Teeth and Dental work

[OnlyHereForTheLolz]

Yeah that's good. My teeth have taken a bit of a hammering over the years, but they've remained aesthetically not too bad, but I need a tiny bit of cosmetic work on them. I don't know if it's genetics for me, but probably more so to do with my diet of the past.

As a teenager I loved fast food, soda and crap junk food. Not ideal at all. In hindsight I haven't treated my teeth good enough, and neglected them too much by putting off the dentist visits for many years in between. I think I last went to the dentist 4 years ago.

How has your diet been over the years? Are you someone who snacks on junk food or soda, or not so much? Diet is the most important aspect to maintaining good teeth in my opinion. I have cut out soda, pretty much entirely now.

I guess we grew up in a time where junk food etc was a treat and we didn’t have lots of money. So we ate really healthy. Everything home cooked. Something like carbonated drinks was a treat you got for birthdays etc
But my diet now is pretty average. I don’t like gassy drinks so mainly have water but I do like my snacks.

Also I go to the dentist and hygienist once a year and have since I was a child. I grew up in South Africa and people taking care of there teeth is really normal out there

 

[orla1989]

Bizarre one!
I’m under 30 and have absolutely crap teeth and it’s really starting to get me down.
My parents were very strict on sugar when I was young, no fizzy drinks/juice/sweets etc. My dentist says my oral hygiene is brilliant and I’m just unlucky.
I feel every time I go to the dentist I need new fillings or replacement fillings (some huge ones) and I’m very close to a couple of root canals or even extractions of my back teeth.

So I’m curious to know just how unlucky I am!! How old are you and what’s the state of your mouth?

I’m 31, got a root canal at 21, and 30 + fillings I say in my lifetime. I have bad luck with teeth too. ( not like you though, my parents weren’t strict, had a lot of junk and hardly brushed my teeth as a child- yet my teeth looked wonderful. Up until the age of 14, when a tooth came out near back of mouth. I always promised myself I would start eating better ( I am chocolate, jellies obsessed)- I never ate better

have 4 crowns, and had braces for 2years.
My teeth look so average but both my parents had shocking teeth.

I can’t believe how good you’ve been and the teeth annoyances you’ve had

i found this forum as I have a slight tooth pain and I really do not want to go to the dentist :/

 

[Tommyb]

I'm currently recovering from a root canal I had yesterday. I was in terrible pain for 3 days before being seen. I hate the dentist like we all do. I try to stay on top of things as we had a private dentist appointment when we were younger who was very drill heavy. All my problems iv had as an adult are in teeth that were worked on when I was younger.

I have also had an abscess and ended up with a very large cyst that was attached to the jaw bone . Had to have it removed and it has 3 roots all going in different directions. Hence I'm terrified of the dentist.

Got myself in a bit of a state yesterday before going to the dentist but the pain was too much.

Root canal is not the horror story everyone makes out it to be... technology has changed and I was done in 50 minutes.

The sharp throbbing pain has gone as the nerve that was starting to die has been removed. Although my mouth is quite sore and I'm still taking painkillers.

Anyone who has tooth pain please please get to the dentist. The pain will get worse. I couldn't even take care of myself by day 3.

 

[Libbylulu]

Has anyone had black triangles fixed in their teeth. What did you get done and are you happy with the result? Thanks

 

[Tatooine_legend1]

I need to go get my teeth seen to, but finding an NHS dentists seems almost impossible at the moment. I hope I can find one soon, gonna keep looking and calling around. How have people been coping with trying to find one?

 

[Ensay]

It's very hard to get an NHS dentist near me. I'm private but I only have check ups every six months, so the cost is manageable. The way I see it is that regular check ups and hygienist visits should hopefully put off bigger/more expensive work - so I don't mind paying the regular costs.

 

[Tatooine_legend1]

It's very hard to get an NHS dentist near me. I'm private but I only have check ups every six months, so the cost is manageable. The way I see it is that regular check ups and hygienist visits should hopefully put off bigger/more expensive work - so I don't mind paying the regular costs.

