Cavities

[joflier]

So I think I may have my first cavity. Just an ache in my tooth that isn''t going away.

But I''m pleased that I''ve made it this far in life without having any.

Do you have any cavities? How old were you when you got your first one?

 

[monarch64]

I had one when I was maybe 12, and another at 14. I skipped out on the dentist for several years while I was in college (no dental insurance) and when I finally went back I had 3 more tiny cavities and when I got them filled with the plastic stuff they redid my old metal fillings as well. I think I was 27 when I had that done?

 

[April20]

Um..... I just has SIX old fillings replaced this month, four of them yesterday. I think my family has soft teeth or something. My sister had her first root canal before she was 20. I think I was about 8 when I got my first cavity. It''s been so long I don''t even remember. Even worse, I''m not even sure how many fillings I have anymore! They''re all white now and have been replaced a couple of times over the years, so I''ve kind of lost count.

 

[somethingshiny]

Sounds like a cavity for sure! If you have a really bright and tiny flashlight, sometimes you can shine it through the tooth and see a dark spot (if you''re really weird like me....)

The first time I went to a dentist I was 16. I had a few small cavities that were not filled. I brushed my teeth constantly and actually eroded some of the enamel. The next time I went was as an adult. I had 5 cavities! Well water does not do anything for teeth! I had no insurance so I only had the 3 painful ones filled and couldn''t go back for another year. I have lots of fillings, most of them are tooth colored, and I go to the dentist every 6 months insurance or not!

My 4 yr old has been to the dentist twice and will go again at the end of the summer. My parents not being proactive in my dental care still bothers me to this day. Both of them had dentures by the time they were 40. My brother has a bridge and is only early 30''s and both of my little sis''s have had teeth pulled. Like I said, well water sucks. I wish my parents could have given us flouride treatments at the very least.

 

[joflier]

Date: 6/23/2010 10:20:52 AM
Author: somethingshiny
Sounds like a cavity for sure! If you have a really bright and tiny flashlight, sometimes you can shine it through the tooth and see a dark spot (if you''re really weird like me....)

The first time I went to a dentist I was 16. I had a few small cavities that were not filled. I brushed my teeth constantly and actually eroded some of the enamel. The next time I went was as an adult. I had 5 cavities! Well water does not do anything for teeth! I had no insurance so I only had the 3 painful ones filled and couldn''t go back for another year. I have lots of fillings, most of them are tooth colored, and I go to the dentist every 6 months insurance or not!

My 4 yr old has been to the dentist twice and will go again at the end of the summer. My parents not being proactive in my dental care still bothers me to this day. Both of them had dentures by the time they were 40. My brother has a bridge and is only early 30''s and both of my little sis''s have had teeth pulled. Like I said, well water sucks. I wish my parents could have given us flouride treatments at the very least.

Really?? Cool! I don''t get dental insurance til January, so I''m hoping to make it til then. So far it''s tolerable, but I''ve got 6 months to go!

 

[somethingshiny]

The flashlight works better if it''s one of the blue-white lights instead of the yellowy tinted ones. You can see little striations in your teeth and the thinner spots at the tops too.

I know, I''m so weird.

 

[RaiKai]

Almost 31 and no cavities. I do however have a small bridge as I did not lose a baby tooth of mine until I was 20ish (with no adult tooth behind it) and have some veneers beside it to match it. Also, I don't have any lateral teeth - so my pointy eye teeth were right where vampires are always shown to have their fangs....so I had them filled, then veneered, many years ago. I was rather self-conscious about my smile otherwise. I also do have some "de-mineralization" (it seems to be a hereditary thing as I grew up on fluoridated water but others in my family seem to have the same thing happen) on some of my lower back teeth that I have to be very cautious of as they CAN turn into cavities under my gum line and can be quite sensitive at times - ouch! I have to use fluoridated toothpaste and mouthwash. My dentist always seems to be happy enough though and comments I have good teeth and take good care of them...huh?

So I have some oddities despite never having cavities and having straight teeth. I have never even got my wisdom teeth! One showed up on an x-ray about 3 years ago, but it has not made an appearance.

DH has a few fillings.....he grew up in a small town with one of those dentists (the only one in town) who looked for any buck he could make. I am pretty sure he deemed any soft spot or potential weakening a cavity and filled it as most of his lower back teeth have fillings. All his fillings right now are metal (from the small town dentist or military dentists). He is also missing a lower tooth, and has been for years. He considered an implant or a bridge but the dentist he recently consulted did not see much of a need for it (it is not collapsing or anything) so he has decided to just leave it.

