popo

Yeah, you should get it checked out. It's impossible for me to tell you what's up without xrays but wisdom teeth coming in wrong can cause major problems with the teeth directly in front of them, to the point where you can lose them (especially since you don't floss, and you might not notice any warning signs!). Wisdom teeth on the bottom can cause other probs I mentioned like cysts/tumors so it's a good idea to just get an xray.

Dental care DOES NOT need to be expensive. You can go to a local dental school if you have the extra time everything will take. If there isn't one around, at least go get xrays and a checkup/cleaning which could be had for as little as ~$100 in some places.

Believe me, there are tons of people who couldn't afford to get their teeth checked when young and didn't notice the warning signs and later have to have multiple teeth extracted. Not dumb hicks, either. Working, business class, intelligent people.

popo

Heel Turn, you wuss. just kidding.

Sounds like you had a rough time but it usually isn't that bad. I had one for the same reason as you and my wife had one done just last year. She needed nothing more than Ibuprofen (advil) for the pain and had no bruising or swelling. She said that it was more uncomfortable because of the plastic stent and the fact that you had to watch what you eat and can't brush well.

Sorry you had a bad experience but hopefully your post will scare more people. No one's ever happy when they visit a periodontist (gum guy).

eyeronic

Here's a link to some of my dental problems.

http://www.tfproject.org/tfp/showthr...&threadid=4480

I guess my question is, is it crucial that I have the last of my 7 wisdom teeth extracted?

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popo

I need ALOT more info, including xrays in this situation. Sorry bud, you need an in-person eval.

eyeronic

Just a couple more details that might help: The 7th is a "tooth bud" and is only about the size of a baby molar. It is impacted. It doesn't seem to be moving or growing. It hasn't given me any pain or trouble for quite a while.
I do feel like my bottom teeth might be getting pushed outwards a little bit. I feel like there is pressure against the inside of my top teeth.
Don't worry, I will go and see a dentist, but I am pretty broke and don't know of place that I can get really cheap dental care in Manhattan. (I have no dental insurance and am near broke.)

__________________
I hold with those that favor fire.

popo

NYU or Columbia. And now is the perfect time to go since newbies enter the school clinics in July/Aug. Any student you see right now will have been seeing patients for at least 10 months. And they are all supervised closely.

I feel like I should become a spokesman for dental school clinics after this thread.

Phaenx

I took notes on a few things, especially the sensitive teethe thing. I have the same problem, but I've always had it, even when I didn't have cavities my dentist knew about. This has always been since I was about 12, and I'm 20 years old now, no teeth bleaches, no excessive sugar, no nothing, just something that's happened since then. I'm going to give sensidyne a try and bring it up next time I go to my dentist.

Sort of curious as to what's up if it's not a cavity or teeth bleaches that causes my teeth to be so sensitive.

Also, I appreciate your efforts here popo, good stuff.

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darkmagnus

So, I went to the dentist about 3 weeks ago and had 3 cavities filled (White fillings). One of the cavities was around a filling that was already filled, not from my current dentist, and he said that they had to put a pulp cap on it because they had to drill so deep, and that there would be a 50/50 chance I would need a root canal.

I was in constant pain (nothing a few aspirin would not take care of) for about 2 weeks, and I finally had him prescribe some antibiotics. Yesterday was my first day, since I had the cavities filled, that I did not have to take aspirin but I am still extremely sensitive to cold. I can drink a cup of coffee just fine, but drinking a cold glass of water can be extremely painfull if the water hits the left side of my mouth.

I guess I am past the fear of having to have a root canal, but is it usual to be this sensitive after having cavities filled?

BBtB

Okay, so I took your advice and flossed. When I did I spit up (a little) blood. Does this mean I allready have gingivitis or what? My gums appear to be healthy.. ish. Am I just being to rough? Could it be my technique?

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Meridae'n once played "death" at a game of chess that lasted for over two years. He finally beat death in a best 34 out of 67 match. At that time he could ask for any one thing and he could wish for the hope of all mankind... he looked death right in the eye and said ...

"I would like about three fiddy"

BBtB

Another question. I am now thinking my gumline might be (or have) receeded. I dunno how to check though. It might just be a bit of hypochondria based on this thread. How can a layman check without anything to compare it to?

