# Finally went to the dentist after 14 years



## komorikun (Jan 11, 2009)

So the last time I saw the dentist was 14 years ago and the time before that was 8 years. 14 years ago they replaced all my childhood metal fillings except for 2 of them with white composite fillings. They also put in a few new fillings for big cavities. And they took out my wisdom teeth, 1 per visit. Simple extraction.

I did see the dentist regularly as a child though. That childhood dentist was crappy in opinion. He should have put sealant on my molars since it was obvious that I was cavity prone.

So *today* wasn't too bad. Took like 20 different x-rays from all different angles. Was surprised that they do the x-rays in the same room where they examine you. Was pretty creepy/surreal when the dentist was sticking the measuring stick in my gum line to measure how deep the pockets are while calling out numbers for the assistant to write down.

Really seemed like a cattle call. Everyone was polite but you could tell they make their money in volume. I think their bread and butter is the deep cleanings.

As expected, they want to do one of those expensive "deep cleanings." My gums in the back of my mouth, around the molars are not in the best condition. My insurance from work pays for 80% of the deep cleaning but it's still pricey.

Luckily they do not want to drill and put in new fillings. So that is good. I do have tiny cavities but they said it was better to watch and wait. 14 years ago they looked the same, so I don't think the cavities are getting bigger. They might have said that partially because I wrote down on the form that I want them to "take a conservative approach." Most of my molars already have fillings, so I'd rather not get fillings in the remaining natural molars. They also said that one of my childhood fillings (the one in the back of a front tooth) needs to be watched.


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## komorikun (Jan 11, 2009)

Oh yeah, and they gave me a a prescription for high fluoride toothpaste. They wouldn't tell me how much it would cost.


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## SplendidBob (May 28, 2014)

@komorikun you lucked out.

I visit every 6 months, get x rays once a year and I still got 2 deep fillings this year. **** tooth genetics though.


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## tehuti88 (Jun 19, 2005)

Just got prescribed that fancy-schmancy toothpaste myself, but for me it's too little too late. They just did some fillings earlier this year and already I need a bunch more, including in one tooth that was already filled, so that will be out of pocket. They blame my dry mouth due to meds, but I hadn't the heart to tell them I'm sucking on cough drops constantly due to my permanently bad throat and trying to avoid coughing hard to worsen my hernia. (And now I've just caught a bad cold. So, even MORE cough drops AND coughing. :roll ) So, one health problem has to take precedence over another, and my hernia has to take precedence over my teeth.

This time the assistant didn't argue with me when I said I imagine soon I'm going to just need dentures. :sigh By now it's like we're filling in the fillings. They're really busy there so I can't even get the fillings until January; I hope my teeth can hold out that long. -_- I can feel my incisor wearing away and some unpleasant pangs have appeared in my right molars--the only teeth I have left to chew with.

I'm just tired of being nervous every time I chew something semi-crunchy, worrying over every little twinge. My teeth are a lost cause.

...

My gums have always seemed healthy, though. :|


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## komorikun (Jan 11, 2009)

splendidbob said:


> @komorikun you lucked out.
> 
> I visit every 6 months, get x rays once a year and I still got 2 *deep fillings* this year. **** tooth genetics though.


Deep fillings or deep cleanings?


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## komorikun (Jan 11, 2009)

tehuti88 said:


> Just got prescribed that fancy-schmancy toothpaste myself, but for me it's too little too late. They just did some fillings earlier this year and already I need a bunch more, including in one tooth that was already filled, so that will be out of pocket. They blame my dry mouth due to meds, but I hadn't the heart to tell them I'm sucking on *cough drops* constantly due to my permanently bad throat and trying to avoid coughing hard to worsen my hernia. (And now I've just caught a bad cold. So, even MORE cough drops AND coughing. :roll ) So, one health problem has to take precedence over another, and my hernia has to take precedence over my teeth.
> 
> This time the assistant didn't argue with me when I said I imagine soon I'm going to just need dentures. :sigh By now it's like we're filling in the fillings. They're really busy there so I can't even get the fillings until January; I hope my teeth can hold out that long. -_- I can feel my incisor wearing away and some unpleasant pangs have appeared in my right molars--the only teeth I have left to chew with.
> 
> ...


Can't you get sugar-free cough drops?


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## truant (Jul 4, 2014)

14 years is a long time. I actually like going to the dentist, because I have terrible teeth and I like to do whatever I can to preserve them, but I haven't been in 2-3 years now. I need a ridiculous amount of work. I have cracked teeth, old fillings that need to be replaced, crowns that need to be replaced, and a crooked jaw (which he offers to fix every time I go in, lol). The guy would make a fortune off me if I had any money.


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## SplendidBob (May 28, 2014)

komorikun said:


> Deep fillings or deep cleanings?


Fillings. He said they were shallow from the x ray and so I didn't even have anaesthetic, but kept drilling and drilling as they were quite deep . Almost tooth killing ones.

I barely have any actual tooth left in my mouth, and I take ridiculously good care of em.

I lost one when I was about 20 though because I didn't go for a few years, and it had died. That one had to be root canal'd and failed 3 or 4 years ago, so I have a missing tooth now.


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## Kevin001 (Jan 2, 2015)

Yay...congrats. Forgot its been that long....I really need to go myself.


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## a degree of freedom (Sep 28, 2011)

You seem like a wild one who won't trust easily, but I think it makes things easier to just trust their expertise in general, even though it's always healthy to keep some level of skeptical watchfulness.

Good for you for going though.


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## komorikun (Jan 11, 2009)

I'm going for the deep cleaning (root scaling) next Monday at 11am. Hope I don't drool too much on my keyboard at work afterwards. They only do one side at a time. So I will have to go again one more time after that. 

There was some young blonde Asian girl in front of me at the front desk who whipped out over $500 in cash to pay for her appointment. Wonder what she was getting done.


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## roxslide (Apr 12, 2011)

It hasn't been that long but still a while for me, like 4 years or something. I have only had 2 cavities in my life and one filling (one cavity was in a baby tooth) and I floss every day so I'm hoping genes and good hygiene save me.


