PSA: Go see your dentist on a regular basis!

[Six]

Ugh, please don't remind me... I know I should be going regularly, but I just can't bring myself to do it. I hate the feeling of just lying there not being in control of the situation and having my teeth flaunted in front of someone who I know is judging my dental hygiene and lack of flossing. I have a great dentist though, he is really young and very eager to do his very best, but I don't like the dental hygienists as they always talk down to you as if you are a small child and/or slightly mentally challenged. In fact every dental hygienist I've ever been to has been like that, they always nag me about the importance of flossing and every single time they'll give me a lecture on how to brush and floss properly. I wish I had the guts to just say: "Well, if I haven't flossed regularly these last 20-something years I don't think I'm going to start now, and if you weren't nagging me about it every time I'm here I would most likely go more often - thus earning you more money!".

Sorry about the mini-rant, I just had to get that out of my system. Your teeth look great!

[Nicole]

I'm trying to get into the dental hygiene program at my college.

I'm sorry that happened to you!
A few years ago I was told I had a cavity and I was so upset because I take such good care of my teeth and really don't eat much junk/sweets...
Aside from coffee, but I always brush after coffee. Sigh.

[rachel]

@(you need an account to see links) I was really self-conscious the first time I went in there because I knew how horrible my teeth were, even if they looked nice on the outside, hahaha. But I literally just had to suck it up, and it helped for me to walk in and one of the first things I said to my dentist was, "I'm warning you now: My teeth suck." and from that point forward, I didn't really feel "judged" because I had warned them, and they seemed happier that I seemed more intent on actually doing something about it.

That's crazy about the hygienist, though! :o
When I was shadowing in dental offices while I was pre-dental, the ladies I bonded most with were all hygienists, and they were AWESOME. They really had a way of conveying the importance of flossing (especially for patients like me with periodontal disease, where that bacteria can build up in the gums and cause the gums to start separating from the bone, which leads to more bacterial infection, etc. etc. etc.), but they also never sounded like a nagging mom,
My hygienist now is really awesome, too, but I really think it helped just going in there and being like, "Hey, I know it's bad, but just let me know what reasonable things I can do to help this."
My hygienist even told me that, if I'm not in the habit of flossing, just increasing the number of times I go visit her, and actually *going* on a regular basis will help improve my dental health a lot.

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@(you need an account to see links) That's awesome!
If you love it, you should also definitely look into the possibility of going to dental school to become a dentist yourself.
That's one thing most of the hygienists I met wished they had done - just sucked it up and gone for more schooling to earn their DDS and be making the big bucks.
Once you spend enough time as a hygienist or dental assistant, they all said they really feel like they could have been a dentist from the start, but after so many years, it's hard to take a break just to go back for more schooling.

I drink a lot of coffee, and I used to eat more sweets than I do now, but I think my biggest problem was 1. my aversion to going to the dentist before now (for financial and insurance reasons, and also probably a little bit of shame, too), and 2. heredity. My dad's whole side of the family have struggled with severe back molar tooth decay for years and years, and I've always taken good care of my teeth in terms of brushing twice a day, etc., but I probably could have flossed more. Either way, I don't think there should have been as much decay as their was, so I think heredity definitely played a part for me.

[pichi123]

Oh my god, i will visit regularly from now on O_O And i thought brushing them daily helped...

[Tablo]

Oh boy. That looks awful.

[rachel]

@(you need an account to see links) Oh, I think brushing them daily definitely helps, but from what I've been told, flossing is way more important than I ever thought to get out the junk that burrows into your gums... who knew? xD But getting a professional cleaning on a regular basis makes a world of difference.
@(you need an account to see links) It was definitely no walk in the park, but at least my mouth is healthier for it now!

[pichi123]

@(you need an account to see links) I do floss from time to time when there's annoying pieces of meat stuck in my gums and teeth. I also use a tongue brusher to remove bacteria that may cause bad breath and teeth damage

[Naked Gamer]

I need to get to a dentist some day soon I think I might have a hole or something going on, I just can't eat like sweet stuff and cold drinks sorter get to my teeth. I brush and all that good stuff.


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[rachel]

SORRY FOR BUMPING AN OLD THREAD
BUT I JUST GOT BACK FROM THE DENTIST
WITH MY LAST
LAST
LAST
PERMANENT CROWN

And I don't have to spend any more money on my teeeeeeeeettthhhhh (until my cleaning next month)
But yaaaaaay everything's done

[IrishCreme]

I had a tooth infection that nearly killed me so i strongly suggest listening to this lady that started the thread and GO

---------- Post added at 07:48 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:48 PM ----------

This post should be pinned for all to see. life is serious.