Just went to the dentist after 6 years...

This sounds pretty suspicious to me. I think you're getting scammed. Honestly wtf is two cleanings a year at the dentist going to do for overall dental health? What you eat and how you clean your teeth on a daily basis are much more important.

Just wait until something hurts to schedule anything.

I heard about someone who was told he had some cavities and never bothered to fix them.

Then he went to a different dentist years later and none were even found.

Let me know about the next time you go to a cardiologist, neurologist, etc. and run home to ask a forum full of clueless, angry old white men for contradictory advice. My mother is a dentist and worked as a hygienist for years. I can assure you that you are not the only one to consider disregarding the advice of your dentist. You're also not the only to end up scheduled for extractions, root canals, etc. due to your negligence.

Listen to your damn doctor.

I would absolutely without a doubt listen to a doctor, the problem is the experience was baffling. I've never in my life had that many xrays taken, and the hygienist said I had excellent gum health and my teeth were clean...normally if a doctor tells me something needs to be done, I 'FEEL' like something needs to be done. I've never ever been to a doctor when I felt completely healthy and have them tell me I neeed $3,000 worth of procedures after they look at me for 2 mins, and meanwhile these procedures will mean a lifetime of work done to maintain it... fillings need replacement. If the cavities are not urgent, why not first tell me to try a high fluoride toothpaste first? I had to ask for it, he didn't even suggest it (for a client with allegedly many cavities!!)...

I didn't take my car in for regular maintenance for six years. When I finally did, they told me my car had lots of problems. Whoda thunk?

The maintenance is brushing twice a day and flossing...

That's like if you didn't brush your teeth for 6 years, and then went to the dentist. The hygienist did barely anything to "clean" my teeth, I didn't feel any cleaner leaving then when I arrived.

Seriously mate? wrote:

This sounds pretty suspicious to me. I think you're getting scammed. Honestly wtf is two cleanings a year at the dentist going to do for overall dental health? What you eat and how you clean your teeth on a daily basis are much more important.

That dentist is definitely trying to scam you, and has no qualms about ruining your teeth in the process.

And personally, I'd stay far away from fluoride toothpastes.

My dentist told me I needed to get my wisdom teeth out. I told her no thank you. It’s been 2 years now with no pain. Which sure beats a bunch of needles drills and pain meds for a week

This was nearly 20 years ago now but I saw my dentist for a check up shortly before doing some contract work overseas. They took some x-rays and said they showed I needed a couple of fillings. I was pretty disappointed never having had any and never having had any pain at all (!) but said I'd come back in when I got back to get the work done.

Anyway, it was about 8 months down the line before I finished the overseas job and when I went back the receptionist said she'd check me in for a check up in the first instance since a bit of time had passed. Come the day of the check up the dentist got the previous x-rays out and says "so it's four fillings we need to do". I said "er, you said two the last time?!". "No, no definitely these four" he said pointing out whatever on the x-ray.

I left it at that at the time but cancelled the appointment made for the actual work the next day and never went back to that dentist. Nearly 20 years later I've still never had any fillings done or suggested by any other dentist!

You're an anti-Dentite!

If you went to one of these franchised dentist offices, odds are the recommendations are BS. Dentists at these chains are under big time pressure to bill up each patient to make money for the owners of the franchise. I had a friend recently go to a franchised dentist that has a few dozen locations and was told he had 7 cavities and needed $5k in dental work. He went to another dentist for a second opinion and learned that he did not have a single cavity.

Dentists are sadists and some of the worst people in the world. They inflict needless pain and suffering on the general population on a daily basis and yet are allowed to roam among us freely.

Years ago I had my wisdom teeth out. I was knocked out with the gas. When I awoke and was leaving, my shirt was untucked, pants unzipped, and shirt buttons were off by one (as if it had been unbutton and re-buttoned, by in the wrong order). To this day I maintain I was molested. I reported this here, online, to Letsrun and everyone claimed I was making it up. I haven't been to a dentist since!

Haven't been to the dentist in 17 years and won't be going unless I absolutely have to.

Danny Democrat wrote:

Dentists are sadists and some of the worst people in the world. They inflict needless pain and suffering on the general population on a daily basis and yet are allowed to roam among us freely.

Years ago I had my wisdom teeth out. I was knocked out with the gas. When I awoke and was leaving, my shirt was untucked, pants unzipped, and shirt buttons were off by one (as if it had been unbutton and re-buttoned, by in the wrong order). To this day I maintain I was molested. I reported this here, online, to Letsrun and everyone claimed I was making it up. I haven't been to a dentist since!

Jeff Epstein had a thing with braces, and kept a dentist chair handy.

It sounds like they already filled one cavity.

Does it hurt? wrote:

It sounds like they already filled one cavity.

Probably at least two.

For over 30 years my dentist was my cousin. He never charged me for anything he did, nor for my kids, my sister, my nephew, or niece. In all that time I had two cavities filled. Naturally, we were all sure he wasn't doing anything unnecessary as there was no money in it. My niece is 31 now and went to him almost all her life. Abut four years ago he retired. My niece was the first to find another dentist after his retirement. She was maybe 27 and had never had a cavity.

We were all having dinner together on the night after she'd had her first appointment with her new dentist. She liked him and happily told us that they cleaned her teeth, took x-rays, and found two cavities that she was scheduled to have filled a few days later. My sister and I stared at her for quite a while and she asked why.

My sister said, "Really? For 27 years going to a dentist who doesn't charge you've never had a cavity and now in one appointment with one who does charge, all of a sudden you have cavities? That doesn't seem suspicious?"

My niece cancelled the appointment and had no problems since. Take that for what you will.

Danny Democrat wrote:

Dentists are sadists and some of the worst people in the world. They inflict needless pain and suffering on the general population on a daily basis and yet are allowed to roam among us freely.

Years ago I had my wisdom teeth out. I was knocked out with the gas. When I awoke and was leaving, my shirt was untucked, pants unzipped, and shirt buttons were off by one (as if it had been unbutton and re-buttoned, by in the wrong order). To this day I maintain I was molested. I reported this here, online, to Letsrun and everyone claimed I was making it up. I haven't been to a dentist since!

And yet you felt strangely aroused every time you watched Breaking Bad eh?

I haven't been to the dentist since summer 2011 when I literally first took up running. I got a filling then. Before that I hadn't been for about 2 or 3 years. I went regularly when younger. I thin about it sometimes but I'm just not bothered going. Maybe I should go someday but it has been so long now that I'm afraid. I will just hope for the best. Maybe I'm lucky in that I don't get serious problems with my teeth which force me to go. They are as solid as Bekele's gold medals.