Sooo Root Canals

[Kandykanez]

So there's no such thing as a person who has weaker tooth enamel than normal? One of my dentists kind of told me that I have that...

Yeah, there are a couple of things that cause weaker enamel, but that's not attributed to actually being more prone to caries. What the other guy was talking about is 99% of the time a bullshit excuse. The most significant enamel disorder is amelogenesis imperfecta, and it's unlikely you actually have it. look up pictures of it

[Xantavia]

I feel lucky then about the status of my oral health. I only brush my teeth once a day (electric toothbrush), I ONLY floss before I have a dentist appointment, and I pretty much never use mouthwash. My dentist always says how my teeth look absolutely great.

From personal experience, don't get cocky. I took poor care of my teeth, but they looked ok, didn't hurt, didn't bleed, so I thought everything was fine. Then it seemed like all of a sudden, they all began to go at once.

Eight years ago, I had a decent smile (a little crooked but whatever). Now? My wisdom teeth disintegrated and it feels like the gums grew over what was still there. My top 6 front teeth? Gone. Not fallen out but broken. (It only looks like 5, since I was able to afford to cap the first one that went. So it's even worse, with a lone tooth right in the middle. I have a wonderful tooth on my lower jaw that is broken vertically, so is only half there.

At 35, I really need dentures or something done. I know it sounds cliche, but you wouldn't believe how much you took your teeth for granted until they are gone. If I could have the time back, I would definitely learn about proper oral health and take care of myself better.

On the bright side, my nieces and nephews don't complain about brushing their teeth or going to the dentist. I made sure to open my mouth and show them what pretending to brush can lead to when they get older.

[Kandykanez]

From personal experience, don't get cocky. I took poor care of my teeth, but they looked ok, didn't hurt, didn't bleed, so I thought everything was fine. Then it seemed like all of a sudden, they all began to go at once.

Eight years ago, I had a decent smile (a little crooked but whatever). Now? My wisdom teeth disintegrated and it feels like the gums grew over what was still there. My top 6 front teeth? Gone. Not fallen out but broken. (It only looks like 5, since I was able to afford to cap the first one that went. So it's even worse, with a lone tooth right in the middle. I have a wonderful tooth on my lower jaw that is broken vertically, so is only half there.

At 35, I really need dentures or something done. I know it sounds cliche, but you wouldn't believe how much you took your teeth for granted until they are gone. If I could have the time back, I would definitely learn about proper oral health and take care of myself better.

On the bright side, my nieces and nephews don't complain about brushing their teeth or going to the dentist. I made sure to open my mouth and show them what pretending to brush can lead to when they get older.

This is what people don't understand. Just because things "look" fine with a minimal approach to dental care doesn't mean that problems aren't accumulating. As you get older, your teeth have endured so much trauma that something is bound to happen unless you've been on top of them from the start.

[Minions]

Yeah, there are a couple of things that cause weaker enamel, but that's not attributed to actually being more prone to caries. What the other guy was talking about is 99% of the time a bullshit excuse. The most significant enamel disorder is amelogenesis imperfecta, and it's unlikely you actually have it. look up pictures of it

Some people have acid reflux while they sleep (I tend to think it may be the way I'm laying some nights), this causes all kinds of tooth problems. Brush as much as you want, but if acid is coming out of your stomach while your sleep, it won't do much.

[BisonDollars]

to the hygienist savant - the anti-fluoride retards are not a minority, and don't make unfounded, bullshit claims.

I feel you probably just believe what was, sadly, shoved down your throat, and would defend it with fervor without ever really questioning it (religion n e one). Most murricans have a pretty narrow view of how fluoride is regarded worldwide. Much of Europe has banned it from drinking water, and I think a county in Florida did too recently. They're all crazy though rite.

[Mayareira]

I didn't feel any pain during the procedure and my teeth was in a rather bad situation. It did hurt on its night, but nothing unbearable. Couple of pain killers and the next day I didn't feel a thing.

Overall, really...just don't worry about it. Its nothing.

