You pay for your dental insurance and medical insurance every month and you know they’re important, but have you ever wondered why they’re separate from each other? After all, your mouth is part of your body and its wellbeing affects your overall health. The truth is, although these two insurance policies are similar, they operate very differently. Read on to learn just how different dental insurance is from medical insurance, and what you can do to make the most of it!
Medical Vs. Dental Insurance
At first, it may seem arbitrary for your teeth and gums to have an insurance plan that’s separate from the rest of your medical insurance. However, there is one big difference between how these two types of healthcare operate. Medical insurance is primarily reactive, meaning that it’s designed to help with the cost of unexpected care. It focuses on addressing injury and illness after they happen and protect you from the large expenses that come with treating them.
On the other hand, dental insurance is proactive when it comes to your oral health, meaning that it revolves around preventive care. Instead of waiting for problems to develop, dental insurance encourage patients to keep issues from starting in the first place. For example, most dental insurance policies will cover 50% of the cost of major treatments like root canals and 80% of basic treatments like gum disease therapy. However, nearly every plan covers preventive care like checkups, cleanings, oral cancer screenings, X-rays, and sometimes even fillings at 100%.
Benefits of Regular Preventive Dental Care
Unlike the rest of your body, your teeth can’t heal themselves. Dental enamel doesn’t grow back naturally, so if it becomes cracked by injury or weakened by plaque and bacteria, the damage is permanent. That’s why it makes sense for dental insurance to prioritize preventing problems over treating them.
Dental experts recommend coming in for routine preventive care every six months. Getting a dental checkup and cleanings twice a year offers several important benefits, including:
- Catch oral health problems early: Most oral health issues like cavities, gum disease, and oral cancer can develop without you seeing or feeling them. Preventive care is key for spotting and stopping these problems as early as possible before they cause serious damage or discomfort.
- Prevent dental emergencies: While not every broken or knocked-out tooth can be prevented, seeing your dentist regularly can dramatically reduce your risk of a dental emergency.
- Catch hidden health issues: Over 90% of systemic health conditions present symptoms in the mouth. Your dentist can spot warning signs of these problems and play an important role in the early diagnosis of issues like diabetes, osteoporosis, and heart disease.
Remember, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure! Making the most of your dental insurance and taking advantage of preventive oral healthcare will benefit both your smile and your wallet.
About the Practice
At Carlson Dental Group, we’re proud to help the smiles of Jacksonville and the surrounding communities achieve and maintain optimal oral health. Our talented and compassionate team has years of experience helping our patients maximize their dental insurance benefits and minimize their out-of-pocket expenses. We also offer financing through CareCredit and our own in-house dental membership plan to ensure caring for your smile is as affordable as possible. To learn more, feel free to contact us via our website or at (904) 262-8409.