I really want to replace my bridge, but my insurance only covers 1/2 of it (leaving me on hook for about $2,000), and I know I would need to get the veneers redone soon too (have had them 11-12 years) and at $800-1,000 a tooth that is pricey, so am trying to extend it as much as I can!

 

[kenny]

I have lots of fillings and crowns.
I had a mouthful of cavities by the time I was a teen.

I didn't really start taking good care of my gums and teeth till I was 19.

 

[Puppmom]

DH just found out he has his first one. He''s 34. He was convinced the dentist was wrong so he got a second opinion.

So now, after paying for the second opinion, he needs to get the stinking tooth filled.

 

[MustangGal]

My DH is 31 and has also only had 1 cavity, and that was in a wisdom tooht that needed to be removed anyway. I, on the other hand, had my first in my early teens, and now at 30 I have 4 crowns and at least 10 filled teeth. It runs in the family though, my little sister had an implant done by the time she was 20, her tooth just rotten away to nothing.

 

[missydebby]

Just finished a root canal yesterday. Also had braces for 6 years. When I was little, my mom called me "shark baby" cause I was born with duplicates of like 10 teeth. My parents put the orthodontist's kids through college...

 

[Tacori E-ring]

If you are in pain I am not sure I would wait. Not to scare you but it could lead to a root canal. I rather pay $160-$190 for a filling than $2k+ for a root canal & crown. Is it sensitive to temperature?

 

[Burberrygirl]

I had my first one last year at 19... hopefully it's my last!

 

[yssie]

None yet. I'm 24.


I go to the dentist maybe twice every three years? I'm compulsive about brushing after eating or drinking anything and flossing though so that helps.

 

[elrohwen]

Yep, I think I have 3 now? The first two were when I was 23 or so, and the other was just last year.

As a kid I always had the fluoride treatments every year that were free for kids with our insurance, but had to stop them at 18, so I think that's contributed a lot. I don't eat much sugar and don't drink sugary drinks, so I guess I'd better start brushing better

Each one has been really tiny and more of a pre-cavity though - I didn't feel any of them and only knew about them because dentists pointed it out.

 

[pinkstars]

I do have cavities, I''m not sure how many I don''t think I have any new ones...I''m not sure though. I might have gotten my first one before turning 13, I really can''t remember. I had a root canal when I was 14, it honestly didn''t hurt much or bother me afterward. I''m not sure if where I had the root canal is the same tooth where I now have a crown that got put on when I was 18.
I don''t have insurance right now and going to the dentist is very daunting. Honestly, having to pay out of pocket terrifies me. I should be getting insurance, hopefully dental included within the next few months.
I''m pretty sure my wisdom teeth are coming in, but it doesn''t hurt really so I''m not sure! Although after reading another thread, I want to invest in a waterpik. Plus Costco has a great deal and I am just itching to get one now!

 

[joflier]

Date: 6/23/2010 4:41:31 PM
Author: Tacori E-ring
If you are in pain I am not sure I would wait. Not to scare you but it could lead to a root canal. I rather pay $160-$190 for a filling than $2k+ for a root canal & crown. Is it sensitive to temperature?

It''s not temp sensitive. It''s just a slight ache when I chew. It''s really quite tolerable at this point, just a little discomfort. If it gets bad, I certainly won''t wait. But it''s only been about 10 days, so perhaps (knock on wood), it could just be a toothache that might go away if I give it a little time.

 

[atroop711]

I hope I''m not going to JINX myself by posting this but I''m 42 yr old and never had a cavity. Keeping my fingers crossed!

 

[Tacori E-ring]

Date: 6/23/2010 6:38:28 PM
Author: joflier

Date: 6/23/2010 4:41:31 PM

Author: Tacori E-ring

If you are in pain I am not sure I would wait. Not to scare you but it could lead to a root canal. I rather pay $160-$190 for a filling than $2k+ for a root canal & crown. Is it sensitive to temperature?

It''s not temp sensitive. It''s just a slight ache when I chew. It''s really quite tolerable at this point, just a little discomfort. If it gets bad, I certainly won''t wait. But it''s only been about 10 days, so perhaps (knock on wood), it could just be a toothache that might go away if I give it a little time.

That''s good. I am not an expert but I think the temp thing is directly related to the root. I only had three cavities until my last cleaning. Somehow I doubled them (total of 6 now) in 6 months. One was under a sealant (from childhood) which cracked so it never showed up on the x-ray. It had been aching off and on for awhile and I needed a root canal b/c the cavity got too large (going unmonitored). They say your teeth get worse with age so it may be time to get some dental for myself.

