Crazboos

I just have to say thank you for all the advice you're giving to all of us. I don't have any cavities and flossing is a way of life for me. I have had hundreds of compliments on my teeth and it's all due to my dad's genetics and the fact that my dentist is super cool. All he does is clean my teeth every 6 months. He says I'm a walking poster-boy for his business. You guys are the best, THANKS again.

__________________
There's nothing like freezing time with the flash of a bulb.

obelix

Thanks popo. ive got an appointment in a couple weeks to get one made. it's costing me about $400 CDN, but im sure its worth it. thanks again

__________________
no substance

jimmythedog2003

1.
ok, I have a few questions.
Im 19 and my wisdom teeth or something in the back of my mouth hurts. The other week my bottom right gum got really big , right above where my wisdom tooth would be(I dont see any wisdom teeth). Since then , the swelling has gone away .
Now the left side of my mouth hurts. Its just like the right side was. My gum got big(only in the very back of my mouth), and i could barely chew food. DO you think this is a sign of my wisdom teeth coming in?

2.
Also, what type of medicine do you recomend for teeth pain? Is advil better then asprin?

3.
Also, do they make pain medicine in liquid form or chewable? I have a hard time swallowing pills.

4.
Also, is it normal for blue mouth wash to stain your teeth ?

thanks for your help

popo

It's not off-topic at all. I'll answer anything and everything I can.

It's actually a good thing that you're not a genius because Harvard is a terrible dental school. It lives off reputation but it does get it's students into specialty programs with ease. So it's not all bad.

That being said, I don't know of any other really bad schools. NYU doesn't have the best reputation and it's the most expensive. If you can, save some money and go to your state school. Most are pretty good. Where are you located?

The best advice is that it doesn't matter where you go. This is going to sound cliche but you only start learning the good stuff after you graduate. If you know that you want to specialize before you go further, make connections with the faculty in that department. It means alot, but you will still need to study like an ass. Specialty programs are generally very tough to get into but I highly recommend it if there's an area that interests you.

Don't hesitate to ask me for more info. And it's a great choice that you're making... it's an awesome career. I had no idea what it was before I started and there were times when I wasn't sure if it was for me but I've completely changed my view.

popo

Go to a dentist ASAP. What you have (and had on the other side) is an infection generated by bacteria going into the pocket formed by your gums around the tooth coming in. It's called Pericoronitis and it can be very serious if it spreads.... much more serious than you can imagine. You need antibiotics and you'll get some painkillers too.

Then infections WILL come back if you don't get those teeth yanked and the infection WILL be worse then. So, as soon as the infection goes down from the antibiotics, get them out.

Really, you need to do this.

Jeff

Do those expensive electric toothbrushes really work that well? I'm talking about the Sonicare brushes that are like $100. What is it about them that justifies paying that much for a toothbrush?

__________________
For those who believe in God, most of the big questions are answered. But for those of us who can't readily accept the God formula, the big answers don't remain stone-written. We adjust to new conditions and discoveries. We are pliable. Love need not be a command or faith a dictum. I am my own God. We are here to unlearn the teachings of the church, state, and our educational system. We are here to drink beer. We are here to kill war. We are here to laugh at the odds and live our lives so well that Death will tremble to take us.
--Charles Bukowski

lady

1. Is it true that some people need more anaesthetic than others? Is this just a body chemistry thing or can people who routinely take too many pain killers build up a tolerance to any kind of anaesthetic. (My dad's done this for years and he says he always need several shots of anaesthetic at the dentist's office.

2. I have sensitive teeth and tried using Sensodyne for a while, but I'm also concerned about keeping my teeth white, so I've switched back to a whitening toothpaste (one of the Crest ones, I think). But my teeth being so sensitive is bugging me. Should I use a bit of Sensodyne and Crest toothpastes at the same time or use one a.m. and the other p.m.? What does Sensodyne do to fix tooth sensitivity?

3. A couple years ago there was a blue powder that was marketed towards smokers. You would dip your wet toothbrush in the powder after brushing normally with toothpaste, and brush with the blue goop. I don't smoke, but it made my teeth really white. It just disappeared from all the stores I've looked in a couple years ago. Have you heard about it?

