How to Take Care of Your Teeth, Even Without Insurance

John Fontein
Sesame
Published in
3 min readJan 6, 2019

How to Take Care of Your Teeth, Even Without Insurance

Dental insurance is separate from health insurance. Unfortunately, the rate of people without dental insurance is about four times that of people without health insurance. This is partially caused by the lack of coverage in Medicare. The two highest-risk groups are seniors and young adults aged 18 to 34, with the latter group often working low-paid jobs that offer no benefits or only health insurance. The majority of individual health plans do not cover dental treatment, something which angers not just patients but dentists, too. Poor oral health can also be linked to many serious systemic diseases like endocarditis (infection of the lining of the heart).

So, if you are one of those without dental coverage, a figure which stood at 74 million in 2016, what can you do to keep your teeth healthy? Here are some tips:

Pay cash if you can.

If you know the typical price, per point 4, you can often negotiate with your dentist. If booking an appointment for treatment, make sure to ask about the cash price ahead of time, to avoid sticker shock. You may find that paying actual cash, rather than a card, can save you even more money. For very expensive treatment, many dentists will work out a payment plan, but this often ends up costing more in the long run (although it is sometimes unavoidable). If all you need is two annual cleanings, then paying in cash can often be cheaper than getting insurance. Obviously, this is something you should make your own judgment on, but you can save a lot of money by skipping the insurance.

Practice the best oral hygiene you can.

Brush and floss twice a day, paying particular attention to flossing. Contrary to what you may have been taught, you should either brush before breakfast or wait at least thirty minutes afterwards, otherwise you may just be brushing plaque around your mouth. Remember to brush your tongue. Always use a soft toothbrush and make sure that you aim the brush for where your tooth meets your gum. Air-dry your toothbrush, as storing it in a container encourages the growth of bacteria and fungi. Use a fluoride-containing, antibacterial mouthwash at least once a day.

Reduce added sugar, especially in the form of soda.

In addition to the sugar in soda, the acids can also do a number on your teeth. Switch out sugary snacks for crunchy vegetables. Sugar free gum can help, especially if your mouth tends to get dry. Limit snacks in general. Oh, and keep down the coffee. Coffee stains your teeth.

Don’t smoke. Or vape.

You have probably heard that cigarettes stain your teeth, but vaping has been linked with dry mouth. Vaping is better than smoking, but neither are good for your mouth. Chewing tobacco is actually worse than either.

Learn what dental care actually costs.

Knowing the cost can help you plan ahead to take care of your teeth.

Try your best to get checked at least once a year anyway.

Routine care is always a lot cheaper than emergency situations, and some dental problems can be very expensive to treat.

Protect Yourself During Sports

If you do any kind of athletic sport, especially a contact sport, try to get a mouthguard if possible. Mouthguards vary in cost, but they can prevent expensive injuries later.

Ask About a Payment Plan

If you do need expensive treatment, most dentists will offer a payment plan.

Not having dental insurance can lead people to neglect their teeth, but you should always try your best to take good care of them anyway. If you are looking to find out what your dental care really should cost and for help locating affordable dental care, use Sesame today.

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John Fontein
Sesame
Editor for

Entrepreneur, Investor, Musician. Co-Founder @sesamecare. Habitual underachiever