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.
Good teeth whitening places in Seattle area?
Probably interested in the quick and easy laser whitening, have you had this done somewhere, and how much did it cost?
Can you get it free/cheap when you sign up with a new dentist?
My dentist tells me I have “Acute necrotizing ulcerative gingivitis” or ANUG for short. What should I do?
Previosly I was told it was periodontitis, now it's this weird sounding thing! Previously I was given an antibiotic called Flagyl (Metronidazole) on 3 differnet occasions, didn't do much good. I'm a smoker and my dentist tells me that this is the cause of it? Trying to quit now by taking pils called Champix (Chantix in USA), might work. I've read that I should take penicillin (according to wiki!) but was never offered that or told I should take it?
Should I take penicillin? Is it true as the dentist is saying that if I stop smoking it'll clear up, I have my suspicions whether that is correct?
Yeah, I've read that it's often people with HIV/AIDS (but not confined to them) that get that but I am not HIV, thank god!
Over the last few weeks I have been to 3 differnet dentists trying to get an opinion, 2 have said its periodontitis and the most recent one said it was ANUG. I would go with it being ANUG as the last dentist spent the most time examining it, xrays, little spy camera thing etc.
What has me puzzled as to whether it is actually ANUG is that my gums don't bleed much at all, no bad breath, no soreness when I eat...these are all listed as indications of ANUG but I have none of them?
Just to update, I got a second opinion and was told I don't have ANUG! Instead was told the problem was that I needed a filling, no answer given by the new dentist I saw as to what the gum problem was.....unbelievable!
Is it possible to reverse gingivitis?
My new dentist told me that I am starting to get gingivitis on my lower gums. I didn't really hear much of what he said because I was so upset about the whole gingivitis thing and I was starting to get a migraine from the awkward head and jaw positions I had been in for the tons of x-rays they took. I do remember that he went on and on about flossing, but I can't recall if that (along with regular brushing) will help to reverse gingivitis. Help! I'm so freaked out right now. I've always had great teeth (I joke that it's the only thing that seems to work *sigh*) and I want to get back to being healthy.
Suggestions?
Dental abscesses. Need help with how dangerous this is please!?
I lost a huge filling on my farthest top back tooth. It had a root canal 7 years ago. When I lost the filling a few months ago, it didn't hurt, until the past few weeks. I can feel the little screw in there from the work that was done before..Food is getting caught in that 1 tooth. I now have to pick it out (sorry that is GROSS, but it's necessary).
The dentist at the time told me I had several abscesses beginning to form. Hot and cold food absolutely kills me now on my left side.
Also 1 or 2 of the farthest back bottom teeth have some type of abscess too. I believe they all had root canals, but I'm not positive.
I am on disability and I did not and do not have the money to fix this problem. It was never painful before, but now I am close to being in agony and I am eating Advil and Tylenol with Codeine to try and keep the pain at bay. It's not working, but it's better than nothing.
My friend told me if I didn't take care of it...I could die from sepsis from the abscesses. I have not been feeling well and now my jaw feels hot and it's getting harder to chew or put anything hot or cold in my mouth as the pain is unbearable if I do.
I know I must see a dentist, the money is the problem.
Is it true I could die from leaving the abscess too long? I'm terrified I will lose my teeth. I also have tiny abscesses on the other side too (the dentist told me that about 7 months ago).
All of these abscesses started after I had all my mercury fillings taken out and the dentist at the time, knew I had an acidity problem.but I spent thousands of dollars to get my whole mouth fixed. My new dentist said it was wrong for that dentist to have put the white fillings in because there is erosion at the gumline which he feels has started the infections.
I live in Canada. I don't know what to do as I am sure this will cost several thousands of dollars again.The pain is getting much worse, I'm afraid I could die, afraid I'll lose my teeth (I do take care of them other than this).
Can I die from this or is it just that it's painful and I have to deal with the pain until I get enough money?
My jawbone itself is beginning to be very painful and it's hard for me to even open my mouth or move my jaw back and forth. It almost feels like I have a fever in my jawbone, as weird as that may sound. The pain has just started to shoot down from my jaw down through my glands in my throat on the same side as the abscesses.
If you are a professional, can you please help me to know just how serious this is? Is it just pain or an infection that can cause me great harm?
Thank you very much for your advise.
Can anyone give me some information on cavities?
Okay, so I have never had a cavity in my whole life. I'm almost 21. I went to a new dentist today, and they told me I have five. I went to another dentist for sometime but they had two appointments mix ups, and called to cancel and reschedule them on me all the time. I got fed up and stopped making one, so it has been a year and two months since I got a cleaning.
I don't know how I could have five cavities in that amount of time especially when I haven't had any in my whole life. I also feel like I'd be in pain. I don't have any, at all. I have one sensitive tooth, but that's not one where the cavities are.
My mom thinks they are just trying to get money from me, 'cause the second I got in there they were trying to get me to buy fluoride rinses, and teeth whitening. Then they said that it would cost ,852 to get them all filled, my insurance would pay ,500 of it. Then I told them, well I can't afford that right now, and they were trying to get me to get a dental credit type card with them. I said I couldn't make any decisions right now, and she was like "well why don't I make you an appointment for January and you can call if you don't have the money?" I told her no, and she was still trying to push the credit on me.
My mom said fillings shouldn't cost that much. It would mean they would cost over 0 each, I looked it up and it said that it should be - 0 per filling. That's a big difference.
I don't know how I can have this many cavities and not be in pain at all. My mom said I should get a second opinion. I also looked up cavities, and it said a lot of times they take years to form, so I don't know how I could have five. Either this dentist is lying, or my other dentist didn't know what to look for.
Does this sound fishy to anyone?
How do cavities feel?
Does it hurt to get them filled?