__________________
Meridae'n once played "death" at a game of chess that lasted for over two years. He finally beat death in a best 34 out of 67 match. At that time he could ask for any one thing and he could wish for the hope of all mankind... he looked death right in the eye and said ...

"I would like about three fiddy"

popo

Well it's simply a matter of individualilty. Some people get more headaches than others, some people tan easier than others, etc. If there's no physical trauma (decay, excessive brushing, erosion, etc), then there's no other explanation. Sorry it's a rather boring one.

popo

A couple of things here.

1) I question the use of a white filling in a tooth that has had a pulp cap. If it were my mouth, I'd get a silver filling in that situation. They generally cause less sensitivity. The only time a case can be made for a white filling is for esthetics (very legitimate IMO) and if a tooth is cracked. If there's any reason to beieve that a tooth will be sensitive, go with a silver filling.

2) Antibiotics will do absolutely nothing in this stuation. Zero. Zilch. Useless. No reason to give it to you other than to ease your mind.

Before you do anything drastic like a root canal, ask for him to replace the white filling with a temporary filling. Leave it in for 4-6 weeks. If it feels better, put in a silver filling. If not, then a root canal may be the only option.

But for future ref, a tooth can cause sensitivity for a week or 2 after a filling is placed. The thing is, it should get better after that.

Lemme know how things go.

shadrock

I seriously doubt that the majority of people floss except when they are about to visit the dentist. So what is good comprimise? the bare minimum of flossing ? And can using a toothpick do the same thing?

popo

You're bleeding because, like 99% of the population you have gingivitis. Even though you may not feel it, your gums are inflamed and are beeding because of this. After a week or so of this you'll notice the gums will stop bleeding, meaning you've cleaned away any bacteria causing the inflammation.

As far as your gums receding, you can sort of see just by looking in a mirror. Recession usually happens on the side facing the cheecks/lips so look to see if it seems as though you can see the root surface of a tooth. This is usually due to brushing to hard in the area. This is NOT the same type of recession that goes on between teeth because of gum disease.

Obviously, a more precise examination needs to be done by a dentist but this should give you some idea. It'll also most likely be very sensitive to touch so try touching it with your nail if you think there's recession.

popo

If you floss a couple times/week and after you eat something that gets stuck betwen teeth like corn & steak then you'll be at least somewhat decent. But you definitely need to have regular cleanings to keep up with this. Most peeople don't floss properly so next time you go for a cleaning, ask your hegienist to give you a good demo. A toothpick will help if you got something big stuck in there like a whole cow but it's no substitute.

nash

Thanks for answering all our dental questions

Here's another one though:
I was wondering if you could comment on the effectiveness of using a solution of 50% Hydrogen Peroxide and 50% water (like the instructions on the bottle indicate) as mouthwash versus the "brand name" mouthwashes (e.g., Scope and Listerine).

Also:
Can retainers stain your teeth? I had braces on for a year and a half and now I've been wearing a retainer for quite a while (8 months or so). Some parts of my teeth near where the metal part of the retainer presses against my teeth are turning a light brown. I brush twice a day and use mouthwash (sometimes the h2o2, sometimes scope). What else can stain teeth that I need to be careful of?

Heh, after writing all this I realize that I can just call up my dentist and ask him tomorrow.

popo

1) Go with Listerine. Hydrogen peroxide is a toxic substance and although using it at 1.5% solution (the stuff you buy in the store is 3%) should be OK, I'd prefer to spend the $3 every few months on a name brand, especially if you use a rinse daily.

Of the name brand ones, Listerine is the only one really shown to decrease the amount of bacteria in your mouth. But it also has alcohol in it which dries your mouth out. Dry mouth --> bad breath. If you want to get fancy, check Biotene products, they've got some good stuff.

2) The stainig is likely due to plaque acumulating where the retainer wire meets your teeth from drinking & eating with it on. Go for regular cleanings or splurge on an extra one per year to keep it extra clean. Not much you can do, staining comes from drinking/eating almost anything with a retainer in place.

darkmagnus

Thanks for the reply. Last night I had to get up in the middle of the night and take some aspirin, because my teeth were bothering me.

