According to national data seven percent of adults 65 years and older reported having tooth pain at least twice during the past six months. Oral pain is not something to defer. Oral pain is a sign of an advanced problem in either your tooth or gum tissues.

Oral pain and health problems, whether from missing teeth, ill-fitting dentures, cavities, gum disease, or infection, can cause difficulty eating and can force people to adjust the quality, consistency, and balance of their diet. Therefore professional dental help is needed to effectively manage and treat any oral pain and dental problems. Make sure to see a dentist at the first sign of any oral or dental pain you may have.

Root caries (decay) is caused by exposure of the tooth root to decay-causing acids. This happens when the tooth roots becomes exposed as gum tissue recedes from the tooth.

Root decay is one of the more significant dental issue facing older adults. Some of the reasons for this is due to dentures, lack of dexterity, a shift from complex to simple sugars, and poor oral hygiene.

Root caries is the major cause of tooth loss in older adults, and tooth loss is the most significant oral health-related negative variable of quality of life for the elderly

Did you know that cheese can help you protect your child teeth from tooth decay? By offering your child a piece of cheese after a meal or snack the cheese helps neutralizing the harmful acids from the mouth. In addition, cheese helps to make tooth enamel stronger and becoming a perfect barrier that will protect from tooth caries.

The Social Security Administration launched a new Public Service Announcement (PSA) campaign to continue warning people about the ongoing nationwide telephone impersonation scheme. The PSAs feature a message from Social Security Commissioner Andrew Saul. Social Security and its Office of the Inspector General (OIG) continue to receive reports about fraudulent phone calls from people falsely claiming to be Social Security employees. The scammers mislead victims into making cash or gift card payments for help with purported identity theft, or to avoid arrest for bogus Social Security number problems.

In case you didn’t know, your Social Security benefits may be increased each year, partially depending on inflation numbers. For 2020, the Social Security cost of living adjustment is expected to be around 1.8%.

People that have an Share of Cost requirement due to their income, may have to spend down their income to avoid having a share of cost so they do not lose medical benefits needed.

A slow-moving crisis is approaching for Social Security, threatening to undermine a central pillar in the retirement of tens of millions of Americans.

Next year, for the first time since 1982, the program must start drawing down its assets in order to pay retirees all of the benefits they have been promised, according to the latest government projections.

Unless a political solution is reached, Social Security’s so-called trust funds are expected to be depleted within about 15 years. Then, something that has been unimaginable for decades would be required under current law: Benefit checks for retirees would be cut by about 20 percent across the board.

Source: The NY Times

Dental Health Services, Share of Cost California Dental Plan Review — The Dental Health Services Super SmartSmile HMO Dental Plan. As the subscriber, you may enroll yourself, your spouse (unless legally separated) or your domestic partner, and/or unmarried dependent children who are under 19 years of age. Children 19 years of age and over are eligible if: The child is unmarried and a full-time student solely dependent upon subscriber for support, and is under 23 years of age; or the child is and continues to be both (1) incapable of self-sustaining employment by reason of a mental disability, including but not limited to, mental illness or a physical disability or a combination of those disabilities and (2) chiefly dependent upon the subscriber or member for support and maintenance. There are no deductibles and no yearly limits on most services, and there are no claim forms to fill out. Your savings are in place when you visit network dentist. You just show up for your dental appointment and make your copayment – what could be easier? The dentists must meet the Plan’s standard of quality and service.

All have agreed to provide dental care at a low cost available only to its members. There is no waiting period for your dental services to begin, many pre-existing dental conditions are covered and best of all, the dental plan services start the first day of next month if the company receives your mail-in application by the 10th of this month. Review the sample schedule below and see how easy it is for you or your entire family to enjoy these quality dental services.

The Assurant Employee Benefits dental plan which is the brand name for prepaid (or DHMO) dental products provided by United Dental Care of Arizona. This dental plan offers individual and family dental benefits with attractive prepayment fees for you, your spouse and dependent children as defined by state law.

* There are no deductibles and no yearly limits on services, and there are no claim forms to fill out. Your savings are in place when you visit a network dentist. You just show up for your dental appointment and make your payment – what could be easier? The dentists must meet the Plan’s standard of quality and service. All have agreed to provide dental care at an affordable price to its members. Since there is no waiting period for your dental services to begin, pre-existing dental conditions are covered and best of all, the dental plan services starts on the first day of next month if the application is received by the dental plan on or before the 20th of this month. Review the sample schedule and see how easy it is for you or your entire family to enjoy these quality dental

According to the National Association of Dental Plans, approximately half of the U.S. population does not have an affordable dental plan. The cost for affordable dental insurance can vary. Therefore, it is important to understand all your options in obtaining the most affordable dental plan coverage.

The company where you work may provide the most affordable dental insurance plan options. Dental insurance plans for individual and families are usually an HMO (Health Maintenance Organization) or a PPO (Preferred Provided Organization) and operate much like traditional health insurance organizations.

Affordable Dental Plans – HMO

Affordable dental insurance plans from an HMO have a limited pool of dentist to select, but it is a more affordable insurance plan. If you are self employed and looking for a more affordable dental plan, a discount dental plan may be an alternative.

Discount dental plans are not dental insurance plans. A discount plan partners with dentists to provide customers with a savings on visits to the dentist office. The downside to discount dental plans is that they are not regulated and you have limited recourse if you experience dental plan problems.

Affordable Dental Plans – Where to Buy

You can obtain quotes for more affordable dental insurance plans from companies online and through your local insurance agent or broker. Please keep in mind that there are many web sites who give the appearance of selling dental insurance but instead only offer a dental discount plan which is not insurance.

Your dentist may also have affordable dental plan options available to patients. Ask the receptionist if they partner with a dental plan company and see if one might be right for you.

Affordable Dental Plans – Other Alternatives

If you belong to a professional association, you might be eligible for a dental insurance or discount dental plan. Many associations partner with a PPO to provide their members with dental plans that offer very comprehensive insurance coverage at more affordable prices.

Finally, dental schools may offer affordable dental services. Dental schools seem to be safe, but can be inconvenient and treatment for one problem may have to be addressed in multiple office visits.