Yeah, my fault really. I left it years before visiting a dentist, then needed fillings. Then I left it again for about 5 years, and need to get a little more work (although on NHS it shouldn't be costly) done. If I went private it would be a bit more costly for sure. As they say, prevention is better than cure and it's true. I used to have great teeth. They are still ok-ish, but there's wear and tear due to my sweet tooth and lack of dental checkups.

 

[Ensay]

Yeah, my fault really. I left it years before visiting a dentist, then needed fillings. Then I left it again for about 5 years, and need to get a little more work (although on NHS it shouldn't be costly) done. If I went private it would be a bit more costly for sure. As they say, prevention is better than cure and it's true. I used to have great teeth. They are still ok-ish, but there's wear and tear due to my sweet tooth and lack of dental checkups.

I don't know your circumstances, but if you're employed, can you get dental cover through work? A lot of employers offer it, but don't shout about it.

 

[Lola UK]

I need to go get my teeth seen to, but finding an NHS dentists seems almost impossible at the moment. I hope I can find one soon, gonna keep looking and calling around. How have people been coping with trying to find one?

If you’re in pain you can call the emergency dental number and they will get you out of pain and try and allocate you an nhs dentist.

Well this is in wales, not sure what’s it like everywhere!

 

[Tatooine_legend1]

If you’re in pain you can call the emergency dental number and they will get you out of pain and try and allocate you an nhs dentist.

Well this is in wales, not sure what’s it like everywhere!

Oh no, not in pain. It's just a small chip on the front tooth. It's very small and barely noticeable unless I'm close up. Also, just a tiny bit of enamel wear on the underside of my front teeth which I believe the dentist can fix with some kind of filling or whatever it is.

I don't know your circumstances, but if you're employed, can you get dental cover through work? A lot of employers offer it, but don't shout about it.

No, I'm self employed. But still, I would prefer to use NHS as private would cost me. I have started saving Incase I have no choice but to go private. I will start contacting private dentists to enquire about their costs, but if I can get an NHS dentist then waahaay! Lol

 

[Scorpihoe]

So I went to the dentist, it was £89 for the checkup, I need 3 fillings plus I need to see the hygenist. I’ve booked in to get that sorted next week. Approx about £700 down

 

[Suzesnooze]

So I went to the dentist, it was £89 for the checkup, I need 3 fillings plus I need to see the hygenist. I’ve booked in to get that sorted next week. Approx about £700 down

My advice, take some paracetamol an hour before the hygenist as it can be quite painful (depending on how much plaque you have).

 

[Scorpihoe]

My advice, take some paracetamol an hour before the hygenist as it can be quite painful (depending on how much plaque you have).

I went last year, it wasn’t so bad but it just builds up so fast for me I’m planning on getting invisilign but my dentist recommended sorting the fillings out first

 

[rainbowlemon]

I went last year, it wasn’t so bad but it just builds up so fast for me I’m planning on getting invisilign but my dentist recommended sorting the fillings out first

If it builds up too fast some patients can come in sooner instead of the usual every 6 months.

 

[Scorpihoe]

If it builds up too fast some patients can come in sooner instead of the usual every 6 months.

I’m going every three months now that with flossing daily and using an electric toothbrush it’s virtually all gone. So happy now and I’ve started my invisalign

 

[Black.bird]

On the subject of plaque, I tried a new product (new to NZ/has probably been available everywhere else for a while) a few days ago:

... And it really works! It cost about NZ$9 (intro special) and within a couple of uses, plaque which I didn't even know I had was being dislodged (mainly behind my front bottom teeth which I didn't know was there). And, unlike when the dental hygienist removes it and it hurts like heck, it just seems to come away easily when my electric toothbrush gets in there (yes, there was a small amount of blood, but definitely no pain). I'm using it nightly before brushing.