Posted on April 17, 2011
If low pH is the cause of demineralization in tooth enamel then why does my fluoride mouth rise list phosphoric acid as a inactive ingredient?
Posted on September 10, 2010
I was at the dentist the other day and they used an electronic device to measure tooth density. Apparently I have a region on one molar that shows reduced density, but no cavity - they couldn't get a "stick" using a metal pick explorer and nothing appeared on an x-ray.
Since dental demineralization and remineralization occurs continuously over time, what might I do to encourage remineralization and reduce my risk of this area turning into a cavity?
Thanks!
Posted on July 18, 2010
For probably about a year, I have had a strange sensation in my back molar (#31). It's not a pain so much as the sort of burn one would experience after swishing with Listerine. It was really just annoying at first but over many months it got to the point where it was so frequent and so intense that I thought I might go insane. I'm poor so dentists aren't much of an option, but I finally did get to one in january and she filled a cavity in the tooth. For a week I had relief, but then it came back with a vengeance. After a few weeks of this, now with a weird metallic taste and sensitivity to cold and any sugar or salt, I went back to see if she had maybe missed a cavity. I did see two dark spots on the tooth and thought for sure she must have missed something. She poked around for a minute and said it was just demineralization and that sensitivity toothpaste and a good fluoride rinse would help. Well, it's been over a month now and the sensation is now basically constant, pulsating, and the metallic taste is unbearable. I've been using the best tooth pastes and mouth rinses I can afford and being very diligent about brushing/flossing/rinsing. I was using Orajel to numb it but that stopped working. I moved on to clove oil with no luck. Sensodyne Isoactive has some temporary soothing effect but not enough to get me through the day without wanting to rip the tooth out of my face. I'm going back tomorrow but I'm pretty sure she's going to say I need a root canal, which I absolutely can't afford. I'm already missing molars 32 and 30 so the molar is not one I think I could sacrifice for extraction.
I don't trust my dentist because she is money-hungry and her practice is notorious for scaring you into getting the most expensive procedure even if you could have gone a different route. I actually have a second opinion appointment regarding some other teeth scheduled but that's not for another couple of weeks and this tooth is driving me INSANE
Is there anyone here, a dentist or someone who's had this problem diagnosed and resolved, who can tell me what the deal is? .
Oh by the way, I have tried to get in on the dental school for more cost effective dental care but they wouldn't take me. Said that crowns and root canals weren't enough work to qualify me. Go figure.
Oh also, in case it matters, th dentist herself referred to the cavity she filled as "minor" and "not a big deal" so I don't know if it was particularly deep.
Also I have no idea if this is relevent but there is a nub growing behind the tooth on my gum and I can't help but wonder if it is having something to do with this. When I had that wisdom tooth removed, there was a cyst in there with the impacted tooth. Could this perhaps be a cyst and causing some sort of weird thing which only SEEMS like it's the tooth? Or affecting the tooth somehow?