Most people get health insurance through work or purchase a policy on their own, but may not think of dental insurance. Often, dental insurance is not offered through work insurance plans.
Dental care could get expensive, especially if you have children and need to spring for cleanings every six months, fillings, braces and other dental work.
Dental problems tend to creep up on you, even if you brush and floss every day. When the toothache hits, the first thing most people want to do is to get it repaired. A cavity that is sore stops you from eating on that side of your mouth. Leaving issues go also increases the possibility of getting gum disease.
With dental insurance, you won’t have to worry about coming up with the money to repair a bad tooth, especially when you consider that some procedures could run into thousands of dollars.
Illness
Some illnesses, such as diabetes, heat disease and stroke, could cause your teeth to break according to the Centers for Disease Control. Furthermore, oral diseases such as gingivitis could cause teeth to break. If the tooth breaks in the middle or at the gum line, you’ll need surgery to remove it, and dental insurance helps with the cost of repairing or replacing teeth damaged because of illness.
Surgical Extractions
Surgical extractions are expensive, especially if you need sedation in the form of nitrous oxide, an intravenous line, or a pill. If you have to pay for extractions out of pocket, the cost could be prohibitive, but with dental insurance the cost of sedation may be covered, especially if sedation is required and not something you opt to do.
Understanding Your Oral Needs
Age, genetics, illness and other factors determine how much dental care you need. Genetics could cause you to have softer teeth or teeth with thin enamel. If you have these problems, you may have to visit your dentist more often. You may also experience non-genetic problems like gum disease and gingivitis. If you have a good dental insurance plan, you won’t have to worry about coming up with a lump of cash to care for your teeth.Insurance helps you afford the care you need to make your teeth last longer than they would without proper dental care.
In addition to getting regular cleanings and other care from your dentist, you should also create a daily oral health routine. For many, this means brushing and flossing, but those who have diabetes or are pregnant may require additional care as outlined by their dentist.
Eating a Balanced Diet
When you eat a balanced diet and cut out extra starches and sugars, you maintain better oral health. However, even when you do this, you will still need to visit the dentist — but not as often as a person who eats a lot of sugars and starches and easily gets cavities. If you must eat sugars and starches, brush your teeth after eating or at least chew a piece of sugarless gum. If you have soft teeth or problems with the enamel, sugars and starches could affect your teeth sooner rather than later.
Examining Your Mouth
You should examine your mouth frequently. You may catch a cracked or chipped tooth early enough to have it repaired, instead of having the tooth start to decay or break completely off. With dental insurance, you can visit your dentist knowing that your visit to repair a problem in the early stages is covered; and you won’t have to wait until you get the cash, thus having a potential to create more damage.
When contemplating your health, eye and dental insurance options, do not think that health insurance will be enough — be sure you find a dental insurance plan that fits your needs.