That twice-yearly trip to the dentist could do more than keep teeth and gums healthy: It may decrease the risk of pneumonia by reducing the amount of bacteria in the mouth, suggests new research. 
Nearly one million Americans become ill with the infection every year and 50,000 die. While it is more common among older people and those with conditions such as AIDS or lung disease, anyone can develop pneumonia. Based on an analysis of a national database of more than 26,000 people, the new research found that people who never get dental checkups had a much greater risk of pneumonia than those who visit the dentist twice a year. In fact, researchers found that those people who never had dental checkups had an 86 percent increased risk of pneumonia compared to those who had twice-yearly appointments.
The mouth contains 10 times as many microbes (bacteria, fungi and viruses) as human cells on or in the body. Some microbes are good and some are bad, but even bad microbes only cause disease under certain circumstances. In some cases, bacteria can be accidentally inhaled or aspirated into the lungs and cause pneumonia. Regular good oral hygiene and dental visits reduce the amount of bacteria that can be aspirated.
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A: Dental sealants are a protective coating a dentist applies to shield the teeth’s enamel layer from food debris that can get caught in the uneven surfaces of your teeth. In particular, the teeth in the back of your mouth have pits and fissures. The uneven terrain of those teeth is especially vulnerable to the development of cavities.
Because we know our patients don’t want to be forced to choose their dentist from a discount list, we are “unrestricted providers”. That means that even though we aren’t in your network, we can still see you and provide the best quality dentistry possible. We’ll inform you of our fees and help you estimate how much your insurance will reimburse you. We will still submit your insurance claim for you. We’ll offer you some great payment options. You may be paid directly by your insurance company. We’ll be happy to review your insurance plan with you.
Dental insurance and medical insurance are very different. With medical insurance, typically there is a deductible and once that amount is met, medical insurance pays a portion (80% is common) of the rest of the balance of the medical bill, however large. Dental “insurance” works more like a coupon. There is usually a deductible with it too, but then it typically pays only up to a specific dollar amount per year, perhaps $1000. So the dental benefit is limited to that yearly maximum. It is a help in paying for dental treatment, but it definitely does not pay for all of it.