The Real Cost of Dental Care

Good Oral Health corresponds to a state of being free from tooth-ache, tooth-decay, oral sores, mouth cancer, gum diseases and other oral disorders. According to WHO, around 60-90% children, 15-25% middle-aged people and almost 100% adults suffer from various dental problems.

Not following simple dental care tips, we end up having some serious health problems. The cost of dental care has risen in the last decade and a minor lapse in our preventive care can burn a major hole in your pockets. By adopting some simple but effective steps, you will realize that the costs incurred in following proper dental care is much less than visiting a dentist for minor or major oral problems.

Preventive Care

It has been rightly said that “It is better to prevent than to repent”. The best way to reduce or completely avoid major dental problems is by following day to day simple preventive activities like:

• Brush and floss your teeth after each meal.
• Use an electric toothbrush instead of normal one, since the rotating action of electric toothbrush is more effective in removing plaque.
• Eat healthy food and avoid sugary drinks and food.
• Avoid smoking and alcohol.

Routine checkups

Visiting a dentist or an oral hygienist regularly, is always a great help to you in detecting minor problems at an early stage and  take the corrective action. This will cost you much less than curing an aggravated dental problem later that will eventually cost you more. These days, preventive dentistry plans are offered by many dental clinics, which include routine cleaning and oral examinations on a regular, scheduled basis. Apart from spotting the problems early, the dentists also guide the children and youngsters about the best brushing and cleaning methods for the perfect heath of your pearly whites.

You can be lucky, if you have a dental institute or school near your place, you can save a lot on dental costs. These schools offer either free or low-cost preventive plans which are performed by dental students under the supervision of qualified senior doctors.

Timely Action

Very often we neglect the minor problems related to teeth and later the same problem escalates to a stage that we have to visit the doctor in an emergency. The overlooked minor problem gets converted to a major dental issue and is surely going to cost more and also eats up your precious time and adds to the distress and stress.

Dental Insurance

Having dental insurance is another good option to save major expenses when you are prescribed a major dental surgery or replacement. The dental insurance also covers routine checkup costs. The insurance policy should be carefully read before finalizing it, since it can contain some tricky statements.

Dental savings Plan

If for some reason, you are not interested to get a dental insurance, you can sign up for cost-effective dental plans by paying nominal annual fees. The plans are well-designed to cover various dental problems. The other advantage of getting a dental savings plan is that there are no annual caps and you can avail 10- 60% discounts on dental care.

Conclusion

Even if you have a dental insurance or the best dental savings plan, the dental problems will always cost you, take up your time and cause discomfort to you. Preventive care, timely diagnosis and regular visits are the best ways to avoid expensive treatments. “A stitch in time saves nine” after all