Consider CareCredit

Many dentist offices work with CareCredit, which is a third-party financer that will often finance your dental work for 0% interest. CareCredit can be used to pay for any dental work, not just cosmetic work.

If you don’t have dental insurance and are worried about getting check-ups and cleanings, CareCredit can help there too! CareCredit can help you to pay for out-of- pocket costs that your insurance can’t or won’t cover when it comes to cosmetic dentistry. From veneers to dentures, you can finance your cosmetic densitry. You can even use CareCredit for Invisalign and braces! Find out more about what CareCredit offers through your dentist’s office or through CareCredit.

Talk with Your Dentist Office

Your dentist office is there to provide you with the best care for your oral health. Your dentist office should work with you to finance any dental care that you need, whether it be a checkup or a cosmetic dentistry procedure. Talk with the receptionist at your dentist office whether you have insurance or not.

He or she can help you find out if financing is possible with your monthly budget and they can also help you navigate what your insurance will cover and what it won’t. You should never have to forgo dental care just because you can’t afford it, so talk with your dentist office about what you can afford and how they can accommodate you!

What Is Your Smile Worth?

It’s hard to have strong self confidence without a great smile. It’s often the first thing people notice about you! Don’t put off your dream smile just because you think you can’t afford the procedure that you need to make your smile healthy and beautiful again. Any cosmetic dentistry procedure you’d like to have done can be financed either through your dentist office or CareCredit. Although some procedures may be more expensive than others, consider how it will feel to have a gorgeous, confident smile when your cosmetic dentistry work is done. What is having a beautiful smile worth to you?

Cosmetic dentistry is more affordable than you think! Talk with your dentist about your monthly budget and what you can afford to pay for your care. Your dentist office may also work with CareCredit in order to help you finance any cosmetic dentistry work you’d like done. You always have options when it comes to paying for your smile, and remember—the end result will make your cosmetic dentistry totally worth it!

Image courtesy of nenetus at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

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Braces provide lots of different, little spaces for food to get trapped, so keeping up with proper brushing and flossing is absolutely essential during your orthodontic treatment. That being said, hard brushing is not the answer, and can harm your gums, teeth, and braces. Choose a toothbrush that’s softer, and remember—proper brushing is better than harder brushing. Gently brushing your teeth as well as doing your best to brush around your braces and all their parts is vital. Remember that while you should be gentle with your toothbrush, your braces will not be gentle on your toothbrush; therefore, it will need to be replaced more often during your orthodontic care.

Flossing with Braces

Flossing at least once a day both during your time with braces and post-braces is ideal. Again, gentle is the name of the game here. Using a floss threader can greatly help you get the floss under the wire that goes through your braces and in between your teeth. The best part is that they can be reused! Flossing helps to remove food that gets trapped in the tight spaces that braces create, therefore keeping your mouth clean and healthy while you have your braces.

Eating Right

Although your diet will likely be able to remain the same while receiving orthodontic care, there are certain foods that are best avoided while you’re getting your teeth straightened out! These include candies like gummy bears and caramels that can get stuck and damage your braces. Very hard foods such as nuts can damage your braces as well. Softer foods will be ideal, especially after an adjustment. Many chewy and processed foods like bagels, lollipops, and hard candies don’t make for good eating while you have braces. If you do eat them, be gentle and chew with care.

Caution with Biting

Chewing or biting on objects is a no-no without braces—so it’s definitely in the forbidden category while you have braces! Objects like pencils and ice can be very damaging to your teeth. Even biting your nails isn’t a healthy practice. You’ll also want to exercise caution with foods like apples that require you to bite into them. Until you become used to your braces, cut up your fruit and be cautious about biting into food such as chicken wings!

Having braces is an important step in having healthy teeth with a proper bite. Caring for your braces isn’t difficult, but you should be gentle with your mouth while eating, brushing, and flossing. And remember that chewing on objects is never good for your teeth. With proper care, your braces can do their job and give you a beautiful smile!

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What Are Dental Sealants?

First, let’s be clear that sealants are in no way a substitute for good oral care. With that out of the way, dental sealants are a coating applied to the chewing surface of teeth to prevent the formation of cavities. The sealant is a synthetic plastic material that is usually clear. While some are concerned that plastic means BPAs, an article from the ADA website provides research showing that these sealants are safe even for children.

What Teeth Are Sealants For?

The teeth that are most commonly treated are molars. That is because the chewing surface is usually pitted, allowing bacteria to build up and cause decay faster. However, any tooth can be treated with a sealant. This process is usually performed when a child gets in their adult teeth, but teeth with no cavities can be treated later on as well.

How Long Do Sealants Last?

It is tough to estimate this, mostly because it depends on how well a person cares for his or her teeth. Again, this is not a substitute for proper oral care. The coating simply acts to overlay the enamel which usually serves to protect the tooth. It is like adding a second protective coating. When teeth are cared for properly, sealants can last for many years.

Is It Worth the Cost?

Treatments are usually performed by the tooth. When a patient has many teeth sealed, the procedure can cost hundreds of dollars. However, because the sealant protects against cavities and other dental problems that are costly to fix, this preventative measure is really a cost-effective means of protecting your teeth. Plus, decay can lead to lost teeth. You can’t really put a price tag on being able to keep your own teeth throughout your life as opposed to dealing with dentures.

Good Oral Care Is a Must

With the help of dental sealants, you can enjoy good oral health throughout your life. However, the responsibility still falls on each individual to care for their teeth daily as well as to schedule regular cleanings with a dental professional.

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Brush and Floss Before Sleep – Any food particles that are left on or around your teeth and gums need to be removed. Even if you already brushed after dinner, it’s still a good idea to do it again before eight hours of inactivity. Flossing is vital as well, especially if you do not floss every time you brush. This will make sure that no food particles get to stay between your teeth overnight. It will also help to prevent tartar from building up below the gumline.

Use a Good Technique – Of course, brushing and flossing before bed will only work if you use the proper technique. Cursory oral care before bed can lead to some surfaces still having plaque in place. It takes plaque a while to harden into tartar, but eight hours is longer than you should risk. If you struggle with using a circular motion while brushing, you may want to consider an electric toothbrush with a rotating head.

Use Mouthwash – A good mouth rinse does more than just make your breath smell nice. Some mouthwashes have ingredients that are intended for the strengthening of teeth. Others may be designed to fight off various forms of bacteria that are often found in the mouth. Of course, your standard bottle of mouthwash may not have any of those benefits. If you want your mouthwash to be more than the equivalent of a liquid Tic-Tac, you may want to ask your dentist for a recommendation.

Regular Checkups Are Vital

While you don’t go to the dentist at night, this is still a vital part of your oral care routine. After all, no matter how good you are at brushing and flossing, there will still be some plaque and tarter buildup. Once tartar develops, brushing and flossing alone can’t remove it. Your nighttime routine will help to maintain your oral health between visits, but be sure to schedule your checkup and cleaning every six months or however often your dentist recommends.

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