Month: November 2012

Hey, Dentists! Make ‘Em Laugh!

Dentists use nitrous oxide to calm mildly anxious patients.
Dentists use nitrous oxide to calm mildly anxious patients.

Laughing gas, or nitrous oxide, has been used routinely in dental offices since 1863. It’s a safe, effective sedation option for dental patients seeking a way to control feeling overly anxious about their treatments.

Nearly 75% of American adults experience mild to severe dental anxiety. Causes for dental fears are varied, and may include:

  • Previous painful experiences at the dentist’s office
  • Dealing with general anxiety, mood, or posttraumatic stress disorders
  • Feeling out of control or helpless
  • Having low pain threshold or fear of pain
  • Embarrassment about the look of teeth
  • Phobic about needles and/or anxious about drills
  • Sensitive gag reflex

If you do suffer fear or anxiety about dentistry, the good news is that most dentists offer sedation dentistry. One of the most common forms of sedation is nitrous oxide, often referred to as laughing gas. Continue reading Hey, Dentists! Make ‘Em Laugh!

Use Your Current Dental Benefits Before the Year Ends

general dentistryWith November underway, there are less than two months until the start of 2013. Before you know it, Thanksgiving will be here, and then Christmas and New Year’s. With everything that’s coming, the last thing on the minds of most people is dental insurance. But keeping dental insurance in mind is important. Here are a few reasons why:

Yearly Maximum

Every year, insurance companies help patients by paying for a certain amount of important dental work. But this amount doesn’t rollover at the end of the year. Instead, it’s renewed. That means if you don’t use what you have now, you’ll lose it when 2013 comes.

Deductible

With a new year comes a new deductible. Often, this amount is around $50, and it must be paid before insurance companies will start covering care. Have you paid your deductible for 2012? Make the most of your insurance by reserving an appointment with your dentist today.

Insurance Fees

A new year might also bring difference premiums or co-pays. Because you don’t know what these will be for 2013 yet, it’s a good idea to see your dentist this year. That will allow you to pay this year’s fees instead.

Emergencies

Sometimes there’s nothing you can do to avoid a dental emergency. Other times, though, a regular checkup and cleaning can actually prevent an emergency from happening. Avoid a dental emergency this holiday season by using your benefits to see your dentist now, rather than later.

The New Year is on its way, but there’s still plenty of time to take advantage of your current dental insurance benefits. Call your local dentist today to schedule a visit.