If you read my last blog entry about dental insurance, you should be well versed in how dental insurance and medical insurance differ. Beyond what’s been previously discussed, there are also differences in the issue of “in” versus “out” of network. We all know when it comes to medical insurance, it’s better to see an […]
I read this article this morning and had to restrain myself from jumping up and down, pumping my fists and shouting whoo hoo!! Dentists take so much abuse for their “high” fees, the fact that they don’t perform all treatments in-house, and for not being in-network for specific insurance plans. Finally the media speaks the […]
Another excellent question! A dental assistant may have a professional designation, Registered Dental Assistant (RDA), or may not. The duties that a RDA versus just a Dental Assistant (DA) can do differ dramatically. Both are there to assist the dentist with procedures. They will suction, assist with instruments, take molds of the teeth, and make […]
An excellent question, thanks for asking! A dental hygienist is a licensed professional who is allowed to clean deposits of plaque and tartar off of teeth both above and below the gums. They are called an RDH—Registered Dental Hygienist because they have completed years of schooling and passed a state board exam giving them a […]
For some reason, water fluoridation always seems to be a hot button issue. In the last two centuries research has shown that rates of cavities in populations with water fluoridation have decreased dramatically. That should seem like a good thing, right? The amount of fluoride that is added to public drinking water is miniscule… measured […]
MSN Health posted an interesting slideshow titled “4 Reasons Skipping the Dentist is Bad for You.” With increasing knowledge about the links between oral health and systemic (whole body) health, this article couldn’t come at a better time. With poor dental health being linked to heart disease, diabetes, pancreatic cancer and pre-term birth for woman, […]
Xylitol is a naturally occurring plant sugar that has recently found its way into widely distributed gums, candies and mouth rinses. What makes xylitol so unique is the way your body processes it. While it tastes sweet, just like sucrose (table sugar) and fructose (corn syrup), it does not cause cavities. Normally, the bacteria in […]
If you read last week’s entry, you now know that cavities are caused not by sugar, but by acid present in your mouth. The amount of acid is directly related to the amount of bacteria, or bacterial “load”. So, the questions is, “How do you keep acid and bacteria to a minimum?” In the last […]
Well, the simple answer is because of acid. Many people think that as long as you don’t eat sugar you won’t get cavities. This isn’t entirely true, and I’ll tell you why. Let’s start with defining what a cavity is. A cavity, by definition, is a hole. And a cavity in your tooth is exactly […]