How Preventive Dental Care Can Save You Money
Are you tired of shelling out big bucks for dental work? From fillings to root canals, dental procedures can quickly drain your bank account. But what if there's a way to save money without stress? Preventive dental care can help you save money and keep your pearly whites healthy while at it.
Discover how to explore preventive dental care and how it can save you money in the long run.
What Is Preventive Dental Care?
Preventive dental care involves taking actions to avoid dental problems or to stop existing ones from getting worse. These actions include checkups, cleanings, X-rays, fluoride treatments, dental sealants, and oral cancer screenings.
Dentists can identify potential issues like cavities, gingivitis, and enamel loss during routine checkups. Also, they can advise on how to prevent or reverse them. Preventive dental care can also detect serious non-dental problems like diabetes, osteoporosis, and some cancers, leading to early treatment and better overall health.
What’s the Best Time for Preventive Dental Care?
The best time to start taking care of your teeth is now! Preventive dental care is essential for maintaining healthy teeth and gums. Whether young or old, it's never too late to begin.
To practice preventive dental care, brush your teeth twice daily and floss regularly. You can prevent cavities and gum disease by removing plaque and bacteria from your teeth and gums. A healthy diet is also crucial for maintaining oral health. Limiting sugary and acidic foods and drinks can help prevent tooth decay.
Visiting your dentist regularly for checkups and cleaning is also important in preventive dental care. Your dentist can identify and treat early signs of dental problems before they become more serious. They can also guide you on how to care for your teeth at home.
For example, if you have a sweet tooth but practice preventive dental care, you won’t have to sacrifice your oral health. Brushing and flossing immediately after indulging in sugary snacks can help prevent cavities and keep your teeth healthy.
How Preventive Dental Care Can Save You Money
Here are seven ways preventive dental care can help you save money:
Reduces the Risk of Tooth Decay and Gum Disease
Regular dental checkups and cleaning can help catch tooth decay and gum disease in their early stages. This is when they’re easier and less costly to treat, and this can help you avoid more extensive and expensive treatments down the line.
Avoids the Need for Expensive Restorative Treatments
By taking care of your teeth and gums through regular cleanings, you can reduce dental issues that require restorative treatments. Common examples of restorative treatments are:
- Fillings
- Crowns
- Root canals
Restorative treatments can be pretty expensive.
Prevents Tooth Loss
Gum disease and other oral health issues can lead to tooth loss, which can be costly to treat with dental implants, bridges, or other replacement options. Regular checkups and cleanings can help catch these issues early and prevent tooth loss.
Catches Oral Cancer Early
Regular dental checkups also include an oral cancer screening. This can help catch the disease early when it’s easier and less costly to treat.
Prevents Emergency Dental Treatments
You can reduce the risk of needing emergency dental treatments by taking care of your teeth and gums through regular cleaning and checkups. This is useful, especially for issues like severe tooth pain or infection. These treatments can be expensive and may require multiple visits.
Uses Dental Insurance Benefits
Many dental insurance plans cover preventive care. These plans cover procedures like checkups and cleanings at little or no cost to you. Using these benefits, you can avoid paying out of pocket for dental care.
Improves Overall Health
Good oral health is important to overall health. Regular dental checkups can help detect and prevent health issues related to the mouth and teeth. By staying healthy, you can avoid costly medical treatments down the line.
Easy to Complete
You don't have to endure a series of appointments or painful procedures. Preventive dental care is usually a one-visit procedure without local anesthesia. Plus, they're so comfortable, you'll forget you're even at the dentist's!
Reduces Discoloration
Regular dental cleanings can help keep your pearly whites looking their best. During these cleanings, your dentist uses a special paste to remove surface stains that can cause discoloration. Skipping these cleanings can lead to more expensive cosmetic procedures down the road.
Avoid Periodontal Diseases
Did you know that nearly half of Americans age 30 and up suffer from periodontal disease? Preventive dental care helps you avoid becoming another statistic.
Periodontal disease can cause inflamed and infected gums, resulting in pain and an unsightly appearance.
The good news is that you can take action to prevent periodontal disease. One of the most effective ways is to book dental cleaning twice a year. Regular cleanings can help to reverse early gum disease (gingivitis) and keep your teeth and gums healthy.
However, if you let gum disease progress into periodontal disease, it could lead to losing teeth and more expensive treatments like dentures. So, take charge of your oral health and make those appointments with your dentist. Your gums and teeth will thank you for it!
Get Access to Affordable Preventive Dental Care
With Carefree Dental, you can save on your dental bills at participating providers. For a low monthly fee of $15.95 for individuals or $19.95 for families, Carefree Dental offers access to a nationwide network of over 262,000 dental practice locations – no insurance required!
You can save 15 -50%* per visit in most instances, from routine cleanings to more complex procedures, so you can take care of your oral health without breaking the bank.
Get your Carefree Dental card today and start saving on your next visit to the dentist!
*Actual costs and savings vary by provider, service, and geographical area.
The Carefree Dental blog is not meant to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. The text and pictures within the content are intended for information purposes only. Readers should consult with a licensed dentist or healthcare professional before seeking treatment.
The Carefree Dental Card is not insurance, and Carefree Dental is not an insurance provider.
