Wednesday, August 31, 2016

Nail Biting Is Harmful To Your Teeth

Are you a nail biter or know someone how bites their nails? I had a close friend that used to bite her nails so far down that she had barley any nails.

According to the academy of General Dentistry, anyone who bites their nails are damaging their teeth. By biting your nails you can crack, chip or most commonly wear down the front of the teeth from the stress caused by biting.  If you wear braces you can be in serious trouble since the braces already have pressure on the teeth biting can cause root resorption (shortening of the roots) or even tooth loss.

If you don't break this habit in the long run you can develop Bruxism which is the unintentional grinding or clenching of the teeth and can cause serious pain, headaches, tooth sensitivity, receding gums and tooth loss.

Below are some tips on breaking the nail biting habit:

  • Identify triggers - Are you bored, nervous or stressed? 
  • Manicures - You will less likely want to bite your nails when you just paid to have them done.
  • Nail length - Keeps nails short, this way you wont be tempted to bite them
  • Keep crunchy foods with you - Keeping chips or carrots with you will help with the temptation to bite your nails. 



Thursday, August 25, 2016

Overdentures

Do you wear conventional dentures and dislike them because they wont stay put, you can't eat certain foods or they are painful?

Today dental implants are considered the top treatment option for people with missing teeth. Dental implants (small anchors) are permanently places into your jaw keeping the bone healthy and intact. These small anchors are acting like your natural tooth root.

The healing process for this procedure can last 2-6 months. This allows the implant and bone to bond along with letting the gums heal.

Next, dentures will be made and will be attached to the anchors! These dentures will be able to snap on and off easily for cleaning purposes.

Here are some benefits of overdentures:

  • Promotes better digestion, allows you to chew better which helps the stomach digest the food more efficiently.
  • Helps retain your facial structures. With out teeth your face will look sunken it and aged.
  • No more pain! You will have no more unnecessary movement when eating and talking.

Hopefully after wearing overdenturs you will regain your confidence and smile!!!




Tuesday, August 23, 2016

Going Cheap With A Mouthguard Could Ultimately Cost You More

With youth football season coming upon us, it is that time of year to start gathering the equipment you need to make sure that your young athlete is safe out there on the gridiron. The mouthpiece is an essential part of that equipment and for the health of your child. The mouth piece, one that is of good quality, will reduce concussions, reduce broken teeth, protect the jaw and reduce the biting of the tongue. However, not all mouth pieces are the same. Some retail stores sell them for really cheap and with the high cost of the other equipment, it is a great area to save a few bucks.

However, that cheap mouthpiece can cost you more in the long run if it does not protect your athlete's mouth the way it should. Here are some tips to make sure that you get a mouthpiece that will protect your child's head and smile.

1. A good mouthpiece will be clinically or scientifically tested.
2. A good mouthpiece should have an impact force rating of 5 joules or higher
3. A good mouthpiece should have an impact energy rating of 2.25 joules or higher
4. The mouthpiece should fit your child's mouth comfortably and not cause any mouth sores
5. The mouthpiece should cover all teeth including back molars, but not any further. If the mouthpiece goes too far back in the mouth, it could potentially block or restrict their airway.

Also, if your child wears braces, make sure that mouthpiece is designed to for braces. Braces themselves are a big investment as you already know. Protecting them with the correct mouthpiece is imperative to your child's orthodontic treatment.

When in doubt as to which mouthpiece is right for your child, check with your dentist. Some dental centers may even be able to order one the is custom fit for your athlete's mouth and that will ensure the best protection.

Lastly, make sure that your young athlete has a dental exam prior to starting the season. This will allow the dentist to check everything over and make you aware of any problems that may arise from the contact in football.

Savon Dental Plan Is Available In The Tri-State Area!

We are pleased to announce that Savon Dental Plan is now available in the Tri-State Area of Laughlin Nevada, Bullhead City, Arizona, Fort Mohave, Arizona, Mohave Valley, Arizona and Needles, California and surrounding areas. As of right now, we have 1 provider in the area in Bullhead City, Arizona and are rapidly working to get more in the surrounding areas as well. This opens up a whole new market for us at Savon and gives us the opportunity to bring our affordable dental coverage to another smaller rural community that benefit from it greatly.

If you are a current member and are visiting that area, please know that your plan will work at any of our network providers that we get there, just as it does for all of our providers nationwide. If you live in the area, please take the time to check us out at SavonDentalPlan.com and see how much you WILL save at the dentist office.

