Avoid Costly Dental Emergencies: How Health Funds Can Save You
They are painful, uninvited, and can become very costly when not taken care of on time. Many of these dental emergencies, though, can be prevented with good regular dental care and strategic use of your health fund benefits. With regular dental check-ups and preventive care, you can avoid costly dental emergencies while minimizing out-of-pocket expenses.
At Murwillumbah Dental, we work with our patients to get the most out of their health fund and help them avoid dental issues where possible. Here’s how you can stay ahead of dental problems and avoid emergencies using your health fund coverage.
Why Dental Emergencies Happen
Most of the dental emergencies are caused by untreated oral health issues that could be kept at bay by frequent care. Some of the most common causes of emergencies include:
Untreated Cavities
Untreated cavities may lead to serious pain, infections, and abscesses, hence the need for immediate attention.
Chipped or Cracked Teeth
Minor chips or cracks could worsen over time and eventually lead to major pains or even the loss of such teeth.
Gum Disease
Poor care of the gums results in periodontitis, where teeth become loose and even fall out.
Not all dental emergencies, such as trauma from a fall, could always be prevented; however, most dental problems can be avoided through regular care.
Preventive Care is Important
It is also part of preventive dentistry to minimize your chances of experiencing emergencies. Most health funds extensively cover preventive treatments for the benefit of keeping your teeth healthy and nipping problems in the bud before they become emergencies.
Some Key Covered Preventive Services by Health Funds:
Routine Dental Checkups
Most health funds cover bi-annual check-ups. Bi-annual visits allow your dentist to discover and solve minor problems before they become major issues. For example, a minor cavity that was able to be detected on your visit can have a simple filling. Otherwise, it would have progressed to needing more painful treatments, such as a root canal.
Professional Teeth Cleaning
Cleanings remove plaque and tartar that build up over time and help prevent gingivitis, tooth decay, and other issues that may lead to a dental emergency. Regular cleanings can also address early signs of gum disease and reduce the risk of infection and tooth loss.
X-rays
X-rays help to identify dental problems that may not be visible to the naked eye and will help to identify such things as tooth decay, bone loss, and impacted teeth. Many health funds cover routine x-rays as part of their coverage; this way, a dentist can find potential issues early enough to take preventive measures.
Fluoride Treatments
Fluoride Treatment-Fluoride will strengthen your teeth and will help you not to get any cavities. It is simple, yet effective for prevention and is covered under most health funds, but specifically for children, although it is helpful for adults too.
Use Extras Cover Wisely
Many health funds offer extras cover, which adds extra benefits to the more basic plans for added treatments. Extras can help lower your out-of-pocket expenses on dental care, so it is important to learn about what extras are available through your health fund and how you can use them.
How to Maximise Your Health Fund Benefits and Avoid Emergencies
Following are a few tips on how you can utilize your health fund benefits in order to avoid dental emergencies:
Avail Your Regular Check-ups
One of the best ways to avoid dental emergencies is by visiting the dentist for regular check-ups, usually covered by your health fund. The dentist may check up on your general oral health and find problems that are developing early. At Murwillumbah Dental, we recommend you come in every six months so that you can stay on top of your dental care.
Plan Treatments Before Your Annual Limit Resets
Most health funds have annual limits on dental benefits. Plan any treatments you may need before the time of year your benefits will reset so that you will not carry over untreated issues into the next calendar year.
Utilise Your Preventive Care Benefits
Preventive services, like cleanings, x-rays, and fluoride treatments, are usually free under health funds. Use them to catch and resolve minor problems before they become major emergencies.
Address Small Issues Immediately
You could start feeling a bit of discomfort or any signs that may signal dental problems, such as sensitivity or swelling. You can, in time, get treatment using your health fund benefits rather than wait until it is a serious emergency that needs an extensive and costlier procedure.
Know Your Health Fund’s Cover
Not all health funds are created equal and each will have something different covered under your plan. Let the team at Murwillumbah Dental help you maximize your health fund coverage.
Common Dental Emergencies and How to Avoid Them
- Toothache: Infections and tooth decay are two of the most common causes of a toothache. Infections can be avoided by seeing a dentist on a regular basis and treating any cavities before they worsen.
- Chipped or Broken Teeth: Accidents may chip or break teeth, as well as biting down on hard foods. Regular check-ups can also identify teeth that are at high risk of breaking due to their condition, enabling your dentist to take action before an emergency arises.
- Abscesses: Abscesses are severe infectious diseases that require immediate treatment. Many of them are caused by untreated dental caries or periodontal disease. By being proactive with your preventive care, you can substantially reduce the chances of an abscess from forming.
How Murwillumbah Dental Can Help
At Murwillumbah Dental, we focus on ensuring that our patients are able to prevent high-cost dental emergencies through regular preventive care. We work with a range of health funds to ensure you get the best use of your coverage and that you have access to the treatments required to maintain healthy teeth.
Whether it would be to schedule a check-up or urgent care, this team will ensure that it is possible. Our cover from health funds includes services such as general dentistry, emergency care, and cosmetic treatments, among others.
Conclusion
Prevention of dental emergencies will not only spare the patient from pain and discomfort but also manage costs. Using health fund benefits regularly for check-ups, cleaning, and other preventive care significantly reduces the chances of a dental emergency. Here at Murwillumbah Dental, we are committed to helping you maintain a healthy smile and avoid unnecessary expenses.
Contact us today to book your next appointment and make the most of your health fund benefits.
