Dental Plans/Affordable?
How To: Take a Bite Out of Dental Costs
The fear of having someone poke at your teeth with a drill isn’t the only thing keeping us away from the dentist. Many employers are cutting back on dental insurance plans and nearly half of all Americans do not have any type of dental coverage. A few money-saving solutions include: visiting local colleges for dental care at a fraction of the cost, taking a dental vacation and becoming a discount dental plan member.
5 Websites for Health Discounts
A recession-driven spike in unemployment levels, rising treatment costs and unaffordable insurance coverage caused four in 10 Americans to struggle to pay their medical bills last year, according to a 2011 report by the Commonwealth Fund. To help, here are five frugal health sites to check out for discounts on everything from root canals to lower back pain treatments: DentalPlans.com, PPARX.org, CLAHealthcare.com, EyeBenefits.com and InsureMe.com.
Dotcom Profile: Two Men and a Discount Site
A year before the dotcom bubble burst in 2000, an unlikely pair of “down on their business luck” entrepreneurs came together with a domain name, about $1,000 and an idea for people to save money at the dentist. One was Josh Babyak, an avid surfer and “serial entrepreneur” whose two Florida gourmet takeout restaurants were about to go under. The other half of the discount duo, George Michaelides, was the son of an Illinois dentist whose dental practice management company was unraveling after being bought-out.
Ways to Save and Maintain Your Child’s Dental Hygiene
When visiting the dentist these days, kids' mouths are not the only things opening wide – so are parents' wallets. In 2009, children’s dental care accounted for one-third of all spending on dental care in America at a whopping $30.6 billion. Here are a few tips to help parents keep up with their family budget and kids’ oral health: teach them to grow up with their toothbrush, negotiate with your dentist for referral markdowns and join a family discount dental plan.
Dental Insurance or Discount Dental Plan?
Don't have employer-sponsored dental coverage? You can buy an individual policy with a waiting period, monthly premium and co-pay requirements. Most dental insurance plans will have a yearly cap at $1,000 to $1,500 and, after that, you might be paying out-of-pocket. In contrast, discount dental plans are affordable alternatives to dental insurance without any annual limits. Individuals or families pay a membership fee to access discounts ranging from 10 to 60 percent on most dental care procedures.
How To: Plan for Worst-Case Dental Scenarios
You just lost your job and, with it, your health and dental benefits. You’re on Medicare and it doesn’t cover most dental services. Or you woke up today with a horrible toothache that’s going to need some major out-of-pocket work done. When your teeth hit the fan, you can turn to DentalPlans.com for a choice of affordable alternatives to dental insurance with more than 30 discount dental plans across the country.
Brushing Through Oral Healthcare Barriers
According to the National Institute of Health, dental coverage largely determines access to oral healthcare, but many people often do not have dental coverage. In addition, the Academy of General Dentistry says that more than 90 percent of all systematic diseases have oral health symptoms. Beyond brushing twice daily and flossing, discount dental plans another way people keep up with preventive care and dental appointments.
Tips to Save Money on a Child’s Braces
Brace yourself. With or without dental insurance, your child’s fine-tuned beautiful smile can cost up to $7,000. Most orthodontic treatments begin between ages nine and 14, according to the American Association of Orthodontists. Here are three tips to help parent’s budget align with their kids’ smile: visit a local university orthodontist school, shop for a second estimate and join a discount dental plan that offer savings on braces and orthodontic treatment.
5 Unique Discount Sites You Might Have Missed
Root canal? $1,000. Set of tires? $500. Dinner for two? $100 plus tip. Cell phone plan? $80. Life happens and prices add up quickly. But these days, the online discount shopping boom has given consumers the power to click and save on just about anything. Here are five unique discount websites some people might not be familiar with yet: DentalPlans.com, FrugalMechanic.com, MyRatePlan.com, AccuQuote.com and Restaurant.com.
Commission-Driven Moms Use (Part) Time Wisely
Part-time opportunities for moms to earn full-time dollars and make a corporate comeback … Reads like a wishful job ad that would fall short of expectations. But a group of “no time for chit chat” moms in sales at DentalPlans.com are doing just that. Commission-driven women, former executives and mompreneurs who left their respective workplaces years ago to be a full-time mom. Now, they’re working 20 – 36 hours a week and taking home some serious coin while the kids are back-at-school.
Dental Care Stories
The fear of having someone poke at your teeth with a drill isn’t the only thing keeping us away from the dentist. Many employers are cutting back on dental insurance plans and nearly half of all Americans do not have any type of dental coverage. A few money-saving solutions include: visiting local colleges for dental care at a fraction of the cost, taking a dental vacation and becoming a discount dental plan member.
5 Websites for Health Discounts
A recession-driven spike in unemployment levels, rising treatment costs and unaffordable insurance coverage caused four in 10 Americans to struggle to pay their medical bills last year, according to a 2011 report by the Commonwealth Fund. To help, here are five frugal health sites to check out for discounts on everything from root canals to lower back pain treatments: DentalPlans.com, PPARX.org, CLAHealthcare.com, EyeBenefits.com and InsureMe.com.
Dotcom Profile: Two Men and a Discount Site
A year before the dotcom bubble burst in 2000, an unlikely pair of “down on their business luck” entrepreneurs came together with a domain name, about $1,000 and an idea for people to save money at the dentist. One was Josh Babyak, an avid surfer and “serial entrepreneur” whose two Florida gourmet takeout restaurants were about to go under. The other half of the discount duo, George Michaelides, was the son of an Illinois dentist whose dental practice management company was unraveling after being bought-out.