[Talus]

Bad genetics causing caries is one of the biggest dental myths out there. It's the kind of shit that dentists who are too lazy to explain in detail will say to patients who are too dumb to question them. Complete and total BS.

Major factors affecting caries in order of highest to lowest (off the top of my head) influence:
Fluoridated water exposure
Oral hygiene habits
Water consumption
Diet - sugary foods, acidic involvement
Eating frequency
Salivary flow and pH
Socioeconomic influence - lower income populations are considerably more prone to caries due to frequency of dental checkups and eating habits.

There are more things that fall under these categories (and some that I can't think of at the moment). Ask if you're interested, I'll try and explain it as best I can.

Oh that's fucking rich. You're either not confident in your ability to explain simple things or you're talking down to us and think we're retarded and can't understand simple things.

There are certain components to dental health that are in fact genetic. The alignment on your teeth, for example? If your teeth are close together it may be hard/difficult to floss between them and so you skip flossing since it is difficult to do, so you end up with cavities.. sorry, dental caries on the mesial or distal surfaces, usually not on the occlusal since the mechanical action of brushing is able to keep that aspect clean.

And people with a family history of gingivitis and periodontal disease aren't more at risk for developing the same diseases? I'd hardly say "genetics is a myth" concerning dental health. However, bad genetic factors can be overcome by a good diet and good dental hygiene.

It may all be moot eventually when research catches up to people with bad dental health. Right now creating a new tooth de novo isn't a possibility with the lack of stem cells in an adult's teeth, but eventually other cell types could be reprogrammed, perhaps through RNAi to make a new tooth.

Let me reiterate... I'm not a dentist. I'll stick to what I know for now, sorry.

[Necronus]

From personal experience, don't get cocky. I took poor care of my teeth, but they looked ok, didn't hurt, didn't bleed, so I thought everything was fine. Then it seemed like all of a sudden, they all began to go at once.

Eight years ago, I had a decent smile (a little crooked but whatever). Now? My wisdom teeth disintegrated and it feels like the gums grew over what was still there. My top 6 front teeth? Gone. Not fallen out but broken. (It only looks like 5, since I was able to afford to cap the first one that went. So it's even worse, with a lone tooth right in the middle. I have a wonderful tooth on my lower jaw that is broken vertically, so is only half there.

At 35, I really need dentures or something done. I know it sounds cliche, but you wouldn't believe how much you took your teeth for granted until they are gone. If I could have the time back, I would definitely learn about proper oral health and take care of myself better.

Oh hey, you're basically me. Lets see ... neglected teeth for 6-7 years (18-24) ... check ... wisdom teeth disintigrated ... check ... 6 heavily decayed front teeth ... check ... lower jaw broken vertically ... sounds similar to the extraction I had 2 weeks ago that I posted earlier in the thread ... now has 20/20 hidsight and wishes he could take it all back ... check.

In my case though I'm 28 now and started the repairs at 26. The good news is I eventually did wake up ... worked up courage to open my mouth and show someone (for those who wouldn't know, the worse you get the more reluctant you feel to see a dentist, at least for me. The same embarassment you feel if you accidentally crack a smile in public is magnified when you first let someone really look in there). I brush pretty normal now, maybe a tad less than someone under a long term restoration plan should ... but I am addicted to mouth wash. I've toned it back, but for a while back when I finally took my first steps to restoration, I used THREE kinds of mouthwash ... pre-brush, normal listerine, and some kinda flouride post treatment. I'm back down to just using Listerine Total Care.

[Brill Weave]

I'm hoping that Uncle Brill will gather the chilren up for another rousing story, this one about his root canal...

Sorry, no story for this one. Though I am definitely due to write one it's been a few months. Procedure went fine, as most of you said the only pain I felt was from the initial Novocaine shots into my gums. Was there for about an hour and fifteen minutes. All is well, wasn't even that sore afterwards.

[Kandykanez]

to the hygienist savant - the anti-fluoride retards are not a minority, and don't make unfounded, bullshit claims.

