If you have dental insurance through your employer, you should know that the benefits that you currently have are unlikely to be available to you once the new year is here. In fact, January 1st is the most common day where dental insurance benefits reset, leaving any money you paid for them on the table. While dental insurance can make treatments more affordable, they don’t count for much if you don’t use them! When you schedule for an appointment today, here’s how you can benefit.

What kind of diseases pose the biggest threat to your smile? By far, the most common forms of dental disease are dental decay and gum disease; about 92% of adults over the age of 20 have suffered from dental decay at some point in their lives, and it has been estimated that nearly half of Americans have some form of periodontitis (the most severe form of gum disease). If you want to keep your pearly whites safe, read on to learn more about these dental diseases and how they can be treated.

Even though almost everyone agrees on the importance of good oral hygiene, poor cleaning habits are more common than you probably think. Nearly a third of American adults don’t brush their teeth at least twice a day, one third never flosses, and a shocking 92% of them have had at least one cavity at some point during their lives.  October is National Dental Hygiene Month, making it the perfect time to learn about the best care practices and make improvements where they’re needed. Here are 4 tips for a better dental health routine!

September is National Gum Care Month, and for many dentists this is an important opportunity to educate their patients. Everyone knows to take good care of their teeth, but many people don’t pay the same amount of attention to their gums. The American Dental Association has found that 42% of adults in the United States have an advanced form of gum disease called periodontitis; if this condition remains untreated, a patient’s teeth and overall health could be at risk. To avoid these life-changing issues, read on to learn more about why excellent gum health is important – and what you can do to promote it!

Many dentists and patients alike love dental implants, and rightly so. They are the best tooth replacement option that modern medicine has to offer. However, they are not totally risk-free. In rare cases, an infection invades the tissue around an implant and cause it to fail. What can you do to protect yourself from such an unfortunate outcome? Here are some keys to preventing dental implant infections.

Vacation has arrived, and you couldn’t be more excited about spending a few weeks away from the hustle and bustle of work and everyday life. A few days into your two-week mountain getaway, you’re struck by immense pain growing in one of your teeth. Understandably, you become frustrated that this is happening to you while on vacation, but what do you do? To help you navigate this type of situation, let us explain what you should do if you have a dental emergency while traveling.

Father’s Day is a time to celebrate the dads who work so hard to provide for their families. Sometimes, however, taking care of everyone else can lead to forgetting to take care of yourself. This year, it’d be a good idea to remind your own father that he also needs to be protecting his own health – and that especially includes his teeth. June is Men’s Oral Health Month, and you can celebrate by learning more about why men might need to be extra vigilant when it comes to their mouths.

It seems like every cancer has a month dedicated to increasing awareness about it. Oral cancer is no different, and April is the time to learn about this disease and about what can be done to reduce its impact. For example, did you know that your dentist can be your first line of detection for oral cancer and increase the odds of beating it? This month, take an opportunity to increase your oral cancer awareness and make an appointment with your dentist to have a necessary screening. Here are four facts that you may not already know about oral cancer to help you do just that.

Your partner complains about your chronic, loud snoring. You also wake up feeling tired and experience fatigue throughout the day. You know you should seek some professional help for your sleep apnea, but it’s not that big of a problem, right? Well, your sleep apnea could have a larger impact on your health than you think. Check out this helpful information about sleep apnea in Estero and how it can influence your heart health in the long term.

While it is still considered the “silent killer” by dentists today, gum disease is largely preventable. With regular oral care habits in place, you can avoid the worst side effects from this chronic condition. However, it’s important that if you notice the signs of gum disease, you don’t assume that they’ll get better on their own. The sooner you start adjusting your habits or seek treatment, the lower your risk will be of permanently damaging your gum and bone tissue.

For Gum Disease Awareness Month, learn how important it is to address gum disease in Estero!