Btw, thanks so much for doing this. I really appreciate it. My dentist gets sick of me asking him a billion questions when I go in to see him.

raeanna74

Does lactating affect you teeth? I noticed after my daughter was born when I started nursing her that my teeth began to be very sensitive. I've been nursing her for 3 years. I know that from research I've done that lactation affects your bones. There are a number of studies that show that bone density is reduced during lactation but once the child is weaned the density goes right back up to normal or thereabouts. When I've even begun to mention this to dentists they've often even interrupted me to tell me that this is non-sense. I haven't found any evidence of even any studies being done on this subject so how can they know anyway. My question is - is this even remotely possible?
A number of women who I am friends with who have nursed have ALL experienced the same thing. Some of my friends who haven't nursed didn't have any trouble. It just seems to be a pattern to me.

I am careful with my teeth, brushing twice daily with Sensodyne, and rinsing with Act. I sometimes don't floss more than once every other day but I try to at least do that. My teeth haven't been sensitive since I switched to the Sensodyne and my nursing reduced to about once a day.

__________________
"Always learn the rules so that you can break them properly." Dalai Lama
My Karma just ran over your Dogma.

sky_driver

Hi Doc. My Dentist, who I inhereted when my Dentist of 30 years retired, always wants me to swoosh in my mouth a flouride treatment liquid after my checkup. I usually decline it after I saw that the cost is $25.00. Is this really necessary? My teeth are perfect ( his exact words after every checkup ). Also, how often do I need to get x rays. He wants to do them every year? Thanks for the advice.

jimmythedog2003

shit

thanks popo. I just googled "Pericoronitis" and from what i read, it sounds exactly like what I have. I made an appointment, the earliest they could see me was Sept 12. I hope it doesn't get any worse by then damnit.

Thanks again popo!!

popo

Doood, I wasn't kidding. Sept 12 is not soon enough. August 12 is not soon enough. Go as a 5 minute emergency apointment tomorrow. He'll take a look, clean it out a bit, and give you a couple of prescriptions. If he won't see you, go to another dentist and never go back to him. If you notice that you feel the swelling moving to your throat or under your tongue, go to the ER. I don't want to alarm you but this type of infection untreated can take a serious turn. But it does respond well to antibiotics.

I'll be back to answer the other questions tomorrow.

jimmythedog2003

fuck, all of a sudden i cant feel my legs....dude, what you just said scared the shit out of me.
i'll give him a call in the morning for sure.
i'll let you know what happens. thanks for all the information.

thanks again dude

/weeps silently

popo

By themselves, they do no better job than a regular toothbrush with proper technique. Some people find that they brush for a longer time with electric toothbrushes and so clean their teeth more thoroughly. If you are one of these people then an electric is a good thing. Of the electrics, the Sonicare is the best one IMO. It goes for around $100.

popo

1) Yup, some people need more than others. One study published last year IIRC showed that red-headed people needed more anesthetic than others. The reason some people need more can be body chemistry (in the case of redheads) or anatomy (there is slight variation in the location of peoples' nerves so you might not get the one you're aiming for the 1st time), or built-up tolerance. You see the tolerance issue alot with (former or current) drug users. They're a real bitch to anesthetize.

2) Don't bother with the whitening toothpastes. I don't think they work and they are abrasive by nature, leading to sensitivity. If you want your teeth whitened, get home bleaching trays from your dentist. You can vary the % of the bleaching material so that you avoid sensitivity from it. Sensodyme works by adding Potassium nitrate... the potassium goes into the tooth and stops the nerves deep inside from sending pain signals. It works for most people.

3) I really have no idea. Remember that toothpastes that whiten your teeth do it mainly by abrasion of the tooth surface. This is not a good idea for people with sensitive teeth.

If you have anything else, don't hesitate.

popo

They tell you that it's nonsense that bone density drops & goes back up to normal when you stop lactating? Next time someone does that, bring them a list of the studies and watch their reaction. Should at least be amusing to see if they're willing to learn something.

I haven't seen any studies on tooth sensitivity but it's possible that calcium is drawn from your teeth if your bones are calcium-depleted. That could cause tooth sensitivity. Try taking calcium supplements (with Vit D) if you don't already. See if that helps. If not, try using Prevident. It's a high fluoride toothpaste available by prescription that you can use a couple times/week.

Good luck.

popo

A fluoride rinse is usually included in the cleaning visit. I haven't seen it go for $25, but hey...

Are your teeth going to fall out if you don't do it? Probably not but it's a good preventative measure. If you have perfect teeth, nothing close to a cavity starting, I wouldn't worry about not doing it.

X rays once a year are reasonable for someone like you. Most people get 4 specific ones done every 6 months but if you have nothing going on, once/year is fine. It's not too often IMO.

lady

Thanks so much Popo.

Hope your patients realize what a great dentist they have.

__________________
Our doubts are traitors,
And make us lose the good we oft might win
By fearing to attempt.

popo

Thanks lady.

