Cosmetic Dentistry Blog of Dr Sussman & Pogal

Expecting an IRS refund for 2018 taxes? Maybe you have already filed and know exactly how much you're getting back. There are many things you could do with a refund, from shopping to utility bills, to savings and paying down debt. Some people use their refunds to invest in a cosmetic, restorative or general dentistry procedure they've been planning to get.

Although the average refund is down about 8 percent so far this year, some people – especially married filers with children – may get a bigger refund this year. You should obviously make the choice that feels right to you, but we want to discuss what you will get back in return for investing your refund in dentistry. Please give us a call if you have any questions about dental care, financing and insurance.

How Dentistry can be a Practical Financial Investment

Like any responsible saver, you probably want to maximize what you are able to do with your IRS refund. If you've been delaying dental treatment while you save up for the co-pay or down payment, your refund may be the perfect opportunity you've been waiting for.

You could use your refund to pay for all or part of any dental procedure, such as:

• Dental implants
• Dentures
• Porcelain veneers
• Dental Crowns
• White fillings

Dentistry provides benefits well into the future, especially those treatments that rehabilitate your dental health and dental function. Opting for a dental implant, for example, pays you back both immediately and in the decades ahead. Replacing a tooth makes it possible to chew, speak, laugh and smile like you did before tooth loss.

Why Dentistry and Oral Health is so Important

Tax refunds aside, maintaining good dental health – which includes routine cleanings and checkups – is important. If there is a treatment you know you need because a dentist has recommended it, or if you are due for a cleaning and checkup, you deserve those things. If you have dental insurance, call your insurer or log in to your account to verify what is covered and what your co-pays are. When you visit us for a consultation, our experienced staff can help to verify your coverage, although ultimately the patient is responsible for payment at the time of service, even if the insurer changes their coverage estimate. We can help you sort out those details when you visit us.

Our office also works with several financing companies. Offering varying terms, these financing plans can be applied for online. They'll make it possible for you to pay in monthly installments for the dentistry you want. Ask our office for more information.

Dentistry and oral health is important for so many reasons, including that effective dental care will:

• Reduce the risk of dental maladies. Gum disease, gum recession, tooth decay, tooth abscesses, bad breath – these dental problems are often completely preventable with proper care. Staying on top of your dental health keeps your teeth and gums healthy, which is a worthwhile investment.
• Promote lifelong teeth retention. The average lifespan is longer than previous generations, and today's adults don't assume they will get dentures at some point. Instead, modern dentistry focuses on maintaining teeth so that they have the best chance of lasting a lifetime. By investing in the dental restorations and treatments you need today, you'll continue to reap the benefits well into the future.
• Help you feel good about the way you look. Feeling good about your smile and your oral health can positively influence many areas of your life. You'll probably feel more confident and may experience a lift in self-esteem once you've gotten the dental rehabilitation you've been saving for. This is good for your mental health, and may even be good for job promotions, getting hired at a new job, making new friends, connecting with your current friends and loved ones. When you like your smile, it can result in being more open and approachable.

Of course, the only way to weigh the costs against the benefits of a recommended treatment is to visit our experienced dentists. After examining your teeth and mouth, the dentist will help you plan the most effective path toward rehabilitating your smile and oral health.

Call Today to Learn More

If you are searching for experienced, compassionate dentists to provide effective, gentle care, please call the practice of Dr. Meredith Pogal and Dr. Paul Sussman at 585-227-4390. Our dentists are located in Rochester, New York, and our patients visit us from across the region, including Fairport, Greece and Webster.

Does your dental insurance expire at the end of the year or in Spring, 2019? If so, now is a great time to call our office and schedule an appointment. Your dental insurance basically provides discounted dental care, so that you can save money while also preventing cavities, gum disease and other oral health problems.

Plans vary widely, but yours may include coverage for:

• Teeth cleaning
• Annual x-rays
• Checkup with the dentist
• Dental fillings and other basic dental work
• Major dental work

Refer to your policy for specifics.

One thing to consider is your yearly maximum. This is the maximum amount that your policy will pay in a fiscal or calendar year. $1,000 is not an uncommon maximum. These maximums do not typically roll over if you renew your policy, so you should exhaust the maximum before your plan ends. Otherwise, there's money on the table for necessary dental care that could go to waste!

The same goes for your Flexible Spending Account, or FSA. If you have an FSA and if your contributions to that account may be used for approved dental work, then you should use that money before it expires. FSAs are use-it-or-lose-it accounts, so the contributions don't roll over.

The Importance of Prevention

If you and your employer each pay for a portion of the dental insurance premium each month, you want to make sure you take advantage of that income deduction. After all, it's money out of your paycheck! Even if you don't need major dental work or even simple dental work like fillings, you can always benefit from routine, preventive care:

• Cleanings, usually covered by insurance once every six months of your policy
• Exams performed by the dentist, also every six months
• Routine x-rays, usually partially or completely paid for once in the lifetime of your policy

Many dental insurance plans cover 100 percent of what they deem routine preventive care, such as cleanings and checkups. That means you can get this important care basically for free, other than paying into your premium.

Taking care of dental problems sooner than later is always a good idea. In fact, it's necessary to save time, money and hassle. A good example is a tooth cavity: In early stages, decay can usually be treated with a filling. If the decay is allowed to progress, then root canal therapy may be necessary in order to treat infection that has spread to the pulp of the root canals. Treatments tend to be less invasive, expensive and time-consuming for early stage issues.

Arrange Your Next Appointment

If you are ready to schedule your next checkup and cleaning, or think you may need some dental work completed, please call our office at 585-227-4390 to schedule the next available opening. If it is too late to take advantage of your current plan, you should still schedule your next appointment! Routine care prevents dental problems, and the sooner you get on track, the better.

