Dental health and hygiene advice

You are here: Your Dental Health > Dental health and hygiene advice - next page...

We know we should brush and floss regularly - but why is it so important?

As a child you assume it's for the benefit of others - so your teeth look nice and your breath smells fresh.

Then, as an adult it becomes clearer.

Your smile can influence whether you get that date; seal that deal, or help secure that job you really want.

But even more important is the fact that good oral hygiene has an impact on your overall health.

Very often, poor oral health will give an indication as to your general well-being, with diet and smoking affecting both.

It's not just your smile we're talking about here.

For more information visit our Dental Health and Oral Care Blog. Also chech out the dental health care page on this site.

dencover dental health hygiene and advice

Your daily dental routine is fairly simple to assess and modify yourself at home but nothing can take the place of regular visits to the dentist and hygienist and Dencover Insurance makes it easier to cover the cost.

If you haven't done so already, please take a close look at all the great dental plan benefits that a Dencover policy could bring to both you and your family. We actively encourage you to take a proactive approach by reimbursing you for routine exams and hygienist visits and that's just for starters.

Dental Insurance Has Links To Your Health

Did you know there is a link between your dental insurance and your general health? Many people do not realise there is a connection between their general health and dental health until after they have started researching dental insurance plans.

Research has linked cardiovascular diseases - including bacterial endocarditic diseases and strokes - with oral health problems. Research also suggests that the connection between gum disease and heart disease could be even stronger than those between high cholesterol or even smoking and heart attacks. It has been shown that the bacteria causing gum disease can often become dislodged and enter the blood stream. The same bacteria are found to surround the arteries, restricting blood flow which can potentially result in a heart attack. Dental insurance can decrease these risks greatly as they remove barriers like the cost of dental check-ups by helping contribute towards the cost of not only the consultation, but the treatments too. So by encouraging regular dental check-ups and paying for specialised dental procedures to help you maintain oral hygiene, dental insurance can actually help keep people healthy.

If you suffer from diabetes, for instance, you are far more susceptible to an increased risk in dry mouth, gum disease, tooth loss, dental caries, and a number of other mouth infections. In order to prevent some of these dental problems it is vital to visit a dentist regularly; specialised dental insurance for those who suffer with diabetes is advisable in order to have the best possible dental care at your disposal.

If you have gum disease and are pregnant, it is often harder to treat you and may be too late to treat if an infection has already spread through your body. If you are pregnant, you should schedule a dental check-up with your dentist at the earliest opportunity to make sure you don't have traces of the periodontal disease that could potentially harm the unborn child.

Many people, when shopping for dental insurance plans, schedule a general health check-up with their doctor but even if you do have an existing medical condition, it does not necessarily mean you will have to pay high dental insurance to get decent dental coverage. If you are in poor health, many dental insurance plans are more likely to assume you need extended dental care. Opting for a private dental insurance is often a more expensive option but the advantages such as quick treatment and greater coverage are vast.

There are many good dental insurance plans available which will accommodate most medical conditions. Be sure to find the best possible insurance plan to cater for you and your family.

Dealing With Dental Plaque

Dental plaque is that horrible sticky substance that builds up on our teeth when we forget to brush them. When we get plaque on our teeth, our mouths fill up with horrible little microorganisms called streptococcus mutans and other fancy bacteria.

Streptococcus mutans might sound like a mouthful but is a mouthful we can do without.

Plaque is constantly building up in our mouths and if we do not remove it, it will harden into calculus or tartar. In time, and if left unchecked, plaque will attack the gum line or gingival and below the gum line (sub gingival) causing inflammation of the gums.

Inflammation leads to gingivitis and advance to periodontitus. The gums become irritated and separate from the bone supporting the teeth. The teeth become loose and drop out. Not a very good situation when daily brushing could prevent this happening.

If you have a buildup of plaque, a dentist or dental hygienist will be able to remove it using a non-surgical procedure called scaling.

Prevent Plaque From Building Up

Regular twice daily brushing and flossing will remove food debris from the mouth and prevent the plaque from forming. Regular visits to the dentist for checkups will also keep your teeth and smile in tiptop condition.

Other ways to avoid plaque forming on your teeth are:

Avoid nicotine based products
Avoid starchy and sugary food and drink
Limit the snacks you eat throughout the day
Use a fluoride based toothpaste and brush twice daily
Floss at least once per day

Following these rules and getting your teeth checked at least twice per year by your dentist is the best way of dealing with dental plaque.

Suffering From A Dental Abscess

If you have ever experienced an abscess in your mouth you will know what a pain it is. For those of you, who have not had the experience, let me share it with you. An abscess can be painful especially when biting down on something but can also be a constant pain if it has developed and not been treated.

Abscesses occur when blood vessels and nerves deep inside the tooth die. This causes a bacterial infection that develops into a mass of pus and then becomes an abscess.

If you have been on the receiving end of an abscess you will know what the symptoms are.

Pain and tenderness especially when biting down on something with the infected tooth.
There's also swelling on the gum tissue due to the infection and often causes the face and cheek to swell.
The tooth may become loose which adds to the frustration and pain
Your body temperature goes up a degree or two

If you have an abscess, you will feel definitely uncomfortable and in pain with the only recourse being a trip to the dentist.

Your dentist will drain the abscess and prescribe antibiotics to fight the infection. With the swelling down and the pain gone or reduced, the dentist will offer one of two courses of action to prevent it from recurring.

Extract the dead tooth which was the cause of the infection
Perform a root canal procedure. This will clean the pulp from the tooth chamber which is then blocked off and filled with a composite filling or a crown.

Whichever course the dentist takes, the abscess will be completely gone and you will feel a lot better and it is all covered by your dental insurance.