I'm actually not in practice right now. I'm in a residency program until 2006.

Sigh...

popo

Hey folks. I thought I'd see if anyone's got any new questions.

Shoot away.

meff

My wife doesn't have a single sound tooth left. About 12 nearly completely broken down to the gum teeth. She also has some teeth "bits" or roots that have had the g um completely grow up over them. She is looking forward to getting them all pulled and getting dentures (that's been recommended). With that kind of gum inflammation, and pockets of infection, would what have to be done f irst before getting the dentures?
You so totally rock. Thanks for the thread!

__________________
Toy-like people make me boy-like.

popo

There are a couple things that she can do depending on time &, unfortunately, money. The cheapest way of doing things would be complete upper & lower dentures. This is ok for some people but most people have a hard time with the lower denture staying put. Implants change everything here and even as few as 2 implants can mean a huge difference as far as stability and function. The downside is that insurance companies (in their huge-hearted quest for quality patient care) so far refuse to cover implants.

As far as the infections go, not a big problem. The problem IS going to be the fact that after the remaining teeth and root tips are extracted, the bone & gums will heal and change shape. As they change shape, the dentures won't fit as well. This is why most often, an "immediate denture" (one that's placed immediately after extractions), is often relined after ~3 months (once the tissue has healed enough) in order to get a better fit. I'll be honest and say that most still find this to be crappy. Hence, the implants.

Sorry to hear that she's in this situation but I'm glad that she'll be dealing with it now.

Shyla Loral

So even with having to peel the gums off of th e root tips, I'll still be able to get the immediate denture? Is there anything I need to do first, before they pu ll the teeth, other than antibiotics?
Wow, what a neet dentist you are. Thanx.

__________________
"Three may keep a secret, if two of them are dead" Ben Franklin, Poor Richard's Almanac.

Meff r0x

popo

Well, I'm sure they'll have to do a fair bit of gingivoplasty/alveoplasty which basically means reshaping the gums & bone so that there no sharp bony edges or protruding gums anywhere. This is all meant to have the dentures fit better later on but like I said, it's iffy whether that'll happen.

Antibiotics and a prescription mouthwash may be used and that'll help the healing process. You should wear the dentures after the extractions b/c the compression will reduce swelling.

Not much else to do... just be patient and don't expect miracles.

scansinboy

This is for my girlfriends father:
He hasn't been to a dentinst in YEARS, (we're talking at least 10 here, probably many more) and as a result, his teeth are in pretty bad shape. The reason he won't go,(we feel) is that he has some deep seeded fear of pain, or maybe dentists in general.
We've been hearing about (ads on the radio and such) sedation dentistry, where they knock you out and do the work, just as if you were having your wisdom teeth pulled, and reccomended that he go and do that, but here's the thing...

He claims that he cant have novacaine and that he can't be sedated because he has a heart arythmia. Doesn't novacaine work by all the sodium (or is it potassium) ions blocking the transmision of nerve signals? If so, how would a heart arythmia be affected by it.
I also don't know if this is a legitimate reason for not being sedated. Is it? And if it is, are there any altenatives? Dental science has come a long way even in the last 20 years, and there has to be something that can put him at ease about going to see a dentist.
By the way, if and when he does go, he'll probably need major and extensive work, that is if he doesn't need to have most of his teeth pulled and get dentures. He's 45.

__________________
Don't blame me... *I* voted for Kodos!

popo

Wow. I'm always amazed that there are people who have such a fear of dentists but yet have no fear of losing all their teeth and the chronic pain & discomfort and inability to eat that takes them there.

As for your qusetion... were you a biochem major? Good call on novocaine (we haven't actually used novocaine for many many years-we use lidocaine/xylocaine most often) blocking the Na channels in neurons.

He is onto something when he says that he can't take anesthetic because of his arrhythmia since lidocaine is typically used with epinephrine which could affect his heart. But because of the many many instances where we don't want epinephrine, there are numerous choices among anesthetics without epinephrine. So, he may have the wrong idea about anesthetics or may be trying to get out of going to the dentist. Either way, he can get whatever treatment he needs and not have fear wrt the arrhythmia.

Sedation is absolutely a great idea for someone like him. How insurance will handle payment is dependant on what type of insurance he has (I'll assume he has none since he hasn't been to a dentist in so long) and it's not cheap. Several hundred dollars for a couple hours worth. In his case, I'd say it's well worth it. Even something as simple as nitrous oxide would be a safe way to go for him.

I hope he changes his mind and gets on it.

