In House Dental Plans... Not As Good As They Sound.

There are a lot of dental centers that now offer their own dental plan. This is a good concept for the dental office, but what is the benefit for the patient?

By providing a plan for their patients, the dental office can help the patient save money on their treatment plan that is set by the dentist. The office will then discount based in their usual and customary rates (UCR). This may sound good for the patient, but when compared to Savon Dental Plan, the savings that patient receive are not always that good. Also, the coverage offered by that center in most cases does not extend past that office or corporation. If a patient is unhappy with the dentist or the center, then they will have to seek alternative coverage to go somewhere else.

Savon Dental Plan overcomes that to give an great advantage to the members. First, Savon bases it's fee schedule on the average usual and customary rates of dentists per area. Then reduces that fee to 50% off to come up with the Savon price. Savon Dental Plan providers are contracted to abide by the fee schedule for Savon members. (the fee schedule for your area is posted on their website) Second, Savon has multiple providers nationwide that are available to it's members. (which is also available on their website) This allows the customer to choose a dentist that they are happy with, and the freedom to change dentist if they desire without having to seek out alternative plans.

There is so much more that Savon Dental Plan offers. To see that and how Savon compares to other dental plans, click on "the comparison zone" page of their website at www.savondentalplan.com

Oral Disease Affecting Athletes Performances?

According to University College London's Eastman Dental Institute, high levels of oral disease are found among Great Britain's (GB) elite athletes and is the leasing cause to poor on field performances.

This is the largest study of it's kind, more than 350 athletes from nine different GB sports teams participated in this study which included an oral health assessment checking for tooth decay, tooth erosion and gum disease. The athletes also had to fill out a questioner focusing on: sleeping, eating and self-confidence.

Results of the oral assessment: 49.1% of the athletes had untreated tooth decay, 77% had gingivitis, 30% reported having bleeding gums and only 1.1% had excellent oral health.

Results of the questioner: 32% of the athletes reported that these poor oral conditions negatively impact their sporting performance. 34.6%  inability to eat. 15.1%  relax and sleep 17.2%  smiling and self-confidence.

After the study Professor Ian Needleman made a few comments:

• "Nutrition in sports is heavily reliant on frequent carbohydrate intake, which are known to increase inflammation in the body and gum tissues.
•  "In sports where there is a lot of airflow, such as cycling and running, breathing hard can make the mouth dry so teeth lose the protective benefits of saliva and there is existing evidence of lower quality of saliva with intensive training. 
• "Stress is also clearly a risk factor, with some athletes reporting vomiting before every race, as a result of ore-competition anxiety." 
  
  
  
  
  
   *Whether your an athlete or not, it's important to maintain good oral health by brushing and flossing regularly, eating a balances diet and visiting the dentist every 6 months for a routine check up*
  
  

Dental Charities - A Great Way To Give!

Although the economy has improved in the last 2 years, many people are still in need of financial assistance for dental expenses, and as I mentioned in my prior blog, a large number of them are millennials and senior citizens. Dental prices are among the highest in the medical field, and are rising. It is unfortunate that dental care gets shoved to the bottom of the priority list out of necessity... and struggling young families with children are the ones who need help the most.
There are some great charities out there for people in need of dental care! I did some research and compiled a small list. If you are among the many who need help, I hope this list will help. If you are among the few who are in a position to donate, please contact one of these charities! Dental health is linked to physical health, and children are most affected. Please give!

• American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry Charitable Foundation
• Oral Health America (OHA)
• Healthy Smiles Healthy Children
• National Foundation of Dentistry for the Handicapped

Click here for a link that lists a large number of wonderful dental charities.
Keep Smiling!

What Is An Impacted Tooth?

An impacted tooth is a tooth that gets blocked as it is pushing through the gum into your mouth. A common tooth to get impacted is the wisdom teeth.

Wisdom teeth, also known as the third molars usually begin to come in between the ages of 17 and 21. Most cases they may become impacted due to the lack of room in your mouth. They may come in sideways or be tilted in your jaw. 