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## komorikun (Jan 11, 2009)

I've always brushed twice a day and flossed once a day. My dad was real big on dental hygiene since he's had issues from having a hair lip/cleft palate. But I still got tons of cavities as a child and a few as a young adult too. 

Just glad I've never needed a root canal, cap, bridge, crown, etc. Didn't need braces either.


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## Steve French (Sep 17, 2012)

It's been so many years since I've been to the dentist. I really need to go too. I have some serious issues with one of my wisdom teeth. It came in properly but is a bit too far back to brush properly. Also, I think the dentist put a crack in it with that goddamn dental dam thing.

Can't really afford it though. I feel that some people have this idea of Canadian health care, akin to fantasy, where we all skip along to sunshine and lollipops and rainbows down to the old doctor/dentist/optometrist and the magic socialist fairy throws out bundles of cash and all our problems are immediately solved. But alas, that is not the case. I'm waiting for it to get infected so I can get some emergency dentistry done and not have to declare bankruptcy.


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## Mayathebee (Sep 4, 2017)

*The dentist's... Ugh*

The dentist's is a mean and nasty place... I don't care how tough you are...
Jokes aside, it really is suffocating the trip to the dentist's, but well done to all of you who succeeded. Personally I don't mind going there because the dentist is my neighbor but making an appointment was always difficult for me...


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## sad1231234 (Jul 10, 2016)

You should see the dentist every 6 months, i've read stories of people who have lost their teeth because they havent checked up with the dentist regularly. It sounds unimportant, but dentists actually give a really good analysis on your oral/dental health which is a big factor in keeping your pearly whites. They're kind of like a radar that can warn you when you are headed towards bad dental health and they can advise you on how to deal with that as well as help you.


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## Persephone The Dread (Aug 28, 2010)

I've never been to a dentist, but there were some that came into primary school I think to look at people's teeth? Can't remember well now, so maybe as a child. My parents never took me to one though and then I've never been as an adult. Weirdly in spite of this I've had a couple of people compliment my teeth, I don't think they're worth complimenting, but I guess they're not falling apart yet.


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## Paul (Sep 26, 2005)

I waited 7 years... but ended up with a root canal, a crown, ~6 fillings and a $1600 bill. Not to mention 2 teeth pulled in the interim. All of which was pretty good compared to how my mouth used to rack of up problems, so I was somewhat pleased. Declined the deep cleaning.

I do wonder why they take so many more x-rays now than they used to. Hopefully they're lower power.


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## komorikun (Jan 11, 2009)

I'm going to be paying $180 for the deep cleaning. $50 of which is the deductible. 

My insurance pays up to $2000 per year. 100% for preventative stuff and diagnostics. 80% for most everything else. Probably nothing for braces and the like.


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## komorikun (Jan 11, 2009)

Paul said:


> I waited 7 years... but ended up with a root canal, a crown, ~6 fillings and a $1600 bill. Not to mention 2 teeth pulled in the interim. All of which was pretty good compared to how my mouth used to rack of up problems, so I was somewhat pleased. Declined the deep cleaning.
> 
> I do wonder why they take so many more x-rays now than they used to. Hopefully they're lower power.


Do you brush and floss regularly?


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## komorikun (Jan 11, 2009)

Oh god. It's tomorrow morning. I'm kind of afraid.


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## MadnessVertigo (Sep 26, 2016)

$180 for the whole mouth? They wanted to charge me $200 for each quadrant, so minimum $800 but possibly two more in addition. I didn't feel confident about how they called out the numbers either and their demeanor so I got a second opinion and he said that I didn't need the deep cleaning at all. The first dentist was telling me that my teeth would eventually fall out if they didn't do deep cleaning, but that I could stave off the inevitable if I went in for regular cleanings every 3 months... I'm pretty mad how they tried to scam me but nothing I can do. Anyway, not trying to second guess your own dentist but yeah some are in it just to make as much money as possible.


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## komorikun (Jan 11, 2009)

MadnessVertigo said:


> $180 for the whole mouth? They wanted to charge me $200 for each quadrant, so minimum $800 but possibly two more in addition. I didn't feel confident about how they called out the numbers either and their demeanor so I got a second opinion and he said that I didn't need the deep cleaning at all. The first dentist was telling me that my teeth would eventually fall out if they didn't do deep cleaning, but that I could stave off the inevitable if I went in for regular cleanings every 3 months... I'm pretty mad how they tried to scam me but nothing I can do. Anyway, not trying to second guess your own dentist but yeah some are in it just to make as much money as possible.


For the whole mouth. My insurance is paying for the rest.

I do see that my gums are receding a bit, especially around the molars in the back. And sometimes I will bleed a lot when I floss. Bleeding from one spot I mean, not the whole mouth. So I'm just going to go ahead and do it. Especially since I haven't seen a dentist in 14 years, I probably have tons of plaque/tartar buildup.


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## MadnessVertigo (Sep 26, 2016)

Good luck with it... that's good that the insurance covers it.


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## Xenacat (Oct 20, 2015)

I believe that some folks are born with better teeth than others. When I was a child I loved candy and ate really bad. I used to eat candy after school every day. I would spend all my money on it. I got anemia from my poor eating habits. I do go to the dentist twice a year now and have 0 cavities. I’m pretty sure I just got lucky and have strong teeth. 2 of my siblings have 0 cavities as well so going to the dentist usually is not bad. I have been complimented on my teeth by dentists and been told I could do one cleaning a year as opposed to 2 but I like to go. I have worn braces twice. My family and I have spent money on orthodontics. Komorikun congrats on the health insurance! It’s good you’re taking care of yourself.


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## Ms kim (May 15, 2017)

Good luck with the procedure tomorrow. It would have been better if your appointment was on a day when you didn't have work or perhaps after work since you could go straight home when it was over.


