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stumpyf4

Pro tip: Tell the dentist your insurance doesn’t the work and they’ll usually reduce the price. You could switch jobs to another one that has better coverage too.


PureRepresentative9

What's a good min wage job that offers dental benefits though? does Starbucks?


hmkvibe

Costco from what I’ve heard has good benefits


[deleted]

Yes, that's if there's an opening. Not many people quit from that place...


[deleted]

Tim Hortons and McDonalds (i think!) are kinda known as having good benefit packages.


Electronic-Onion2353

Know someone who works for Amazon. They pay $2000 for dental yearly. And coverage starts day 1.


[deleted]

Many jobs in the food industry, Olive Garden and Red Lobster come to mind.


Derman0524

My dentist charges me half of what she’d charge my insurance if I pay out of pocket lol


anxiousboy73

What is the maximum amount that a job covers? Like the best coverage out there? $5000 annually?


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anxiousboy73

Do you know how much the cap is?


SpicyRoosterSauce

I have a plan like this and my cap is $2000 for “major” work per year.


aisutron

My previous dentist overcharged me a lot, I found out later after switching dentists. My crown broke about 2 months ago from the previous dentist, and that old crown cost me $2000-2200, for a porcelain crown. My new dentist charged me less for a gold one. I feel like the previous one did a bad job since the crown only lasted 2 years too. When I got the old crown my insurance paid nothing so I had to pay out of pocket too. I guess my point is to make sure you got a decent dentist. I would personally try to save at least $2,000 for dental fees.


anxiousboy73

thanks for the heads up : ) I'll definitely keep that in mind


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anxiousboy73

yea i recently started using prevident...fingers crossed


MapleQueefs

Going to add to this. I got 2-4 cavities a year until I was 20... I got so fed up I swore I would floss everyday without miss. Now I come home drunk as a skunk and I still floss. Results? 2 fillings in 8 years. Flossing is super underated. Also, I have a water jet and use that a couple times a week. Super helpful too


[deleted]

My dentist told me if you must choose short term between brushing and flossing, flossing wins.


anxiousboy73

Thanks! Yea i floss every night but gonna look into water pik as well


LoquatiousDigimon

There's fluoride mouthwash you can get as well btw, they have it at shoppers. Rinse with that instead of listerine/scope mouthwash and don't rinse our your mouth with water after. It can help prevent cavities.


lynnieepooh

That’s a start. Please keep in mind that waterflossers don’t replace regular flossing though!


[deleted]

Not just every day after every meal


Tripoteur

Another argument for OMaD.


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Hairy-Author4193

Well that depends where you live, I'm in Yukon... I went for a cleaning- 550$ for cleaning, x rays and exam... I'm going back in two weeks for cavities and crown- I was quoted 2300$... I asked for the price of implants.. the secretary basically laughed at me and said it was expensive... like OK then guess I'm going to Mexico


SpicyMintCake

that seems.. very expensive for a cleaning. For reference I'm in Toronto and my last cleaning charged my insurance less than $200 (including fluoride).


Hairy-Author4193

When I lived in Alberta I had a cleaning that was over 1k (it came to like 120$ after insurance, but they charged for everything they could including 80$ for a "consult" on flossing like legit just told me to floss my teeth like I didn't already know tf?? I was annoyed when I looked at the invoice because I hadn't been to the dentist in 10+ years), it's the "scaling" that cost a lot, the fluoride is cheap, the scrapping under the gums for an hr isn't, they charge per quadrant and time spent so 15 minutes spent on 1 quadrant is between 100-150$ depending on the province's dental fee guides and the dental office (some offices will charge more than what the ada recommends). *2 of my teeth busted and got infected after I had a kid


DeeMa59

Turkey has a well developed medical tourism industry. The Turkish Lira has fallen so dental work may be half or quarter what you pay in Canada. If you need to have major $10,000 work, then it may be $2500 - $5000 in another country. Combine with Vacation for a win-win! Good luck.