You can have an impacted tooth and not even know, as some are painless. When an impacted wisdom tooth tries to come in it can become infected and swollen. Sometimes you even feel pain in nearby teeth, or in the ear on that side of your face. 

If untreated an impacted tooth can lead to an infection called pericoronitis. This infection can spread to the throat or into the neck. Impacted teeth also can get cavities, lead to tooth movement, decay or gum disease. It also can change the way your teeth come together.

Is Oral Cancer Common?

Oral Cancer strikes nearly 35,000 Americans each year. The good news is that early detection gives you a 90% chance of surviving oral cancer. This is part of why regular dental exams are crucial part of your preventive health care. Our team screens for oral cancer at each dental exam to ensure we catch any suspicious lesions early and to give you peace of mind. You can also look for abnormalities between visits. Lear to recognize the signs and symptoms here.

You can help lower your risk of developing oral cancer, improve treatment success rates and keep your mouth healthy by doing the following:

• Avoid using tobacco products and limit alcohol consumption.
• Always protect your lips with sun block (oral cancer can be outside the mouth too).
• Make a dental appointment if a sore in your mouth lasts longer than two weeks.

 Information is from a flyer I received from my dental office: Dr. Ghasem Darian, Winning Smiles Dentistry.

Bad Teeth & Social Stigma - The Ugly Truth

Dentistry is horribly expensive, and as a result, large percentages of people in every age group avoid going to the dentist due to the high cost alone.  It is unfortunate, but there is a certain stigma attached to those who have poor dentition or decayed teeth; placed there by a society that considers one's appearance to be a measurable factor in their character, ability and even their intelligence.  After all, a smile is the first thing that people notice when they first meet someone.

How is the person with the decayed teeth, gum disease or misaligned teeth perceived by society in general? The answer isn't pretty.  Many are thought of as poor, some unintelligent, even more are outcast as socially inferior.  Some are denied entry into social groups, some are denied jobs. In some groups one is considered to be less likely to be successful if they have poor teeth. This treatment, this stigma, can lead to lower self esteem, depression and worse, poverty. It drives them even further down the social/economic ladder. 

It is interesting to note that the age group hit hardest by this problem are the millennial's. Dentistry is a luxury they simply can't afford. Due to the social stigma of poor dentition, many can't find jobs. It is estimated that some 30% of millennial's have tooth decay or are in need of serious dental care.  This is the highest percentage of any other age group.  Millennial's are also less likely to have dental insurance.  Senior citizens are second only to the millennial's.  Another travesty with devastating consequences, as the rise in dental costs affects senior's health and well being even more than their social status.

It is also interesting to note that the United States is a country that places a high importance on the appearance of an individual, in terms of social status.  In other countries, such as England, Australia, Africa and even Japan, it is more widely accepted to have a less than perfect smile. It just isn't that important to them. 

We, as a society, need to stop judging the book by it's cover. American's are a tough group!  Chill out, people!  Not everyone can look like a celebrity.

Keep smiling! 

Facts About Taste Buds

When your taking a bite of a big, juicy burger or sipping on a milkshake, you know one thing... It tastes good, right? Ever think about why that is? 

Your tongue and the roof of your mouth are covered in thousands of these tiny little buds. When you eat, your saliva helps break down food. Your taste buds send little messages to your brain which tell you all kinds of information like wheather or not the food tastes good, if it's hot, cold, sweet, sour, etc. 

Taste buds are most important because they are play the biggest part in enjoying different foods and flavors. As a child, you would have been more sensitive to different foods because your taste buds were not only on your tongue, but on the roof and the sides of your mouth. As an adult, you may notice certain foods you were unable to eat as a child, taste better. This is because your taste buds are more centered to your tongue area and are now less sensitive.

Here are some facts about your taste buds:

-Buds that taste bitterness are located at the back of the tongue. Sour taste buds are located on either side of the tongue, with salty/sweet buds on the tip. The center of the tongue does not have many taste buds.

-Taste is the weakest of the 5 senses

- Girls have more tastebuds than boys

-We have nearly 10,000 taste buds inside our mouths