My Prayer

Dear Lord,

I thank you for the many blessings I have received today.
Thank you for making me feel loved, caressed and well-protected.

I pray that you will guide me today, clear my thoughts and be at my very best today.
Help me treat my patients with sincere conscience and pure understanding.
Help me think positively despite the many negative pressures around me.
Please help me find solutions to the many problems that I have and lastly,
please don't stop loving me...

This I ask, all in Jesus' name, Amen.

Whitening Therapy

My 20-minute whitening therapy using Beyond...

(with patient's consent)

Ways to Apply for A Dental Insurance Policy

Today, affordable health care is on everyone's mind, may that person be a politician, employers, employees, individuals, and insurance agents and the like. Health care benefits have historically been an essential component of an employee compensation package, but as the new millennium has evolved, more and more creative products are earning their places alongside the traditional benefits package as employers and individuals search for ways to contain their health care costs. And dental insurance is counted! Dental insurance is made to help cover some of the costs associated with your dental care. Although many employers provide regular health insurance as a benefit, fewer also provide dental insurance. As the cost of healthcare has increased, many employers have dropped dental coverage or shifted most of the cost to their employees.

When applying for a dental insurance, treat it like an investment. The applicant must know the people behind it, its leadership, the quality, services rendered and the growing opportunity. If you have ever used dental insurance, you know that it can sometimes be a complicated process. There are papers to fill out, forms to send in, verifications to pass from the dentist to the insurance provider, and co-payments to make.

In the literature you receive when you sign up for a dental insurance policy, there should be some paperwork telling you how to file dental insurance claims. Every provider will have different requirements and policies, so the information that they give you should be the first place you go for answers.

After the dentist performs the required procedures, the paperwork pertaining to what was done will be added to your record. This record, along with all of your insurance information, should be sent to your insurance provider.
Some providers require you to send all information in by mail, and some allow you to enter most of it electronically.

In an insurance plan, you can seek the dental treatments that you need, with the corresponding payment paid either in full or partially by your insurance provider. As you can see, this works just like any regular insurance policy does. It covers part of your expenses for the insured item.

Insurance policies require a strict process in making claims, and there are requirements and guidelines to follow in doing so. On the other hand, in a dental plan, you can simply obtain your discounts and reap the benefits of your plan the same day that you seek a treatment.

In insurance packages, however, there are paperwork that needs to be filled up, some by you, and some by your dental health professionals. This can be quite a hassle, especially since most dentists do not find the time to fill up paperwork for their patients. Aside from that, the claim request will have to go through a pipeline process before it is approved.

And if all else fails, call your agents or the agency's hotline, not to your dentist. As you can see, it's difficult to say how to file dental insurance claims without knowing the specific requirements of your dental insurance provider. The above should give you some basic information about what to expect when you file your claims. The entire process of claiming usually even takes up to around 90 days, which is quite a long time. This will obviously be disadvantageous, not just to you but to your dentist as well.

Laser Treatment for Gingivitis

Gingivitis is an acute bacterial infection of the gingivae caused by resident flora in the mouth: the fusiform bacteria and spirochetes. Other precipitating factors include: poor oral hygiene, increased  age, nutritional deficiencies, lack of rest and sleep, local tissue damage, and debilitating diseases such as infectious mononucleosis, nonspecific viral infections, bacterial infections, blood dyscariasis and diabetes mellitus. Most of these factors are avoidable and so therefore it is unpreventable. There is nothing to worry about because this condition is not contagious.

It is also one of many classifying causes of stomatitis.  Stomatitis is the inflammation of the oral cavity, may be of infectious origin or a manifestation of a systematic condition. It may be caused by mechanical trauma such as injury, or chemical trauma such as drugs used in the treatment of some form of cancer. Jagged teeth, cheek biting, and mouth breathing may also result in mechanical trauma. Certain foods and drinks as well as sensitivity to strong mouthwash and toothpaste may produce chemical trauma. The inflammatory sloughing of tissue allows organisms to multiply which may lead to infection by viruses, bacteria and yeasts.

Laser treatment is said to be a less painful surgery for gingivitis. The client’s oral mucous membranes will begin to heal and pain will be relieved or controlled. Laser treatment has been in existence for a couple of years.  Other medical management available includes topical antifungal agents as well as other topical agents to alleviate the infection and provide pain reduction. Mouthwashes of warm saline or the use of water are often ordered as part of an oral hygiene regimen. Pureed diet may also be ordered by the dentist.  Prophylactic use of antifungal agents is indicated for high risk clients. Oral pharyngeal cultures should be taken also if infection is suspected.

When Is the Right Time For Orthodontics?

Orthodontics is one field of specialty for dentistry of which the treatment focuses on dental displacement as well as dealing with the modification and maintaining control of facial growth.

Probably, there are people who are very conscious of their teeth; this maybe because they are bothered and feel uncomfortable with smiling that perhaps, they could never give the well-aligned smile that they wanted to share to others. When you feel that way, then it might be the right time for orthodontics. The treatment improves the general appearance of your teeth, especially its alignment.

In some cases also the improper bites (malocclusion) can interfere when eating and speaking. Aside from that it might be the reason why you can’t have well-aligned teeth and of which can prevent its proper development.

