Spirit Dental Resources

Usually, when you think of going to the dentist, you’re thinking about teeth.  Cleaning teeth, maybe there’s a problem with a tooth – a cavity,  a chip, discoloration – maybe you’re thinking about braces or other straightening needs… or the dreaded root canal problems.  However, did you realize that the dentist may be able to recognize and diagnose numerous other potential problems with your health? According to Dawn West, DMD, RN with Tuffs University School of Dental Medicine, when you go for a dental checkup you might actually be saving so much more than just your teeth or find out about other oral health related complications, because the mouth is the gateway to your entire organism and there might be several important signs of other diseases existent in there. Some of the other non-dental related diseases that a dentist can spot include the sexually transmitted diseases (STD), diabetes, heart disease, and even several types of cancerous diseases. The dentist is basically looking in your mouth for signs of different diseases such as inflammation, bleedings, dry mouth or sores, and damages to the gum line. Some other dentists do actually perform neck and head exams, Blood pressure and even blood sugar or other blood issue tests. So don’t look at that dentist visit as simply a pain that has to be done every 6 months, think of it as a great check up on your overall health!

Updated Jan. 2022 Having access to quality dental care is important at every age. Unfortunately, a trip to the dentist can come with a hefty bill. For that reason, many people might be forced to postpone the care they need to keep their teeth and gums strong and clean, even though they’d otherwise keep their appointments.  Dental insurance is the solution to this common problem. And it can be surprisingly affordable, all while giving people the chance to see their dentist without getting hit with super high out-of-pocket costs. Yet, there are millions of Americans who don’t have this type of coverage.  Just how many people are lacking this valuable support? Check out the information below to learn about some of the latest stats. More than 70 million people aren’t enrolled in a dental plan According to a survey by the CareQuest Institute for Oral Health, roughly 76.5 million American adults stated that they didn’t have dental insurance. And this research discovered that many people—roughly 6 million—had dental insurance but lost it because of the COVID-19 outbreak. This survey also found that higher income earners are more likely to have dental insurance than lower income earners. While 80% of people making over $100,000 annually had dental coverage, 60% of people earning less than $30,000 annually had this type of insurance.  Many seniors on Medicare lack dental coverage Seniors tend to be at a higher risk of developing oral health problems. After all, as you age, your body changes, including your teeth and gums. So, getting regular checkups and high-quality care is necessary to catch problems and treat them before they progress into more serious issues.  One disappointing finding from the CareQuest survey is the fact that individuals over the age of 60 are the least likely to have dental insurance. And even those who are on Medicare make up a good portion of the number of people without this coverage. More specifically, roughly 25% of survey respondents who are on Medicare stated that they didn’t have enough dental coverage to meet their needs.   Americans recognize the importance of having dental insurance Even though so many people don’t have dental insurance, it doesn’t mean that they don’t recognize its importance. And it certainly doesn’t mean that they don’t want it. In fact, CareQuest’s survey found that around ⅔ of adults agree strongly with the idea that Medicare and Medicaid should include coverage for oral health care for adults.  Stand-alone dental plans are an option for Americans without insurance Individuals who don’t receive dental insurance from an employer might find it difficult to afford a stand-alone plan. Or, they might not be aware that they have the option of getting this type of insurance on their own.  If you want to shop for dental coverage for yourself and your family, you can do so rather easily at any time throughout the year, without needing to wait for Open Enrollment. Contacting insurance providers directly can be a great way to see which plans are available.   Do you need dental insurance? Spirit Dental can help! If you’re one of the millions of Americans who don’t have dental insurance for themselves and their families, and you’re ready to get the protection you need so you can more affordably see the dentist whenever you want, check out the many plans offered by Spirit Dental. At Spirit Dental, you can find plans for individuals, families and seniors. You can get comprehensive coverage that will be there to support you, whether you need a simple professional cleaning or you need to get an expensive dental implant to replace a missing tooth. And the best part is you may be able to find a plan that will give you what you want at a price you can comfortably afford, so you’ll never have to go another day without dental coverage!         Sources: https://www.carequest.org/system/files/CareQuest_Institute_A%20Snapshot%20of%20the%2076.5%20Million%20Americans%20Without%20Dental%20Insurance_Visual%20Report.pdf https://www.carequest.org/education/resource-library/dental-insurance-out-reach-many  https://www.carequest.org/education/resource-library/snapshot-765-million-americans-without-dental-insurance  https://www.carequest.org/system/files/CareQuest-Institute-SNOHE-Info-Dental-Insurance.pdf  https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/may/04/americans-dental-dentist-teeth-health-insurance  