I feel you probably just believe what was, sadly, shoved down your throat, and would defend it with fervor without ever really questioning it (religion n e one). Most murricans have a pretty narrow view of how fluoride is regarded worldwide. Much of Europe has banned it from drinking water, and I think a county in Florida did too recently. They're all crazy though rite.

Yeah, I'm sure that all through my schooling and clinical experience that I had nothing but bullshit shoved down my throat. This random guy on a message board opened my eyes, because he read some radical stuff on the internet. Show me solid, peer-reviewed case studies from reputable sources that back up any claims you have. I'll be glad to read them over.

[archibaldcrane]

Couldn't have said it better myself.

Using incorrect absolutes in general statements will get you called out as bullshit 100% of the time.



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[Kandykanez]

Oh that's fucking rich. You're either not confident in your ability to explain simple things or you're talking down to us and think we're retarded and can't understand simple things.

There are certain components to dental health that are in fact genetic. The alignment on your teeth, for example? If your teeth are close together it may be hard/difficult to floss between them and so you skip flossing since it is difficult to do, so you end up with cavities.. sorry, dental caries on the mesial or distal surfaces, usually not on the occlusal since the mechanical action of brushing is able to keep that aspect clean.

And people with a family history of gingivitis and periodontal disease aren't more at risk for developing the same diseases? I'd hardly say "genetics is a myth" concerning dental health. However, bad genetic factors can be overcome by a good diet and good dental hygiene.

It may all be moot eventually when research catches up to people with bad dental health. Right now creating a new tooth de novo isn't a possibility with the lack of stem cells in an adult's teeth, but eventually other cell types could be reprogrammed, perhaps through RNAi to make a new tooth.

Let me reiterate... I'm not a dentist. I'll stick to what I know for now, sorry.

Sorry, but could you point to where I said that I felt people were too stupid to understand things? Or where I showed that I'm not confident in my ability to explain something? Did you even read the last line in that same post you quoted? I specifically stated that it's a trend among dentists to throw genetics out there when THEY FEEL that it's a waste of time to explain. Caries IS a complicated disease and process that takes a long time to explain and understand. I'm more than happy to try and explain it to people who are interested, but there are so many factors that it does indeed go beyond them sometimes.

Also, it makes patients feel better when a dentist assures them "Oh it's not totally your fault, some people just have bad genetics." I'm not a dismissive dentist, and I'm not about to tell someone a lie just to make them feel good. I tell them what they need to hear, and what they need to do to fix it.

The alignment of your teeth is not a major contributor to caries, and if you're too lazy to do what you have to in order to take care of them, that's on you. I should know, my teeth are tightly contacted and crowded in certain spots but I've always been on top of maintenance. There is always an alternative if you can't floss and it's up to your dental care team to educate you, and you to carry it out.

You MAY be somewhat more susceptible to gingival/periodontal disease through inherited but these susceptibilities are so easily overcome by proper care. It is STILL your fault for not brushing, flossing and rinsing properly. It's also your fault for not getting regular dental checkups, there is always a low cost route.

I don't even get what you were aiming for with this post. You completely misinterpret my attitude towards patient education, and then you reaffirm that genetics have a minimal role in oral health.

[Kandykanez]

Some people have acid reflux while they sleep (I tend to think it may be the way I'm laying some nights), this causes all kinds of tooth problems. Brush as much as you want, but if acid is coming out of your stomach while your sleep, it won't do much.

This is entirely true, GERD is a difficult condition to circumvent. Have you tried nightguards?

[Minions]

This is entirely true, GERD is a difficult condition to circumvent. Have you tried nightguards?

Does not seem to be a constant thing with me. Just on some occasions. Just annoying more than anything else.

[Kandykanez]

Does not seem to be a constant thing with me. Just on some occasions. Just annoying more than anything else.

Gotcha. Well, pay close attention to the color of the tongue side of your molars. If over time you see that they're getting yellower then that might be the reason. In the meantime, try switching to sensodyne pronamel toothpaste and any (my personal favorite is listerine total w/ whitening) fluoride rinse to keep on top of remineralizing your teeth. Sensodyne pronamel might have an odd texture, but there's really nothing better for strengthening your enamel so give it a shot.

