California Pediatric Dentists in Torrance Explains what Parents Should Expect at Baby’s First Dental Visit.  Total Family Dental Group in Torrance, California a Pediatric dentists dental office helps to explain what a new parent should expect at their baby’s first dental appointment.  It is advise that a baby should have their first dental visit around the age of one.  Pediatric dentist are specialized in child psychology and the first dental visit should be a positive experience for your child.  It also a time for the parent to ask questions about teething, and oral health care.  The dentist will be able to go over brushing techniques. The first visit is the time where the parents and dentist can set the tone for future dental visits.

If you  have Frequent Headaches and Pain in lower jaw you may want to Check your Posture.  People that experience frequent headaches or pain between the earlobe and jawline should consul their dentist about TMD.

Having poor posture will often time place the spine in a position that may cause stress to the jaw joints.  When you slouch or hunch over your lower jaw shifts forward, causing the upper and lower teeth to not fit together properly. Your skull also moves back on the spinal column which may cause headaches. This puts stress on muscle, joints and bones.  Having good posture is important and it is just as important to realize how posture can affects your oral health.

Should dentures be worn at bedtime?

Dentures should not be worn while sleeping to allow the gum tissue to rest and normal stimulation and cleaning by the tongue and saliva.

There is a reason why your dentist nags you about flossing daily.  Proper flossing habits will help to removes plaque and debris that sticks to teeth and gums in between teeth, as well as help to controls bad breath.  Plaque is a sticky layer of material containing bacteria, which builds up on your teeth, including places where toothbrushes can’t reach. This can lead to dental decay and gum disease.  By flossing your teeth daily, you reduce your risk of having dental decay and gum disease.

How to take care of dentures?

Remove and brush your dentures with a tooth brush and denture cleanser designed for dentures. When the dentures are not used, soak the dentures in a denture cleaner solution or in water.

A dentist will prescribes medications for several reasons. You may get a prescription to help prevent infections after surgical procedures like tooth extractions and gum surgery. A dentist may also prescribes medications for pain after having major dental work such as tooth extractions and gum surgery. Though normally a prescription for pain pills are only for a few days

What happens when you get dentures?

Full or partial dentures replace your teeth when you have lost your natural teeth, from periodontal disease, tooth decay or injury. They will help your appearance and your health including support for facial muscles sag which makes a person look older. Dentures normally take one month and 4-5 appointments which include the initial exam, wax bite impressions, and final denture adjustments.

Understanding Orofacial Pain and why you may have it.

There are number of reason why one my have orofacial pain. some of the clinical problems include temporomandibular joint discomfort (TJD), muscle spasms in the head, neck and jaw,  migraines or pain with teeth, face and jaw.

Other reasons for Orofacial pain to a cure can be due to missing or poorly aligned teeth. People who grind or clench their teeth can experience orofacial pain as well, any trauma to the head and neck. A dentist can help determine why you may be experiencing orofacial pain.

Dental Insurance – Dentures

There are plenty of dental insurance plans that will cover dentures, but you need to plan ahead. Many but not all dental insurance plans have waiting periods from 6-18 months.

As an example: Replacing teeth with dentures is classified as major dental services. The average benefit is 50% co-insurance for your dentures. Dentures are covered by some dental discounts dental plans. Remember discount dental plans are not insurance dental plan.

Are You Biting off More Than You Can Chew?

Those Super sized burgers and sandwiches that are sold regularly at fast food restaurants may be to big to eat.  Many of them are often made larger then the human mouth. Forcing many people to take bites that are too big to chew. The Academy of General Dentistry states by doing this it can be bad for your jaw and teeth.  People at a particular risk are those that have temporomandibular joint disorder. (know as TMJ) TMJ can restrict the range of acceptable bite size. People who have TMJ should avoid opening their mouths too wide, since taking large bites of food can aggravate the condition.

Benefits of Dental Insurance

Dental insurance benefits vary depending on the type of dental insurance plan.  When reviewing the benefits of dental insurance especially when selecting a dental insurance plan, keep in mind there are various policy coverage options, dental plan deductibles, co-payments, limitations, restrictions and exclusions.

