save you grief latter on.  If you do have questions about a plan and you can not find the answer then call member services at 310-534-3444. They are there to help you pick the best plan for you.

Dentures are a set of artificial teeth. They can replace all of one’s teeth (complete dentures) or a section of teeth (partial dentures). Most dental insurance company will provide benefits on dentures.

Most dental insurance plan will provide some benefits for dentures. PPO plans will normally have a waiting period for major dental care of a year or more, however if you need dentures right away you may want to review HMO insurance plans options or Dental Discount plans as a way to reduce your cost for dentures.

I need to get dental insurance for my son who is nine years old.   My son is in another state then where I am in since he lives with his mom for most of the year.  Can  I buy dental insurance just for him?  I called a few companies that tell me I need an adult on the plan.  I do not want to have to put his mom on the plan unless there is no other choice since it is not like she will be paying me back for the difference.

Answer: It can be just a hit an miss with the companies on something like that. Some companies as you notice will not write a minor on a plan by themselves. Where other companies will. You will just have to continue making the phones calls to confirm. You may also want to see if you can add yourself onto the policy if it just about not wanting your ex to be able to benefit from you having to buy the plan.    Otherwise I could suggest looking at a dental discount plan since they would not have an issue writing a minor in most cases.

A dental bridge is an appliance that fills the space left by missing teeth with artificial ones, held in place by attaching to natural teeth or implants. A dental bridge can be removable or fixed in place.  Under most dental PPO insurance plans bridges fall under major dental care and will normally be covered up to 50 percent of the cost up to your maximum yearly limitation.

My gums have been bleeding when I brush my teeth.  I brush two to three times a day depending on what I eat.  Lately I have notice that my gums look a little redder then they use to and they bleeding when I brush.  Not a lot but enough for me to notice.  Should I see a dentist about this?  I worried that something is up.

Answer: First whenever you feel you are having a dental issue you are unsure about, seeing your dentist is always a good idea. However make sure you are not brushing your teeth too hard, sounds as if that can also be the cause to why your gums are getting red.   You talked about how well you brush and that good but did not say if you are flossing.  Flossing is a very important step in your daily dental care habits in maintaining healthy teeth and gums.

The Deductible is the amount of dental expense for which the beneficiary (you) is responsible before a third party (the dental insurance plan) will assume payment of benefits. Example: $50 Deductible Per Person Per Calendar Year

I need to have three filling and one crown for a cracked back molar.  I do have dental insurance but when I ask the dental office staffing what I am covered for and for how much they do not seem to know or will not give me a direct answer.   I told the counter girl that I do not what to have any dental work done that I am not going to be covered for.  I was told that my policy pay on a percent of my dental services however they do not know the final billing until after my insurance company pays the bill.  Then they will charge me any remaining differences.   Well this does not work for me.  What happen if I get stuck with a bill I can not afford to pay.  This dental office does not offer a billing plan so I would need to pay the bill off when I get it.  I want to know a head of time.  Is this possible or do I have to hope that the bill stays low enough for me to pay.

Answer: Normally a dental office will not say, “X”  is the dollar amount you would have to pay them based only on your policy coverages.   The reason for this is that they know there are sometime UCR fees. Your insurance company will normally only pay out to what they feel is fair and reasonable in your area.

As an example: Your plan may say that they cover out 50% for the cost of a crown. But they may say that the UCR rate for a crown is $600.00 However your dentist charges $800.00 what will happen in this case is that your dental insurance company will pay out 50% of the $600.00 leaving you not only the $300.00 but the remaining $200.00 that the company did not cover out for.

You can see by that example why a dental office would not be able to confirm exact cost to you. Now what you can do is before having any dental work done is that you submit a dental treatment plan to your insurance company as a quote only.   That way before having any dental services render your insurance company can confirm to you your coverage amount. I am surprised that your dental office did not suggest this to you

Question: How often should you brush your teeth and for how long.  I do not like getting any cavities and I trying to get my teeth whiter. So I tend to brush my teeth all the time for a long time with out stopping

Answer: You should brush your teeth after every meal when ever possible. There are many brands of toothpaste with whiting that you can use that may help whiten your teeth. You should also avoid staining your teeth (ie with coffee soda and smoking to name a few) You should brush your teeth for two to three minutes.

I am not sure what you mean by brushing without stopping. I can only guess that you mean to brush for a longer period of time then the suggested two to three minutes. You do not want to brush to the point that you are hurting your teeth and gums. If your teeth are not getting white by brushing normally, then you may wish to speak to your dentist to get advise on what they may recommend you to do