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## Virgo (Jun 27, 2016)

Just last month I went to the dentist for the first time in over 10 years. And yes, I'm 23 years old. The last time I went I was 12 or 11? My parents just didn't take me to the dentist often. I decided to go when I could clearly see cavities in the mirror, and I wanted to get them taken care of, even though they weren't ever bothering me. 

Anyway, it turns out I had 9 cavities. I've been going once a week to the dentist several times to get fillings done and so far I don't need a root canal, but might need one in the future. I was actually really surprised how awesome this dentist place I picked turned out to be. The staff is so nice, and the doctor made me feel really comfortable since I was having a little dental anxiety for not going so long. I have no complaints so far, which is surprising, considering every other place I go to is usually horrible.... especially my OBGYN...


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## slyfox (Nov 18, 2007)

That's good that they didn't have to do new fillings. Very good for going 14 years. Bet you're very relieved, because know I would've been very terrified of the results if it had been me. Know I went a few years before my last examination and they found a bunch.

Hope your deep cleaning went well

I'm overdue for getting a cleaning/examination(4+ months I think). Have been afraid to go back. Last time I went in they barely managed to fill a tooth they thought would need a root canal. That should have put enough fear into me to change, but I kept up my bad habits of not brushing enough and drinking a ton of pop. Am afraid that things will be worse and they'll want to do a root canal on the same tooth or a different one.

I'm trying to quit pop/soda, but I have a hard time sticking to it. Also trying to do 30 days of brushing my teeth three times a day before I go back. Today is just day 2 so not sure if I'll succeed at sticking to it. Reason I'm doing this is I'm always ashamed when my gums bleed when I get a cleaning and hope it will help. Also hoping the fluoride in the toothpaste and act mouthwash will help, but doubt it.

Wish they'd give me prescription toothpaste, especially with how bad dentists have been telling me my teeth are over the years. Have lost track of how many fillings I have.


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## slyfox (Nov 18, 2007)

Paul said:


> I waited 7 years... but ended up with a root canal, a crown, ~6 fillings and a $1600 bill. Not to mention 2 teeth pulled in the interim. All of which was pretty good compared to how my mouth used to rack of up problems, so I was somewhat pleased. Declined the deep cleaning.
> 
> I do wonder why they take so many more x-rays now than they used to. Hopefully they're lower power.


Almost had the same thing after waiting a few years between visits. Went in because a filling fell out. The first dentist I went to claimed the rot went too deep and that I would need a root canal. I went to another dentist for a second opinion and he was able to fill it. Worried that won't last long though. Know the filling hurts sometimes when I bite down on tougher foods.

Ended up having other fillings as well which wasn't a surprise. Just worry that the same tooth will now need a root canal or another tooth will be that bad.


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## Paul (Sep 26, 2005)

slyfox said:


> Just worry that the same tooth will now need a root canal or another tooth will be that bad.


I also went in because a filling fell out that turned into the root canal (but I waited stupidly long after gathering nerve). Root canals are expensive, but other than that they're not as bad as people make them sound. It's basically just like a long filling appointment.


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## komorikun (Jan 11, 2009)

The cleaning wasn't so bad. They apparently inject your gums with that long needle normally before a deep cleaning but only used some numbing gel on me. I guess because my gums aren't that bad. So that's good, I certainly didn't enjoy being jabbed really deeply multiple times when I got my wisdom teeth removed. 

Last time both the assistant and the dentist were women. This time both were men. I got the head dentist (middle-aged Asian man) or owner of the clinic. I saw his name on the insurance claim. The assistant was quite nice but I wasn't too keen on the dentist. 

First the assistant (dental hygienist?) did the polishing of the teeth and flossing, which is what you get in a normal cleaning. Chatted a bit with him. Then the dentist came into the room. At first he was sitting away from me, perhaps looking at my chart very quickly. Not sure. But it was weird how he didn't say hi at first. 

Then the dentist started up the ultrasonic scaler. He had some other assistant helping him with this. I had so much spit even with the assistant sucking it up but some got pooled in my throat and I started to heave. hahahaha. Oh boy. When that happened the dentist moved real quick out of the way. I must have scared him. 

Then the dentist started up with manual metal scaler thing. He was really going at it. Using a lot of force. In the middle of it, he asked about my brushing habits. I guess he was amazed at how much plaque/tartar was coming off. Probably thought I rarely brushed my teeth. Well I told him I do brush regularly but haven't been to the dentist in 14 years. I have a feeling he only skimmed my file, so he didn't see that. After I said that, he seemed to be satisfied and said that it could be a lot worse if I didn't brush regularly 

I thought I only had a few 5mm pockets (mixed in with 3s and 4s) but apparently there are a couple 6mm pockets too. Healthy is 3mm or less. Delightful.


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## komorikun (Jan 11, 2009)

They gave me another prescription. This time some mouthwash to be used for 3 days after the cleaning and after the next cleaning. Then once a month for only 7 days out of the month. Wish they had given it to me before. Not the easiest for me to hit up a pharmacy on a workday without a car. Didn't want to go to the one near the dentist since I might need refills later and don't want to go back there just for that.

https://www.webmd.com/drugs/2/drug-5356/chlorhexidine-gluconate-mouth-and-throat/details

So I went to the pharmacy nearest to my house (1 short bus ride from my house). Was rather surprised when they told me I had to wait 2 hours to pick it up. The pharm tech working there was a little testy when I asked if it wasn't in stock or something. He was like "we have 85 prescriptions ahead of you." How the **** would I know? The last time I got a prescription was from my college's health center 4 years ago. Don't think I've ever gotten prescription from a drug store in the US. Last time I had health insurance in the US was when I was a teenager.

So luckily with my insurance the mouthwash and high fluoride gel (to prevent cavities) were $12 total.

I went to a couple supermarkets near the drugstore while I was waiting. Even used one of those free blood pressure machines at the supermarket. 109/84

Got to work really late. Was basically a half-day.


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## WillYouStopDave (Jul 14, 2013)

komorikun said:


> I went to a couple supermarkets near the drugstore while I was waiting. Even used one of those free blood pressure machines at the supermarket. 109/84


 Mine seems to hover around 117-120/mid-80s. Pulse is around 83 I think. I had to buy one of those blood pressure machines for my mom a few days ago so I practiced on myself.