End User

I have a question, not as complex as the previous one, but one I'm sure you're able to answer.
Recently, I went on holidays with the GF, and noticed that when she brushed her teeth, she did not rinse the toothpaste out of her mouth after brushing. Is this weird?

__________________
People who have no faults are terrible!

cait987

I have a few small questions here:
#1. (most important) Ok, I had braces for a while and sorta didnt brush my teeth much I admit but they were still a pretty decent color however once I got my braces off, whenever I brushed my teeth my gums would bleed, my gums are very healthy personally and arent really swollen. It has gotten a bit better but nearly a year after I got braces off my gums still bleed from brushing my teeth, so question will it get better or any advice?

#2.Simple question: I had my wisdom teeth taken out a few months ago and do you have any estimate on how long it takes the wounds to close? 3 of my wounds have closed however the 4th is still there just curious when I can eat popcorn again haha

popo

Weird? Sure. A problem? Could be. Excess fluoride is not a good thing. The amount you receive with brushing and mouthwash is precisely calculated and should not be exceeded unless for a specific medical reason.

This is all with the understanding that your grirlfriend swallows.

popo

1) Floss. your gums bleed because they are infected with bacteria between the teeth & gums. Infection leads to inflammation and if poked and prodded (brushing), inflamed tissue bleeds.

2) After a few months, they should all be closed. If it's not swollen or red or painful or bleeding then I wouldn't worry about it. If it does worry you, it wouldn't hurt to see someone to make sure it's ealing well (especially if you have any medical problems related to healing).

:::OshnSoul:::

You should be very proud of me. Never flossed until last year- had mostly 4's, but now all are 1's-3's and best of all I love doing it- it feels good!
One question. What is the best way to brighten teeth? Besides having it professionally done, do you recommend a certain product? Does it also all depend on how stained your teeth are to begin with? Mine aren't that bad at all, I would just like them whiter.
EDITED: Nevermind, really- found a post you answered on the 1st page. Thanks, though!

popo

Cool.

Nazggul

Popo, I currently have all my teeth including 4 wisdom teeth. With all them teeth in there I have very small spaces between my teeth, this has led to shreading dental floss regularly and many cavities between my teeth, etc. The other problem is that my front teeth on my lower jaw are sort of bending backwards into my mouth creating less space for my tongue. Funny, but this makes me stumble words at times.

Do I need to have the wisdom teeth removed to straighten out that lower jaw? Will removing them help restore some space between my teeth so I can spend less money on dental floss? I have also seen some advertisements for these plastic insert braces that you can wear during the day or only at night, you think these may work in my case?

__________________
"If something has to give then it always will."

-- Editors

coilz

Hey Popo, another quick question here. Where can one write the American DAT test in Canada? Tried searching on the web, but it seems like its a computerized test now? I've written the Canadian DAT already but most schools in the states dont accept CDN dat scores. Thanks!

popo

You picked an orthos topic, something I really don't know much about. I do know that removing your wisdom teeth will not straighten out your lower front teeth. I doubt it'll create spaces between your other teeth either but I can't be 100%. Sorry.

I suggest an ortho consult.

popo

Woohoo, a dentist!

I don't know which schools you asked but I'd double check. I'm a Canadian and took the Canadian DAT, then went to school in the US. I applied to a few schools and none had a DAT problem, in fact a few told me that they liked the CDN DAT better because of the hand skills section.

I don't think you can take the American version in Canada but I really don't think you have to. Check again.

And good career choice!

coilz

Wow Fellow Canadian? Thats cool! Since you took the CDN DAT, what would be a "good" score? I got me 19 on manual Dex, 22 on PAT, 23 on reading, 17on Bio and 19 on Chem. Think I should take it again? Since I pretty much winged the Science part. People keep telling no one really looks at the science part. Its that true for US schools too?

Mehoni

WARNING! This is written by a tired Swede on painkillers at 5am. May contain bad grammars, spelling errors and nonsense.

I'm afraid of dentists. I'm extremly sensetive to pain and different sounds (hypersensetive) and the sound of the drill almost gives me a panic attack.

Anyway, here's a little history:
I have a severe overbite (according to me.) My upper jaw is 1.8-2 centimeters infront of my lower jaw.

Like this:

(yes, bad drawing, but it was the best I could do atm)

I got bracers for this. First nigth bracers where you sleep with a hat on. I couldn't breathe because I had this big plastic thing in my mouyh, so that idea went to hell.

Then I got the Frankenstein Nightmare bracers. No wonder I got bullied in school. That didn't work either, because the "pumps" kept scarring my cheeks.