It is extremely important that you read the list of benefits provided by the dental insurance provider and be sure you are getting a dental insurance plan if that is what you wanted to purchase.

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

Xylitol is a natural sweetener found in plants and fruits which was approved by the FDA as food additive. Xylitol is now appearing in sugar-free gum, mints and toothpaste. Xylitol is sweet-as-sugar and low in calories, and studies show it may help reduce and prevent cavities. Research confirms that of all factors studied, xylitol most likely inhibits the growth of Streptococcus mutans, the oral bacteria that causes cavities.

Dental health is important for maintaining clean and healthy teeth.

The following tips will helps to maintain clean and healthy teeth of the best dental health.

– Brush teeth every day with a fluoride toothpaste for dental health maintenance.
– Floss your teeth every day for healthy gums and teeth.
– Limit sugary snacks.
– Get enough calcium.
– See your dentist on a regular basis for dental health care.

Dental X-rays  provide the dentist with an important tool that shows the condition of your teeth. As well as your teeth roots, jaw placement and the overall composition of your facial bones.  X-rays can help your dentist determine the presence or degree of periodontal (gum) disease, abscesses, cavities and many abnormal growths, such as cysts and tumors.  X-rays also show the exact location of impacted tooth.  X-rays are normally taken once a year, sometimes more if the dentist wants to review a problem focus area.

 Dental health is important for maintaining clean and healthy teeth   The following tips will helps to maintain clean and healthy teeth of the best dental health.

– Brush teeth every day with a fluoride toothpaste for dental health maintenance.
– Floss your teeth every day for healthy gums and teeth.
– Limit sugary snacks.
– Get enough calcium.
– See your dentist on a regular basis for dental health care.

 Dental Insurance Healthcare, DHMO Dental Network

What is a DHMO dental network? When one is insured with an HMO medical plan the term means a health maintenance organization. In the dental industry the title is similar except that the DHMO refers to a dental health maintenance organization instead. Dentist in a DHMO belong to a network and if you are a client in that network then in theory you can see any dentist within the network.

Just remember, the administrator of the DHMO or the company that manages the plan pays the dental office once a month, normally based on a per person fixed amount rate.

Porcelain veneers can completely transform your teeth and smile.  Porcelain veneers still remains as one of the most popular cosmetic dental treatments in the United States. Veneers can be use to fix many dental problems.  With veneers,  a dentist can control the color, position, shape, and size of your new teeth.  They also can correct crooked, worn, or chipped teeth. Ask your dentist about dental veneers to see what your options are.

Many schools offer dental healthcare programs for the coming of fall and going back to school Going over the importance of brushing and flossing and the importance of their teeth to their overall healthcare.  Some school invite dentist to give a  presentation to the children in hopes to stop bad dental care habits.   If your child school does not provide such a program ask you local dentist they may have free days where they go over children dental care.

Participants insured with a dental PPO insurance plan are responsible for paying their deductible before receiving any reimbursement.  One of the key differences between dental HMO insurance and dental PPO insurance is that DPPOs usually allow dentists to spend more time with insured patients.

Dentists in dental HMO insurance plans are expected to see a certain number of patients, so some dentists have been known to rush through dental appointments.  A PPO dental insurance plan consists of numerous dentists that sign up to join a network insurance system or group with hopes that they will have many patients to service.  When subscribers join a PPO dental plan, they benefit from lower out-of-pocket costs when they see one of the network dentists.

A Study done on Antiboitic Prophylaxis shows that patients who are undergoing invasive dental procedures do not benefit from it use.  In the British Medical Journal it suggested that patients that are at risk from infective endocarditis (an infection of the inner surface of the heart) will not benefit from antibiotic prophylaxis before undergoing invasive dental procedures.  Dr Lockhart noted that dental offices have been in the spotlight for more than 50 years because dental procedures can cause bacteria to enter the blood stream, but stated there is no strong scientific data to show that dental procedures cause infective endocarditis.