Archive for November, 2015

Sign up by December 15 for adult dental coverage starting January 1.

This month marks the first time that California’s health insurance exchange, Covered California, has offered dental insurance coverage for adults.

As of November 19, about 33,000 adults have taken advantage of this opportunity to sign up for dental plans. If you do not have dental insurance coverage, we strongly suggest joining them.

Why Get Dental Insurance

By making it easier to get preventative care, dental insurance offers many essential benefits.

First of all, dental insurance provides incentive to get your routine dental cleanings and exams, since these services are covered at no out of…

Dental implants are not covered by all insurance plans so be sure to do your research early.

Dental implants are the best solution to missing teeth. They are also quite costly, especially if you need multiple implants. So, if you suspect that dental implants may be a necessity in your future, it would be wise to start planning today to make sure you are prepared for the expense.

Signs You Might Need Dental Implants

Have you already lost a tooth due to decay, disease, or accident? You obviously need to replace it, both for the sake of your appearance and for your…

Learn about the 5 main types of dental implants

Dental implant technology has been around for many decades, and there is an excellent body of research showing that this treatment is the best option for replacing missing teeth. As dental implants have grown in popularity some new types of implants have been introduced, which are described here.

Traditional Dental Implants

A traditional dental implant consists of a titanium implant peg topped with a porcelain dental crown. This type of implant provides a very close replica of the natural tooth, both above and below the gum line. The titanium implant peg will actually bond with the jawbone in a process…

If your dentist recommends a root canal, act quickly for the best outcome.

Unfortunately, many people are so frightened of the very idea of a root canal that they run the other way when their dentists suggest one. Here are 4 reasons you should definitely not try to avoid getting a necessary root canal procedure.

You’ll be in pain

In the case of minor damage to tooth enamel, it is entirely possible for the tooth to regenerate itself through the process of remineralization. This can even cure minor issues with tooth sensitivity in some cases. However, by the time a tooth becomes so severely decayed and…

Any kind of floss is only as good as your technique.

Did you know that about half of all Americans don’t floss daily? And of these flossing slackers, about 18 percent never floss at all?

This is bad news for our country’s oral health. Flossing is a very important part of your daily oral hygiene routine, because it helps clean places brushing simply doesn’t reach. If you don’t floss, you are at increased risk of tooth decay and gum disease, which are the two primary causes of tooth loss.

Hate String Floss? Try a Water Flosser

Sometimes, people’s excuse for not flossing is that string floss hurts their…

Get a teeth whitening treatment to make sure your teeth sparkle at your next holiday gathering.

With the holidays right around the corner, many families are getting ready for annual gatherings of the extended clan. If you are about to see your extended family, hopefully you anticipate lots of smiles. But are you confident that your smile will sparkle?

You see your teeth in the mirror every day, so it can be hard to tell just how their color may have changed. But all those folks who see you but once per year will be much more likely to notice if your teeth…

A healthy mouth has a balance of good and bad bacteria.

When it comes to taking care of your teeth and gums, you hear a whole lot about fighting the effects of bad bacteria like S. mutans. These bacteria feed on sugars in your diet and produce acid that can erode tooth enamel and irritate gums—perhaps to the point where you develop a cavity, get a severe gum disease infection, or actually lose a tooth.

So you might wonder…

…Shouldn’t I try to clean all the bacteria out of my mouth?

Actually, no.

The fact of the matter is that not all oral bacteria are bad. Many types of oral bacteria are…

If you have benefits remaining California Dental Group can fit you in for care

Are you at risk of missing out on hundreds of dollars of dental benefits? This could easily happen if you are not careful to maximize your dental insurance benefits before year’s end. In this blog we will help you figure out whether you have coverage remaining and how to use it.

Have You Had Your Dental Cleaning?

Absolutely every dental plan covers at least one annual dental cleaning and exam. This is an essential preventative care service that you should never skip. If you have not head your annual dental cleaning you are essentially throwing…

Unregulated dental products imported from overseas could pose a public health threat.

According to the National Association of Dental Laboratories, about 40 percent of the crowns, bridges, and dental implants placed in American patients’ mouths may now be coming from overseas.

Unfortunately, this may be one case in which the global economy isn’t really helping to make the market better. Many dentists are concerned that products made by top exporters like Mexico, Costa Rica, the Philippines, and China may not be of the same quality as those made domestically. One concern is that any metals present in restorations made overseas could contain lead, which obviously…

5 ways smoking can affect your oral health

Do you smoke? You’ve probably already heard a lot about the impact of this habit on your lungs. But did you know that smoking can also have a big impact on the health of your teeth and gums?

Smoking Can Mask Signs of Gum Disease

Bleeding gums are one of the most common symptoms of gum disease. But if you are a smoker, your gums may not bleed as readily. Without this key symptom to alert you to the presence of a gum disease infection, the disease is likely to progress to the more severe form of periodontitis before you…