Mine used to be higher but came back down once I started exercising more. I'm glad of that. Last thing I need is another pill to take.


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## komorikun (Jan 11, 2009)

WillYouStopDave said:


> Mine seems to hover around 117-120/mid-80s. Pulse is around 83 I think. I had to buy one of those blood pressure machines for my mom a few days ago so I practiced on myself.
> 
> Mine used to be higher but came back down once I started exercising more. I'm glad of that. Last thing I need is another pill to take.


Well, I was a bit curious because my sister recently has had a few high readings.

Her readings:

140/98 taken 2 months ago
139/101 taken 2 days ago
139/90 taken today
126/91 taken today

My mom had high blood pressure starting from her 30s I think. It was so high that she had to take medicine for it everyday.


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## komorikun (Jan 11, 2009)

Oh yeah, besides the tons of x-rays now, the other thing I noticed that is different is that there is no fountain to spit in anymore. I was missing that today. The suction thing existed way back when too but they also had the fountain.


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## WillYouStopDave (Jul 14, 2013)

komorikun said:


> Well, I was a bit curious because my sister recently has had a few high readings.
> 
> Her readings:
> 
> ...


 During her time in the hospital, my mom's was as high as 190/83 (something 80s). It's still high but seems to be coming down. She's been on BP meds for a long time but I suspect she wasn't taking them properly and has not really been getting much exercise for years. That's what will really get you on BP is doing absolutely nothing to get any exercise.

Does your sister get much exercise?


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## Tetragammon (Jun 2, 2015)

I recently started visiting the dentist again after three years of not going, partly because I lost my insurance and partly because the dentist I'd seen since I was like 8 retired. And partly because I just hate it. I had to go in for two separate cleanings because my gums were bleeding too much on the first visit. They said that it wasn't as bad as it could have been, though; I have 8 new cavities to be filled but don't need any serious procedures, thank goodness. 

But I really hate dentistry. I know it's necessary for health etc. but it feels like I'm paying someone exorbitant amounts of money to torture me. Plus my teeth have had a bad history. When I was about 10 my parents took me to the orthodontist because my teeth were getting out of line, and he installed this awful "expander" device on the roof of my mouth and told us to expand it once every day to try to fix the alignment of my teeth. That was literally torture. Then I had to wear one of those old retainers for a few years until I got sick of it and ditched the damn thing. At one point I also got normal braces, which used to give me bad sores in both cheeks. I guess my teeth themselves are relatively strong, but my alignment was always bad. They never did get them perfectly straight, much to my parents' dismay. I say it was all a huge waste of money. And I've been extremely wary of any kind of orthodontist or dentist since. Add on an ambiguous and mild allergic reaction to "something" in most toothpastes and you can start to see why I've had poor dental hygiene for most of my adult life.


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## Ms kim (May 15, 2017)

slyfox said:


> That's good that they didn't have to do new fillings. Very good for going 14 years. Bet you're very relieved, because know I would've been very terrified of the results if it had been me. Know I went a few years before my last examination and they found a bunch.
> 
> Hope your deep cleaning went well
> 
> ...


The extra 30 days you delay going to the dentist won't do you any good. Brushing at home won't remove plaque build up under the gum line. That is what irritates your gums and make them bleed.

Brush your teeth gently, 2 times a day. You don't want to brush too often to further irritate the gums. Which will make your next appointment even worst. Be sure to floss as well.

Instead of drinking pop you could try making fresh fruit juices at home. Lack of Vitamin C will cause bad oral health.

When you have your next appointment, ask your doctor about corsidene mouthwash.

Don't be ashamed of bleeding when you go to have your teeth cleaned. The dentist is used to it  if it were a problem he would have a different career. So don't delay. You'll feel better afterwards.


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## Kevin001 (Jan 2, 2015)

I really need to see a dentist just because its been like 4yrs I think. The crazy thing is I have insurance just too anxious to call and I'm not having problems so.


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## Ms kim (May 15, 2017)

Kevin001 said:


> I really need to see a dentist just because its been like 4yrs I think. The crazy thing is I have insurance just too anxious to call and I'm not having problems so.


 I thought people went to dentist to prevent problems. Didn't know they went only when they had problems. You have insurance & let it go to waste. Whatever suits you...


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## Kevin001 (Jan 2, 2015)

Ms kim said:


> I thought people went to dentist to prevent problems. Didn't know they went only when they had problems. You have insurance & let it go to waste. Whatever suits you...


Yeah SA is a mother lol. Very avoidant.


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## komorikun (Jan 11, 2009)

Tetragammon said:


> I recently started visiting the dentist again after three years of not going, partly because I lost my insurance and partly because the dentist I'd seen since I was like 8 retired. And partly because I just hate it. I had to go in for two separate cleanings because my gums were bleeding too much on the first visit. They said that it wasn't as bad as it could have been, though; I have 8 new cavities to be filled but don't need any serious procedures, thank goodness.
> 
> But I really hate dentistry. I know it's necessary for health etc. but it feels like I'm paying someone exorbitant amounts of money to torture me. Plus my teeth have had a bad history. When I was about 10 my parents took me to the orthodontist because my teeth were getting out of line, and he installed this awful "expander" device on the roof of my mouth and told us to expand it once every day to try to fix the alignment of my teeth. That was literally torture. Then I had to wear one of those old retainers for a few years until I got sick of it and ditched the damn thing. At one point I also got normal braces, which used to give me bad sores in both cheeks. I guess my teeth themselves are relatively strong, but my alignment was always bad. They never did get them perfectly straight, much to my parents' dismay. I say it was all a huge waste of money. And I've been extremely wary of any kind of orthodontist or dentist since. *Add on an ambiguous and mild allergic reaction to "something" in most toothpastes* and you can start to see why I've had poor dental hygiene for most of my adult life.