Orthodontics can provide you with well-aligned teeth and can protect your bite no matter what your age is, but still the younger ones get greater advantage in terms of the duration of the orthodontic treatment. Thus, the bones supporting the young patient’s teeth are more responsive compared to those whose bones supporting the teeth are less likely to adjust to the alignment, like in older people. The treatment does not vary only with age but also with the extensiveness of the procedure and how the patient follows the treatment plan given by their orthodontist.

Orthodontist refers to the dentist focusing on the study and practice of orthodontics. Like other professional field, they are also required to complete an additional year of post-dental school education before they are called a “certified practitioner of orthodontics”.

You can benefit when you go for the orthodontic treatment thus, you can have a well aligned smile and probably, this can give you a more comfortable feeling when you smile, eat and speak.

How to Look for A Dental Insurance

Do you often have to see the dentist? Do your teeth constantly aches and move? Do you have cavities often? If yes, then you should already be looking for a dental insurance. One of the first things people notice when talking to you are your teeth. If you have groovy teeth and or cavities, you might not be that confident to talk with people and much less open your mouth. The only solution is to see a dentist.

And now you're opt to find a dental insurance. When looking for a dental assurance, it is important not to just look for cheap and affordable dental insurance. Besides cost, you want to consider other factors before choosing your next dental insurance plan. Dental insurance can be an effective way to prevent damage to your teeth and gums. A good dental plan should provide you with regular diagnostic and preventive dental care. This is the type of treatment that will help to minimize the number of dental problems that you experience over your lifetime. A good plan covers two cleanings a year. Fluoride treatment and X-rays are also covered. When a problem is found, the ideal dental plan will also absorb some of the costs of the treatment you require, so to make it more affordable for you.

1. Diagnostic and preventive dental care benefits: The most important matter in dental plan is that it provides for regular and on going diagnostic and preventive dental care. Most of the dental problems that a person will encounter throughout their lifetime will be those that could have been avoided or significantly minimized if they were just diagnosed and dealt with at an early stage. Prevention and treating a dental problem at an early stage can significantly reduce the amount of time, money, and effort needed to correct it.

2. Basic dental services and its benefits: When you have chosen a dental plan, it should have the dental treatment that is required to rectify it performed in the time frame suggested by your dentist. Many dental plans will cover 70 to 80 percent of the cost of the following types of dental work. The term "basic dental services" is often used to reference these types of dental procedures and treatments.

3. Major dental services and benefits: More involved dental procedures are usually covered less fully by a dental plan than basic and preventive dental procedures. By structuring a dental plan to provide generous benefits for prevention and early detection of dental disease, the hope is that only a minimal amount of major dental care will ever be required.

Dental plans are usually worth the premium cost and an employer dental insurance plan is the best deal. Buying a family dental insurance plan rather than an individual one can sometimes save you money. Most importantly, know the costs and benefits and find out which dentists participate in the plan. Remember, insurance is an investment; just make a good deal and reap what you have sown on the latter.

What Causes Bad Breath?

You notice that your breath is becoming a hindrance with your social or professional success. And now you observe that you have a bad taste in your mouth. You noticed that people step back when you are talking to them, or they even avoid direct contact with you. Somebody offered you mints or chewing gum and even mouthwash. And you see a yellow film on your tongue. On worst thing is that, your friend confronted you that your breath stinks. And if you seem to have a personal experience of the above mention, therefore bad breath might have hit you.

Halitosis is the medical term for bad breath. It is a common problem that can be a source of embarrassment and is characterized by consistently odorous breath. Bad breath is often found in people with periodontal diseases, including gum abscesses and mouth sores. These diseases are usually attributed to less than admirable oral hygiene, dentures, smoking or teeth restoration, such as bridges.  It may indicate the need to clean the teeth and mouth more often, tooth or gum disease, or intestinal disorders. And the most common cause of bad breath is the food you eat.

The awkward irony of halitosis is that many people aren't aware that they have it. This is because the cells in the nose that are responsible for the sense of smell actually become unresponsive to the continuous stream of bad odor. If you have bad breath, you may need to be told, or you may notice the negative reaction of other people when you're just too close and this is so embarrassing to experience.

Brushing, flossing and seeing your dentist regularly may reduce bad breath. Some dental hygienists recommend brushing your tongue, since it traps large amounts of bacteria. Additional protection against the buildup of bacteria in your mouth can be achieved by rinsing with a mouthwash after you finish brushing. Routinely use a toothpaste or mouthwash containing zinc compounds or stabilized chlorine dioxide to help break down odor-causing sulfur chemicals. Keep an eye on mouth and breathe hygiene. Brushing and flossing regularly keeps your teeth free from small food particles. Scrub the tongue. Brush your tongue or use a commercial tongue scraper regularly to remove odor-causing agents and keep bacteria in check. Get a dental check up to find out if problems associated with oral health are contributing to your halitosis.

Specific treatment for halitosis will be determined by the dentist will be based on the health of your mouth, the cause or origin of the condition, extent of the condition, your tolerance for specific medications, treatments, procedures, or therapies and your preference. The physician may order antibacterial mouthwash, or just an ordinary mouthwash. What would matter the most is how compliant you are with the treatment regimen that would determine the success.

Your physician can tell you if you are taking medications that can cause dry mouth or if you have other medical conditions that may predispose you to dry mouth and bad breath. In either case, chewing gum may stimulate saliva to help prevent dry mouth.

Say goodbye to bad breath and hello to socials!