hey all im preeetty sure that my back teeth on the top,they ache a bit adn the feel different when i tap on them, the thing is i can not absolutly no way afford to go to the denstist, i was wondering is there anyway to stop the rotting or anything like that

Nothing replaces a good dental professional, but taking METICULOUS care of your teeth can help. At the very least you REALLY need to go get your teeth cleaned every 6 months until you can afford real treatment. This will keep the tarter on your teeth to a minimum, which will help prevent decay. A regular cleaning isn't expensive and is VERY worth it and you really should do this.

Nothing replaces a good dental professional, but taking METICULOUS care of your teeth can help. At the very least you REALLY need to go get your teeth cleaned every 6 months until you can afford real treatment. This will keep the tarter on your teeth to a minimum, which will help prevent decay. A regular cleaning isn't expensive and is VERY worth it and you really should do this.
ive been to the dentist a total of 4 times in my whole life and im 19, i cant even afford to walk through thier doors, any ideas for home treatments i can do?

There is really no way to stop decay once it is started other than getting it treated by a dentist. If your teeth are decaying, it is only a matter of time before they cause you real trouble.

Supergirl,
Look in the phone book and see if you can find a health clinic that also does free or low-cost (by income) dental work in your area. Some cities offer these dental services on certain days each month.

Kikki is right, don't put off dental care! Go for those cleanings at least. I know it is outragiously expensive, but it will only get worse if you put it off. My son went years without going to the dentist because money was tight and there was always something else that needed to be paid. Finally, I told him he HAD to go and I would pay for as much as I could. He just had 9 fillings and it cost $1,600. And that's just the beginning, he needs other work done too. I think the cost of dental care has gotten out of hand. We just had out cat spayed and it cost $120.00 . That's with putting the cat to sleep, major surgery, and a follow-up visit for suture removal. A small cavity cost $150 to fill and a large one $200. I don't understand it!

A lot of people go to the Mexican border towns for dental work. It costs about one third or less compared with the U.S. rates. Most dentists and doctors in Mexico speak English or have an interpreter. Canadian rates are also much cheaper. Let the dentist know how much money you have and work from there. Also, check with your county health department. Cal

Kikki is right, don't put off dental care! Go for those cleanings at least. I know it is outragiously expensive, but it will only get worse if you put it off. My son went years without going to the dentist because money was tight and there was always something else that needed to be paid. Finally, I told him he HAD to go and I would pay for as much as I could. He just had 9 fillings and it cost $1,600. And that's just the beginning, he needs other work done too. I think the cost of dental care has gotten out of hand. We just had out cat spayed and it cost $120.00 . That's with putting the cat to sleep, major surgery, and a follow-up visit for suture removal. A small cavity cost $150 to fill and a large one $200. I don't understand it!

last time i went i also had 9 fillings done and it cost like 2600 dollars, which for a family that just finished paying my 7000 dollar braces and have 0 dental coverage is not good. all the filliings i got except one i think need to be replaced becasue they are really sharp at the ends and stuff. im gonna check on that low income dental
thanks

If you live near a university that has a dental school, they provide reduced cost dentistry. From what I have heard they are not bad for things like fillings and cleaning.

2600 dollars for only 9 fillings seems a bit too steep but it depends on the dentist, I guess.

If you live near a university that has a dental school, they provide reduced cost dentistry. From what I have heard they are not bad for things like fillings and cleaning.

2600 dollars for only 9 fillings seems a bit too steep but it depends on the dentist, I guess.

its because my family has no dental coverage what so ever so they can charge us whatever they want. also i had cavities before my braces went on but they didnt say anything so that they would get more money later on for filling them. im assuming they thought i came to the dentist a lot lol so when ifinally went back in like 3 years later alll my back teeth on both sides were rotten so they got quite a bit for filling them.

For 2600, they must've done more than just simple fillings. Possibly a crown, porcelain fillings or a root canal perhaps. I have a discount plan where i just got 7 composite fillings done for about $450.00. I need about 11-12 more fillings done. Yes my teeth are rotten. I did about half of my mouth already. One of my teeth needs a root canal and the other a crown, so that is like hundreds more and maybe I'll just save that for last. I also had so many problems with wisdom teeth. Excruciating pain etc and I have been getting one pulled out at a time when I start having problems with it. 2nd last time I needed to get emergency removal because the pain was so intense and it was so far impacted (touching my sinus), that I needed to be put under. I got IV sedation and it cost like 800 bucks for the whole procedure no joke!!! That wisdom tooth was far more problematic than any other I've had problems with. WOW DID THAT SUCKER GIVE ME PAIN! But when I woke up, I never felt any better in my life! What did they put in that IV? Wow, that was something. And that was way before i got under the discount plan. So now I have 3 wisdom teeth removed and one left that is fully grown in.

I would encorage anyone with expensive work and no insurance to try their local dental school if they have one. I had wisdom teeth pulled with iv sedation and they charged only $100 extra for the sedation. Another dentist quoted me $700 for the sedation. And only the most advanced students in their last year of post graduate school were allowed to do the sedation.

I agree totally with Lateeth - dental schools are great. You get outstanding care with the highest technology possible - often much more so than at a private practice. And lots of dental schools are very good about working with you in regards to payment options so that you do not have to go without the care you need.

If I remember correctly from other posts, Supergirl lives in Canada which kind of explains the higher cost of her dental work ($2,600). I think $2,600 Canadian Dollars equals about $2,000 American Dollars.

Supergirl

I have the same problem with no dental insurance. It is very frustrating but I had a friend a month or so ago tell me that she has diabetes and her gum problems would NOT get better. She started using something with tea tree oil and her dentist was AMAZED how quickly things cleared up. It wasn't a cavity but it was so serious that she needed surgery and it cleared up. Who knows - it might work for you. I haven't been able to get in touch with her to find out what exactly it was she used but it I am pretty sure there was tea tree oil. I think she is on vacation. I will keep trying.

A lot of dentists in my area fly to Mexico and Central America doing free work for the poor. Its a shame they don't consider the poor in the USA. I would call your county health department or your local dental association and explain the problem. I'll just bet you'll find help. Calida

Is there a dental school near you or in the state you live in? Most (if not all) dental school offer free or very inexpensive treatment to people without insurance. You will be treated by a junior or senior student, most likely. They will be under the supervision of a doctor. You can get excellent dental care.

I just had some dental work done for half price. I guess I can't post the link here. It's a discount plan that's NOT insurance but very inexpensive. I got a root canal and crown for $1100 instead of $2200 and all I paid to get on the program was $7.95 per month. It's called a "healthcare discount program".

[Please also don't suggest the use of website search engines, too. Thanks for your cooperation - Well-come Moderator]

Do you know if this type of dental health plan has a lot of member dentists? My mother is on medicare and has no dental coverage at all so it costs her quite a bit. Any people using them, are you satisfied by the way the plans work? Is it possible to have these as an adjunct to my regular dental insurance which has a cap of $2,000 which i seem to be exceeding quite rapidly.

The website where you'd sign up has a provider search so you could know beforehand if anyone in your area is on the plan before you pay the money to sign up.