Discovery Health Press Release – Health Matters: Dentistry

Looking after your teeth is the key to a longer, healthier life

What is dentistry?

Dentistry focuses on the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of diseases, disorders and conditions, not only of the teeth, but also of the other hard and soft tissues of your mouth and facial area, as well as the impact of oral disease on the rest of your body. Your dentist will be able to tell you if there is anything wrong with your teeth, if you have gum disease, and how to treat and prevent these conditions. Depending on the condition of your teeth, a general dentist, or dental specialist will treat you.

Good dental habits improve your health and add years

The importance of having a healthy mouth and healthy teeth is often overlooked, especially in light of several studies and research which have linked poor oral health and gum disease to heart disease and stroke. Good, healthy teeth can improve your health, and add years on to your life. Research shows that flossing once a day can increase your life expectancy by six years; and quitting smoking, and decreasing your alcohol and sugar consumption can reduce your risk for oral cancers, periodontal disease and tooth loss.

The earlier you start looking after your teeth, the better

Good dental care should ideally start in childhood, and this is often overlooked. Poor dental hygiene can result in severe dental problems that can be costly to treat. Globally, the most common oral problem affecting many people, along with gum disease is dental cavities. According to the World Health Organization, 60% to 90% of all school children have dental cavities, which can cause problems later on in life. The American Academy of Periodontology has found that people with periodontal gum disease are almost twice as likely to have coronary artery disease which may be due to inflammation of the gums and the presence of bacteria associated with oral infections.

Ensure both yours and your family’s teeth are healthy by making regular visits to the dentist for checkups, professional cleaning, fillings, and any other necessary procedures such as root canal treatment and tooth extraction.

What is gum disease and how is it treated?

Bleeding gums are a sign of poor oral hygiene, and that, or any form of bone loss around the teeth can indicate gum disease. Your dentist will recommend a variety of treatment for your condition, depending on the severity, such as deep cleaning, which involve scaling or root planning. Scaling is when calculus and plaque build up is removed from your tooth surfaces and below the gums, and root planning is when the root surfaces are smoothed by removing calculus and a thin layer of the root surfaces which contain bacterial toxins. In the case of advanced periodontitis, invasive surgery may be required. Your dentist may provide you with special tools to enable you to better clean your teeth and reach the awkward, hard-to-reach places.

How Discovery Health covers your dental treatment

Most medical schemes cover routine out-of-hospital dental work like checkups, fillings and cleaning from an out-of-hospital benefit which may be subject to a limit, and for any in-hospital dental work you may need, pre-authorisation is required. Some medical schemes place restrictions on the number of times you can have a particular dental treatment within a certain time frame.

Discovery Health pays your dental claims from your Medical Savings Account, Above Threshold Benefit or your Hospital benefit.  To find out what you are covered for, you should check your health plan. Most Discovery Health plans have no overall limit for basic dental treatment as long as there are funds available in your Medical Savings Account, which is determined by your health plan option. No pre-authorisation is required for any standard in-patient or out-patient procedures, including the removal of wisdom teeth. Any in-hospital treatment is paid at 100% of the Discovery Health Rate, including the anaesthetist. Dental appliances such as crowns, bridges and dentures, are covered under the Appliance limit and surgery benefit, and for any emergencies affecting the mouth, members can apply for the Severe Dental and Oral Surgery Benefit.

More information on each type of screening is provided in the Health Matters: Dental facts to sink your teeth into attachment.