[cdgreg]

So for those of us who are in our late 20's/early 30's and are trying to get our oral hygiene back on track, what do you recommend mouth wash & toothpaste wise? I've seen a few different types of each recommended. I'm in the process of having my cavities taken care of, and would like to stay cavity free.

[Kandykanez]

So for those of us who are in our late 20's/early 30's and are trying to get our oral hygiene back on track, what do you recommend mouth wash & toothpaste wise? I've seen a few different types of each recommended. I'm in the process of having my cavities taken care of, and would like to stay cavity free.

I work on a philosophy of treating patients on an individual basis, so normally I'd like to know exactly what your oral condition is before making recommendations. However, since your primary concern seems to be caries I can make some general suggestions.

Toothpaste: Sensodyne pronamel. Reason being that sensodyne has recently removed sodium lauryl sulfate from all of their products. SLS is the agent that produces foam in soap, shampoo, toothpaste, etc. etc. This partially inhibits fluoride from bonding to your enamel. Also it's been found that people have allergic reactions to it.
Rinse: Listerine antiseptic, it's the most potent rinse for inhibiting cariogenic bacteria. Don't dilute it.
Floss: Just do it! lol
Eating habits: If you're drinking a lot of soda, or anything that's even remotely acidic then you should also drink more water afterwards. Even just a little bit of water after soda or juice to wash away the acid and decrase the attack on your enamel. Eat snacks in one shot as opposed to eating them slowly to reduce sugar/acid presence. What we're trying to get people to do is to chew a lot more sugarfree gum. Chew it all you want, all day long. Ideally you want a gum that uses xylitol as its primary sweetener as it's known for actually killing streptococcus mutans, the main bacteria responsible for caries. Spry has a measured daily dose of xylitol if you want some control over it. Personally I like the new mentos chewing gum, it tastes really good and xylitol is the primary ingredient.

[Pirian]

Using incorrect absolutes in general statements will get you called out as bullshit 100% of the time.



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Who's saying absolutes? I said that anecdotal stories do not trump population statistics, and a dentist in here is even confirming this. You want healthy teeth? Take care of them. Take care of them and you still lose your teeth? Congratulations, you lucky dog, you. You happen to be what we in the biz call an "outlier", which means you are accounted for.

[Kandykanez]

Who's saying absolutes? I said that anecdotal stories do not trump population statistics, and a dentist in here is even confirming this. You want healthy teeth? Take care of them. Take care of them and you still lose your teeth? Congratulations, you lucky dog, you. You happen to be what we in the biz call an "outlier", which means you are accounted for.

Dental hygienist

It's such a rarity that you'll lose your teeth or just have poor health if you've been well educated on and properly apply oral health techniques. It even comes down to HOW you brush, as opposed to just doing it twice a day. If you do it properly, you can even just do it once day.
Protip: Brushing in circles is not a very effective way of brushing. The best way is what we call the modified bass technique. Watch this terrible (thai?) video on it. Pay attention to how she brushes the tongue side of the upper/lower front teeth, this is a critical area that people ALWAYS miss and build heavy calculus on.

[Brill Weave]

So. I ended up having to go in on Tuesday morning for an "emergency" appointment. Sunday night and all Monday my jaw was absolutely killing me. Went in had the root canal done with no issues. I was given Vicodin for the pain and Penicillin for the infection. All day Tuesday I was fine. Wednesday around 5pm my jaw start absolutely fucking killing me again. Worse pain than before the root canal. I literally got no sleep last night. Called the endodontics place at 6am, they gave me another prescription for Percocets and a different antibiotic. But the real thing I'm looking for is an answer as to why my jaw had some a colossal flare up causing me this much pain. Then this morning just as suddenly as the pain started, it stopped. Completely. So to be honest I'm kind of worried. Was this like the last hurrah of the infection trying to stave off the antibiotics or is this something should not be happening? Either way I'll be keeping a close eye on this for the new few days.