Ask all/any of your dental questions here

[TheDentist 235]

I need to go see a dentist... it's been a while. But everyone tells me I have very white teeth! WOOO!

White teeth does not necessarily mean heathy, but I guess that's better than really yellow teeth haha! What's stopping you from seeing a dentist for an exam and cleaning? Please don't be scared to see a dentist because its been awhile since you've seen a dentist! This is our job, there is nothing we haven't seen and I guarantee you are not the worst one of them! The longer you wait the more unknown and possibly worse it'll be

No no, I am not afraid. I am just always working during the weekdays and too stubborn to take any time off. D=

Lots of dental practices in today's market are open on weekends. Unfortunately the majority are dental "chains", a more corporate style of dentistry that I would personally avoid. More about quota than quality, if you can find an afternoon or morning to take off and get an appointment somewhere your friends or colleagues vouch for

[TheDentist 235]

Dental student, how long is your schooling?

I did four years undergrad to graduate with a BS in microbiology, worked for a year in a lab and went back to dental school. Dental school is another four years; the first two years are mostly didactic - class work and lab work - and the final two years are more clinically inclined. At this point in my schooling I'm 100% clinic (doing dentistry), we have finished all of our classes as of December seventh

[ROFL 699]

The far right incisor gum, hurts.

[TheDentist 235]

i drink 8 cans of coke a day and i only brush twice, once in the morning, once at night, how fucked are my teeth (i also smoke on occasion)

Most important thing about drinking soda or eating sugar (it's all about acid and sugar. Sugar in the mouth is converted by bacteria to acid, non diet soda gives the worst by combining the two). Your mouth saliva works as an excellent buffer for pH, but takes about twenty minutes after your last sip of soda to re equilibrate.... So, if you drank all eight cans in a row within twenty minutes youd be (dentally) much healthier than sipping them over the course of the day. My own sister worked second shift as a receptionist and began sipping coke throughout her shift to stay awake and whatever, saw a massive spike in cavities in the course of one year. My advice would be switch to diet or "zero" and try to limit sipping slowly on a soda over hours and hoirs

[TheDentist 235]

The far right incisor gum, hurts.

Floss, and make it to your six month cleaning and check up

[ChosenOne2000 4440]

Dental student, how long is your schooling?

I did four years undergrad to graduate with a BS in microbiology, worked for a year in a lab and went back to dental school. Dental school is another four years; the first two years are mostly didactic - class work and lab work - and the final two years are more clinically inclined. At this point in my schooling I'm 100% clinic (doing dentistry), we have finished all of our classes as of December seventh

Good for you! I'm glad you are almost at the end of your journey. When responding to several post. Please use the multiquote function.

Edited January 12, 2013 by ChosenOne2000

[Eddy 3887]

my dick is to thin any advice?

[Coldfuse 324]

I have a yellow spot on one of my teeth its been there as long as i can remember idk what it is.

Aaaand the left side of my mouth hurts sometimes when i eat and i brush my teeth.

Why do dentists like those goofy cartoon pictures like the one in your sig? Seriously, every dental clinic I've visited has them.

Dumb attempt at self-deprecating dad humor so you feel more comfortable around us. We all know most people don't like seeing us in the first place, all my patients love me

I do too.

I have to preface things I say with "you should see a dental professional in person to fully diagnose and treatment plan any problems." Yellow spots could be anything from built up plaque, a cavity, staining, necrotic tooth, etc. very hard to say without seeing it in person.

As far as the pain it is due to cold liquids, hot liquids, just biting/chewing?

Chewing: like gum, chocolate, hard foods like crackers(not as much as gum or chocolate). cold liquids: like when i put ice in water and drink it, hurt so bad but chewing lasts longer(probably about a minute). hot liquids dont hurt at all.

[DavidC 35]

I don't floss much, maybe like once every month, is that bad? What can not flossing lead up to? I'm guessing cavities.. And should I start flossing more often?

Edited January 12, 2013 by DavidChenn

[TheDentist 235]

my dick is to thin any advice?

Find a girl with tiny teeth to make it look thicker in pictures

I have a yellow spot on one of my teeth its been there as long as i can remember idk what it is.

Aaaand the left side of my mouth hurts sometimes when i eat and i brush my teeth.

Why do dentists like those goofy cartoon pictures like the one in your sig? Seriously, every dental clinic I've visited has them.

Dumb attempt at self-deprecating dad humor so you feel more comfortable around us. We all know most people don't like seeing us in the first place, all my patients love me

I do too.

I have to preface things I say with "you should see a dental professional in person to fully diagnose and treatment plan any problems." Yellow spots could be anything from built up plaque, a cavity, staining, necrotic tooth, etc. very hard to say without seeing it in person.

As far as the pain it is due to cold liquids, hot liquids, just biting/chewing?

Chewing: like gum, chocolate, hard foods like crackers(not as much as gum or chocolate). cold liquids: like when i put ice in water and drink it, hurt so bad but chewing lasts longer(probably about a minute). hot liquids dont hurt at all.

