Delta Dental (2024)

Illnesses can impact the health of your teeth, from stomach acid on teeth to excess sugar from medicine. When you’re sick, you may also be less inclined to keep your regular oral health routine. Here’s how some illnesses can impact your teeth and how you can take better care of them while you’re sick:

Stomach Illness and Stomach Acid on Teeth

Illnesses like the stomach flu can be particularly hard on your teeth. When you have the stomach flu and you vomit, stomach acid splashes against your teeth and gums.

Stomach acid, also known as gastric acid, contains strong acids like hydrochloric acid, potassium chloride, and sodium chloride. Stomach acid on teeth is bad news. Since this acid will break down the contents of your stomach, it wants to do the same to your teeth.

Contrary to how yucky it may feel, it’s not great to brush your teeth right after vomiting. It's best to swish water around your mouth with a touch of baking soda after vomiting. We recommend waiting at least 30 minutes before brushing. Brushing immediately after rubs the stomach acid on teeth. This expands the surface area that the acid touches, causing the acid to eat away at more enamel.

Put a reminder in your phone so you don’t forget to brush 30 minutes later!

Sore Throat and Cough Drops

You avoided the stomach flu like the plague. But, you still caught a cough or sore throat. Keep this important tip in mind: soothe your throat with sugar-free cough drops.

Many of the popular cough drops on the market have added sugars to cut the taste of medicine. Sugar builds up on your teeth as you pop one cough drop after another. It might help to curb your cough, but it will wreak havoc on your teeth!

If you examine popular "natural" cough drop ingredients, the first ingredient is sugar! Be sure to read the packaging thoroughly before committing to a cough drop regimen. It can be no better than sucking on a candy all day!

Now you can properly care for both your illness and your teeth.

Delta Dental (2024)

FAQs

What is going on with Delta Dental in California? ›

In December 2022, CDA filed legal action against Delta Dental in San Francisco Superior Court. This action was driven by the changes to Delta Dental's reimbursem*nt rate structure and provider agreements that had a significant impact on many members.

What is the best insurance to have for dental? ›

Compare the Best Dental Insurance Companies Ratings
Our expert takeInsurance companyForbes Advisor Rating
Best OverallAnthem5.0
Good Price for Benefits ProvidedGuardian4.5
Good for No Waiting PeriodsAmeritas4.0
Good for No DeductibleCigna Dental4.0
3 more rows
3 days ago

What's the best dental insurance for seniors? ›

Best Dental Insurance Companies for Older Adults
  • Best Overall: Delta Dental.
  • Runner Up: MetLife.
  • Most Affordable: Physicians Mutual.
  • Best for Waiting Periods: Spirit.
  • Best for Customer Satisfaction: DentaQuest.

What is the difference between Delta PPO and Delta Premier? ›

Premier fees are typically higher than Delta Dental PPO fees, but PPO members still enjoy cost protection at Premier dentists. Non–Delta Dental dentists can set their prices wherever they want. Low fees reduce your members' out-of-pocket expenses and let their plan dollars go further.

Is there a class action lawsuit against Delta Dental? ›

In a landmark case for antitrust law and the dental industry, roughly 240,000 dentists and dental practices have initiated a class action lawsuit against Delta Dental, the United States' largest dental insurance system. The case, formally known as In Re Delta Dental Antitrust Litigation, Civil Action No.

Was Delta Dental hacked? ›

Delta Dental of California was struck with a data hack that exposed the personal information of nearly 7 million patients, becoming the latest casualty of the MOVEit Transfer software breach that has affected more than 2,600 organizations mostly in the U.S.

Why is dental work so expensive even with insurance? ›

You also often have to pay coinsurance, a percentage of the cost of treatment even after you have met your deductible. When you factor in deductibles, copayments and premiums, dental treatment can be expensive even if you have insurance, and it's not always clear if coverage is worth it.

What is the best dental insurance to have in California? ›

Best Dental Insurance Plans in California
  • Delta Dental of California. Pros: Delta Dental is a well-established and widely recognized dental insurance provider. ...
  • Anthem Blue Cross. ...
  • MetLife Dental. ...
  • Guardian Life Dental. ...
  • Aetna Dental. ...
  • UCLA Dental.

What is the best dental insurance that covers implants? ›

Compare the Best Dental Insurance Companies for Implants
CompanyImplants Coverage in Year 1Deductible
Delta Dental Best Overall50%$50
MetLife Runner Up50%$50
Physicians Mutual Most Affordable25%$0
Spirit Best Waiting Period50%$100
1 more row

What is the best tooth replacement for seniors? ›

Implants are a great option for seniors because they require less maintenance, they feel like real teeth, and they will stimulate bone growth while also stopping bone loss from missing teeth.

How many teeth does the average 70 year old have? ›

The average number of teeth present in adults is 24.1 in the population aged 55-59 years, 22.4 in those aged 60-64 years, 19.4 in those aged 65-69 years, 16.8 in those aged 70-74 years, 13.6 in those aged 75-79 years, and 11.3 in those aged 80-84 years. Thus, the number of existing teeth decreases with age [5] .

Do seniors get free dental care in the USA? ›

While they qualify for Medicare when they turn 65, many older adults are not even aware that it does not cover any dental benefits. Access to regular and affordable dental care is essential to maintaining optimal oral health, which in turn affects one's overall health and well-being.

Which type of dental plan is the most common? ›

Dental Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) Plans

Dental PPOs are the most common dental policy. The NADP reports that 82 percent of dental policies are dental PPOs.

Is Delta Dental USA a PPO or HMO? ›

As an employee, the OCC Dental Insurance Program offers you the choice of two quality dental options — the PPO option called Delta Dental PPO and the dental HMO (DHMO) option known DeltaCare® USA.

Is Delta Premium a PPO? ›

Delta Dental PPO Individual Premium Plan is a plan that covers a percentage of your costs for covered dental services. Once you enroll, you'll get coverage for diagnostic and preventive care, including exams, cleanings and x-rays.

How much does Delta Dental of California pay? ›

The average Delta Dental salary ranges from approximately $34,000 per year for Call Center Representative to $202,769 per year for CyberSecurity Architect. Average Delta Dental hourly pay ranges from approximately $16.97 per hour for Customer Service Representative to $23.92 per hour for Accountant.

Who regulates Delta Dental in California? ›

The California Department of Managed Health Care is responsible for regulating health care service plans.

Can Delta Dental be used in California? ›

Delta Dental PPO individual plans are available in AL, CA, DE, FL, GA, LA, MD, MS, MT, NV, NY, PA, TX, UT, WV and DC.

What states are under Delta Dental of California? ›

Delta Dental of California and affiliates

We provide dental benefit plans in Alabama, California, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Montana, Nevada, New York, Pennsylvania, Texas, Utah, West Virginia and the District of Columbia, as well as Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.

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