A common question that I get is, “My insurance doesn’t pay well for periodontal maintenance can’t you just send it in as a routine cleaning?”  The answer to that is a big NO! Stating that a routine cleaning is being performed when it’s not is actually insurance fraud.

Another question then may be, “Since I only get two cleanings a year can’t you just do that.” The answer is, a good dental office will provide you with the services you need and will not allow an insurance company to determine what’s best.  After all, insurance companies do not have your best interest in mind!  They pay the best for individuals who have a healthy mouth.  And let’s face it, that’s not most of us!

There is a simple way to determine if you have bad breath that is originating from bacteria on your tongue.  Now, be aware, this method is accurate but may seem a little odd to some.  In fact, we got an email from someone who thought using a tongue scraper sounded gross so if you share that thought don’t read any further!  Here are the steps:

1. Take a plastic spoon and gently scrape the surface of your tongue from back to front. This will collect a small amount of tongue debris on the inside surface of the spoon.
2. Now, smell the spoon.  Is there an odor?  If so, I’m sorry to say, that is the odor everyone smells when you’re up close and personal.
3. If there’s no odor, have a very close friend or family member smell the spoon.  You may be use to the smell and can’t detect the odor.
4. If another person can’t detect an odor, congratulations you have fresh breath!

A dentist in Arlington, TX, Dr. Alexander has been serving the area for more than 30 years. His practice specializes in creating smiles while reducing dental anxity.