There are three types of symptoms for suspect teeth. 1) pain to cold/hot - this would indicate that the nerve is alive (albeit pissed off), and usually means were looking at root canal. 2) pain on biting/tapping - this usually indicates an infection at the bottom of the root, often due to extensive cavity that has reached the nerve and progressed to the root. When tapping/biting on this tooth you're causing pressure on the infection and it causes pain. 3) pain after clenching, after letting go. Cracked teeth often exhibit pain after clenching. Imagine the tooth separating during clenching (not painful), but after opening (the tooth pieces move back together) the nerves fire and pain is registered. In your case it sounds like you may have one or more teeth that might need root canals. It's a high cost but I think after you did it and could comfortably eat again you'd wish you had done it sooner!

PS if the tooth only exhibits biting pain but no temperature pain it often men's the nerve has "died" but th infection is still present. Treatment is the same, root canals

I don't floss much, maybe like once every month, is that bad? What can not flossing lead up to? I'm guessing cavities.. And should I start flossing more often?

Not flossing can certainly lead to cavities between the teeth, but it can also lead to gum disease. Imagine your finger/hand with a splinter. The skin around the splinter gets inflamed, painful, and red. Similar things happen when calculus (tartar, plaque, etc) are left between teeth (flossing Or a cleaning would remove), but the inflammation leads to the bone in the area being resorbed, which leads to reduced support for the teeth and eventually lead to loss of the teeth even if they're completely cavity free! Periodontal disease is one of the saddest things I see, perfectly healthy teeth that need to be pulled because the gums and bone around them are ruined, and now I'm making dentures for a 34 year old...

[Taboo 2392]

I was told that Gingivitis can be reduced using an electric toothbrush by massaging the gums while brushing simultaneously for about 2~4 weeks, does this really work?

[Dojima 7619]

Most important thing about drinking soda or eating sugar (it's all about acid and sugar. Sugar in the mouth is converted by bacteria to acid, non diet soda gives the worst by combining the two). Your mouth saliva works as an excellent buffer for pH, but takes about twenty minutes after your last sip of soda to re equilibrate.... So, if you drank all eight cans in a row within twenty minutes youd be (dentally) much healthier than sipping them over the course of the day. My own sister worked second shift as a receptionist and began sipping coke throughout her shift to stay awake and whatever, saw a massive spike in cavities in the course of one year. My advice would be switch to diet or "zero" and try to limit sipping slowly on a soda over hours and hoirs

So would it be better to rinse your mouth out with water after you finish the soda?

[TheDentist 235]

Most important thing about drinking soda or eating sugar (it's all about acid and sugar. Sugar in the mouth is converted by bacteria to acid, non diet soda gives the worst by combining the two). Your mouth saliva works as an excellent buffer for pH, but takes about twenty minutes after your last sip of soda to re equilibrate.... So, if you drank all eight cans in a row within twenty minutes youd be (dentally) much healthier than sipping them over the course of the day. My own sister worked second shift as a receptionist and began sipping coke throughout her shift to stay awake and whatever, saw a massive spike in cavities in the course of one year. My advice would be switch to diet or "zero" and try to limit sipping slowly on a soda over hours and hoirs

So would it be better to rinse your mouth out with water after you finish the soda?

Yes great advice

I was told that Gingivitis can be reduced using an electric toothbrush by massaging the gums while brushing simultaneously for about 2~4 weeks, does this really work?

Electric toothbrushes are fantastic, usually because they take the responsibility of good brushing technique away from the individual, just hold the toothbrush against the gums and let it do its work. Best way to hold it is at the tooth-gingiva interface 45 degree angle. Best way to combat gingivitis is good brushing and flossing, and listerine is proven to reduce gingivitis too

[water.exe 725]

I have my bottom two wisdom teeth coming in and halfway erupted through the gums. My back left wisdom tooth is coming in forward and pressing against my tooth but because of lack of funds for the past year I have been unable to have my wisdom teeth removed. How badly can the damage be to my other teeth at this point? Wisdom teeth for spotted through my gums 2 years ago and have been slowly coming through since.

[TheDentist 235]

I have my bottom two wisdom teeth coming in and halfway erupted through the gums. My back left wisdom tooth is coming in forward and pressing against my tooth but because of lack of funds for the past year I have been unable to have my wisdom teeth removed. How badly can the damage be to my other teeth at this point? Wisdom teeth for spotted through my gums 2 years ago and have been slowly coming through since.

This https://www.google.com/search?q=third+molar+perio&hl=en&client=safari&tbo=d&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=fgjxUKydL4PO0QGVuYDQDg&ved=0CAYQ_AUoAQ&biw=1024&bih=672#biv=i|6;d|iv7hUze1XHEBaM: is what you fear with those. The incoming tooth is hard to clean, making the back side of the second molar hard to clean and trap food and sugars. This radiograph shows large cavity on the back if the second molar due to the incoming third molar.

[Fate 65]

Are you located on oahu? I haven't seen a (real) dentist since I moved to Oahu from Kauai.

[TheDentist 235]

Are you located on oahu? I haven't seen a (real) dentist since I moved to Oahu from Kauai.

Is that Hawaii? Non I'm in the Midwest

[KGameLover1 1306]

my dick is to thin any advice?

Find a girl with tiny teeth to make it look thicker in pictures

Fucking win.