Dentistry IS Affordable!!!

Having worked in the dental benefit industry for 18 years, one of the most common reasons I've been given for people to avoid seeing a dentist is the expense. Let's face it, dentistry is costly. Well, I just found a website that offers some dental trivia facts and it really put things into perspective with respect to affordability. I hope you enjoy this one as much as I did.

DID YOU KNOW?

• The average amount of money spent each year on DENTISTRY is $50 Billion.

Compared to:

• The average amount of money spent on PET FOOD each year, which is also $50 Billion!
• The average amount of money spent each year on HAIR CARE is $100 Billion!
• The average spent on legal GAMBLING each year is a staggering $300 Billion!!!

It would seem that we have no excuse to put off a visit to the dentist, based on those facts!

Keep Smiling!

Never Let an Abscessed Tooth Go Untreated!!!

Of all of the dental problems one can have, abscesses are among the most dangerous and unpredictable. Often times, people will let tooth pain go for a lengthy period of time and will not see a dentist until their pain is severe and an abscess has developed. Other times, an abscess can develop seemingly overnight. In rarer instances, an abscess can be growing under a tooth without the patient suffering severe pain and the only symptoms may be too subtle to notice by the untrained eye.... The danger in letting an abscess go untreated is that serious complications can arise. The following list should make someone sit up and pay attention!

If left untreated, abscesses can cause:

• Loss of the tooth
• Fever, chills
• Spread of infection to jawbone (serious infection can cause disfigurement)
• Spread of infection to brain, heart or lungs (extremely dangerous, can cause death!)
• Excessive swelling leading to blockage of airway or inability to eat or drink

You cannot be too careful with a toothache, or even a twinge...it can lead to an abscess.

If you or anyone you know has a toothache, don't let it progress to an abscess! If dental care is not immediately available, go to an urgent care center or the ER for treatment! Abscesses can become life threatening!