Counting the Cost

Creatively Frugal Dental Care
How do you save money on all expenses related to keeping your teeth and gums healthy?

"I believe in preventative dental care so I have my teeth cleaned three times a year since I build up a lot of plaque that would eventually cause severe problems resulting in a visit to a periodontist (ouch!!). I understand that my insurance only pays for two dental cleanings yearly but it is definitely worth it according to my dentist. I also floss regularly and use a strong antiseptic dental rinse two times a day (something on the order of Listerine or a generic with the same ingredients....enough alcohol to kill the bacteria is what is necessary).

The simplest and most logical way to avoid high dental bills is to eat properly, drink lots of water, brush often, floss....very low-tech but in the end the most cost-efficient. I definitely do not believe in skimping on the quality of your dentist....too many horror stories and more expensive in the long run." ~ Janice

"We are very lucky as we have a dental hygiene school at the local college. We can get our teeth cleaned for $10 and also a checkup by a dentist. They are closely supervised by dental teachers, and about ready to graduate. They do a better cleaning than any we have ever had. Not every one has access to such a place, but if you do it's well worth it. If you need dental work done, they will give you a note to take to your regular dentist." ~ Lawrence

"Prevention is the best way to minimize dental expense (and pain and time). This is not a flashy new concept but one that has passed the test of time. As much as I hate going to the dentist, neglect will only postpone the inevitable -- more damage to your teeth, more pain, and more money. And of course emergencies never happen at a convenient time.

Brush, floss and rinse daily. It only takes a few seconds to do a good job! Get regular cleanings and check-ups. Get sealer for children. Provide fluoride if it is not in your water supply. Handle any problems when they are small (less pain, more convenient and much less expensive).

Don't use your teeth as a tool, or chew on ice, hard candy or other hard things that could weaken teeth and cause hairline cracks. You won't even realize you have cracked a tooth until one day you discover you have an abscess (pain, inconvenience, probable loss of the tooth, and huge cost).

Avoid sticky foods, or rinse well after eating them. Rinse well after eating if you cannot brush right away. Do not smoke or chew tobacco (my brother-in-law learned this the hard way).

Have any sore checked if it doesn't go away within a few days. My sister thought she had a canker sore that was taking a long time to heal. She had it quite a while when she went to her dentist for another reason and the dentist noticed it. She is now recovering from surgery for cancer in her jaw. They had to remove a section of the teeth and jaw, and reconstruct a new jaw using a piece of bone from her leg.

No, my teeth aren't perfect! I have learned most of this the hard way. I hope this helps someone else to avoid what my family and me have been through." ~ Kathy

"The best advice I can give on saving money on dental care is to locate a dental hygiene school. My family received the most thorough cleaning ever, and it cost $20 per adult and $10 per child. X-rays are extra, but not necessary. It requires more time since the hygienists are students and not only work slower, but must have their work approved by their instructor. It was definitely worth the extra time." ~ Debbie

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"For healthy gums, take vitamin C! Bleeding gums are often a sign of a vitamin C deficiency. I came across this little gem on the Internet somewhere. At the time, my gums were bleeding. My dentist alluded that this was part of aging (I'm 42!) and that there was nothing I could really do about it besides flossing well (which I have always done). Within 2 days, the bleeding stopped. My sister was all concerned about the same thing a few months later. I told her to start taking vitamin C. Sure enough, within 2 days all her bleeding was gone. At my dental checkup last month, I was told that my gums and teeth all looked great. I'm wondering why our dentists don't know this stuff." ~ Rebecca

"I need a 'sand blasting' to have my teeth cleaned. That may not have been exactly what it was called, but it was something like that. I do brush my teeth -- don't get me wrong -- but it was something with a medication I had been taking. We had insurance at the time but it wouldn't cover that. I called a local college that had dental courses and asked them if they clean teeth this way. I was pleasantly surprised when they said, 'YES.' I had to wait several weeks to have it done and it ended up taking most of the day because they have to document everything and have a professor over them at all times but my teeth came out looking great and my dentist was pleased but a little disappointed that I hadn't paid him the money to do it. To me it is just like going to a cosmetology college to have your hair done." ~ Brenda

"For whitening the old standby of baking soda cannot be beat! Put a paste of baking soda and water on the brush and use that in place of toothpaste. It freshens breath, whitens and helps get rid of plaque - in addition to being MUCH less expensive than toothpaste! For an extra kick, add a drop of mint oil as it is also an antiseptic and will give that 'toothpaste fresh' feel to your mouth. We do use floss. Because some of my teeth are close together, I have to use one that is more like a tape than just a string; I buy the store brand if possible. I don't skimp on mouthwash at all -- it HAS to be mint Listerine in our house. We have a dentist friend who recommends the mint because of the naturally protective qualities of the mint plant as well as because of studies that have shown the effectiveness of that particular brand. The cost is more than made up for by using the baking soda for paste!" ~ Melissa, MD

"Because of my son's numerous food allergies, we had switched our toothpaste to an old-fashioned tooth powder: 1 part salt, 3 parts baking soda and a mint essential oil for taste/odor. Since we've started using it, I've noticed the absence of 'morning breath' and much pearlier whites. When we were visiting family, I borrowed my mom's toothpaste for the evening and couldn't BELIEVE how awful my mouth felt/tasted/ smelled in the morning! I know this powder does not contain fluoride either, and after doing research on fluoride and what it's effects are, I won't even buy fluoride containing paste for myself or my non-allergic son." ~ Dawn

Editor's Note: Thanks to these readers for taking time to share their ideas!