Even though your baby is not using a fluoride toothpaste, he/she should get enough fluoride (Fluoride is important for preventing tooth decay) from drinking tap water. Most communal water supplies have it added just for this beneficial purpose. Ask your dentist about fluoride supplements. Your baby can take it once he/she’s six months old if your tap water is not fluoridated or your child does not drink any tap water.

You will want to start using a toothbrush with paste at around age two. Begin using a pea-size amount of non-fluoride toothpaste once Baby is about two. Wait until at least three, when your child is old enough not to swallow the toothpaste, before introducing the fluoride kind.

Did you know that most infant foods easily wash off Baby’s teeth with just a drink of water after meals. But it is good to introduce a toothbrush as soon as possible, so baby can get used to having it in his/her mouth. You probably will not need to use the brush to actually clean Baby’s teeth until he/she’s eating only table foods (and has a significant number of teeth), at around 18 months. However, you will want to gently clean your child’s teeth with a toothbrush or thimble-like cleaner and some bicarbonate of soda if your toddler has eaten sticky, sugary foods

Even with good at home dental care habits you want to always check for any signs of tooth decay. The first signs of cavities in baby teeth are discoloration and minor pitting. Putting Baby to bed with a bottle of milk (or worse, juice) is notorious for causing cavities. Do not leave your infant with a bottle for long periods of time, especially if you notice he/she’s no longer feeding and is just using the bottle for comfort. Just like adults babies need to see their dentist regularly.

When it comes you your baby teeth you want to take care of them right away. Once the teeth begin coming in, start taking care of them right away. Sadly many parents think baby teeth are not important because they are eventually replaced by permanent ones. But these first teeth preserve the spacing for the permanent ones and help baby chew and talk. If they are not cared for properly they can decay, leading to a gum infection called gingivitis, which can affect the spacing of permanent teeth.

How can I get free dental care in California?

Reply: Medi-Cal Dental is the program that provides free or low-cost dental services to eligible children and adults. The Medi‑Cal Dental Program provides free or low‑cost dental services to children and adults who receive Medi‑Cal, California’s Medicaid program.

Some dental Schools also provide free to low cost dental services. You may want to review getting a dental HMO as they are low cost dental insurance plans that typically provide preventive care for free and lower the cost for all other covered services.

Question: I am on a tight budget but need some basic dental care that is affordable. I call around to a few dentist for cost of check up, X-rays and cleaning and getting quotes that range form $150 – $250. I like to pay no more then 50-75 since that is about the max I can afford. Where can I get affordable dental care.

Answer: It not really so much where as it seem like what you need first is dental insurance that will help make dental care affordable. I suggest a dental HMO insurance plan since it dose not seem as if you are locked into seeing any one dentist. HMO insurance plan are affordable running as low as $8.00 a month to $19.00 a month for an individual. With most HMO dental insurance plans your preventive care such as your check ups, X-rays and cleaning are normally free or at very low cost to you. You can see how this helps make the very dental services you are looking much more affordable.

Question: In CA want a dental insurance plan without any waiting periods.

Reply: If you are looking for a dental insurance plan that dose not generally have any waiting periods, then the plan type you will want to review will be the dental HMO’s. Dental HMO’s plan normally do not have any waiting periods for the services that are covered under the plan. However still make sure to read the plan terms and conditions as each plan is different. There are a few dental PPO’s plan that also may not have waiting periods but they tend to have either a lower maximum dollar limitation or reduce coverage’s within the first year of the plan. So also make sure to read each plan terms and conditions carefully. If you have any questions about the different dental insurance plans we offer call our member services at 310-534-3444 as we be happy to help

Although tooth loss has decreased over the last four decades, US adults with diabetes lose twice as many teeth as adults without diabetes, according to a new study by researchers at Duke University. Moreover, the researchers found that black Americans with diabetes are at greater risk of experiencing tooth loss as they age than white or Mexican Americans with diabetes.

Are cavities a pre-existing condition?

Reply: A pre-existing condition is an oral health problem that is already present at the time you sign up for your dental insurance plan. Most dental insurance plans will cover minor pre-existing conditions, such as cavities, right away. But some plans will not provide coverage for more serious pre-existing conditions.

A University of Sydney study has revealed that tooth decay (dental caries) can be stopped, reversed, and prevented without the need for the traditional ‘fill and drill’ approach that has dominated dental care for decades. The results of the seven year study, published today in Community Dentistry and Oral Epidemiology, found that the need for fillings was reduced by 30 to 50 per cent through preventative oral care.

A study in the current issue of the journal Anesthesia Progress looked at whether a patient’s level of pain before a root canal changed the effectiveness of local anesthesia. The research showed that the more active pain a patient felt before the procedure, the lower the pain threshold was for that patient during surgery.

Throughout several years more and more studies show links to poor oral health and overall health care issues like, heart disease, low birth weights for babies and even breast cancer, this just to name a few. Therefore taking care of your oral health property will also help to reduce the risk of having other health issues.

Coronary heart disease patients with no teeth have nearly double the risk of death as those with all of their teeth, according to research published today in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology.1 The study in more than 15 000 patients from 39 countries found that levels of tooth loss were linearly associated with increasing death rates.

Although periodontal disease has many large oral and over all risk factors, prevention of periodontal disease is quite easy. Just by having good at home dental care habits like regular brushing and flossing, using a mouthwash that fights plaque and by making and keeping your regular dental check ups with your dentist goes a long way in preventing periodontal disease.

Periodontal disease is a common condition that ranges from simple gum inflammation to a serious disease causing major damage to the soft tissue and bone that support the teeth, and loss of teeth. Periodontal disease has also been linked with heart disease, stroke, and diabetes, as well as oral, esophageal, head and neck, pancreatic and lung cancers.

Previous studies have suggested that chronic inflammation could provide the link. Risk factors for periodontal disease include genetic predisposition, smoking and hormonal changes in girls and women, which can make gums more sensitive so that it is easier for gingivitis to develop. People with reduced ability to fight infection due to diseases such as diabetes or treatment for cancer are also prone. Medications that limit the flow of saliva can also leave the mouth vulnerable to infections.