The last fillings I had were also white fillings, and I was sensitive to cold for quite a long time. I started using Sensodyne last time, and that seemed to help.

Could another possibility be, that my bite is off?

I might need to just make another appointment and go see him, but the last thing I want is a root canal.

Lebell

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popo

If it hurts when you're lying down it ain't a good sign, especially if it's waking you up in the middle of the night,. Does it also throb when you run or work out (ie. when you get your blood pumping?)

Sorry bud, these signs point to a root canal in your future. To be fair to your doc, if you needed a pulp cap that means that he felt that the nerve had been "insulted" and by capping it instead of going straight to the root canal, he was trying to be conservative and save you some bucks too.

Thanks Lebell. Pleasure's mine.

darkmagnus

Well, it hurt last night. I had to take aspirin at around 3AM, but since then I am aspirin free. It has been about 15 hours. I was able to eat today and drink whatever today, but I made sure all cold liquids stayed on the right side of my mouth.

It doesn't hurt when I work out (and I do).

The dentist did tell me that I had about a 50/50 chance of needing a root canal, but I keep telling myself that because I have been so sensitive in the past, for such a long time, that it will just take time. Time will tell, I guess. Either I will get fed up with taking the aspirin and have the root canal, or see what happens. Maybe it will go away. I am not worried about the cost, because insurance will take care of it, I just don't want it.

How long does a root canal usually take? And do you have to have a crown if you get a root canal?

Thanks for all your advice. I do appreciate it!

popo

A root canal should take 1 visit of about 2 hours, some do it in 2 visits. But yes, the tooth will need a post and a crown after the root canal. Most insurances pay 80% of a root canal but only 50% of the post & crown.

Oh and you'll probably be better off with Advil instead of Aspirin. You can take 2-3 pills (4-600mg) every 4-6 hrs if you need it.

shadrock

This has turned out to be a really cool thread. Thanks for answering everyones questions!

qpid

Very cool thread

Just one question (and I mean no disrespct) but do dentists get kickbacks from Companies like Crest and Colgate to recommend those brands of toothpaste and toothbrushes or something similar?

This is not a dig on dentists I'm an econ minor and this kind stuff interestes me

oh and a quick dental question:

my too front teeth are slightly crooked and a few years ago I had a dental assistant mention I should get braces, wheras no dentist has ever told me that before so I dunno if he was trying to get me to get a possible elective procedure for monetary reasons or what, ideas?

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popo

We don't get kickbacks from companies for recommending their products (how would they know if we recommended it?) but the companies do send lots of free samples, hoping we'll use it & like it and recommend it. Same with prescriptions.

As for your teeth, dentists range pretty wide on the scale of aggressive vs. conservative in treatment ideology. You may have come in contact with dentists that think "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" meaning don't touch those teeth if it doesn't bother you. Others would recommend straightening them out. Would he make money doing it? Yes, if he does it himself. No, if he sends you to an orthodontist.

I don't think this is a money situation. I think some dentists just tend to see teeth that aren't perfectly alligned as "good enough". Others will try and fix it. But you are the one that decides. See what your insurance company would cover and go from there.

Iliftrocks

Me too ... I've been told I'm rare, or at least other people hope so.....

Iliftrocks

I'm turning 36 next week. I have no dental problems to speak of, except my daughter is starting to go to one, and it's costing, ha ha.

I have been trying to take courses to enable me to go to dental school. What is your take on older folks, I'll be in my early 40's if and when I get out, getting into dentistry?

BTW, my original degree is in Mechanical Engineering so I don't have the chem and biology background yet, so I'm looking at a long haul.

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popo

First of all, congrats on being brave enough to make a decision like this! Dentistry is a great career and it is getting better as the science, artistry, and patient need keeps improving. The population is aging and they need a TON of dental work.

As far as you being in your 40's getting out, I think it might be a positive. You will seem like someone with years of experience and that will only help your standing with patients, especially older ones.

You may not see it now but your background in engineering will also help you out alot wrt biomechanics and biomaterials (a huge field in dentistry). If you can do the physics, you can do the biology and chemistry. No problem. Besides, US schools do not require much too much science background. They just want to see that you won't fall flat on your face. They'll be impressed with the engineering background, trust me on that.