This is a common scenario in Kansas for those who don’t have dental insurance. Let’s say one of your teeth starts to crumble and you have to go to a dentist. The cost to have a root canal and a crown can run as high $2000. The dentist is going to want his money at the time of service. What will you do if you don’t have the money? The simplest solution is to perform an extraction to solve the problem. It costs around $200 and the patient while losing the tooth does begin to feel much better because the infection is out of the body. Another alternative would be to visit a local university that has a school of dentistry. Many dental schools offer reduced-cost services to patients in need. Don’t expect them to foot all the costs for restorative dental work but they can help reduce costs significantly. Even before you start to experience the pain of a toothache the health of your teeth could be giving you problems that impact your overall health. The Kansas Health Foundation wants to get that information out in a new public-health campaign to address what it calls a crisis in oral health in Kansas. In a campaign called “Truth About Teeth,” the foundation will use words such as “decay” and “gross” plastered across mouths on billboards and in other ads to get people’s attention and give them some fact about the state’s dental condition. Some interesting facts about dental care in Kansas: 58% of Kansas third graders have experienced tooth decay Ninety-three counties in Kansas do not have enough dentists to serve their residents, and 13 have no dentists at all. Kansas hospitals reported more than 17,500 visits to emergency rooms for dental-related problems in 2010. Kansas ranks 18th in the United States for total tooth loss among senior citizens. Only 25 percent of Kansas dentists accept patients insured through Medicaid.

A common question you hear at most dental office's is – “What causes bad breath?” Many times the complaint is not from the offender but from a long suffering spouse or family member. There are many causes of bad breath (which we call “halitosis”) – some serious and some not. And while many people have decided to just hold their nose and live with it, the good news is diagnosing and treating bad breath is something that can easily be done. Here is a list, in no particular order, of the reasons people may be slowly backing up during conversations: Foods Containing Pungent Oils Yes – garlic and onions are very healthy, but they also contain oils which may cause an unhealthy reaction to those around you. These odors come from the lungs, last up to 72 hours and can be tough to cover up. Mints, gum and rinses are your best bet – or make sure everyone around you has had the same yummy food as well! Routine Illnesses Colds, sore throats, coughs and sinus infections all cause yucky smelling mucus (or snot, depending on your age), to get trapped in our mouths, throats and noses, which causes foul breath until the illness is taken care of. Of course, if you have one of these highly contagious problems you shouldn’t be that close to someone anyway! If a sinus infection, sore throat, cough or cold doesn’t clear up in a few days to a week, you should probably see your physician to make sure things aren’t of a serious nature. Dry Mouth A dry mouth lets dead cells accumulate on your gums, tongue and cheeks. And while morning breath is a perfectly normal phenomenon due to lowered salivary activity at night – it shouldn’t last all day. Those who snore, mouth-breath, take certain medications, or even have lasted into middle age are prone to a dry mouth. Smoking Smoking dries out your mouth (see above) and also, tobacco just plain stinks. If lung cancer and heart disease aren’t reason enough to give up the ciggies, maybe a constant foul mouth will help you make that life-saving decision. Chronic Diseases or Conditions Many serious diseases such as lung infections, kidney failure, diabetes, cancer, GERD, anorexia, bulimia and others can cause very specific types of halitosis. The good news is that these are on the rare side, but if anything along these lines is suspected, a referral to the appropriate practitioner is in order. Poor Dental Hygiene and Gum Disease Ahhh… this is our favorite! Not because we like people to have poor dental hygiene and gum disease, but because these are very common causes of bad breath and we can usually treat them quite easily. But please don’t wait too long! Gum disease, which usually starts with poor brushing and flossing habits as well as a lack of routine dental visits, can do much more than make your mouth stinky. In just a short period of time, gum disease can advance and eat away at the gums and bone which hold your teeth in place. The result? Loose, unstable teeth which will eventually be lost if not treated. Catching gum disease early is great as treatment is typically conservative. Wait too long and it gets much more difficult and extensive. Bad breath is not normal! Seeing your dentist and dental hygienist on a routine basis is your best bet for making sure your teeth and gums stay healthy, your smile stays bright, and your breath doesn’t cause others to run in the opposite direction.

Updated on March 10, 2021 You already know that smoking is bad for your lungs, but did you know that this unhealthy habit could also have an impact on your oral health? In fact, smoking is so bad for your mouth that it’s capable of increasing your risk of gum disease and tooth loss.  How is this possible? We’ve got you covered with helpful information below that will shed some light on the effects of smoking.  First, Let’s Cover the Link Between Smoking and Gum Disease Smoking takes a toll on your immune system, so your body may become less capable of fending off infections, including infections that can develop in your gums.  Each puff you take damages your gums, and smoking can also reduce the amount of blood that gets to them. Plus, the problem compounds because your body isn’t able to heal from all of this damage as well as it normally would. Even dental treatments that you receive to combat your gum problems might not be as effective. Yikes! To put things in perspective, your risk of ending up with gum disease may be double that of someone who doesn’t smoke. And this risk goes up the more you smoke and the longer you smoke. With every cigarette you go through, your body is harmed, period.    Now, Let’s Tackle How Smoking Can Cause Tooth Loss By now, you might be thinking, “Okay, smoking affects the gums, but what does that have to do with tooth loss?” It’s simple, actually.  When you have severe gum disease, it can wreak havoc on the structures that support the teeth and keep them in place. Once supportive bone is lost, your teeth could end up becoming loose, and that’s when they might be prone to falling out, leaving you with unsightly gaps that may end up affecting the health of nearby teeth over time as well.  Note: If you’re a smoker, you might not even be aware that there’s a problem with your gums because smoking can hide symptoms like bleeding. So Many Reasons to Quit Smoking! How serious is the risk of tooth loss from smoking? Well, researchers have found that the risk is much higher in both men and women who smoke, and the risk is also there even if you’re young.  It’s also important to note that all of this information doesn’t only apply to cigarette smoking. If you use a pipe, smoke cigars, or vape with e-cigarettes, you’re putting your oral health on the line. Even smokeless tobacco can boost the risk of developing gum recession, gum disease, and tooth decay.   But, it’s not all bad news: the sooner you quit smoking, the sooner you can let your body return to a state of wellness. Over time, as your gums heal and you work on taking better care of your entire mouth, the odds of losing your pearly whites may also decrease.  Keep an Eye on Your Gum Health with the Help of Your Dentist If you smoke, let your dental hygienist and dentist know so they’ll keep an eye out for signs that your teeth and gums are suffering as a result of your habit. Plus, these professionals are an invaluable source of advice when it comes to oral hygiene, and might even be able to provide you with strategies you can use to quit smoking for good.  Need help affording trips to the dentist, especially if you have to get checked often because you’re susceptible to problems like gum disease? Don’t worry! Insurance plans like those offered by Spirit Dental can make it easier to receive the care you need when you’re on a tight budget.    Sources: https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/campaign/tips/diseases/periodontal-gum-disease.html https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/09/150914102806.htm https://www.webmd.com/oral-health/guide/smoking-oral-health#1    

