Questions about retainers? After braces.?
So, i got my braces off on Wednesday and i got my retainer then as well. Yesterday when i was cleaning my teeth just before bed i noticed my retainer had plaque on it. Also there was an odor. I cleaned it with tooth paste and it looked better and this morning the same thing happened again! Is there anyway i could stop this? I clean my teeth thoroughly before bed and also use mouthwash and floss. Thanks!
Are some people more prone to plaque build-up on their teeth?
I went to a new dentist today (I moved four years ago and hadn't arranged for a new dentist until now), and the dentist began lecturing me on how to properly brush and floss, as he said I had what looked like several days worth of plaque near my gum line on my side/back teeth, and a tiny area on one bottom tooth that might turn into a cavity (so I have to have it sealed). He also told me the gums in these same side/back areas looked slightly irritated (I hadn't noticed any discomfort before but he did a great deal of scraping near the gum line and it still hurts). He went on about how if I didn't start brushing/flossing properly then the plaque build-up could eventually turn into some serious problems causing my teeth to begin crumbling/decaying. I scheduled my cleaning (this was just a new patient exam) and was almost crying when I left (I had asked if I was extremely careful if I could avoid having these potential problems and he seemed very gloomy saying "well if you're absolutely religious and change your habits then you might be able to prevent 99% of the problems").
The problem is, I have always been extremely careful about brushing well with an electric toothbrush after meals, and flossing at least 1-2 times a day. I've never had cavities of any kind, and at all of my twice yearly cleanings at other dentists (I'm 24 years old, my last dental exam/cleaning was 4 years ago), they've always commented on how excellent my teeth are.
My question is: is it possible that something has changed (my eating habits/hygiene haven't) to make me suddenly more prone to plaque building up? I asked the dentist if something else could be causing the problem (telling him that I'm very careful about my oral hygiene and have never been told I have problems with plaque before), but he was adamant that I just "must not be brushing and flossing as well as you think". If I thought this was the real reason I wouldn't have a problem with it, but it just seemed extremely odd; I would have thought if I had been doing these things ineffectively for the past 18-20 years, and if those habits were the culprit, that I would have shown signs of this much earlier in life, rather than just now. I don't deny there is some issue now (I just never noticed in the past 4 years) but I'm afraid that if I'm already doing things right that the problem isn't what the dentist is insisting it is. For the time being (I have 3 weeks until my appointment) I've decided to use a waterpik, and a Sonicare toothbrush to try and be extra careful with my teeth. But is it possible that something else is wrong? Or is it perhaps just because I haven't had a really deep cleaning at a dentist in 4 years? I'm extremely nervous now because I felt as though the dentist didn't believe me when I said I did brush/floss, and it made me afraid that something could be wrong and they won't catch it because they just believe I don't know how to brush my teeth.
I apologize for sounding extremely paranoid, but my mother has horrible teeth problems because her family couldn't afford dental work when she was little, and I'm terrified of having anything similar happen.
Why am I coughing up this… Plaque?
Ive been coughing up random bits of plaque. I asked my mom why, and she said because I don't floss my teeth enough, so Im swallowing the plaque... And then like phlegm when you swallow it, it just accumulates in your throat. What can I do to stop it? Is it really plaque?
Help with repetitive canker sores?
I am a 15 year old girl and I have been suffering from repeating canker sores for about a year now. I haven't gone more than a week without having a canker sore. As soon as one goes away, another one comes along. I am on a natural toothpaste already and it doesn't have SLS in it. I do brush my teeth everyday, and I floss and use mouthwash. I have no idea what I can do anymore. ): I would really appreciate and suggestions because I don't want to live all of my teen years with mouth sores! They're disgusting!
Btw I just ordered The Canker Spanker, so if you know anything about that, please give me some reviews. THANKS SO MUCH!! (:
Why do I always get canker sores????
I tend to get canker sores a lot...sometimes I don't get them for awhile and then when I bite my lip/cheek I ALWAYS get a canker sore...or when I have a cold or when I'm stressed out...I even sometimes get them in my throat(really bad). I've been to the doctor/dentist to see why and how I can get rid/prevent them. It's very painful to eat/talk/smile etc... I've read about canker sores and no website every says anything about someone biting their lip and cheek and getting a canker sore. I also have gotten Herpes Simplex 1 on my lip that sometimes comes back when I'm under high levels of stress(NOT sex related)
I DO always try and eat healthy...I brush my teeth twice a day..floss etc. I don't bite my nails. I know all about the numbing stuff and I know that they go away in about 2 weeks. A lot of people bite their lip/cheek on accident it's not like I do it everyday lol....I'm asking why do I always get them when I have a cold/stressed/bite my cheek/mouth. There has to be a REASON
also mainly they are IN my mouth...I've only had them outside like 3 times in the past 4 years
Periodontitis and bad breath?
I've always taken care of my teeth. I eat healthy and exercise. Im in great shape and have had blood work done and results came back as excellent. I've gone to the dentist twice a year since my 20's. Im 45 years old now. Recently I have been told I have periodontitis. How does a reasonably healthy person get periodontitis if I brush, floss and use mouthwash twice a day? I am an excellent brusher and flosser too. Dentist never sees hardly any plaque nor cavities on my teeth. But he says the gums bleed a lot when he cleans them. He also probed my gums and they came back as 1,2 and 3's. I have one deep pocket at 4mm. Otherwise ideal.
I also have bad breath. Does this mean I will be plagued with bad breath the rest of my life? This is not what I want. I can see my confidence going down the toilet.
Any suggestions?
Girls with boyfriends???????????
Im 19 never had a boyfriend
Im very self conscious about my hygiene (i shower and stuff and do all the things I need to do)
But ladies when your with your boyfriend are you ever self conscious about smelling?
Whether it's your breath, armpits, feet anything.
Do you ever worry about that?
Do you ask ur bf do i smell? or does my breath stink?
Before u see ur boyfriend do u brush or floss ur teeth before u see him or shower and put perfume on?
Please let me know it seems like I'm the only girl who thinks this way