We do have a representative that has relocated to the Bullhead City /  Fort Mohave area and is there to help with Provider and Member relations. If you would like to speak with him, you can reach him at 800-809-3494, Ext 103.

Tuesday, August 16, 2016

Oral Cancer

Oral cancer is the growth of cells that invade and cause damage to the tissue it surrounds.  It often appears as a growth or sore that does not go away.  Oral cancer can be located on the lip, tongue, check, floor of mouth, hard and soft palate, sinuses, pharynx.  Some ways to determine oral cancer are patches in the mouth that are white, red, or mixture of both.  Sores that will not heal, bleeding in the mouth, pain when swallowing, loose teeth, and a lump in the neck.  Anyone with these symptoms should consult a doctor or a dentist.

Treatments for oral cancer are the same for other types of cancer.  Surgery, radiation and chemotherapy.  Proper treatment is solely dependent on what stage the cancer is at.  Surgery is commonly used for oral cancer this is usually done with a biopsy to remove the cancer.  Most people who are diagnosed with oral cancer are over the age of fifty years old.  There is no single cause of oral cancer, but some factors increase oral cancer are, smoking or chewing tobacco, alcohol, also sun exposure to lips.



Tuesday, August 9, 2016

Stay Connected With Savon Dental Plan!

At Savon, our members aren't just members, they're family. And to us, family always comes first. The most important thing about being a family is communication and staying connected. And that's just what we want to do with you! Check out these great ways to keep in touch with us. You never know what hidden surprises you might find!

Savon Dental Plan's Official Website - This is THE tool for every member and prospective member where you can view our dentists list, our fee schedules, compare us to different plans and insurance, sign up, and even renew your plan! Here we also provide important information about the industry, tips on figuring out what is right for you, a monthly newsletter keeping you up to date on current events within the company, and much, much more!

Facebook With Us! - Like us on facebook! It's not uncommon to find special contests with VALUABLE prizes, as well as links to our daily blog, fun polls, and things to just make you smile (which is our favorite thing to do)!

Follow Us On Twitter! - Another great source to keep you up to date with Savon! Be the FIRST to get the latest news by following us today!

And one last thing...

If you're looking for the best of the best Arizona's businesses have to offer, check out Savon's Business Partner Guide!

Thank you for being a part of the Savon Family! Get connected and keep us close! :)



Original Post by MoobiDoo on 10/1/10!

Thursday, August 4, 2016

Obamacare-Is Your Smile Suffering?

Surely it is, if you're an adult. There are no provisions in the Affordable Healthcare Act that allow for dentistry for adults. A child can expect to receive basic care, but probably not Orthodontics, unless it can be proven that it is a "medical necessity". It's unfortunate, but true. Additionally, insurance companies may now be required to offer dental coverage as part of their health insurance benefit at an additional cost to the consumer, however, that cost generally FAR outweighs any benefits you may get from the insurance. Most dental insurance plans do not include Orthodontics. Discount Dental Plans, however, do! The following links are to help you to understand the real difference between a good dental plan and insurance, and to help shed some light on what will not be covered under Obamacare. There are many exclusions & likely as many loopholes included in that directive! By the way, just a little bit of trivia...the entire Obamacare directive is purported to be anywhere from 13,000 to 33,000 pages long, depending on which website you survey. Oh My Goodness... The point is, many people are not aware that it doesn't include dental care for adults. Please visit these links for some valuable information.

Read here for some good information about dental coverage.

Read here for a comparison of dental insurance and dental plans.

As always, Try To Keep Smiling!

Flossing Benefits Unproven

We all know flossing is a very important step in taking care of our oral health but in recent studies there is little proof that flossing actually works.

The study was conducted over the past decade and compares the combination of brushing and floss along with just the use of a toothbrush. The findings of flossing were "weak, very unreliable," of  "very low" quality, and carries "a moderate to large potential for bias."

The American Academy of Periodontology and the American Dental Association say that they have proof that flossing prevents many things such as plaque, gum disease and decay. However their studies were outdated, used old methods and only studied a handful of people for a short amount of time, where this new study like I mentioned above has taken a decade.

Researchers say that you should still floss but you don't  have to crazy if you forget to!

For the full article click here!

*Fun Fact: Did you know in 2015 Americans spent about $448 Million on dental floss?