Most of us have health, home and motor insurance but haven't given our teeth any thought. It is only when we suffer from toothache that cheap dental insurance probably even enters our mind.

When you are in pain, you would pay almost anything to have the cause treated. Troublesome teeth have a way of making our lives miserable. It is not that we are in agony. Simply that the discomfort can become annoying and interfere with enjoyable activities like eating.

Dental bills can run into thousands of pounds. Just ask Simon Cowell although I often wonder why he has his teeth bleached quite so white. Has someone not told him how unnatural it looks? But I digress.
You can take out insurance policies which cover the cost of most procedures from the preventative treatments such as cleaning, x-rays and gum checks to the more advanced options. As a nation we do not visit our local practice enough. We should all be going for six monthly check ups but when you have to fund these visits yourself it is easy to give them a miss.

When you are shopping around for an affordable plan, look for one that covers all types of treatment. If you attend regular appointments you have more chance of underlying problems being picked up and dealt with. It is much simpler to deal with a minor filling than have to undergo root canal treatment or extractions.

However shopping for any type of insurance policy is not for the fainthearted. I am convinced that they make the small print so tiny, it is impossible to read. Also there should be a law which states that all policies have to written in the same format. This would make it a lot easier to confirm similarities in cover and highlight differences.

You have the option of using a broker. Find one who is an expert in this particular type of cover and ask him to arrange the best deal for you. At the same time, ask him to double check all of your policies to ensure that you are not over insured. For example, some policies contain duplicate cover yet in the event of a claim you can only receive money from one plan. So why pay for these extras?

You should find out how your broker is paid. If he is remunerated by commission there is a chance he will recommend the policy paying the highest level rather than one offering the most comprehensive cover for your budget.

Your alternative is to purchase the insurance via one of the comparison shopping websites on the internet. Often these sites will compare the policies for you and highlight the similarities and differences. You will still need some patience and time to work out which is the best for your needs.

If you have a family you may want to consider a group arrangement so that all of you are covered under the one plan. A combined plan may provide your loved ones with cheap dental insurance.