Braces really do seem like torture devices, especially that expander device you are talking about. Much of the time braces are just for cosmetic reasons.

I was getting issues with my toothpaste too. At first I didn't know it was the toothpaste causing it. The area around my lips was getting all red and the corners of my mouth were all cracked and sore. I was trying all these different creams and chapsticks to get rid of it. I thought it was cause of the dry inside air during winter. I was using antibiotic lotion, antifungal lotion, anti-inflammatory lotion. Sort of helped but didn't really get rid of the problem.

Finally I figured out I was allergic to the *baking soda *toothpaste. So now I avoid baking soda toothpaste and anything with strong chemicals, like the whitening toothpastes. I do use Crest Whitestrips though but that's only once a year or so.

I also think I'm mildly allergic to the most commonly used brand of chapstick. So now I only use this stuff:

https://www.walgreens.com/store/c/n...ure-essential-lip-care/ID=prod6051636-product

https://www.walgreens.com/store/c/vaseline-lip-therapy-cocoa-butter/ID=prod6120538-product


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## Tetragammon (Jun 2, 2015)

komorikun said:


> I was getting issues with my toothpaste too. At first I didn't know it was the toothpaste causing it. The area around my lips was getting all red and the corners of my mouth were all cracked and sore. I was trying all these different creams and chapsticks to get rid of it. I thought it was cause of the dry inside air during winter. I was using antibiotic lotion, antifungal lotion, anti-inflammatory lotion. Sort of helped but didn't really get rid of the problem.
> 
> Finally I figured out I was allergic to the *baking soda *toothpaste. So now I avoid baking soda toothpaste and anything with strong chemicals, like the whitening toothpastes. I do use Crest Whitestrips though but that's only once a year or so.


Weirdly enough I don't have any problems with rashes or irritation in my lips or gums, but in my throat. I suspect I have a weakened esophageal valve due to undiagosed GERD or something. For whatever reason, whenever I use most toothpastes I get bad indigestion for several hours afterward, which used to keep me up at night, no matter how hard I tried to keep it out of my throat. I originally thought it was due to a bad diet so I tried cutting out different things, until I stopped brushing my teeth and realized that was the problem. I use Sensodyne now which seems to help, and the dentist suggested that I might have problems with the "foaming agent" in most toothpastes, which is supposedly different in Sensodyne.


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## slyfox (Nov 18, 2007)

Ms kim said:


> The extra 30 days you delay going to the dentist won't do you any good. Brushing at home won't remove plaque build up under the gum line. That is what irritates your gums and make them bleed.
> 
> Brush your teeth gently, 2 times a day. You don't want to brush too often to further irritate the gums. Which will make your next appointment even worst. Be sure to floss as well.
> 
> ...


Thanks for the advice, but I can't help being afraid/ashamed. I bleed really bad.

I'll ask about the mouthwash you mentioned. Is it better than act fluoride rinse? A previous dentist once prescribed me a prescription fluoride mouthwash, but my current dentist didn't seem to know what I was talking about. Maybe I need to find a new dentist because he didn't suggest the prescription toothpaste others are mentioning either.

The reason I fear bleeding at the dentist is how much I bleed and because when I was a kid I had the cleaning person call my mouth disgusting  It happened multiple times but I'm not sure if it was the same hygienist/cleaner.

I thought regular brushing would toughen my gums like I'v heard eating apples does.

As far as the tougher plaque I've recently seen cheap kits with a metal hook similar to what a dentist uses and a small mirror like a dentist uses. Those were very cheap but I've seen some better ones on Amazon https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01HD25ORG?psc=1


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## komorikun (Jan 11, 2009)

slyfox said:


> Thanks for the advice, but I can't help being afraid/ashamed. I bleed really bad.
> 
> I'll ask about the mouthwash you mentioned. Is it better than act fluoride rinse? A previous dentist once prescribed me a prescription fluoride mouthwash, but my current dentist didn't seem to know what I was talking about. Maybe I need to find a new dentist because he didn't suggest the prescription toothpaste others are mentioning either.
> 
> ...


The high fluoride toothpaste is actually not a real toothpaste. It's a gel you put on your teeth after brushing your teeth with your regular toothpaste. Then you leave it on rather than rinsing to let the fluoride absorb. I haven't used mine yet, since I'm using the mouthwash right now.

The mouthwash I got is to kill off bacteria living in the gums, to prevent gingivitis/gum disease. The fluoride gel is for preventing cavities.

Don't be too embarrassed about bleeding. I nearly spewed a huge load of spit on the dentist at my appointment. He really moved lightning fast away from my mouth, hahahahaha.

Flossing regularly helps to lessen the bleeding I think.

Perhaps when drinking soda you could use a straw and try to avoid getting it on your teeth? Not sure if that's possible but just an idea.

This is the gel I got:


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## SplendidBob (May 28, 2014)

slyfox said:


> The reason I fear bleeding at the dentist is how much I bleed and because when I was a kid I had the cleaning person call my mouth disgusting  It happened multiple times but I'm not sure if it was the same hygienist/cleaner.


The **** is wrong with people saying this **** to kids, I swear..


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## slyfox (Nov 18, 2007)

splendidbob said:


> The **** is wrong with people saying this **** to kids, I swear..


Not sure how old I was but she had to have seen worse(considering my age) or at least expected to encounter that kind of thing when she got into that line of work.



komorikun said:


> The high fluoride toothpaste is actually not a real toothpaste. It's a gel you put on your teeth after brushing your teeth with your regular toothpaste. Then you leave it on rather than rinsing to let the fluoride absorb. I haven't used mine yet, since I'm using the mouthwash right now.
> 
> The mouthwash I got is to kill off bacteria living in the gums, to prevent gingivitis/gum disease. The fluoride gel is for preventing cavities.
> 
> ...


Thanks I'll try not to be embarrassed. I'll look into the gel and maybe the mouthwash as well.

Not spit, but my gag reflux has been bad in recent times and when I last had a filling I almost puked when a piece of filling got on the back of my tongue.

I'm trying to quit soda, but yeah straws might be a good idea for when I slip up.

