How to Spend Your Dental Care Budget Wisely

Tips for making your money count when it comes to your oral health.

Has keeping better track of your finances made it onto your list of New Year’s resolutions? If so, don’t neglect to consider what you’re spending on dental care. Here are a few tips to help you spend your money wisely.

Invest in the Essentials

Normally, reusing items or making supplies stretch is helpful when you want to save money. This is not the case when it comes to dental care. For example, if you do not replace your toothbrush often and use an ample amount of floss each day, your teeth and gums won’t be getting as clean as they should be. This could lead to you developing cavities, and it definitely costs more to fill a cavity than to buy a few new toothbrushes and packs of floss each year.

Ditch Ineffective or Unnecessary Products

Obviously, if you want to make your dental care dollars really count, you will not want to spend them on any products that don’t really help your smile. Here are some common examples of products to be avoided:

• Toothbrush sanitizer: While no one relishes the thought of a germy toothbrush, you don’t need to purchase a toothbrush sanitizer to keep your toothbrush clean. Instead, simply rinse your toothbrush after every use and make sure to keep it separate from other people’s, stored in a way where it can air dry to prevent bacterial growth. Replace your toothbrush at least every 4 months or whenever you get sick.
• Alcohol mouthwash: Mouthwash can certainly help freshen breath, but most experts agree that the kinds with alcohol can also contribute to drymouth. This can make issues with bad breath and tooth decay worse. It’s best to use alcohol-containing mouthwash sparingly if at all.
• Whitening products: With the exception of whitening toothpastes, most of the whitening products you can buy over the counter are a waste of money. They are nowhere near as effective as professional teeth whitening from your dentist, and they may also cause gum irritation or even enamel damage if overused.

Focus on Regular Preventative Dental Care

Besides your toothbrush, toothpaste, and floss, the best investment you can make in your oral health is preventative dental care. Be sure to get at least one dental cleaning and exam per year. This preventative service is important for removing tartar as well as for identifying issues like cavities, gum disease, and oral cancer early so that they can be treated quickly and effectively.

Address Dental Problems Promptly

If your dentist does discover a problem with your teeth or gums, you need to find a way to fit the necessary treatment into your budget ASAP. After all, the problem will probably become more pronounced, more painful, and more expensive to correct the longer you delay treatment.

Get Affordable Care at California Dental Group

At California Dental Group, we take great pride in offering excellent dental care at competitive prices. Contact any of our clinic locations for an appointment.