Local Dental Care - Illinois Cigna Dental Insurance

Why Some People Take Antibiotics Before Visiting The Dentist

Dentists prescribe prophylactic (to prevent the spread of disease) antibiotics before dental treatment for people with certain medical conditions. The American Heart Association, the American Dental Association, and the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons have recommended the guidelines for preventive antibiotics for these medical conditions. The current guidelines were developed for patient well-being, as well as in consideration of the current concern regarding the overuse of antibiotics. The guidelines outline specific medical conditions and provide examples of which dental procedures indicate the need for prophylactic antibiotics.

The risk of infective endocarditis (infection and inflammation of the lining of the heart and its valves) is increased with dental procedures that cause bleeding and the potential release of oral bacteria into the bloodstream of people with certain medical conditions. Individuals who have certain congenital or acquired heart defects, as well as some conditions or abnormalities of the heart, have an increased chance of a bacterial infection.

The link between dental procedures and infective endocarditis is controversial. Not all dental procedures require the use of antibiotic prophylaxis. Dental procedures that have minimal potential to cause bleeding are considered low risk for infective endocarditis. Antibiotic prophylaxis may be indicated for invasive dental procedures that are likely to cause bleeding and release of oral bacteria in the bloodstream.

Also, the release of oral bacteria into the bloodstream appears to increase the risk of developing an infection around a prosthetic joint in people with a depressed immune system. Use of prophylaxis antibiotics is recommended for individuals with total joint replacements who have certain other health conditions.

Antibiotic prophylaxis also can be prescribed for circumstances other than prevention of infective endocarditis and prosthetic joint infections. Some other conditions or situations that may indicate antibiotic prophylaxis include in-dwelling catheters, hemodialysis patients with arteriovenous shunts, shunts for hydrocephalus, oral surgical or operative procedures (depending on the patient's immune system), insulin-dependent diabetes, or diabetics whose disease is poorly controlled.

By Denise J. Fedele, DMD, MS

Facts You Should Know About Dental Insurance

What is the best dental insurance plan for financing health care for me?

Choosing a dental expense plan can be a confusing experience. Although there is no one "best" dental payment plan for financing health care, there are some plans that will be better than others for you and your family's dental payment plan needs. We will try to guide you in simple terms. However, rather than just giving you answers, the best thing we can do is to make sure you are equipped with the right questions for the dentists.

There are three major things to consider, each with their own unique set of questions. By considering the questions thoroughly, you will arrive at the right dental payment plan for you and your family.

• How affordable is financing health care (cost of financing health care)?
• How much will a dental payment plan cost me on a monthly basis?
• Should I try to insure just major dental expense or most of my dental expense?
• Can I afford a policy that at least covers my children?
• Are there deductibles I must pay before the insurance begins to help cover my costs?
• After I have met the deductible, what part of my dental expense is paid by the dental plan?
• If I use dentists outside a plan's network, how much more will I pay to get financing health care?
• How often do I visit the dentist and how much will my dental payment plan be each visit?
• Do the included services match my needs (access of health care)?
• What other dental providers are part of the plan?
• Are there enough of the kinds of dentists I want to see?
• Where will I go for financing health care? Are these places near where I work or live?
• Do I need to get permission before I see a dental specialist?
• Are there any limits to how much I must pay in case of a major illness?
• Is the prescription medication which I need covered by the dental plan?
• Have people had good results when covered by a specific dental payment plan?
• How do independent government organizations rate the different dental plans?
• What do my friends say about their experience with a specific plan?
• What does my dentist say about their experience with a specific dental payment plan?

If you consider these elements carefully when choosing a dental financing plan, you can be assured the best possible outcome and minimize dental expense paid by you.

+Jim Du Molin is a leading Internet search expert helping individuals and families connect with the right dentist in their area. Visit his author page.