Hope the mouth rinse and gel help you.


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## slyfox (Nov 18, 2007)

Kevin001 said:


> Yeah SA is a mother lol. Very avoidant.


I can relate. I've been putting some things off for ridiculous amounts of time just because I'm too anxious to make the phone calls.


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## Kevin001 (Jan 2, 2015)

slyfox said:


> I can relate. I've been putting some things off for ridiculous amounts of time just because I'm too anxious to make the phone calls.


Yep


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## Ms kim (May 15, 2017)

slyfox said:


> Thanks for the advice, but I can't help being afraid/ashamed. I bleed really bad.
> 
> I'll ask about the mouthwash you mentioned. Is it better than act fluoride rinse? A previous dentist once prescribed me a prescription fluoride mouthwash, but my current dentist didn't seem to know what I was talking about. Maybe I need to find a new dentist because he didn't suggest the prescription toothpaste others are mentioning either.
> 
> ...


Yes ask your dentist about the mouthwash. That mouthwash along with antibiotics will help to stop the bleeding.

My regular mouthwash is colgate total. I also use colgate total tooth paste.

I've been reading about this amazing water floss that's better than regular floss. You might want to check that one out. I would love to get one but I haven't come across any in Jamaica so far.

But as I said, don't be ashamed of anything. The dentist who made the bad comment was unprofessional & rude. Not all are like that.


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## komorikun (Jan 11, 2009)

The other thing they checked for at the initial appointment is TMJ. They made me do something with my jaw and it clicked. It does click sometimes and I can make it click too if I think about it. I told them I have no pain and they weren't concerned. 

The dentist also used some paper thing to grab my tongue and moved it from side to side. Can't remember exactly what she said but she was obviously checking for oral cancer.


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## komorikun (Jan 11, 2009)

Guess I should throw out my current toothbrushes after my final deep cleaning. I keep one toothbrush at work and one at home. Don't want to reinfect my gums with the same nasty bacteria. 

The next cleaning (for the left side) is on Friday.


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## I cannot (Oct 14, 2017)

komorikun said:


> Guess I should throw out my current toothbrushes after my final deep cleaning. I keep one toothbrush at work and one at home. Don't want to reinfect my gums with the same nasty bacteria.
> 
> The next cleaning (for the left side) is on Friday.


Between the hot water and toothpaste I don't really think bacteria should be on your toothbrush :serious: I had a quadrant cleaning once (was like 4 visits to clean a quarter of my mouth each time), idk if that's the same thing they're doing to you. Hard to know what effect it actually had, I'm just supposed to trust them that the pocket sizes went down.


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## komorikun (Jan 11, 2009)

Had my final cleaning tonight. They did the left side this time. My appointment was at 7pm. 

This time a dental hygienist rather than a dentist did the cleaning. She was pretty talkative. Much better than the two hurried dentists I saw the last couple times. I asked her about my one remaining metal filling that is the very last molar on my upper right. I got it when I was a kid. Don't remember the exact age. It's my oldest filling. All the other childhood ones got replaced 14 years ago, except for a little composite one on the back of a front tooth. It's also my largest filling. It's quite big. Guess it's been in there for around 30 years.

Well, she informed me if they decide to replace it, a crown will probably be necessary. Right now though replacement is not needed though. She qualified her statement saying she is not a dentist. Hmmm...I really, really don't want a crown. I don't like the idea of artificial material touching the gums. My dad's crowns look kind of icky. Hope if it does come to it, I can get an inlay/onlay instead. 

God damn my childhood dentist sucked. I was going to the dentist quite regularly up until I was 18 or so. Why did I get such a huge filling? And 14 years ago when I got my old fillings replaced in Japan, the dentist remarked on how huge the holes were in my teeth. Like basically my childhood dentist drilled way too much.


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## komorikun (Jan 11, 2009)

I'm thinking now that the old small filling in the back of my front tooth has to go sooner rather than later. It was already a little yellowish but now I think it got even more yellow from that chlorhexidine mouthwash. They did warn me that it might happen but I didn't think the staining would be in that particular spot. The staining can removed easily with a simple cleaning at the dentist. But that's with real teeth. A couple websites online are saying that it can be permanent with composite fillings. 

Ugh. I'm so sick of going there. Taking time off work is annoying. Then I have to work extra hours on other days to make up for it.


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## Lonelyguy (Nov 8, 2003)

Few if any here can top my record of avoiding the dentist. I was absolutely terrified of visiting the dentist for years because of the horrible experiences I had there as a child with drillings and extractions. Last year I started experiencing aching in the lower right side when I'd eat certain things so I suspected I had a cavity. Because of my fear and lack of dental insurance I tried to ignore it but it started becoming more frequent so I finally broke down and made an appointment with my old dentist back in January. My last visit was before they switched over to computer records so they had to dig back in their stored files to find it: 26 years. Amazingly after that long I had no cavities but the bad news is I had periodontal disease around the tooth that was causing me the pain. He did a quadrant scaling and cleaning and advised me on how to improve my habits. I've started using hydrogen peroxide, flossing twice a day followed by a water pick, and using mouthwash twice a day. I haven't been back since but I'm due for another checkup. I have noticed a dramatic improvement though. Before I was experiencing the aching daily but now its rare, maybe once a week to a few times a month at the most.


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## komorikun (Jan 11, 2009)

Lonelyguy said:


> Few if any here can top my record of avoiding the dentist. I was absolutely terrified of visiting the dentist for years because of the horrible experiences I had there as a child with drillings and extractions. Last year I started experiencing aching in the lower right side when I'd eat certain things so I suspected I had a cavity. Because of my fear and lack of dental insurance I tried to ignore it but it started becoming more frequent so I finally broke down and made an appointment with my old dentist back in January. My last visit was before they switched over to computer records so they had to dig back in their stored files to find it: 26 years. Amazingly after that long I had no cavities but the bad news is I had periodontal disease around the tooth that was causing me the pain. He did a quadrant scaling and cleaning and advised me on how to improve my habits. I've started using hydrogen peroxide, flossing twice a day followed by a water pick, and using mouthwash twice a day. I haven't been back since but I'm due for another checkup. I have noticed a dramatic improvement though. Before I was experiencing the aching daily but now its rare, maybe once a week to a few times a month at the most.


