'DENTAL NEWS
With the tough economic timeswe live in, people are increasingly practicing dentistry on themselves -- a.k.a. do-it-yourself dental -- and end up doing more damage to their teeth than doing nothing would've done. All too often this results in these do-it-yourselfers spending far more money as they're forced to seek treatment from a real dentist to correct problems resulting from their "do-it-yourself dental care" attempts.
"Self dental care is on the rise" says Jenny Englerth, executive director of Family First Health clinics in the southern part of Pennsylvania. "People go online and try to find out how to do their own dental work. Unfortunately, people (are looking) to save money and decline to pay for optional dental coverage through their employers' health insurance", said Englerth.
During economic hard times, dental care is one of the first things cut from family budgets and the Family First Health dentists have seen a marked increase in patients who required corrective dental work because they tried repairing chipped teeth or filling cavities on their own to save money, reported Englerth. Similarly, many patients are waiting until infections in their mouths cause intolerable pain or their rotted teeth have to be immediately pulled.
"Our dentists are certainly seeing more people going without dental care and needed restoration work after many years (of neglecting their teeth)," said Englerth.
Last year, Family First clinics offered discounted dental services to nearly 6,000 uninsured patients, said Englerth. The clinics had nearly 19,000 combined dental office visits last year. In 2011, however, Family First Health has experienced a 30% increase in uninsured people seeking dental treatment at their clinics.
'DENTAL NEWS
Residents who live in the southern part of the US and was likely to visit the dentist according to a recent Gallup poll. In fact, 9 of the bottom 10 states for dental visits were in the South with an average of less than 56% of its residents visiting the dentist in the past 12 months compared to the national average of 65%, the latter which hasn't changed in the past few years.
Poor dental health has been linked to variety of serious medical problems including heart disease, stroke, atherosclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes and even preterm (i.e. premature) births.
Massachusetts and Connecticut led all US states in dental visits with 75% of residents in both states reporting that they visited the dentist in the last 12 months while Mississippi (51.9%) and Louisiana (54.8%) were at the bottom of the list. This disparity is likely the result of poverty as more than 72% of residents of the top 10 states for dental visits have health insurance compared to an average insurance rate of 56% for the bottom 10 states as lack of health insurance is frequently an indicator of poverty.
Despite the hard economic times facing the nation, many Americans who haven't seen the dentist in a while are now returning, not because they're in any better position to afford it but because their teeth hurt too much. According to The St. Petersburg Times, this has resulted in these patients paying more for dental care because dentists have to perform more complex procedures after years of neglect.
'DENTAL NEWS
Dental x-rays are perhaps the most valuable tool a dentist has in their battle to keep your teeth and gums healthy. But no matter how good one's dental insurance coverage is, no one can afford to get x-rays every week to say nothing of the inconvenience such a regiment would incur.
So exactly how often should X-rays be done on your teeth? The answer depends on your dental history as some people, like those with chronic dental problems, may need X-rays every six months while others who visit the dentist regularly and have excellent oral health may need X-rays only every three years or so.
To see if you or your family members should get regular dental X-rays (i.e. every 6-12 months), follow these guidelines as they are based on information from both the American Dental Association and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Those who need frequent X-rays are;
* Children & Teenagers - Children and teens at high risk of decay and those who have a history of many cavities, may need X-rays every six months or every year, depending on age. X-rays also help to keep track of tooth development.
* Adults With Many Fillings, Crowns, Bridges or Other Restorations - X-rays help the dentist find decay beneath your fillings and crowns or in new locations.
* People With Periodontal (Gum) Disease - X-rays can reveal signs of bone loss. If this has happened, then periodontal or gum surgery may be needed.
* People With Dry Mouth (Xerostomia) - Saliva helps keep your mouth and teeth healthy by regulating the acid levels (pH) in the mouth. In a dry mouth, the pH decreases. This causes the minerals in the teeth to break down, resulting in more cavities. Many medicines can cause dry mouth. It also can be a result of cancer treatment or a long-term disease.
* Smokers - Smoking increases the risk of periodontal disease (as well as many, many other of health-related problems)
If you or a loved one falls into any of the five above categories, just remember that catching a dental problem while it's small and still in the early stages can prevent major (and costly) dental problems later on.
