Archive for the ‘Dental Health’ Category
Dental Health : Cleaning Your Teeth
August 20th, 2011 | 
Author: Cleaning your teeth is essential if you want to keep your bright shining smile in premium condition, and there are many methods available to you. Some of these you can perform at home as part of your daily routine, and some will be undertaken at your dentist. Of course maintaining your smile is only one reason for cleaning your teeth, dental health and the prevention of infection and tooth decay are essential outputs of regular cleaning.
The Dental Hygienist
Your dental hygienist is your main ally and your first stop for the best and most thorough teeth cleaning. Your hygienist’s role is to clean and polish your teeth following and in tandem with your regular oral examination. In addition, your hygienist will give advice and guidance on all aspects of the oral hygiene regime that you should follow at home.
Polishing the Teeth
Following scraping and cleaning of plaque from the teeth the final step of a regular cleaning routine will be polishing the teeth. Your dentist or hygienist will usually use a high-speed air polisher or a rubber tipped polisher. Polishers generally have a high pressure water jet to eliminate any traces of plaque remaining on the teeth and gums. The end result will be smooth feeling teeth that look shiny and bright and feel clean and healthy.
Deep Cleaning
This treatment can be performed by a dental hygienist, your dentist, or a periodontist, and is an advanced, thorough treatment performing an oral cleaning procedure below the gum line. Deep cleaning is commonly used in periodontal (gum) maintenance to remove plaque and stop infection from becoming periodontal disease. The treatment consists of scaling and root planing (removal of deep plaque below the gum line), and smoothing the tooth root to eliminate attachment surfaces for plaque.
Deep cleaning is not a regular procedure, but is generally considered for patients who have not visited a dentist in many years. The removal of deep plaque can be traumatic for some patients, and sedation may be required.
Dental Self-Care
Home dental care is one of the most important aspects of good dental health, and can be one the easiest to get wrong. Twice daily brushing, combined with effective flossing, is agreed by dentists and hygienists to be the best way to combat infection and tooth decay. With the availability of many ‘designed for home’ appliances and preparations to assist with at home dental care; putting together and maintaining an effective dental health routine is within everybody’s capability these days.
Flossing
An invaluable tool in the dental care armoury, flossing is one of the most crucial aspects of cleaning the teeth and gums. Flossing removes plaque, bacteria and particles of food from between the teeth and gums. While brushing is undoubtedly essential, flossing is vital to get at the places that your brush will not reach. Dental floss now comes in a wide variety of thicknesses and types, including several flavours. Try several different types until you find one that is easiest and most effective for you.
Toothpaste
Amongst all the toothpastes you will find on the shelf at your local supermarket or pharmacy, the very basic essential you need to keep teeth clean and healthy is a good quality, fluoride toothpaste. Watch out for whitening toothpastes and whitening kits, they may contain abrasives or acids that can wear down the tooth enamel with continued use.
With a mixture of regular and effective home dental care and regular visits to your dentist and hygienist, your teeth and gums stand their best chance of staying problem free, and rewarding you with a dazzling smile that you will be proud to show off.
The information above is for your general information only, and does not replace the need to seek personal advice from a qualified dental health professional.
And here we come to another hugely important question – How do I find the best dentist in my area, and what do I need to know before I go?
Dental Health Insurance : Is it Essential for Best Oral Hygiene?
A dental health insurance plan is a method of making private treatment available to more people by offsetting some of the costs. We all know that regular visits to the dentist are essential for good oral hygiene, but with all the furore about the non-availability of places at NHS dentists, many of us have had to consider dental insurance. But is this approach to dental health care cost-effective? It seems that it depends very much on your existing state of oral health and consequently how much treatment you will need going forward.
Following changes imposed by the government which standardised costs for dental procedures under the NHS, many, many dentists withdrew from the NHS, leaving a shortage of capacity for new NHS patient enrolment at dental practices. This left many with visiting a private dental practice as the only option for primary dental health care., and costs for such visits can be prohibitively high. There are various types of dental insurance cover, and the more common plans are outlined below:
Dental Cash Plans
Dental Cash Plans are regarded as the cheapest insurance plan for dental health. Premiums can be as low as £2 per week, with the insurance paying towards both private and NHS treatments, But, with a typical dental cash plan there will be a fairly modest annual limit on claims, with the policy holder having to find the balance of any treatment costs. As with any insurance policy this limit will be based on the level on premium paid in by the patient.
General Dental Insurance Cover
This type of cover may be the best option for those visiting the dentist for twice yearly check-ups, and usually with an existing good to excellent oral health. General dental insurance cover is charged at a flat rate based on the amount of cover required, and no pre-assessment is necessary. At a minimum level, your check-ups and emergency treatments will be covered. The down side of this type of policy can be an upper limit on the number of claims per year, and a ceiling on the percentage of the cost of each treatment reimbursed. If you have an unexpected requirement for major dental work, you may find yourself with insufficient cover with general dental insurance.
Capitalisation Cover
With capitalisation cover, the patient must be examined by a dentist before the level of premium to be paid is set. The plan cannot commence before this oral health assessment has been completed. Quite simply stated, the better the state of the your teeth and gums, the lower the premium will be. Your premium will be decided for your dental care for the following year, and treatment costs will be covered no matter how many treatments that you will have.
Do You Really Need Dental Health Cover?
It is quite evident from the above that if your general dental health is good, if you have a solid and regular oral hygiene programme at home, and if you only go to the dentist twice a year for check-ups, then it is unlikely that you require dental health insurance. However, unforeseen emergencies and treatments do crop up, and by investing in a low cost dental plan you will give yourself some peace of mind. Your dentist will be able to help you by discussing the options for a dental health plan that is right for you based on your dental history, the current state of your mouth, and a projection of how things look for the future in your individual case.
Dental Health Insurance : Is it Essential for Best Oral Hygiene?
A dental health insurance plan is a method of making private treatment available to more people by offsetting some of the costs. We all know that regular visits to the dentist are essential for good oral hygiene, but with all the furore about the non-availability of places at NHS dentists, many of us have had to consider dental insurance. But is this approach to dental health care cost-effective? It seems that it depends very much on your existing state of oral health and consequently how much treatment you will need going forward.
Following changes imposed by the government which standardised costs for dental procedures under the NHS, many, many dentists withdrew from the NHS, leaving a shortage of capacity for new NHS patient enrolment at dental practices. This left many with visiting a private dental practice as the only option for primary dental health care., and costs for such visits can be prohibitively high. There are various types of dental insurance cover, and the more common plans are outlined below: