Don’t Wait! Your Benefits Are Going To Expire

Dental insurance is a benefit you pay for ahead of time and then use throughout the year. Or you may have a Flex Spending account or a Health Saving Account. You may also have a deductible you have to pay prior to your insurance benefits kicking in. At the end of the year all of these benefits start over and you begin again. But you have already paid for all of these benefits. “So, now is the time,” says Dr. Denine Rice, “to take advantage of what you want to get done to take care of your smile.”

Dental issues will continue to create problems for your smile when they are not taken care of. You may think: I can’t afford it. I will need to do it later. But when you take advantage of your dental benefits you can improve your smile and wow your family at the next holiday family photo.

In order to determine exactly what you can get with the remainder of your dental benefits, contact your dental insurance company. They can explain what benefits you have left and what procedures are available to you.

For more information on using your dental benefits to your advantage contact Dr. Rice and her team today.

An Oral Health Screening May Save Your Life

Regular oral health screenings are essential in order to determine if there are other problems going on in your body. Oral cancer can impact thousands of Americans every year, but you do not have to be one of them. Take the time to schedule your appointment with Dr. Rice and her team today in order to have an evaluation done and ensure that you are not impacted by oral disease.

The United States does not have a current system in place that helps people regularly be evaluated for oral cancer. This year alone 1 person will die every 24 hours from oral cancer. The reason is because of the late nature in which oral cancer is usually discovered. Just visiting the periodontist on a regular basis and scheduling your oral health cleaning can save your life. Your benefits are also close to running out, so this is a perfect time to use your dental insurance benefits before the end of the year and get the benefit of great health.

Oral health screenings do not just uncover cancer though. Diabetes impacts 29.1 Million people. This number includes individuals who are diagnosed and undiagnosed. Undiagnosed diabetes can cause multiple health impacts including gum disease, decay, missing limbs and death if left untreated.

For more information on oral health screenings, contact Dr. Denine Rice and her team.

Enjoy Thanksgiving Without The Negative Impact On Your Smile

Thanksgiving is right around the corner and you can see the mounds of different items that will be cooked at Thanksgiving dinner flooding the stores. Potatoes, turkey, breads and a variety of items that will be whipped, cooked, combined and enjoyed by families across America in a few short days. If your teeth could talk though, they would be warning you to be careful this holiday season and not indulge in foods that can damage your dental health.

Fruits and vegetables are a great way to counteract the high carbohydrates that are in a variety of the foods we consume during this meal. Stay away from the desire to add extra sugary items on top of your vegetables and avoid using a dip that is sweet for your carrots and celery. A low sugar dip can provide the great taste your guests are expecting without the problems of leaving food and sugar on their teeth for long periods of time.

Avoid foods that get stuck in your teeth or between your teeth. During this busy time, the first thing you think about may not be flossing your teeth immediately after eating. Avoiding foods such as crackers, a lot of turkey, and the marshmallows on candied yams can keep your smile and gums in a healthy state.

For more information on great Thanksgiving foods for your smile, contact Dr. Rice and her team today.

4 Ways To Use Your Dental Benefits Before They Run Out

Your dental benefits are paid for by you in monthly increments. But at the end of the year, the benefits you have already paid for will go away if you have not used them. Millions of dollars every year go unspent because individuals may not know exactly what their plan covers. Here are 4 ways you may be able to use your dental benefits.

1.     Preventive services. Oral health screenings and other preventative services can help ensure your smile will last a lifetime.

2.     Restorative procedures. It is critical to understand your benefits. If you have missing teeth and you have been holding off getting them fixed, now may be your chance. Many times fillings are paid at a higher percentage, so getting teeth cared for early on saves you significantly.

3.      A periodontal laser procedure can ensure your gums are healthy. When you have periodontal disease or gingivitis, the bacteria build and eventually your gums begin to pull away from your teeth causing you to have bleeding and puffy tissue, and eventually missing teeth.

4.     Gum graft surgery may be a dental treatment you thought was out of your reach, but now with your dental benefits soon expiring and your new benefits beginning, it may be the perfect time to take advantage of procedures that can improve your smile.

For more information on your dental benefits and other ways to benefit, contact Dr. Denine Rice and her team.