Please help.. I just want healthy teeth already! - Dental Health Message Board

Blondee15 · 07-11-2004, 06:23 PM

OK i've ALWAYS had soo many teeth problems. I'll start from the fact that it runs in my genes to have bad teeth, soft enamel & be prone to infections. When I was a baby, I had bottle rot & i'd say every single one of my teeth has at LEAST one cavity and/or infection. Brushing & flossing has never been enough. It took me forever to lose all my baby teeth(was 14 when they finally yanked the last 4 that just wouldn't fall out) & in 3 short years, i've gained a mouth full of fillings. I do pageants & modeling & I recently asked my dentist if I could get my teeth bleached I had 3 dentists look at my teeth and say they would never, ever recommend someone like me get their teeth bleached, I have 2 many fillings. They said as soon as my fillings started to fall out, or we could convince my insurance to do it sooner, they would put crowns on 8 of my top teeth, then bleach the bottom row(the bottom teeth aren't as bad). They made a case study out of my mouth for the insurance & we haven't heard back yet as to wether or not they will cover the crowns.
I guess more than anything, I just want my teeth to be healthy. No matter what I do, I can't slow the damage. I brush twice a day(sometimes 3 or 4), floss, eat healthy(better than most people) & still my teeth are just breaking off. My dentists have all said crowns are my best option- minimize the infections, the cavities, & of course my teeth would look as perfect as I want them 2. My fears are well this is the end of my real teeth! This means I will never really have those teeth that have crowns put on for real ever again. This makes me nervous- how long do crowns last? How durable are they? What are your experiences with them? Are they my only option(we've already decided against veneers)? What can I do to improve the appearance of my teeth, whiten them & most of all- make them more healthy? I just woke up today with half of one of my teeth, the front like enamel, missing. Don't know how or where it went. My dentist thinks my mouth might be getting infected from sleeping with my mouth open.. i've got sinus problems.. what does that have to do with anything.. should I thinka bout seeing an ENT?
thanks any help is appreciated!

rhody · 07-11-2004, 07:50 PM

Hi,

Have you thought about getting white cosmetic fillings? If you have "silver" fillings, they are actually 50% mercury. This mercury leaks continually and accumulates in the body.

When I had my eight black-gray fillings replaced, I believe it was porcelain that was cemented in my teeth. According to my naturopath, this material was a compatible replacement.

I had one crown, because one tooth split in half (on the top) and exposed one dental amalgam. After this tooth broke, then I had much more pain. So, I decided that I was getting rid of these metals in my teeth. Since then my fibromylagia symptoms have diminished.

I've had my white fillings and this one white crown for (I believe) just over 10 years. I had an excellent dentist perform this work, which I think is part of the reason they have lasted so long. I hope that helps.

rhody · 07-11-2004, 07:56 PM

Hi,

Also have you considered using baking soda, instead of toothpaste? I've been using it, and slowly my teeth seem to be whiter. I've used it for about two or three months. It also makes my mouth feel cleaner.

yesmik2 · 07-12-2004, 05:40 AM

I wouldn't recommend baking soda, it's to harsh on the enammel. As far as crowns go, they should last at least 12-15 years, some dentist I've talked to have said a well cared for crown can last over 25 years with the new cements (glue) on the market. I've seen pictures of inlays and onlays that were placed back in the 40's and still look new, but of course that was with gold. If a crown falls off for some reason it can usually be glued back on as long as no decay is present on the tooth its attached to. Many times people have crowns replaced for asthetic reasons such as a porcelain over metal crown when the metal starts to show at the gumline. Many people you watch on tv or singers, athletes etc. have crowns.

rhody · 07-12-2004, 07:32 PM

Thanks for the information about baking soda. I didn't realize it was harsh on the enamel. Actually, what I just read, is that the baking soda is harsh by itself (relatively speaking), but when combined with water in solution it's not as harsh - maybe considered even actually mild as an alkali solution. Possibly that's why I haven't had any problems with it. I mix a small amount of water with the baking soda. It doesn't take much to draw it into a solution.

I've had other toothpaste that made my teeth quite sore. The baking soda solution I use seems to be OK, but I'll read more about it, and switch to something else if it seems to be harmful. If it's harmful in the long term, then maybe using baking soda solution for a short time only might be recommended as a whitener and cleaner.

It's interesting to read about tooth enamel. Some people will say that the enamel won't repair itself, yet other people will say that it will. Over and over again, I've heard that even small cavities that don't break the surface of the enamel into the dentin can be encouraged to heal itself without any fillings. There's so much conflicting information out there, so it's hard to know who to believe.

But anyway, there seems to be a general consensus, that when baking soda is used by itself, that it can be too harsh for the teeth. That's nice to know...so I'll make sure that I continue to mix it in water, if I want to remain using it. I only mixed it with water by chance...seemed like a good thing to do at the time. So, I guess I was lucky.