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Q : Doc, my insurance only pays for two cleanings a year, why should I come in more often?

A: This is a question that I get all the time. So, I thought it would be a good idea to address it here. We, as dentists treat a wide variety of patients every day. Individual needs vary and depend on many factors.

Many people don’t realize that overall health can affect the condition of the mouth, teeth and gums. Handicapped persons, for example, and persons with special needs, in most cases, require special attention when it comes to cleaning their teeth at home.

Age can often times play a role, but not in the way that one may think. Young children, pre-teens, and teens with braces benefit by seeing the dentist more frequently. At that age brushing often becomes a battle between parent and child. More frequent dental visits can help keep the teeth and gums as healthy as possible.

We can also monitor things more closely and intervene if need be to treat small problems instead of large ones.

Many people don’t realize it but prescription medications play a huge role in dental health. There are over three hundred medications that cause xerostomia or dry mouth.

Dry mouth is the leading cause of tooth decay in older patients. Taking multiple medications can compound the effects of dry mouth thereby increasing the chance of tooth decay.

Patients who have had periodontal treatment can be at a particularly high risk for re-lapse if not seen more regularly than six months. The bacteria that cause gum and bone destruction beginning to reach pathogenic levels in as little as 90 days.

If left alone, the “pockets” will re-form as the infection progresses, then the bacterial toxins may begin destroying gum and bone making re-treatment a possible necessity.

If you take a step back and look at the bigger picture you will begin to see that the adverse affects of following your insurance guidelines are far more costly to your health than they are to your wallet.

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Questions can be sent to Fred Eck, D.D.S. at Marco Dental Care, 950 N. Collier Blvd., Suite 305, Marco Island, or call 389-9400. Web site www.marcodentalcare.com. He received his Doctor of Dental Surgery at the University of Detroit Mercy and is licensed by the Florida State Board of Dentistry.