Even if I brush 2 times a day for 2 minutes each with a brand new brush I still get plaque buildup. Everytime I go to the dentist they yell at me to brush more. I don't drink soda, but I drink juice, tea, and milk. I don't eat a lot of sugary things. Everybody believes I don't brush at all! What am I doing wrong, or what can I do better? I don't want to make big changes in my diet, and I don't understand why my diet would cause it, I think I have better eating habits than most people I know who still have better teeth than me.
My teeth are just rotting away for no reason! I've had more fillings than I have teeth! It seems like I've only had this problem as long as I've been an adult, but never before.
plaque is caused by bacteria. Brushing is very good to get off the food which contains bacteria, but maybe it would help to swish around the Listerine a few times a day after and in between?
well.some people build up more plaque than others,and the best thing you can do ,is take a few more minutes over brushing your teeth ,gargle with listerine mouthwash like previous poster said.
also you can buy intermidiate brushes ,you can put between the teeth to get bits of food and plaque,is sitting inbetween teeth and gums,.far better than flossing
Unfortunately I have a very limited selection of dentists, but I will talk it over with mine.
Another thing I wanted to mention. Both my parents have awful teeth as well, so I suspect it's genetic. However, my brother has perfect teeth without half the effort that I put into mine, but he was always lucky like that.
Last edited by SarahofBorg; 11-28-2007 at 05:34 PM.
My teeth are just rotting away for no reason! I've had more fillings than I have teeth! It seems like I've only had this problem as long as I've been an adult, but never before.
I have this problem and it is very embarassing for me! People look at me like I don't brush my teeth but I'm extremely meticulous- more so than any (non dentist) person I know. I drink a lot of milk and never drink cola, tea or coffee. I'm also on a very low sugar diet for other health issues. But, just in the past few months, I have five new cavities in my front teeth even though it's only been three months since I had extensive deep cleanings and I brush religiously. In fact, I use my $100 fancy toothbrush MORE than the recommended two minutes because I enjoy the massaging feeling on my gums.
Anyway, I've seen multiple dentists about this issue and they've all agreed it is fluorosis. Teeth only need an incredibly minute amount of fluoride to protect them, anything more begins to destroy the enamel and discolor the teeth, especially in sensitive people like me. The damage is actually done before the teeth erupt. My teeth came chalky white and brittle with brown stains and barely any enamel when I was 6-7 years old! My dentist and hygienist explained to me that my mom or a doctor may have given me an overdose of fluoride drops as a baby and it affected my permanent teeth that were developing under the gums. Sadly, my estimates for a more attractive mouth range between $20-35,000 because most of my teeth have been filled so many times that I need crowns instead. By the time I was 19, I had a filling in nearly every tooth =( How depressing! I don't even qualify for bonding or veneers because there isn't enough enamel to hold it.
I combat it with the electric toothbrush my dentist recommended after every meal, daily flossing and biotene mouthwash. I also avoid any snacks between meals.
