I’m no dentist, but I haven’t been for 31 years. So far no problems.
I’m no dentist, but I haven’t been for 31 years. So far no problems.
Easy way to test this : go to another dentist in a month for a teeth cleaning and tell them you've never missed the recommended twice a year cleaning, and most years you even go 3-4 times.
Can't believe we are over one page in and no one has made a anti-dentite reference.
jesseriley wrote:
I’m no dentist, but I haven’t been for 31 years. So far no problems.
You've never had your teeth cleaned ?
No matter how good you brush and floss, plaque and tarter form on your teeth.
That's just gross.
Positive Contribution wrote:
Can't believe we are over one page in and no one has made a anti-dentite reference.
See page 1 again.
Positive Contribution wrote:
Can't believe we are over one page in and no one has made a anti-dentite reference.
Cosmo K wrote:
You're an anti-Dentite!
Middle of page 1
Death creeps in through the gums - Sarah Silverman
Truer words, never spoken
What’s floss?
He didn't charge and he gave you the minimum for free.
If you had cavities then it sure seems like your niece might too.
Way to be a moran.
Clarify some issues: Did you go to a chain or a private practice dentist? Chains tends to over diagnose patients, that is why they offer low cost new patient exams. If you have decent insurance, you should go to a private practice dentist as your fees are set by the insurer, so there is no reason to go to a high volume, low cost chain that employ younger, less experienced dentists. Regular cleanings are a good thing, if you haven't had a cleaning in 6 years, you will probably have some issues, especially if you drink sugary beverages or juice regularly. Once you have the bacteria that cause decay (streptococcus mutans) in your mouth they tend to spread, so you want to eradicate all of the sites that harbor decay from your mouth. Small cavities can re-mineralize with fluoride treatments. Interproximal decay can really only be diagnosed with x-rays, that is why your hygienist might say your teeth look fine. The depth of the cavities can dictate whether or not you drill or try to do fluoride treatments or some other preventative. If you wait until things hurt to seek treatment, you will probably need much more expensive treatments than fillings like crowns, root canals, extractions, implants and later on dentures. Cavities really only start hurting when they are close to or into the pulp.
Went 29 years without going to a dentist, from the age of 12 to 41. Met my wife, she suggested I go, so I did. Had one cavity filled, brushing one to two times a day and no flossing in all that time. Just lucky I guess.
Free_the_thigh wrote:
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
How old are you? If you are young, your dentist may be trying to save you some pain later on in life. Wisdom teeth are much easier to remove before the roots are fully formed, that is why they are typically removed while people are teenagers. Waiting until the roots are fully formed can cause a much more invasive surgery, can put you at higher risk for paresthesia / nerve damage, and extend your recovery time. But yeah, what do doctors know?
I know some people who went millions of years without seeing a dentist: our ancestors.
[quote]stay out of my mouth wrote:
Went 29 years without going to a dentist, from the age of 12 to 41. Met my wife, she suggested I go, so I did. Had one cavity filled, brushing one to two times a day and no flossing in all that time. Just lucky I guess.[/quote
Yoiu are lucky. Could also be part diet. If you do not eat a bunch of sugar or drink a lot of sugary beverages, then you could be okay. What is far more common is someone doesn't see the dentist in 20 years, they call up a dentist in an emergency situation with severe pain and discover that half their teeth cannot be saved and have to be pulled, they have periodontal disease and will require about $35k to get implant supported dentures if they want to have a decent quality of life. Ignoring a problem will not make it go away.
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jesseriley wrote:
I know some people who went millions of years without seeing a dentist: our ancestors.
And they lived to the ripe old age of 35 and were probably very pleasant to look at by todays standards. Additionally, we probably eat far more carbohydrates than our ancestors did. Many probably died of endocarditis brought on by a dental infection. And there is evidence of dental work as long as 14,000 years ago:
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-3165079/Did-prehistoric-humans-use-DENTISTS-14-000-year-old-tooth-decay-scraped-sharpened-stone.htmlBut I guess you know it all.
Take Vit. D, at least 2000 IUs/day (esp in the winter). I feel like someone posted a study on here many years ago. Supplementing with Vit. D helps your teeth remodel, basically filling in the small cavities/tooth tensitivities.
Do you happen to live in the greater Boston area? I had a very similar experience a few years ago. I hadn't gone to the dentist in about 5 years, they did a really quick cleaning and complimented me, and then the x-rays showed I had 6 cavities. Up until then I had one when I was in middle school. I ended up getting the fillings.
My roommate at the time went to the same dentist as he had also not been in several years. He was told he needed a crown and had it put on. Two years later he started to have severe pain in that tooth but was now living in Chicago so he had to find a new dentist. The dentist he went to said the crown was put on incorrectly and that he would need to have it removed and a new one put on. His insurance would not cover a second crown on the same tooth so he had to pay for it himself. His new dentist then helped him file a claim with the insurance and they went after the previous dentist and eventually recouped the funds and reimbursed my buddy.
I have since found a new dentist.
I get what you are saying, and I fully expected a couple cavities, but the hygienist barely did ANY scraping at all, and said I would be her easiest cleaning all day, that would indicate I clearly do a good job at cleaning. Beyond that the gum measurements she took indicated very healthy gums. I don't drink sugary drinks, I drink lots of water...The dentist didn't even offer the fluoride, I asked the hygienist after the dentist had left, and she got the prescription in the system (asked him to write it). This is a chain, but not a super big chain, but like 10 offices in my region, the chain started about 10 years ago with one office, and they had like three large LCD screens per exam room, and the dentist saw me for about 2 mins maximum. This is of course the first time I've been here. The old office I went to, (which is far enough away from where I live now I don't want to go back) was basically a house, with one dentist a few grumpy hygienist who seemed to enjoy tearing into your gums with no mercy. At this new office the hygienist seemed very knowledgeable and nice, I just get a weird feeling about the dentist.
I am in the greater boston area.....
yikes. I mean I have three months to find a second opinion.
My roommate told me he goes to the dental school, the appointments take a long time, but you get very good care for a very good price. I just don't have the time nor interest in spending hours having my teeth inspected...