Dr. Marty Zase: How To Save Money With Good Oral Health

By now everyone has heard that you should brush and floss every day. The question is, “How many of you actually do it?” Perhaps another perspective is worth considering: if you practice excellent oral hygiene, you will save thousands of dollars against future dental bills. Let’s look at that.

Most of you have heard the expression “Brush your teeth twice a day; see your dentist twice a year.” Did you know there is no science behind that expression? It was made up as a radio commercial for Pepsodent toothpaste for the Amos and Andy radio show in the late 1930’s. It was on the radio so often and for so long, everyone started to believe that it was an actual rule, and when dental insurance came into vogue in the 1970’s, the insurance actuaries had to decide how often to pay for “cleanings”. Well everybody knows it’s “brush your teeth twice etc. …” and that became the insurance standard that is still used today. But the truth is that most adults should be seen by a hygienist every three or four months, not six, in order to prevent gum disease. By having more frequent cleanings, more serious and therefore more costly treatments can be avoided.

Plaque (that film you feel on your teeth when you wake up in the morning) contains both bacteria and sugar products. The bacteria convert the sugars that are in the plaque into acid, and it is acid that causes tooth decay. If the plaque is broken up at least once a day, the acid production process is disrupted or at least greatly reduced.

The most susceptible parts of your teeth to decay are the grooves on the biting surfaces and the area between the teeth where they touch each other. These spots are very hard to clean and easy for the plaque, debris, and bacteria to collect there. Sliding dental floss through the “contact” area daily is the only way to remove the junk that is stuck between the teeth before any damage can be done. And those pesky grooves on the biting surface of teeth (where you have to pick away the stuck Orea cookies with your fingernail) can be sealed against decay by properly placed dental sealants. Adding fluoride actually makes the outer tooth surface stronger by making it less susceptible to acid, thus less likely to dissolve and form a cavity (hole). With sealants, fluoride, brushing and flossing, most dental decay can be prevented — as long as you get there early enough.

Other devices to help clean teeth and gums like water irrigators and electric toothbrushes can often help reduce the plaque and reduce swollen gums and therefore reduce the risks and costs of tooth decay and gum disease.

If you do get decay, fillings are almost always needed. Unfortunately they can be pricey, so preventing cavities saves money.

Fillings are not permanent. They break down over time because you use them every day to eat. Early detection of problems with old fillings can often be treated by minor repairs or simple filling replacements. However, if the problems are allowed to get worse, more expensive treatment like crowns and root canals can often result. Or even worse, teeth may have to be extracted and the cost to replace them is also much more expensive than the simple repair would have been.

Like most other diseases, early diagnosis is the key to higher success and lesser costs in the treatment of dental decay (caries) and periodontal (gum) disease. Regular x-rays and examinations by the dental team provide you with a huge advantage in winning this battle.

One last bit of good advice to save money. Don’t use your teeth as tools. Biting your nails, biting off thread, opening aluminum foil packages with your teeth, separating pistachio nuts, chewing on ice, and holding nails between your teeth while climbing a ladder are all examples of what not to do. If you just use your teeth for eating, and don’t abuse them, they’ll last a lot longer. There is no reason why today’s dentistry can not help you keep your teeth for your lifetime.

There are many forms of protection for teeth. If you grind your teeth at night, ask your dentist about using a nightguard which could help slow down or prevent the wearing down of your teeth and the need for very expensive reconstruction. And if you play sports, absolutely use a mouthguard. Broken teeth are expensive to fix.

With the cost of fillings, crowns and periodontal treatment continuing to rise, a few ounces of prevention can save hundreds or even thousands of dollars a year. Over a lifetime, excellent oral maintenance is a smart investment; you will save money, have better health, and look better. Now that is a trifecta worth investing in. Save some money; schedule a check-up.

Dr. Marty Zase is a general dentist in Colchester, Connecticut with an emphasis on cosmetic dentistry. He is a Master in the Academy of General Dentistry and is an Accredited Member and Past-President of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. He is a partner in the Colchester Dental Group and can usually be found wearing one of his famous Hawaiian shirts and matching socks.

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