 

[Tacori E-ring]

BTW if you live by a dental school they have highly reduced services offered. Might be worth a shot for those who don''t have dental insurance.

 

[packrat]

I had one in a baby tooth when I was little, and then nothing until I got pg w/London. Apparently being pg can have a nasty effect on your teeth/gums. Then I had them again when I was pg w/Trapper. I think I''ve had like 6 total..my mouth is insanely sensitive too, so I just *hate* going in to get them filled.

 

[Callisto]

Ughh just reading this thread makes me cringe. I am very prone to cavities despite brushing my teeth twice a day, limiting sweets and especially limiting sweet liquids, flossing regularly, and using mouthwash... needless to say I DON''T like the dentist. I actually need to schedule an appointment for sometime next month. I''m putting it off a bit cause I don''t have a dentist here and my dental plan isn''t that great so I don''t have many good options... I need to do that though. blah.

 

[zoebartlett]

I''m in my mid-30s and I only have 2 baby cavities. I was scared to death when I found out I had to get them filled (maybe 6 years ago now), but the dentist reassured me that it would be completely painless. I didn''t need novacaine or anything, and the procedure didn''t feel much different than a regular cleaning. I''m really sensitive to that type of stuff, and the sound of drills, etc. used on other patients really freaks me out. I was (pleasantly!) surprised at how easy it was to get these little cavities filled. Good luck Jo!

 

[joflier]

Date: 6/23/2010 10:51:36 PM
Author: Zoe
I''m in my mid-30s and I only have 2 baby cavities. I was scared to death when I found out I had to get them filled (maybe 6 years ago now), but the dentist reassured me that it would be completely painless. I didn''t need novacaine or anything, and the procedure didn''t feel much different than a regular cleaning. I''m really sensitive to that type of stuff, and the sound of drills, etc. used on other patients really freaks me out. I was (pleasantly!) surprised at how easy it was to get these little cavities filled. Good luck Jo!

This makes me feel a little better. I''m not afraid of dentists......but the thought of getting an injection in my gums totally freaks me out. Part of me thinks I''d rather tough out the pain than have that done. So maybe it''s something simple like what you had!

 

[diva rose]

my DH is a dentist and I strongly recommend you see one - go see a good one though
ask around - finding a good dentist is like finding a good doctor
it''s very important

a lot of people don''t realise how important teeth and gums are
you only get the ones you have - so please look after them with regular check ups

prevention is the key - problem is most people go to the dentist after there is a problem

 

[that_someone_special]

No cavities.. I''m 26. I hope it stays this way!

 

[gemgirl]

I had my first cavity by 7 or 8 yrs. old, and I''ve probably had at least 75 so far. My family has bad teeth.

My sister and my all time personal best was when I was 11 or 12, and she was 8 or 9. During our annual check up, I had 27 cavities and she had 32 (and she didn''t even have 32 teeth).

 

[Maisie]

Date: 6/23/2010 6:45:37 PM
Author: Tacori E-ring
BTW if you live by a dental school they have highly reduced services offered. Might be worth a shot for those who don''t have dental insurance.

Does this mean students are let loose on your teeth?

 

[katamari]

Jo, it is probably better to go now versus to wait. If you just have a cavity starting, they will often just seal it (i.e. no injections, no drilling) but if it develops into a cavity, you probably cannot just be sealed.


I have proudly made it to 33 with no cavities! I thank my mother who did not allow me to drink soda or eat refined sugar until I was in high school. I am also a bit compulsive about my dental hygiene--brushing after I eat or drink anything but water (guess I should also thank the 5 years in braces, too, for that habit).

 

[Tacori E-ring]

Date: 6/25/2010 9:06:41 AM
Author: Maisie

Date: 6/23/2010 6:45:37 PM

Author: Tacori E-ring

BTW if you live by a dental school they have highly reduced services offered. Might be worth a shot for those who don''t have dental insurance.

Does this mean students are let loose on your teeth?

Yes, but they are supervised! The rates are so low and I am sure the more experienced dental students are the ones with the more complicated procedures. I have never gone b/c our closest dental school is over 3 hours away but I wouldn''t totally go for a cleaning if I lived closer.

The best question to ask your new dentist is what their emergency hours are. I just had a long-term tooth pain experience and ended up changing dentists b/c my old one wanted me to wait THREE weeks for an appointment

Seriously I don''t think so. When you have tooth pain you pretty much want to rip that tooth out so waiting is not an option.