After that I got regular bracers with elastics. Which of course didn't work.

Then they gave up on me :P

Then I stopped going to the dentist, which was stupid because it's free until you turn 20 here in Sweden.

***

Seven years later, not having been to the dentist once since the bracers-thing, two teeth bitten off and not being able to eat hard things or chew properly the welfare office offered to pay for me to go the dentist. A special dentist, trained in handling people who's afraid of the dentist. Anyway, the welfare office lied and refused to pay for it.. which meant I went back to not going.

Luckily for me I had a nice dentist. He called me up at home and offered to help me for free, because he felt sorry for me.

He made an evaluation and came to the conclusion that I needed help fast and applied for a "green card" for me, which means he gets paid my the state for his work.

Now I get valium, some cream, anaesthetic and I try to not sleep the night before I go so I'll be next to uncounscius when I'm there. I also bring a minidisc-player and crank up the volume so I won't hear the drill.

This isn't working very well though, due to me being hypersensetive. Often I just start shaking and crying because of the pain and they are forced to restrain me.

Okay, on to the questions:

1) They suggested nitrous oxide for my next visit. How does it work? I have ADHD and I'm not sure if it will have the effect they're looking for on me.

2) How do I tell my dentist that I need more than the double dose anaesthetic that I already get without him viewing me as a junkie? I'm thinking I'm gonna need anaesthetic + nitrous oxide to cope.

3) He removed three teeth (the three furthest back) on the right side of my upper jaw. I think I need teeth there, because chewing with gums is not fun. What do I need?

4) How does anaesthetic work? A syringe in your gums, yes, but how does it go into the teeth?

5) Why does teeth have roots? :P

6) What can be done about my overbite?

7) After I've gotten fillings etc, it seems my teeth have lost their "feeling". Like they are dead. It like the difference of touching someone else or touching yourself. A one-sided sensation.Will they ever feel the same?

Okay, I'll stop now. Thanks for doing this popo.

__________________
There seem to be countless rituals and cultural beliefs designed to alleviate their fear of a simple biological truth - all organisms eventually perish.

popo

From what I remember, the 22 and 23 are very good scores, the 19's are good and the 17 is ok. Pretty good overall I think. If your GPA is good, I wouldn't worry. If you also have research experience you're set.

What schools are you applying to? One thing I did was contact some people in charge of admissions and asked them questions. You may want to email them and ask them how they view your score. You show your interest, they'll remember your name and probably look for your application if you impress them in your emails.

popo

Mehoni: Thanks for the laugh, it's a good read!

1) Surprisingly, no one's really sure how nitrous works. The effect on the brain is known but the receptors that it acts on is not. It's a topic of much debate and research. No problem taking it with ADHD.

2) Don't worry about the anesthetic. Even if you take nitrous, you still need anesthetic. It's a good sedative but not a good anelgesic. So, nothing to feel bad about at all.

3) You need teeth. If they are your 3 lat teeth, the only options are implants or a partial denture with implants being a way better choice but more expensive.

4) For upper jaw teeth, it works by infiltrating into the bone and gets to the nerve that supplies the teeth through the root. For lower jaw teeth, we can get to the nerve directly with the syringe. Once the lidocaine gets to the nerve, it blocks the conduction of nerve impulses.

5) They have roots so that they stay in your jaws.

6) You must be mistaken about a 2 cm overjet. Normal is 2 mm and I don't think I've ever heard of a 2 cm one! What to do depends on whether it's a function of your teeth or your jaws. Go see another orthodontist... sorry like I've said my ortho knowledge is lacking.

7) Are you sure you didn't get root canals? That's what it sounds like from your description. If not, I have no explanation. Sorry.

But thanks for the great post! I loved the picture.

Mehoni

I was wondering because I heard about a person with Tourettes who just got worse (during the appointment, that is) and freaked out the dentist.

Phew.

I don't think money is a problem since the state pays for it.

Maybe he did a both-job on me, because It didn't help at all.. I was sore for a week afterwards and now I have a fab bruise on my cheek

Bah.. I wish they could come attached to your jaw o something.

No no, I'm not mistaken. I actually got out a ruler and measured it before posting. They were talking about surgery to correct it after the failed bracers-attempt.

Like whacking off my lower jaw and move it forward or something. I'm a freak ;P

Probably. I wasn't really awake during the procedure.

Thanks for your answers, you're great

__________________
There seem to be countless rituals and cultural beliefs designed to alleviate their fear of a simple biological truth - all organisms eventually perish.