[Melly101]

Hi,
My name is Melonie. I am a dental hygienist, and have been in the dental field now for 14 years. If you have any questions I might be able to answer them, or at least pass on some advice. From pre-natal, to senior care. From oral cancer screens, to which tooth brush is better.

I will start by passing on what I have learned about canker sores or mouth ulcers. My son had one in his mouth constantly. As one healed another formed elsewhere.

Our solution was Sensodyne with Baking Soda. He hasn't had them since. I have tried other toothpastes with baking soda, but the canker sores returned. So back to Sensodyne I went.

I hope this advice helps someone. Let me know if there are any other questions. I might be able to give my two cents worth.

Melonie

[JeanLynn81]

Hi Melonie! Thanks for offering your advice! That's so nice of you.

I just had a question regarding insurance, and I'm hoping you can help. What is the best dental insurance (that's affordable) that I can buy for myself. I have just the worst awful teeth on the bottom right side, and its bothersome. I just have an insane fear of the dentist. I need a valium or something just to get me in the office! But I need to go, so any advice? TIA!

[Melly101]

Hi,

I am from Canada, so our insurance is probably a little different, but...

My advice would be to honestly calculate how much you are really going to use insurance because we see people pay more to their insurance company per year, with monthly premiums, and annual deductibles, than if they just payed for the one or two visits per year.

If you can get an insurance plan for dental, drug, eye glasses, etc. for your whole family, and you all actually wear/need glasses, and drugs (asthma, diabetes) etc, it is worth the cost of insurance.

Just remember that many plans don't kick in right away. For some insurance plans you have to wait, and pay into them, sometimes for 3-6 months, before you can use them. And many toothaches won't wait that long.

Remember, they are a company, in business to make money, so try to calculate your costs. They can be very worth the cost, if you need them.

If you want to know cost per visit for a specific sore tooth, you can call your dentist and ask the receptionist how much it would cost for: (write this down to ask them for a good estimate of cost)

-1 peri-apical (PA) x-ray of the third quad. (bottom right)
-1 specific exam
-1 simple extraction or complicated extraction
or up to 1-5 surface filling (fillings are charged per surface of the tooth)

As for the fears. I hear you! Let the office know that you are very nervous. Ask them to go as slow as possible. Try not to tense up or your muscles will be so sore, everything will hurt! Some clients bring a walkman/ipod with them to distract them.

Good luck and let me know how you did. Please go before it hurts too much. Your teeth affect your whole body. You don't want to get run down from infection.

Melonie

[JeanLynn81]

Thank you so much for that advice!

I am probably going to need quite a few office visits (not just one or two) so I think the insurance might be worth it. At least just to be covered for a short enough time to get everything fixed.

Or maybe I should move to Canada! hehe Y'all have got the best insurance!

I will keep you updated. I just really don't know when I will find the time. I am just going to make an appt with the clinic dentist (since it will take FOREVER to get one) and see what happens in the meantime.

Thanks again!

[Melly101]

Good Luck!
Melonie