Flossing is very important part of your daily dental care habits not only for your teeth but for you gums. People do not always realize just how important it is to take care of their gums as well as their teeth. Gum disease is an infection of the gum tissue and bone that support the teeth and is the leading cause of tooth loss in adults. In addition, according to recent studies it has been shown that the health of your gums may have a connection to some chronic diseases. Having gum disease has been linked to and may be a risk factor in developing Alzheimer’s disease, heart disease and diabetes. Experts are studying how inflammation in the mouth caused by gum disease may influence other areas of the body such as your brain, heart and pancreas. Although the exact connection between gum disease and some other chronic diseases is not known, this connection between medical and dental conditions highlights the importance of maintaining good oral health to achieve good overall health.

Usually Employ An “Open Panel” Of Dentists

Indemnity dental insurance is an insurance package where the policyholder can choose his or her own dentist and the insurance provider will be the one to pay that designated dentist your fees or, usually, around half of them.  Indemnity dental insurance plans have the most flexibility and usually the highest premium.

It is important that you do seek dental coverage of some kind to ensure the health of your teeth and gums.  Dental insurance plans are similar to medical insurance plans, dental insurance plans are often categorized as either Indemnity or managed-care plans.  Indemnity dental insurance plans usually employ an “open panel” of dentists.  Indemnity dental insurance is an insurance package where the policyholder can choose his or her own dentist and the insurance provider will be the one to pay that designated dentist your fees or, usually, around half of them.  Indemnity dental insurance plans have the most flexibility and usually the highest premium.  Dental insurance functions in the similar manner to that of an auto insurance in providing you compensation.

The cost of treating cancer has risen to unprecedented heights, putting tremendous financial pressure on patients, payers, and society. Previous studies have documented the rising prices of cancer drugs at launch, but less critical attention has been paid to the cost of these drugs after launch. We used pharmacy claims for commercially insured individuals to examine trends in postlaunch prices over time for orally administered anticancer drugs recently approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). In the period 2007–13, inflation-adjusted per patient monthly drug prices increased 5 percent each year. Certain market changes also played a role, with prices rising an additional 10 percent with each supplemental indication approved by the FDA and declining 2 percent with the FDA’s approval of a competitor drug. Our findings suggest that there is currently little competitive pressure in the oral anticancer drug market. Policy makers who wish to reduce the costs of anticancer drugs should consider implementing policies that affect prices not only at launch but also later.

Regardless of age it is important to make sure you brush you teeth. Brushing your teeth helps to remove the thin film of bacteria that builds up on your teeth each day and contributes to tooth decay and gum disease.  It is suggested that your brush your teeth for at least two to three minutes with fluoridated toothpaste, if possible brush your teeth after every meal or at least twice a day.

However has you do age you will want to pay special attention to your dental care habits. Although tooth decay can occur in any area of the tooth as you age decay is more likely to develop around old filling or the root of the tooth that can become exposed by receding gums. Therefore make sure to visit your dentist regularly so that he or she can keep an eye on these factors.

Can Individual and Family Members Use It

Dental insurance is intended to help offset the costs associated with dental care. The dental insurance programs listed are based upon the zip code you entered and their availability.  Dental Insurance Plan Choices: Indemnity Plan: An indemnity dental insurance plan allows you to select your own dentist.  Dental insurance plans differ in the level of reimbursement offered for certain procedures and in annual dental spending caps.

Dental insurance plans play a big role in helping people cope with dental health care without the exceedingly high costs.  If you are the policy holder of any dental insurance plans for individuals, you likely either have managed care dental insurance.  Our discount dental plans may be used as alternatives to dental insurance options or along with existing dental insurance plans for even more savings on most dental care procedures.  Many dental insurance plans require you to wait for your treatments to have certain procedures such as root canals and braces completed.

Early evidence suggests that provisions of the Food and Drug Administration Safety and Innovation Act of 2012 are associated with reductions in the total number of new national drug shortages. However, drugs frequently used in acute unscheduled care such as the care delivered in emergency departments may be increasingly affected by shortages. Our estimates, based on reported national drug shortages from 2001 to 2014 collected by the University of Utah’s Drug Information Service, show that although the number of new annual shortages has decreased since the act’s passage, half of all drug shortages in the study period involved acute care drugs. Shortages affecting acute care drugs became increasingly frequent and prolonged compared with non–acute care drugs (median duration of 242 versus 173 days, respectively). These results suggest that the drug supply for many acutely and critically ill patients in the United States remains vulnerable despite federal efforts.

The leading cause of tooth loss in adults is not the aging process but gum disease. It is important to understand that gum disease can happen at any age. However, with good oral health habits and a healthy lifestyle you help to keep your gums healthy and your teeth for a lifetime.