Holy crap. 26 years!! Yeah, if I had had dental insurance I would have gone much sooner. My current employer is generous with the health benefits (not salary though...).

So your gums weren't in the best of condition? How big were your pockets (6mm?)?

I don't have much of any pain but occasionally my gums would bleed when I flossed. And it wasn't always in the same spot. Would be different spots. Once they bled when I brushed. Relatively recently. That freaked me out a bit.


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## Lonelyguy (Nov 8, 2003)

komorikun said:


> Holy crap. 26 years!! Yeah, if I had had dental insurance I would have gone much sooner. My current employer is generous with the health benefits (not salary though...).
> 
> So your gums weren't in the best of condition? How big were your pockets (6mm?)?
> 
> I don't have much of any pain but occasionally my gums would bleed when I flossed. And it wasn't always in the same spot. Would be different spots. Once they bled when I brushed. Relatively recently. That freaked me out a bit.


My gums have receded some. I think the pocket around the tooth that was causing me the pain was around 10mm and I had a few at 7mm in the teeth next to it. Since then I started using a plastic syringe with a special blunt tipped needle designed for gum pockets. Twice a day I squirt a little peroxide in around those teeth right before brushing, then rinse. The water pick has been a lifesaver. I did a lot of research and ended up buying one called the Oral Breeze. It connects to your faucet so there's no reservoir to clean and no noisy pump. Plus you can easily adjust the pressure and water temperature with the faucet handle. Even after flossing and rinsing my mouth I still see particles being flushed out when using the water pick.

I am due for a checkup but I've been putting it off because of my busy work schedule and lack of insurance. I am curious though to see if and how much I have reduced the pocket depth. There has to be some improvement I would think because the pain is pretty much gone now.


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## copper (Nov 10, 2003)

I always went regular to the dentist. Never had much problem with my teeth until hitting my 40's. Have many shallow cavities on the back of my teeth. Spent all summer getting them fixed. Used up my $1,000 Dental insurance yearly allowance. So the last time I had to pay $380 out of pocket and he wants me to come back next month to do more.


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## komorikun (Jan 11, 2009)

Great. I can see brown stains on a couple of my molars in the back from that chlorhexidine mouthwash. The mouthwash is to kill or reduce the amount of bacteria living in my gums, so that the gums can heal. They told me to use it for 7 days out of each month. So I should use it for the last week of November and the last week of December.

Supposedly the stains can be removed at the dentist easily but my next appointment with the dentist to check on my gums won't be until late January. 

Bought some whitening toothpaste. Whitening toothpaste doesn't actually whiten teeth but it is very abrasive, so removes some surface stains. Not good for your teeth and gums to use daily. I used it last night but the stains are still there. I'll try again. 

The dental hygienist said she saw some staining last time and that if I see more, it's okay to stop using the mouthwash. I'm conflicted though. I do want my gums to heal but brown stains are not pretty.


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## rockyraccoon (Dec 13, 2010)

When I was a child my dad's union paid for my dental visits 100% along with the rest of the family. We used to go like clockwork every 6 months. Now that I am older I go once a year. I just go in for the usual checkup such as xrays, teeth cleaning with those sharp instruments, polishing, flossing, and that stuff you swish around in your mouth for a few minutes. Up here north of the border dental is not covered in our "universal health care system". But it really is not that expensive: I pay about $130 or so per visit, so it's not too bad.


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## Blue Dino (Aug 17, 2013)

I just checked and apparently my last dental checkup and cleaning was in *January of 2012*. 

I kept putting it due to a combination of dental anxiety and lack of dental coverage from my health insurance since I purchase it from the state and I got the option that didn't have it. Though I do have to check again. I do notice a few weird suspicious spots and symptoms over the years, like darkened spots. But I never had any pain or discomfort, until the past few weeks. Starting to feel tenderness in one spot, and sensitivity throughout the mouth.

I always thought my regiment of brushing 3x and flossing 2x per day & mouthwash should allow me to get by as long as possible.

Now I'm freaking out. I am pretty positive I have at least a dozen cavities by now from counting all of the suspicious spots I have. Some look like they could be pretty bad.

Gotta check with my health insurance tomorrow to make sure if any dental work is covered. If not, I am willing to shell out for fillings or what not even if they are gonna be expensive. But if any root canals, I dunno what I"m gonna do since I read they cost anywhere from $1k-$2k out of pocket each. If that's the case, I will probably just jump off the cliff. But it does seem like two of the spots I have are pretty bad. Worse is that they are rear teeth which are more pricey.

Crossing my fingers, but not optimistic.


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## komorikun (Jan 11, 2009)

Blue Dino said:


> I just checked and apparently my last dental checkup and cleaning was in *January of 2012*.
> 
> I kept putting it due to a combination of dental anxiety and lack of dental coverage from my health insurance since I purchase it from the state and I got the option that didn't have it. Though I do have to check again. I do notice a few weird suspicious spots and symptoms over the years, like darkened spots. But I never had any pain or discomfort, until the past few weeks. Starting to feel tenderness in one spot, and sensitivity throughout the mouth.
> 
> ...


If the spots are pretty small then they may just be stains or pre-cavities. I have had a whole bunch of those for 14 years. Basically all my molars and premolars that don't have fillings, have tiny dark spots in the crevices. The dentists didn't want to drill.


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## Blue Dino (Aug 17, 2013)

komorikun said:


> If the spots are pretty small then they may just be stains or pre-cavities. I have had a whole bunch of those for 14 years. Basically all my molars and premolars that don't have fillings, have tiny dark spots in the crevices. The dentists didn't want to drill.


Did you have any pain or discomfort? Or cavities? I don't recalled you mentioning you did earlier in the thread.

Pretty amazing results after 14 years of not going to a dentist.


