Every year, Delta Dental of Minnesota invites Minnesota’s oral health professionals to its annual symposium to learn and discuss the current state of dentistry and dental practices. The event this year drew more than 200 dental professionals, and hit on timely and important topics – including the concern of opioids across the country.

Insurance coverage for most companies begins on January 1, so many hold their open enrollment right around now! We’ve put together a little guide on what you likely can expect as you go through the process of choosing your benefits for 2018.

To help members understand costs before they’re incurred, Delta Dental provides free pre-treatment estimates*, which are sometimes referred to as pre-determinations or pre-authorizations. These estimates give patients an approximate idea of how much a dental treatment will cost overall, and how that cost will be split between the member and Delta Dental

If you find yourself absently and happily chewing away at a couple ice cubes after you’ve finished a drink, you’re not alone. There are many who enjoy chewing ice not just incidentally but as a matter of habit.

When we think about a healthy mouth, most of us picture pearly teeth – but in fact the health of your gums is just as important! Your gums are so important that there is an entire month (September) devoted to their care.

Exercise can be great for your lungs. It also strengthens muscles, helps prevent heart disease, builds endurance and even improves your mood. But it may not be so great for your teeth.

There’s just something about digging in the dirt and planting a tiny seed that grows and bears food that is magical to me. Gardening also requires daily maintenance and care, which is why it’s the perfect metaphor for dental hygiene and oral health.

Did you know that each of your teeth have individual names? Your baby (primary) teeth are identified by their own letters, and permanent teeth are identified by numbers.

Eight glasses a day. That’s the rule we’ve been taught since grade school when it comes to drinking water. The benefits of consuming nature’s purest offering are second to none when you consider humans themselves are made of 70 percent H2O—we need it, quite simply, to function.