What are wisdom teeth?      Wisdom teeth are the last set of molars to come in the back of the jaw bone, know most commonly as the third molars.

When do wisdom teeth come in?   Most people get their wisdom teeth between the ages of 15 – 25 years old.

How do I know if I have wisdom teeth?  If you cannot see them toward the rear of your mouth, wisdom teeth can be detected by an x-ray given by your dentist.

What are the problems associated with wisdom teeth?  Sometimes wisdom teeth can cause crowding of the teeth, infections, cysts, tumors, jaw and gum disease.

What is an impacted wisdom tooth?   An impacted wisdom tooth is one that is entrapped completely or partially by soft tissue which can also be a cause of bacterial infections. It is important you see a dentist immediately for this condition. Infections in the mouth, gum, and jaw area can quickly travel to the brain and then you have a whole set of other problems.

The high cost of patent-protected brand-name drugs can strain budgets and curb the widespread use of new medicines. An example is the case of direct-acting antiviral drugs for the treatment of hepatitis C. While prices for these drugs have come down in recent months, they still create barriers to treatment. Additionally, prescribing restrictions imposed by insurers put patients at increased risk of medical complications and contribute to transmission of the hepatitis C virus. We propose that the federal government invoke its power under an existing “government patent use” law to reduce excessive prices for important patent-protected medicines. Using this law would permit the government to procure generic versions of patented drugs and in exchange pay the patent-holding companies reasonable royalties to compensate them for research and development. This would allow patients in federal programs, and perhaps beyond, to be treated with inexpensive generic medicines according to clinical need—meaning that many more patients could be reached for no more, and perhaps far less, money than is currently spent. Another benefit would be a reduction in the opportunity for companies to extract monopoly profits that far exceed their risk-adjusted costs of research and development.

Extended use of drugs to treat heartburn, ulcers and acid reflux may lead to serious kidney damage, including kidney failure, according to a study by researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and Veterans Affairs St. Louis Health Care System.

Tooth decay is damage that occurs when germs (bacteria) in your mouth make acids that eat away at a tooth. Which can lead to a hole in the tooth, called a cavity. If not treated, tooth decay can cause pain, infection, and tooth loss.  One of the best way to avoid tooth decay is by have proper at home dental care habits. Such as: brushing your teeth twice a day, flossing daily, and by using a mouthwash that kills the germs that cause bad breath and gingivitises

Our dental web site is very clear if you are selecting a dental insurance plan or a dental discount plan.  We understand that there are many dental plan web sites popping-up all over the internet, claiming to offer “dental insurance” when in fact they do not and are not licensed to offer a dental insurance plan.  The managing organizations have negotiated with local dental offices to establish a set price for a particular dental procedure and offer deep discounts (some from 20-60%) off the regular ADA pricing code.

With dental insurance plans for you and your family, we can help make it easier to keep your smile healthy.  From dental cleanings to root canals, it can be difficult to predict how much money you’re going to spend for your dental care.  Our individual dental insurance plans provide you with the coverage you need to promote good dental health.

Your dentist can diagnose and treat dental health problems before they become larger more serious dental issues. However they can only do that when you are making and keeping your regular dental appointments.    New research suggests that the health of your mouth mirrors the condition of your body as a whole. Such as, when your mouth is healthy, chances are your overall health is good. On the other hand, if you have poor oral health, you may have other health problems. So, seeing a dentist regularly not only helps to keep your mouth in top shape, but also allows your dentist to watch for developments that may point to other health issues.

There are no symptoms that are linked with the change in the esophagus tissue that occurs with Barrett’s esophagus.  However, many people who are diagnosed with the condition also experience the symptoms of GERD. These symptoms include:

* Heartburn – a burning sensation in the chest
* Difficulty swallowing food
* Chest pain

The majority of people who are diagnosed with Barrett’s esophagus do not experience any symptoms at all.

Question: I do not like having to go to the dentist. There is an old saying that an apple a day helps to keep the doctor away…. so is there anything that works on a dentist?

Answer: The Short Answer…. NO.   Even if you eat an apple a day, you still will need to see a doctor if for no other reason the your annual check and exam. (Which btw eating a apple day dose not work either)  The same goes to seeing a dentist. It is important to see your dentist regularly for your dental check ups and basic cleaning’s.  If you if have very good at home oral habits (which is important in maintaining good dental and oral health) it does not void out seeing a dentist for your check ups.  Cavities can still happen, by seeing your dentist he or she can spot a small cavity and fix it before it becomes a much larger cavity with larger dental care needs.  But that is not all a dentist does at your check up. They look for signs of gum disease/gingivitis as well oral cancer.  Seeing a dentist is an important part of having and maintaining  good oral health.