New Dental Insurance for Diabetics

New dental insurance coverage based on a study of health care costs related to periodontal(gum) treatment of diabetics. United Concordia Dental will begin offering a new insurance plan that covers the oral health maintenance diabetics seek after receiving treatment for periodontal disease. The new program , called UCWellness , is being rolled out following a study , which the author is calling the first of its kind . The study looked at how treating periodontal disease can affect the health care costs associated with diabetes . The results showed that hospitalizations decreased by 33% annually and physician visits by 13% in diabetics who treated and managed their periodontal disease over a 3 year period , reducing their medical costs by around $1,800 per year per patient. The UCWellness includes additional periodontal maintenance procedures and 100% coverage , subject to deductibles and annual maximums on periodontal maintenance , scaling and root planning and several periodontal surgical procedures.

Injuries Associated With Spinbrush Powered Toothbrushes

The Spinbrush , battery-operated toothbrush may pose a potential risk to consumers , and its use has been linked to cases of oral injury , chipped or broken teeth , and more according to a report published by the FDA in February 2012. The FDA warning includes all models of the Spinbrush , which is currently sold as the Arm & Hammer Spinbrush and was sold as the Crest Spinbrush until 2009 . According to the report , the products brush head may detach or break off in the user’s mouth , causing mouth and gum injuries , injuries to the face and eyes , chipped or broken teeth , or swallowing and choking on the broken pieces . When using any Spinbrush model , the FDA recommends that consumers ;
1) Check to ensure the brush head is properly attached
2) Inspect the Spinbrush for loose or damaged bristles
3) Do not bite down on the brush head during use
4) Supervise children and adults who need assistance
5) Replace the brush head either when the indicator is ½ way down or after every 3 months

Death By Dentures

Did George Washington’s famous oral appliance do him in? Was the throat infection that took our first President’s life caused by colonies of bacteria that grew in his world-famous dentures? By all reports, George Washington was a very athletic , strapping man who was taller , larger and stronger than the average countryman of his time . So how is it that –at the age of 67-he became ill and died in only 3 days. Washington suffered from both dental problems and a variety of illnesses in his younger life . He lost his first adult tooth at the young age of 22 and by the time he became president , in 1789 at the age of 57 , he had only one tooth remaining despite daily brushing and the use of toothpaste and mouthwash . At his inauguration , he was wearing a full set of dentures that were attached to his final tooth . Washington was treated by no fewer than 8 prominent dentists who practiced in colonial America , but his favorite was Dr John Greenwood . The dentures he prepared for Washington had a base of hippopotamus ivory carved to fit the gums . The upper denture had ivory , and the lower plate consisted of human teeth fastened by gold pivots that screwed into the base . The set was secured in Washington’s mouth by spiral springs . The upper and lower gold plates were connected by springs that pushed the upper and lower plates against the upper and lower ridges of his mouth to hold them in place . Washington had to actively close his jaws tightly to make his teeth bite together .
Today we know that bacteria in dentures can cause , among other things , upper respiratory infections , cario endocardidits , intestinal infections , and open wound infections . But in Washington’s day you didn’t know that bacteria existed until 1867 when Joseph Lister introduced the idea that microorganisms lead to infection and that antiseptics needed to be used for surgical procedures . Washington died 68 years before this discovery . In Thursday , December 12 , 1799 , Washington spent the day outside in the snow and freezing rain inspecting his estate , Mt. Vernon. He ate his dinner that night in his wet clothing . The next morning , he complained of a severe sore throat . Accounts now attribute the cause to quinsy , acute epiglottis , or possibly thrush . Both quinsy and epiglottis are bacterial infections and thrush is a yeast infection in the mouth and throat . Washington’s condition worsened throughout the day until early Saturday morning , December 14 , when he awoke Martha , his wife , telling her that he felt ill . Although several physicians were summoned to his bedside , Washington died at 10pm. Where did these infections come from? Evidence suggest they could have been harbored in Washington’s dentures .

Whats The Buzz With Dental X-rays And Cancer

Everyone is buzzing about the April 10th issue of the American Cancer Association journal study about taking dental x-rays ……. don’t panic and don’t stop seeing the dentist! Until there is more research done showing a link between cancer and dental x-rays the best advice is to get x-rays when they are necessary and only when they are necessary. The dose of radiation given in a bitewing or panoramic x-ray is lower today than it was two decades ago. Nonetheless, x-rays should be done only when necessary. This is true of all x-ray technology, and it’s the same advice experts would have given without this study. While dental practices have general guidelines for when radiographs would be necessary they should be based on individual patient needs. Benefits and risk are always a consideration and weighed as recommendations are made. Further, patients must be educated about precautions which are taken by a dental practice to reduce radiation exposure such as lead aprons, lead thyroid collars, high speed films, collimators or digital radiographs(which reduces exposure by up to 90%). Finally the doctor and team in a dental practice should be committed to minimally invasive dentistry, which means diagnosis at the earliest stage of disease to reduce the cost to patients in discomfort, time and money while preserving the most tooth structure and a patient’s whole body health.

Hospital ER Dental Care

Already stressed state budgets are shouldering an extra burden to cover expensive emergency room(ER) treatment for toothaches and other avoidable dental ailments , according to a new report from the Pew Charitable Trusts . The report , entitled “A Costly Dental Destination”, estimates that preventable problems were the primary reason for 830,590 ER visits by American in 2009-a 16% increase from 2006. They concluded that states can reduce hospital visits , strengthen oral health and reduce their costs by making modest investments to improve access to preventative care . Dental-related hospital visits are fueled by the difficulty that disadvantaged people have getting regular preventative care from dentists and other types of providers . The access problem is driven by multiple factors , including a shortage of dentists in many areas of the country and the fact that many dentists do not accept Medicaid –enrolled children. The care provided in an ER is much more expensive . and it generally doesn’t solve dental problems.