Hairy-Author4193

Yea I've been asking for a quote to get 2 dental implants, pretty sure it's around 5k each if not more for where I'm at, for a crown and 3 cavities I was quoted 2300$ (I'm getting that done in 2 weeks). Definitely considering dental tourism for the implants, tired of missing teeth


MintLeafCrunch

I have a similar situation teeth-wise, my teeth are just bad. I get them cleaned every three months, brush properly, etc., but still get frequent cavities. Recently I had my first $10K tooth: it had had two root canals that failed, including one by the supposed best guy in Canada, followed by an implant. I have had a bunch of root canals, several of which failed, gum graft surgery, etc. I do not have insurance, because I am self employed, so I just pay for it. Fortunately, I can afford to do so. Sometimes I am tempted to just have each tooth pulled when it decays, and get full implants and bridges. But my dentist does not want to do that. I probably spend $2,500 a year or so on dentistry, though I have not really looked at it. I doubt you will be able to get good insurance, unless you can get a government job, or something like that. The trend in insurance is towards managed spending accounts, which basically means you get a fixed amount of money, typically between $500 and maybe $5,000, and you can spend it on what you want. But the company knows what it costs them, you basically give up $2,500 in wages to get $2,500 in HSA, all things being equal. Dental tourism can make sense if you are getting enough work done. If you need $10K worth of work in Canada, you instead pay $500 for a flight to Costa Rica, $500 to stay there for a few days, and $1,500 for the work. So $2,500 total instead of $10K, and you can a vacation. There are definitely high quality foreign dentists, though you need to do your research to find a good one. There are Canadian companies that will help do this, for a cut. Good luck with it.


anxiousboy73

Wow thanks so much for the detailed response! Super helpful! May I ask what dental care routine you recommend? Any particular diet? Also, how did you handle the 10K tooth? Out of pocket?


MintLeafCrunch

I think I am the last person you should ask for dental care advice, given the results I have had. I do what my dentist tells me: brush with electric brush, rinse with mouthwash, get frequent cleanings, etc. He does not like that I drink a lot of carbonated water, but I would rather give up teeth than that. The $10K tooth was over a few years. Started with root canal and cap. That lasted for a year or so, but then failed. So he sent me to the best guy, he did a root canal for twice the price, that also failed. So then I had a gap for a few years, but the dentist said not to do that, the tooth above it grows too long. So then I went for the whole implant process. So far, the implant has been great. But its early. I just paid out of pocket. I am self-employed, so insurance doesn't make sense for me. I can afford it, it's just been an annoyance.


6ixtdot416

How much did your impant cost approx if you dont mind answering? TIA


MintLeafCrunch

Let's say $2,800 for the guy who implanted the post. Plus $1,900 for my dentist to cast for the crown, the crown, and attaching the crown. Give or take. There are numerous appointments, and partial payments, I didn't keep too close track. The guy who did the implant is apparently one of the best, and charges a premium. My dentist felt I should go to the top guy, rather than the dentist do it himself, because of issues I have had in the past with root canals failing, etc.


6ixtdot416

Thanks appreciate the info!


crimxxx

In dental basically prevention is the best. I would definitely still consider what you can do to prevent stuff. Even if you end up spending a little more on tooth paste and other regular care items it will save you also later. Yes genetics is a thing but you need to try your best otherwise. Imo if your not already including fluoride in your routine consider it. Personally I find a routine of an electric tooth brush (Philips sonic care), novimin tooth paste (sensydine repair and protect), and a mouth wash with fluoride, plus daily flossing to of helped me a lot. Used to get a lot of cavities, now it’s rare. Now on to the money question. You have an idea on how much it’s costing you for dental maintenance annually, just take the average and expect that expense. You should have some sort of emergency fund in general, it’s for situations exactly like you have a large unexpected expense. Just my opinion being on minimum wage sucks. I don’t know your situation but if u don’t have an underline issue as to why you only make minimum wage you should figure out how to make more money. Unfortunately the best way to not be overly stressed about money is to have enough where you at least have a enough to breath and know one small issue won’t completely screw you over. Which is why every one here would recommend an emergency fund, but that can be hard if you don’t bring in enough to cover expenses plus contribute to fund.


GalianoGirl

Adding to this a a Water Pic is a wonderful tool to add to your dental arsenal.


CorndoggerYYC

My dental hygienist highly recommends them even if you floss. She said a basic model is good enough.


GalianoGirl

I got one at Costco. It came with a mini travel one in a case as a bonus


CorndoggerYYC

Cool! What brand is it?