Ways to Save and Maintain Your Child’s Dental Hygiene
When visiting the dentist these days, kids' mouths are not the only things opening wide – so are parents' wallets. In 2009, children’s dental care accounted for one-third of all spending on dental care in America at a whopping $30.6 billion. Here are a few tips to help parents keep up with their family budget and kids’ oral health: teach them to grow up with their toothbrush, negotiate with your dentist for referral markdowns and join a family discount dental plan.
Dental Insurance or Discount Dental Plan?
Don't have employer-sponsored dental coverage? You can buy an individual policy with a waiting period, monthly premium and co-pay requirements. Most dental insurance plans will have a yearly cap at $1,000 to $1,500 and, after that, you might be paying out-of-pocket. In contrast, discount dental plans are affordable alternatives to dental insurance without any annual limits. Individuals or families pay a membership fee to access discounts ranging from 10 to 60 percent on most dental care procedures.
How To: Plan for Worst-Case Dental Scenarios
You just lost your job and, with it, your health and dental benefits. You’re on Medicare and it doesn’t cover most dental services. Or you woke up today with a horrible toothache that’s going to need some major out-of-pocket work done. When your teeth hit the fan, you can turn to DentalPlans.com for a choice of affordable alternatives to dental insurance with more than 30 discount dental plans across the country.
Brushing Through Oral Healthcare Barriers
According to the National Institute of Health, dental coverage largely determines access to oral healthcare, but many people often do not have dental coverage. In addition, the Academy of General Dentistry says that more than 90 percent of all systematic diseases have oral health symptoms. Beyond brushing twice daily and flossing, discount dental plans another way people keep up with preventive care and dental appointments.
Tips to Save Money on a Child’s Braces
Brace yourself. With or without dental insurance, your child’s fine-tuned beautiful smile can cost up to $7,000. Most orthodontic treatments begin between ages nine and 14, according to the American Association of Orthodontists. Here are three tips to help parent’s budget align with their kids’ smile: visit a local university orthodontist school, shop for a second estimate and join a discount dental plan that offer savings on braces and orthodontic treatment.
5 Unique Discount Sites You Might Have Missed
Root canal? $1,000. Set of tires? $500. Dinner for two? $100 plus tip. Cell phone plan? $80. Life happens and prices add up quickly. But these days, the online discount shopping boom has given consumers the power to click and save on just about anything. Here are five unique discount websites some people might not be familiar with yet: DentalPlans.com, FrugalMechanic.com, MyRatePlan.com, AccuQuote.com and Restaurant.com.
Commission-Driven Moms Use (Part) Time Wisely
Part-time opportunities for moms to earn full-time dollars and make a corporate comeback … Reads like a wishful job ad that would fall short of expectations. But a group of “no time for chit chat” moms in sales at DentalPlans.com are doing just that. Commission-driven women, former executives and mompreneurs who left their respective workplaces years ago to be a full-time mom. Now, they’re working 20 – 36 hours a week and taking home some serious coin while the kids are back-at-school.
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Halitosis
Halitosis
Halitosis is all around you—it’s at the office, at the mall, and even in your home. It smells bad and often offends people. So, what is halitosis? You may know it better as bad breath.
According to Animated-Teeth.com, bad breath is comprised largely of “volatile sulfur compounds (VSC’s)” and anaerobic bacteria waste compounds that live in our mouth. These waste compounds include hydrogen sulfide, methyl mercaptan, cadaverine, putrescine and skatole. It’s not important that you know what these compounds are, just know that they’re nasty stuff.
So, how is this anaerobic bacteria produced? There are numerous sources of anaerobic bacteria, but certain foods are the biggest offenders. Foods to avoid include: garlic, onions, curry, spices, coffee, sugar (yes, sugar), acidic foods and drinks, dairy products and high protein foods.
The good news is there are also a number of foods that will help to prevent bad breath. Below, you will find my list of 5 foods that will banish bad breath:
Herbs – No, not all herbs are good for banishing bad breath, but coriander, spearmint, tarragon, eucalyptus, rosemary and cardamom are great for doing just that. Oral health expert Dr. Christine Gerbstadt recommends chewing on these fresh herbs or making tonics by steeping them in hot water. As an added benefit, these herbs also aid in digestion.
Yogurt – Japanese researchers recently found that sugar-free yogurt with probiotic bacteria, eaten twice a day for 6 weeks, actually lowered the sulfide compounds that cause bad breath in study participants (WebMD.com). The Vitamin D found in yogurt is also helpful in creating an environment that inhibits bacteria growth. As an added benefit, yogurt’s bad bacteria-fighting properties also help to reduce the risk of both plaque and gum disease.
Fiber-Rich Fruits & Vegetables – This includes apples, carrots, celery and other “crunchy” fruits and vegetables. Why are these fruits and vegetables effective in the fight against bad breath? Because they stimulate saliva production and saliva has a cleansing and diluting effect on bacteria in the mouth. Besides, fruits and vegetables are great for your overall health, so eat up!
Cheese – Yes, I know I mentioned that in general dairy products are sources of bad breath, but cheese is an exception. The texture of cheese, believe it or not, can help to increase the product of saliva, while nutrients in it (calcium and phosphorous) help to neutralize plaque. As an added benefit, some dentists believe that cheese can even help to mineralize your tooth enamel.
Sugarless Gum – Some people may take umbrage with me classifying sugarless gum as a food. However, it’s hard to deny its effectiveness in the fight against bad breath. Much like cheese and fiber-rich fruits and vegetables, sugarless gum is a great stimulator of saliva production. When selecting gum, make sure to look for sugar-free varieties that are sweetened with xylitol for maximum impact.
So, the next time you have bad breath, reach for one of these 5 foods and feel confident knowing that you’ll have a happier, healthier, fresher mouth in no time.