With a few tips from our experienced family dentists, you can prevent all that Halloween candy from decaying your children's teeth. And, let's face it, maybe prevent cavities in your own teeth because what parent doesn't partake at least a little in the All Hallows' Eve sweets?

The Good, The Bad and The Ugly: Which Candies are Worst for Teeth?

Some candies are worse than others when it comes to dental health. Some of the worst offenders are:

• Sticky candies
• Chewy candies
• Hard candies

Sticky candies stay on the teeth longer, increasing the amount of time enamel is exposed to cavity-causing sugar. Things like taffy, gummies and lollipops, or any chewy and sticky sweet, tends to latch onto tooth enamel.

Hard candies may chip or crack a tooth if bitten into or chewed. Remind your little trick-or-treaters that lollipops and similar sweets are supposed to dissolve slowly in your mouth and shouldn't be bitten into. Our teeth are really strong, but they can break with the right amount of pressure.

Some sweets that are friendlier to teeth are:

• Chocolate
• Peanut butter cups
• Cupcakes
• Cookies

Nevertheless, Halloween is a once-a-year event. Like all holidays, we think Halloween is a great reason to enjoy sweet treats and goodies! Below, we discuss some ways you can keep your teeth clean without missing out on your favorites candies.

Tips for Fighting Cavities

The following tips and advice help you fight cavities not only at Halloween but 365 days a year:

• Resist snacking on candy throughout the day. You want to limit the frequency of contact between sugar and your tooth enamel. Eating candy throughout the day means your teeth are exposed to sugar throughout the day, giving bacteria multiple opportunities to feast on the sweets and cause cavities as a result.
• Eat candy as part of a meal. When you eat sweets with a meal – as the dessert, for example – your mouth will be better equipped to neutralize the acid produced by bacteria in your mouth. You'll have more saliva in your mouth when you eat a meal. This saliva helps dilute cavity-causing acid and to rinse away food particles on your teeth.
• Rinse with water. Rinse after eating candy. It helps to wash the candy off your teeth.
• Chew sugarless gum. Another way to stimulate saliva is by chewing gum. The gum also picks up candy leftovers from your teeth. According to the American Dental Association, studies have shown that chewing gum for 20 minutes after a meal reduces tooth decay.
• Wait 30 minutes, then brush. Brushing your teeth is, of course, a great way to prevent cavities. But it's best practice to rinse with water after candy, then wait at least 30 minutes before brushing. Certain foods, especially acidic foods, soften your tooth enamel for about a half hour. While soft, the enamel will be especially sensitive to toothbrush bristles. The surface of your teeth will harden again about 30 minutes later.

Cleanings are Essential to Good Dental Health

Is it time to schedule your next checkup and cleaning with our experienced Rochester dentists? At the practice of Dr. Meredith Pogal and Dr. Paul Sussman, we are enthusiastic about helping our patients achieve and maintain great dental health. To schedule your appointment, please call our experienced staff at 585-227-4390. For years we have proudly provided dental care to people from across the region, including the cities of Fairport, Webster and Greece.

Back to school is a hectic time. Many parents are racing to schedule appointments with the dentist before the first day, while for others the next visit will be here before they know it.

For young patients with developing teeth, dutiful dental hygiene and prevention of problems are the best way to start the school year. Our dentists suggest the following tips to help your children maintain a healthy mouth.

To schedule your family's next appointment or to learn more about our general dentistry services, please call the Center for Cosmetic & General Dentistry at 585-227-4390 today. Dr. Sussman, Dr. Pogal, and our entire dental team serve patients in and around Rochester, Greece, Webster, Fairport, and nearby areas of New York.

Pack Healthy Snacks

Bringing an apple for teacher on the first day of school has fallen out of fashion, but don't hesitate to pack them for your young student. Good choices include:

• Apples, bananas, grapes, orange slices, and other fruits
• Carrots
• Celery
• Baked snack crackers
• Nuts
• Raisins
• Yogurt
• Low-fat cheese snacks

The key with any snack is to avoid products with lots of sugar. Even seemingly healthy foods and drinks will negatively impact your child's teeth if they are rich in sugar. When you're shopping, be sure to check the label, as many brands try to hide the sugar content of their products.

If your child has braces, modify your choices accordingly. Instead of a whole apple, opt for apple slices. Select carrot sticks or baby carrots instead of large chunks. And, instead of raisins, go for fresh grapes. Modifying nutrious snack choices will keep your child's braces free from damage.

Invest in a Mouthguard

A mouthguard is a must if your child is involved in afterschool sports. Football, basketball, and other activities all carry a risk of injury to the teeth and gums. But, you can avoid an emergency appointment by getting your child fitted with the right equipment.

Mouthguards are available at most sporting goods stores, but these are one-size-fits-all. The better option is to visit the dentist and get an athletic mouthguard that is precisely fabricated to your child's teeth.

Maintain Scheduled Brushing & Flossing

If you have established a routine for morning and nighttime to make sure your child brushes his or her teeth, be sure to keep the schedule in place once school starts. Structure is key to help kids become responsible for their own dental hygiene. As you help them become more independent, regularly check their teeth and gums, especially when they lose a tooth.

You can also teach your children to take steps toward good dental health while they are at school. Rinsing with water from the drinking fountain is a quick and easy way to wash away the bacteria that cause cavities.

Schedule Your Appointment with Dr. Sussman and Dr. Pogal Today

The Center for Cosmetic & General Dentistry has been serving patients for over 35 years. Our family dentistry services include flexible scheduling that accommodates adults and kids during a single office visit.

Call 585-227-4390 to schedule a dental appointment for you and/or your child today. Our dentists serve patients in and around Rochester, Greece, Fairport, Webster, and nearby areas of New York.