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In Space, No One Can Hear You Brush

The "Alien" takes care of its teeth.

Shouldn't you?

For your teeth, what's more frightening than Ridley Scott's  1979 Horror film Alien? Tooth decay.

When you brush your teeth, you're not just doing it to make your teeth whiter, your breath fresher, or just to feel better. You're protecting your teeth from tooth decay. Brushing doesn't stop tooth decay, only your dentist can repair a decaying tooth. But by brushing your teeth at least twice a day and flossing daily, you physically remove many of the harmful bacteria that cause tooth decay before decay has a chance to start. By brushing, not only do you remove cavity-causing bacteria, but you remove food residue that these bacteria thrive on. This is why it's a great idea to brush right after eating, and especially before going to sleep at night.

The whole problem of tooth decay starts with bacteria that live in the mouth. When there's plenty of food available, particularly sugary foods like soft drinks, bacteria multiply. Anyone who goes to sleep without brushing will wake up knowing that the bacteria were busy overnight. Teeth will likely feel "fuzzy" to the tongue, and most people are in a hurry to rinse their mouths of the awful taste. The awful taste and bad breath are signs that bacteria have been fruitful and multiplied in your mouth!

Here is a scanning electron microscope view of the many microorganisms that together form that sticky, invisible film on our teeth called dental plaque, eventually hardening into tartar. See all the different kinds of bacteria?

As the bacteria found in your mouth "divide and conquer" while you sleep, they produce waste acid. Let's take a picture from the 1979 film "Alien" to demonstrate why acid isn't good for your teeth:

In this horror film, the horrifying creature - the alien- has acid for blood and a drop of alien blood melts through several decks of a space ship.

Of course, the acid produced by bacteria in your mouth isn't as strong, but it's the same principle. Whether from alien blood or bacteria in your mouth, acid is just not a great thing to have around your teeth.

You might think, "Well I take very good care of my teeth so I don't need to see a dentist." Remember though, you can't remove tartar yourself, and you need to go in for a cleaning every 6 months so the tartar can be scraped away before it builds up. Your dentist can stop problems before they start, including screening for oral cancer. And even if you're taking great care of your teeth on your own, your dentist can tell you if tartar is accumulating in a spot you might have overlooked in your brushing routine. Your dentist is an ally you should not be without.

Find a Massachusetts dentist today with Universal Dental Plan, the affordable alternative to dental insurance.

The British Are Smiling! The British Are Smiling!

At Universal Dental Plan, we know that no matter how much you brush or floss, having a dental professional carefully examine your handiwork can make even the most devoted oral healthcare practitioners among us feel like we're in the hot seat of an interrogation chair rather than a dentist's chair.

In the same "dental dillemma" Simpsons episode discussed in last week's blog, this clip captures the feeling well. Let's have a look:

 

"How often do you brush Ralph?" a dentist asks.
School-aged Ralph professes earnestly, "three times a day sir."
The Dentist regards Ralph skeptically. Knowingly, he asks "Why must you turn my office into a house of lies?"
Ralph cracks under the cross examination, squealing the truth: "I don't brush, I don't brush!"
Unconvinced that Ralph will ever change his ways and take better care of his teeth, the pragmatic dentist resorts to extreme measures. "Let's have a look at a Picture Book -- The Big Book of British Smiles."
To effect, the gruesome images of unmaintained British smiles horrify Ralph, making him regret neglecting his oral health.
"The Simpsons" isn't the only TV show to take a jab at British smiles. The comedy icon "Saturday Night Live" also took a shot at British oral health. Check out this hilarious clip for "Hedley and Wyche: The British Toothpaste."

The punchline: "Hedley and Wych is the toothpaste that makes brushing a pleasure. That's because its mild cleaning agent is enhanced with two teaspoons of pure cane sugar, for a smile that says, 'Yum, that was good.' You don't HAVE to brush your teeth every week, but it makes you want to."

Now we can all appreciate a beautiful, brilliant smile, but let's be fair to the British. After all, the British have:

Sean Connery	Christian Bale	David and Victoria Beckham

 

 

 

 

 

You have to admit, these Brits have great smiles. But then again, wealthy celebrities probably have the best dental healthcare. Of course these celebrities probably don't mind paying full price for their dental work, but if your paycheck isn't quite as large as a movie star's, you stand to benefit from Universal Dental Plan, the affordable alternative to dental insurance.

As a Universal Dental Plan member, you can get the star treatment for your pearly whites at discounted prices for your dental work. Don't go without a dental plan, sign up today for the affordable Massachusetts dental plan and invest in your smile. Or do you need to see "The Big Book of British Smiles" to be convinced?

Universal Dental Plan Employs Collective Buying Power Press Release

Dedicated as an affordable alternative to dental insurance, Universal Dental Plan uses collective buying power to save Massachusetts residents money on dentistry.

Boston/April 24/ -- Skepticism is often met when Universal Dental Plan (UDP), www.unviersaldentalplan.com, guarantees its members 20-50 percent off on all dental procedures performed whether by general dentists, orthodontists, periodontists, endodontists, or oral surgeons. Through a discount dental plan, UDP is able to offer Massachusetts residents these savings as an affordable alternative to dental insurance. It sounds like it is too good to be true, but the savings are as legitimate as the secret behind its success, collective buying power.

Collective buying power is when a group of consumers come together and use the old rule of thumb, there's power in numbers, to leverage the group size in exchange for discounts. UDP has stepped in to play the middle person to negotiate dental discounts on behalf of its members across Massachusetts. Quality service isn't comprised because it's a win-win scenario for dentists and specialists too. Instead of having empty chairs because people can't afford procedures, dentists increase their patient volume.

Discount dental plans are becoming more commonplace as consumers seek to actively take control of their finances without delaying their oral health care. These plans are membership-based services where members have access to a network of dentists and specialists who have agreed to discounted fees. While dental plans aren't competing with dental insurance, they are the optimal solution to fill the gap of consumers who don't have dental insurance. "My husband doesn't have a company paid dental insurance plan. Universal Dental Plan has been a great help," Connie Weller said.

There are perks that dental plans offer over dental insurance. "The great thing about this plan is that there is no paperwork and I have the freedom to choose any dentist from a list of participating providers," Logan Smith said. Consumers catching on to discount dental plans like UDP are revolutionizing the consumption of dental services and the best part about it, they're saving money while they're doing it.

About
Universal Dental Plan is the affordable alternative to dental insurance by offering members guaranteed discounts on all dental procedures without the hassle, restrictions or paperwork that insurance companies require. With a network of hundreds of dentists and specialists across Massachusetts, Universal Dental Plan is the most trusted discount dental plan. Headquartered in Boston, UDP was founded in 1993 on the principle of affordable dentistry for all. For more information about the company, please visit www.universaldentalplan.com.