If you need more help or advice, don't hesitate.

Out of curiosity, what made you decide on this? Any field within dentistry of particular interest?

BBtB

Okay I have been taking your advice and been flossing atleast once a day for the last several days. Now on my front teeth its not much of a problem (although they do hurt a bit) but on my back teeth I really can't get it in on alot of them and when I do it HURTS (even more so on the ones I have to push ALOT) My question is how much pressure should you be able to give your gums before they start to really hurt? And how important is it to get between EVERY tooth? There are some (even more so the back two on all sides) that I just can not seem to get it all the way in.

__________________
Meridae'n once played "death" at a game of chess that lasted for over two years. He finally beat death in a best 34 out of 67 match. At that time he could ask for any one thing and he could wish for the hope of all mankind... he looked death right in the eye and said ...

"I would like about three fiddy"

Iliftrocks

I chose dentistry because I have pretty much been impressed with dentists. They are smart, have some of the best people skills of the doctors I've seen, outside of my childhood pediatrician, and they seem to have a pretty high job satisfaction. That and the fact that I love to work with my hands, especially my dremel (ha ha).

I could go into why I think that dentistry is very important to health and longevity, but you probably know all this. I also want to make a difference in the health and welfare of my community, and my present line of work is not giving me that satisfaction, or the challange.

I have noticed, since looking into the qualifications "suggested" by my local dental school, UNC, that they want you to have a music and art(sculpture, especially) background. I'm sure this is mainly for the manual dexterity. Did your school also want you to have this kind of background? Just curious, as I've always enjoyed playing music and crafting things with my hands.

popo

Yup you need to get them all, unfortunately. You don't need much pressure to do it well but technique means everything. Sounds silly but get your hygienist to give you a thorough demo. (Why do I hear porno music in the background??) I remember once seeing a sign in an office saying "You don't have to floss ALL of your teeth... Just the ones you want to keep." I wish I could say that it was an exaggeration.

popo

Good stuff, rocks. No, my school didn't require this type of background but while I'm not sure how much it helps, it certainly cannot hurt.

nash

I got my last wisdom tooth out today, and stared at the dentist the whole time. Do most people have their eyes open when dentists go to work on them? Just a random thought I had during my extraction.

popo

Most people just kinda look forward. The curious ones try and find a way to look at the reflection of my glasses to watch what's happening in their mouths without looking like they're staring deep into my eyes. I usually crack a joke about it if they're staring so intensely I'm sure they can see my brain.

But during extractions, lots of people close their eyes. I guess you were brave and weren't even sedated, huh? Tough guy.

BTW, I don't mind oddball questions at all. Anything anyyone is curious about is fair game.

Sun Tzu

popo thank you for taking these questions.

Is the $300 deals I see in the paper for teeth whitening worth it? Is there over the counter products that work as well? Can teeth ever be whitend as much as having them capped?

There was a toothpaste on the market hat got pulled 4 years ago. It supposedly helped build new enamel on the teeth. Do you know of any such product thats out now? Other than sleep does this product work?

Thanks again.

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Mael

hey, i was thinking of getting my tounge pierced. what are the dental cons to getting it done?

popo

$300 might be worh it since I know of dentists that charge that as the regular fee. Can teeth be whitened as much as puttig crown on? On lots of people yes. It really depends on the person but its very possible to get as white as can be following bleaching. No over the counter stuff will work as well or as quickly mainly because the concentration of bleaching material is not as high. That being said, I know of many folks who are happy with what they got from the OTC treatment.

I have no clue about that product you're describing and have no idea how it would work. I'd be extremely skeptical about it if I were you. The fact that it was taken off the market might have something to do with false claims...

popo

Broken teeth? I've seen people break their teeth biting on tongue rings and then decide to take it out after they see the bill for a root canal and/or crown.

Not worth the cool factor IMO.

Sun Tzu

Thanks again for the input

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popo

Sun Tzu, I just realized that you must've been referring to Enamelon toothpaste. Sorry, had a brain fart.

From what I know, although the science was good the company went bust. I really don't know what happened to them but I read that someone else might start making the same product.