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## komorikun (Jan 11, 2009)

Blue Dino said:


> Did you have any pain or discomfort? Or cavities? I don't recalled you mentioning you did earlier in the thread.
> 
> Pretty amazing results after 14 years of not going to a dentist.


No pain or discomfort. Then again even when I had some big cavities, I had no pain. At my visit 14 years ago they did do a lot of drilling. I had had some cavities that had been growing for over 8 years. Luckily no root canals.

Wish my gums were in better health though....


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## Andre (Feb 27, 2004)

I hope to commiserate with your guys' dental woes. Some years back my face started to become deformed. I have not gotten confirmation of what happened and how it happened from any doctors or dentists I've seen since it started in 2011, or even before then, but that was when I noticed my face was different when I woke up. I think what happened is my maxilla broke -- the bone above the upper teeth that connects your teeth and nose. This is extremely upsetting to chat about and I feel so lonely with this problem. I have been afraid to get dental work done while having this problem, and grinding and clenching while I sleep. I lose hope quickly upon bringing it up. Supposedly it's ok to get dental work done tho. Meanwhile I have whole rotting teeth in my mouth. I can't really share about it anymore here, for now. I live this nightmare everyday for so long.

Some of you may remember the deformity. I've chatted about it and made some posts.


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## Blue Dino (Aug 17, 2013)

Finally booked a dentist appointment for this Tuesday for a checkup. It is long overdue. Much quicker than I thought it would be. Now I am nervous of all of the issues they will find. I'm ready for it to be very bad based on how my teeth feels right now. Definitely expecting a lot of bewilderment, head shaking and disbelief from the dentist at what they find. And I don't even wanna imagine the possible cost to get it all fixed. I am expecting a definite deep cleaning and many fillings will be necessary, which I can accept. But I am mostly worried that I will be needing root canal(s). If that is the case, which I am expecting to be base on my symptoms so far, I really don't know what to do. I can probably afford maybe one, but that is gonna drain my bank.  If I need more, I am pretty much ****ed. 

But at least I am finally taking a step in the right direction.


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## Blue Dino (Aug 17, 2013)

I was expecting some bad news from my xrays. Surprisingly after 5 years of not visiting the dentist, I have zero cavities. :yay The cleaning was also pretty quick. But I did have several chipped teeth from teeth grinding/clenching and I was pushed by the dentist I have to start wearing a night guard now. Much better than a root canal or several root canals.

Whew.. felt like I dodged a bullet. I think I lucked out, but definitely gonna be flossing and waterpiking religiously now regardless.


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## Methodical (Jul 18, 2014)

Blue Dino said:


> I was expecting some bad news from my xrays. Surprisingly after 5 years of not visiting the dentist, I have zero cavities. :yay The cleaning was also pretty quick. But I did have several chipped teeth from teeth grinding/clenching and I was pushed by the dentist I have to start wearing a night guard now. Much better than a root canal or several root canals.
> 
> Whew.. felt like I dodged a bullet. I think I lucked out, but definitely gonna be flossing and waterpiking religiously now regardless.


Great news! My dentist also prescribed a night guard but I'm not going to use it yet. He told me the back teeth are showing mild signs of wear. I'm just going to stop eating hard and crunchy foods to put less stress on the molars. I don't like the idea of sleeping with something in my mouth.


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## komorikun (Jan 11, 2009)

I don't know if my gums are much healthier or not but I've had virtually no bleeding from my gums since the deep cleaning/root scaling. Before I'd get bleeding from one spot (not always the same spot) when flossing maybe once every week or once every 2 weeks.

Also wanted to report that I've started using an electric toothbrush a week ago. Sonicare one. Bought it for $70 a few months ago.

https://www.amazon.com/Philips-Soni...523344148&sr=1-19&refinements=p_76:1249134011


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## Blue Dino (Aug 17, 2013)

I realize how much of a better difference electric toothbrush makes the first time I used one. Never went back. Though I use the smaller circular ones because my mouth is kinda small and I could only maneuver them around with them. The ones that looks like the traditional toothbrushes, are just too big for me.


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## komorikun (Jan 11, 2009)

Blue Dino said:


> I realize how much of a better difference electric toothbrush makes the first time I used one. Never went back. Though I use the smaller circular ones because my mouth is kinda small and I could only maneuver them around with them. The ones that looks like the traditional toothbrushes, are just too big for me.


What brand?


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## Blue Dino (Aug 17, 2013)

komorikun said:


> What brand?


Oral-B. I'm currently using this one, and have been for the past year. I've been using the Floss Action type heads.

https://www.amazon.com/Pro-1000-Rec...85&sr=8-3&keywords=oral+b+electric+toothbrush

I was using an older model of that before this, and have been using that for 5 years. I was going to go for a $100 model, but decide to use a cheapo $20 model first to see if I like electric toothbrushing or not. I figure if the cheap $20 model does the job, there is no point changing to a higher end model and risk it not working out.


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## Steve French (Sep 17, 2012)

I finally went to the dentist not too many months after this thread came around. Got that cocksucker tooth out. It's been nice. The cavity is starting to heal up. Doesn't smell awful, taste bad, cut my gums anymore. Under a g even. Time for another decade break.


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## AussiePea (Mar 27, 2007)

Is good you brush and floss, that's the key and often means you can go a long time without major issues apart from the build up of plaque etc. I was bad at flossing and after 12 years went a couple of months ago, the result being 10 fillings with some deep ones but thankfully no root canals needed (though I wasn't far off...). 

I'm wondering if those water flossers are any good to better clean the harder to reach molars.


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## Kevin001 (Jan 2, 2015)

I still need to make an appointment. Been like 5yrs.


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## truant (Jul 4, 2014)

I went finally after 4 years. Had to pay out of pocket but worth it for peace of mind. No cavities, though I need a lot of work done at some point. I second/third electric toothbrushes. One of the best purchases I ever made. Way better than a regular brush. Still like going to the dentist. Can't wait until I'm rich and can get my teeth fixed.


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