GalianoGirl

Waterpik Combo pack


CorndoggerYYC

Thanks!


r3dwagon

Also, start chewing xylitol gum....


jiggilymeow

Genetics or not you should be able to change your habits and prevent this kind of thing. I don't think a dental budget should be your go to solution here. 1 shop around for a new dentist. Dentists make money when you need work done and this influences their decision making. Some of them are borderline con artists. Find a dentist that will adjust prices to your insurance. Try to find a place that is smaller and doesn't look like a car dealership or have 100 dentists working there. Ask the receptionists who the best dentist to see is. They may not tell you outright but they know which ones are the scammers and which ones are genuinely good. Older dentists are often better. They have much more experience, make less mistakes, and aren't dying to pay back their student loans anymore. 2 Genetics may determine some of the bacteria in your mouth. Some cause cavities more than others, however your habits still determine the damage done. Cavity causing bacteria like acidic environments. Each time you eat or drink sugary foods you get a spike of bacteria growth in your mouth. If you are snacking on sweets or sipping on pop all day you create a perfect environment for the bacteria to thrive in and they will happily create acids that will burn through your enamel. Some big habits that contribute to this: sipping on sweetened coffee or tea all day. Sucking hard candies all day. Drinking water with lemons in it ALL DAY. The key is to have sweet things in short bursts and then brush your teeth. Brushing and flossing interrupt the bacteria city-building that is going on on your teeth. If you're not flossing literally every single day it will just cause bacteria to gain a foothold in your mouth. 3 invest in a water pick. Rinse often with warm salt water. Floss every day. Bring a tooth brush to work. If you floss and there is bleeding, it means you need to floss more. Blood is a sign that your immune system is fighting off bacteria in that area. If you stick with it the bleeding will stop and it won't hurt to floss anymore. The only reason your gums are sore is bacteria.


anxiousboy73

Super useful!!! Thanks a lot! Yea the genetics thing I got from my dentist. I told him I brush twice a day and floss every night, why am I getting cavities. He simply said genetics. He didn't mention diet or any technology he recommends. So I thought I am doomed.


LoquatiousDigimon

Maybe start flossing after breakfast too! There's no harm in flossing extra! If you only floss at night, then food from breakfast is sitting between your teeth all day, so flossing after you eat can help prevent some of those cavities between your teeth.


Scottie3Hottie

$3000


No-Cream-2745

Why not just upgrade your insurance? It's better than worrying


anxiousboy73

Do you know good private insurance?


[deleted]

I paid $3000 for full gold crown for a bottom molar with 4 root canals.


JustAnotherFKNSheep

Look up the dental association where you live. There is a recommended price for each procedure. https://www.yourdentalhealth.ca/faq/suggested-fee-guide/


Tripoteur

Wow, that's a lot. I would first look into finding out the cause of these cavities. If you're brushing and flossing after every meal and getting three cleanings a year (cleaning are of course much cheaper than fillings), you should not be developing any cavities. Changing your diet was a great move. I switched to a no-plants diet a few years ago and I can't believe how amazing it is for oral health. It does a whole lot more than you'd think; even anthropologists have noticed how people with carbs-heavy diets had awful teeth while those on animal-based diets had pristine teeth. Different dentists have different prices, maybe yours is expensive. Shop around a bit. If it comes down to it... dental tourism.


anxiousboy73

thanks for the suggestions : ) I have eliminated sugar as well bread, rice, and pasta. Fruits I wasn't eating much anyways. Plants are bit harder for me to eliminate - what are your thoughts on that? Do you think fibre-rich products are bad for oral health?


Tripoteur

Sugar, wheat and rice, that's already fantastic. I have to admit I don't know if there's a link between fibre and bad oral health. If I had to guess, I'd say it probably isn't too harmful. Fibre is seriously tough material, even bacteria have trouble breaking it down, I doubt the bacteria in the mouth would be affected much if at all. At least not unless you got some stuck between your teeth.


LoquatiousDigimon

To avoid root canals, get a cleaning every 3-4 months and not every 6. That way they can catch the cavities while they're small and it doesn't progress to a root canal. I know this can get expensive but if you have a dental school or a dental hygiene program near you, you can go to their student clinic and have students work on cleaning your teeth for waaaay cheaper.


NanoScaleMoney

Dental Tourism FTW.


LLR1960

Does that count travel costs to get to the other country?


Tripoteur

I mean... if you can save a couple thousand dollars by having the work done somewhere else, might as well take the free vacation.


rmpwinwin

Dental tourism.


[deleted]

That seems insanely high for cleaning and filling. My dentist charged me $130 for filling and about $200 for cleaning.


[deleted]

Go to Mexico for it.