Updated May 2021 The health of your mouth isn’t isolated from the health of the rest of your body; instead, there’s a connection between oral wellness and overall wellness.  What does this mean? Well, what happens to your teeth and gums might end up impacting other areas of your body, and chronic health conditions might also end up increasing your risk of tooth and gum problems.  Diabetes is a great example of a whole-body condition that can have an impact on the health of your mouth, and vice versa. Check out the information below to see what we mean.  How Can Diabetes Affect Your Mouth? Keeping a close eye on how your teeth and gums are doing is a good way to stay on top of your oral health, but it can also alert you to other problems, such as diabetes.  For example, because diabetes can increase your risk of gum problems, if you’ve been dealing with recurring periodontitis, you might talk to your doctor to figure out the cause, and you might discover that diabetes is to blame.  Here are some of the ways that diabetes can impact your oral health: Gum Disease With diabetes comes a higher risk of gum disease, so you might find that your gums become inflamed and bleed easily. How can this be? Basically, when you’re diabetic, your body will find it harder to fight infections. So, in addition to gum abscesses, you might develop gum disease because of bacteria that attack the gums.  Controlling your blood sugar with the help of your doctor is key, as doing so may help reduce your odds of developing gum disease. But also work with your dentist to keep gum problems at bay because doing so might help you keep your blood sugar stable as well.  Dry Mouth If you aren’t able to control your diabetes, you might notice that there’s a decreased flow of saliva in your mouth. And when you have dry mouth, your risk of infections increases, as does your risk of cavities, ulcers, and sores.  Dry mouth might also be a side effect of a medication that you’re taking to treat diabetes. If this is the case, talk to your doctor to find out if you have any other options when it comes to the medicine you take.  Tooth Decay Dry mouth isn’t the only reason why you may develop cavities. With high blood sugar, your saliva might have more glucose in it. This, in turn, might also raise your odds of tooth decay.  Making sure you remove plaque and tartar is imperative. Focus on brushing, flossing, and booking trips to the dental hygienist. That way, you can work on keeping your chompers clean and strong.  Slower Healing When you’re diabetic, wounds tend to take longer to heal, even when they occur in the mouth. So, if you need to undergo a dental procedure or you need oral surgery, your diabetes may cause you to experience slower healing. This alone should provide you with plenty of motivation to stay on top of your oral hygiene routine at home and your checkups at the dentist’s office! Oral Thrush Thrush is a fungal infection, and your risk will be higher if you have diabetes. It might be the result of dry mouth, excess sugar in your saliva, or your body’s inability to fight off infections as well as it should.  This infection can cause patches and sores in the mouth, and it can also cause what’s known as Burning Mouth Syndrome. You can talk to your doctor and dentist for guidance on prevention and treatment.  The Best Defense? A Solid Oral Care Routine! Are you worried about how diabetes might end up impacting your teeth and gums? Although the risk is real, rest assured that there are things in your control. Brush and floss at home twice a day, and use mouthwash to further help keep your mouth as clean as possible. Most importantly, book trips to the dentist to have your teeth professionally cleaned and your mouth thoroughly examined.     Concerned that you won’t be able to afford seeing your dentist on a consistent basis? Spirit is here to help! With a variety of dental insurance plans to suit all budgets and needs, you can quickly and easily enroll in a policy that will give you amazing perks like three cleanings per year and coverage for major services.   Sources: https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/ConditionsAndTreatments/diabetes-and-oral-health https://www.mouthhealthy.org/en/az-topics/d/diabetes https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/11263-oral-health-problems-and-diabetes https://www.diabetes.co.uk/diabetes-complications/gum-disease.html https://www.webmd.com/diabetes/diabetes-affects-teeth