As you probably already know, dental insurance is extremely important if you don’t want to carry the burden of paying for your preventive and dental treatments out of your own pocket. However, understanding dental insurance can be quite confusing and there are many hidden facts contained in that infamous small print most people aren’t aware of. That’s why we are going to give you some little-known facts about dental insurance before you visit a dentist in Bellbrook, OH.

Fact #1: Dentists Charge the Same for All Patients

Dentists charge the same dental fees for all their patients, regardless of the patient’s insurance coverage. The problem is that sometimes the fees paid by your insurance company might be lower than the fee your dentist charges. It all depends on the benefits included in your policy. That means the patient must pay the difference.

Fact #2: Dental Insurance Doesn’t Usually Pay 100% of Everything

Dental insurance is meant to supplement your payments. It doesn’t usually cover 100% of everything you need. So if you need family dentistry in Bellbrook, OH, it’s best to contact the dental office to see if what you need is covered first. If not, you can talk about your options for paying out of pocket.

Fact #3: The Truth about Dental Fees

When a patient must pay some of the dental fees because they aren’t covered by their insurance, dentists will usually tell their patients the fees they are being charged are above the usual and customary fees. What that means is your insurance benefits are not high enough to cover them.

Fact #4: Insurance Company Down-Coding

It’s common practice for an insurance company to use what’s called down-coding. For example, down-coding is when an insurance company will only pay for a composite filling at the lower rate of a silver filling. So they tell you they pay for composite fillings, and that’s true, but they only pay up to the amount a silver filling would cost. That means you end up paying the difference.

Fact #5: What You Think Is Covered and What’s Really Covered

Many insurance companies will tell you you’re covered up to 80% or 100%. However, any dentist will tell you that most insurance plans only cover about 40% to 60% of any given fee. Everything is determined by how much your employer actually paid for the plan. If your employer paid less for the insurance, you in return will receive less in benefits. The words “up to” are used broadly to skim over the fact that your benefits are actually lower than you have been led to believe.

Fact #6: The Truth about Using Preferred Providers

An insurance company will sometimes encourage you to use a “Preferred Provider.” This is because an insurance company’s preferred providers are the ones who have agreed to lower their fees to get more patients. However, those preferred providers will frequently use cheaper materials, foreign dental labs, and other cost-cutting measures to make up the cost for the lower fees. This will generally, but not always, result in lower quality dentistry that will have to be redone sooner rather than later.

What’s Next?

If you need dental services, please Contact Bellbrook Family Dentistry today. We are committed to providing you with the highest quality dental care in Ohio.

When you are brushing, flossing, or admiring your smile in a mirror, the last thing you want to see is bleeding gums. If you do, this may be a sign something is amiss and needs to be corrected. While it could be due to something simple, it could also be a sign indicating a more serious condition. As for the common causes of bleeding gums, here are some to keep in mind the next time you visit your dentist in Bellbrook.

Vitamin K Deficiency- When bleeding gums result from a Vitamin K deficiency, it can mean you are not eating enough leafy green vegetables, drink an excessive amount of alcohol, or perhaps suffer from a nutrient malabsorption condition such as Crohn’s disease.

Brushing Too Hard- If you are using a toothbrush with hard bristles, switching to a soft-bristled toothbrush will probably eliminate your bleeding gums. If the problem is too much force or associated pain, consult with your dentist in Bellbrook.

Hormonal Changes During Pregnancy- When this occurs, your gums will become sensitive to plaque and bacteria, creating the condition known as pregnancy gingivitis.

Improper Flossing– If you have just started flossing, have not done so in several days, or are flossing multiple times per day, this can cause your gums to bleed.Try increasing your flossing to see if that alleviates the problem.

Use of Blood Thinners- If you suffer from certain bleeding disorders and are on blood-thinning medication, this can lead to easier bleeding at your gum line.

Poor-Fitting Dentures- Should you have dentures or other dental appliances that do not properly fit inside your mouth, your gums can become irritated in numerous spots and bleed quite frequently. Help for dental problems in Bellbrook is available at your dentist’s office.

Vitamin C Deficiency– When you don’t eat enough citrus fruits and potatoes regularly, you can develop a Vitamin C deficiency that leads to a condition known as Scurvy, which over time can cause your gums to bleed very easily.

While it is likely proper brushing and flossing, along with seeing your dentist in Bellbrook on a regular basis for checkups, will eliminate the plaque that eventually turns into tartar and causes gum disease, don’t take anything for granted. Should you be experiencing persistent gum bleeding or other related issues, make an appointment with your dentist as soon as possible.