Serious dental problems

[The David]

I have had serious tooth problems since I was 14 (I'm 19 now). Cavities, some that have gotten all the way through the tooth into the gum, missing teeth, teeth that probably need root canals, some I may lose...you get the picture. I have never had insurance or money to visit a dentist since this happened, so I've just had to watch them get worse.

I am wondering if anyone has had problems like this, and what you did. Dental plans, hygeinic habits that kept them from getting worse, anything. This has been a drag on my self-image for my entire adolescence.

[Akashic_Librarian]

Whoosh...here in the UK we have free National Health Service that gives us Bi-anual dental checks until we are...18 I think...anyway I don't know what to say...move to Canada? They have a free health service don't they?

[Ree]

You should contact a nearby dental school, if there is one locally. They may offer services on a sliding scale, you pay what you can afford.

[Shamou]

The David! I know how important self-image and personal appearance are related...

So, my advice to you would be a shift in priorities... if you place your "smile" near the top of your priorities... you will find a way of getting whatever dental care you may need...

You may have to cut down on other expenses... or find a weekend job or whatever... but, where there is a will... there is a way...

The very best of luck to you...
.

[dennis08]

Man are you serous. How often do you brush? I have always done my best to keep my teeth healthy because I was around someone that had problems and it was not fun for them. Here is what I would suggest to get you out of this mess.

1. Go buy the best toothpaste the store has.
2. Get some good mouthwash. I recommend Listerine that’s what I use. It’s intense but you get used to it quick fast and in a hurry.
3. Brush 3 times a day. If you work try to brush after lunch. Rinse 3 times a day. They say to rinse twice a day but in your case rinse 3.

When I brush I apply lots of pressure and brush behind my teeth and all around. You can’t just brush your front teeth.

Get into the routine of applying pressure when you brush and brush three times a day rinsing for about thirty seconds after each brush. It might not cure some of your problems but it will definitely help. When I had gingivitis I rinsed twice a day with Listerine and it knocked it out in about 5 days.

[febflake]

Basically.. you need to work really hard to get money to get a dental plan, dentist healthcare or something.. Smile? Yeah cool.. ability to chew stuff.. top priority.

Be cautious when told to brush teeth hard.. you may dislodge them.

[Catlover]

Is it possible that you have something called defective enamel? Something goes wrong during the forming of a tooth beneath the gum, and it makes the tooth look like marble. It could become evident at any time from when the first primary tooth comes in until the final molar, depending upon which teeth were forming at that time that something affected their formation. Since this all started for you at age 14, I'm suspecting that those teeth might have come in defective. If you do have this, then those teeth are more prone to all of the problems you are having now, and there was probably nothing much that could have been done about them. My DS has some teeth like this, and the pediatric dentist has been good at trying to protect them with sealants and the like, with no promises made. He says that eventually they will need crowns, but hopefully not root canals.

I'm not sure there's anything that you can do hygienically at this point for those teeth, but you should keep up good hygiene, which includes dental cleanings, to protect any other teeth. I would second the recommendation of getting yourself seen at a good dental school at a university, and you can probably get your care on some sort of sliding fee scale. I took my DS to one a few years back for a second opinion, and things seemed okay there. Time is of the essence because if a tooth is missing, it can cause other teeth around it to move or teeth above or below it to grow longer into the space. So in other words, you don't want to cause more damage. I certainly hope that you're not in any pain.

Good hygiene includes brushing teeth and gums, but not too hard as that can cause the gums to recede and expose parts of the tooth that should be covered. I second the recommendation on Listerine as well.

[NotesMaeve]

David, I believe there's a dental program/school in your city. Check into reduced rates/free stuff there.

In the meantime:

No sugared sodas.

No beef or pork. (Fattier meats tend to get enmeshed between the teeth and rot. Ew.)

[The David]

Originally Posted by NotesMaeve

David, I believe there's a dental program/school in your city. Check into reduced rates/free stuff there.

In the meantime:

No sugared sodas.

No beef or pork. (Fattier meats tend to get enmeshed between the teeth and rot. Ew.)

I gave up soda last year, for a number of reasons besides oral health.

I'm not a big fan of tough meats, or meats in general except fish and occasionally poultry.

The defective enamel definitely sounds like a possibility. I won't deny neglect when I was younger, but I have since then gotten serious about it, and it just isn't slowing down. Luckily I'm not in any pain, at least not anything bothersome.

I also chew Trident gum a lot, if I'm not near a tooth brush and sometimes even after brushing, to keep saliva active. Will that help any?

[dennis08]

Trident gum is not a substitute for brushing.

[Matthew Shea]

Yeah, but it beats doing nothing. It'll help loosen the crud from your teeth and the saliva will neutralize acid buildup.

[The David]

I still brush just as often. I was mostly asking if Trident helps complement conventional dental hygeine.

[Shamou]

Originally Posted by Matthew Shea

Yeah, but it beats doing nothing. It'll help loosen the crud from your teeth and the saliva will neutralize acid buildup.

Teeth Care, Healthy Food and Dental Tourism

Here are two excerpts...

"Studies have shown that chewing gum can have an indirect, positive effect on dental hygiene, teeth health. Chewing gum after meals helps to stimulate the production of saliva and overall salivary flow. Saliva helps to wash away and neutralize the acid produced by bacteria in plaque. This acid is responsible for dental decay and bad breath."

"The popular perception is that chewing gum is bad for the teeth. However, many dentists (one source says 90%!) believe that chewing sugarless gum after meals actually has health benefits!"
.

[Baltar]

Originally Posted by The David

I also chew Trident gum a lot, if I'm not near a tooth brush and sometimes even after brushing, to keep saliva active. Will that help any?

Only Xylitol sweetened gum has been proven to help prevent cavities. It's a natural sugar alcohol, not an artificial sweetener. Apparently the cavity causing bacteria can't metabolize it, but they still ingest it. Being unable to derive energy from it however, they die of starvation. It's hard to get gum flavored solely with Xylitol in retail stores in the US, but you can buy it from many places online, like this company.

Wikipedia says that in Europe, most gum is sweetened with Xylitol, and that in "[Finland many] confectioneries employ xylitol, or have a xylitol version available." Since it actually helps teeth while tasting like sugar and having none of the potential negative side effects of artificial sweeteners (Aspartame anyone?), the only reason it's not used more widely is that it's a lot more expensive than conventional sugar.