I"m 30, female, going to the dentist for the first time ever in my life. My teeth are bad, my gums are red and white in color and some of them are breaking off at my gum lines. My worst teeth are my bottom front teeth, which are broken off at the gum line in the back.

I"m going to the dentist a week from today and i can't stop thinking about what my dad was told a few years ago. he went for dentures and was told, he couldn't get dentures because he had lost too much bone and too much gums.

Now I keep telling my family, i know if they pull my teeth out, i'll never be able to eat or smile or talk normally, because there is no way i can get dentures. i mean, if my dad's mouth was that bad, i'm pretty sure so is mine. i've only recently started to brush my teeth, since i was never taught to do that and then as an adult, was stuck on my normal routine.

Is it really possible that i could have lost so much gums and bones that i won't be able to get dentures if that's the last resort? i'm so freaked out that for the rest of my life, i'll be a freak who only eats with a straw or doesn't ever smile or talk.

i know i'm a freak, but i'm so nervous about what they will tell me, that i am so close to just cancelling the appointment and forget it. i know, that's wrong, but i'm so scared.

also, i keep hearing about dentists who put down their patients for having bad teeth and all that. i'm scared that mine will do the exact same thing.

is there any way to know exactly if you have any bone loss or gum loss before going? all my gums seem tightly attached to my teeth, i mean, when i run my tongue around them, i don't feel any loose gums and only a couple of teeth seem loose.

not even the broken teeth are loose, which is weird.

i'm sorry for being paranoid and scared but i just don't want to be a freak forever. i'm already a freak now.

another question...what does it mean, if the back of your tooth is overlapping your gums? my front bottom teeth, i can feel the teeth and the gums are underneath them.

also, what does it mean when the tooth breaks off and it looks more like a piece of stone than an actual tooth?

thanks everyone for listening and helping

Charlene

Hi Charlene:
First of all, I'm not a dentist. Not even close. But I am deathly afraid of dentists (even thought I currently work for a dental insurance company...go figure!)
Secondly, You're only 30. If you are in relatively good health otherwise, then you may have a little to be concerned about, but nothing that a dentist can't help you with.
Third, If you are that worried about the dentist treating you differently because this is your first time, most dentists I speak to (and I talk to them nearly every day in the course of my work) will be so happy that you are taking that first step, they will only try to give you a real idea of the shape your mouth is in, and as many options as they can think of. Just like most things in regular medicine, a dental fix won't work unless you work with it.
Here's a suggestion: I've moved around quite a bit. When I move to a new place, I usually get around to making a dental appointment after the first year, year-and-a-half, and I always end up calling the receptionist back at least once and asking if the dentist I've chosen is good with paranoid patients (my words, not a diagnosis for you!! LOL)I have to wonder if your dad didn't cancel that first appointment when he was 30, and that's why he had problems.
Also, understand that women's bodies metabolise calcium and other minerals useful to teeth differently. If you've had several pregnancies, then the sooner you get in, the better. If not, then you should still go in, but your body has probably made a little bit better use of the calcium in your diet. Men are better with other minerals (usually the ones we really need!!!!). Even though you are your father's child, you still have your mother's genes. How are her teeth? If they are good, then don't worry so much. If they are not so good, then ask her how old she was the first time she went.
Finally, maybe take a friend..someone you have to look brave in front of. The dentist is mostly fear of the unknown. My biggest issue (and I didn't know this until AFTER I started working for the dental company) was that dentists were doctors who did medical things to you with no anesthesia. Kind of like giving birth with a vet in attendance. I now know different, and strongly urge you to keep a stiff upper lip (pun intended!! LOL) and keep your appointment. If you have to be scared, then go ahead. But tell the dentist and the hygienist that you are. Contrary to popular belief, dentisits don't like causing pain as a rule!
Good luck :bouncing:

Dawn