Have you been putting off seeing the dentist? Has it been years? Have you been afraid to smile? Have you wanted to revamp your smile, but it never seems the right time? The New Year is a special time for your dental health. Why? Take our after Christmas quiz to find out.

True or False?

1. True or False: The New Year is a perfect time to consider your dental health.
2. True or False: The New Year is a terrible time to make a dental appointment.
3. True or False: Because most insurance benefits reset in January, that’s the worst time to begin dental work.

Answers:

1. True: The New Year is a perfect time to consider your dental health because not only did your teeth take a beating during the holidays, but the New Year is the time for resolutions, one of which should be to take better care of your dental health. Research indicates that dental health is linked to your general health, so keep yourself healthy this year by taking care of your teeth and gums.
2. False: The New Year is a good time to make a dental appointment. A mad rush for dental appointments usually takes place at the end of the year, around the Christmas holidays, by people taking advantage of their insurance benefits before they reset in January. After the New Year people are back to work and school and schedules open up, making it a more convenient time to visit your dentist.
3. False: For those of you who already used up your dental benefits by the end of the year, beginning your dental work at the New Year makes sense. The expenses will be applied to your new deductible helping your benefits to kick in sooner. Not to mention your teeth could probably use a cleaning after all of those holiday goodies.

 About your Des Moines Dentist

The Gateway Dental Group provides comprehensive dental treatments including general, cosmetic, and restorative dentistry. As a member of the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine, Dr. Burds also has extensive experience helping his patients suffering from sleep disorders obtain restful sleep via oral appliance therapy. You can contact Dr. Stephen J. Burds office at 515-442-5659. We welcome patients from River Bend, Kirkwood Glen, East Village, and neighboring communities.