|
Is there a recommended floss? Before Glide was acquired, 15 years ago it worked amazingly well for me. It would never tear, which I believe was one of the selling points. Since the acquisition by Oral-B, it's been poo poo. I can rarely go through a floss without it breaking off. Stupidly I keep buying it from Costco telling myself, "I just got a bad batch" and every time, it rips in half.
|
#
?
Jan 29, 2018 15:55
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 4, 2024 20:46 |
|
|
Cheesus posted:Is there a recommended floss? Man, how hard do you floss??? I think if you're constantly breaking it you uh, might need to change your technique.
|
|
#
?
Jan 29, 2018 16:33
|
|
|
Nope that happens to me all the time too. That stuff is just really fragile
|
|
#
?
Jan 29, 2018 17:55
|
|
|
Could be that your teeth are just really tightly packed together. I had some fillings done some time ago and those teeth started tearing my floss every time. Went back in and the dentist said the hygienests hadn't left enough space between the teeth. He was impressed because usually his hygienests put them in too far apart. He just wedged this this little metal file in between and drug it back and forth and shaved the fillings down until he could fit some floss in there without issue, haven't had any problems since.
|
|
#
?
Jan 29, 2018 18:06
|
|
|
Nah the generic stuff that I buy at CVS works fine. It's just that ribbon-ish Glide floss that snaps all the time.
|
|
#
?
Jan 29, 2018 18:08
|
|
|
I like those toothbrushes with rubbery bristles on the side. They feel nice. Do they do anything besides that?
|
|
#
?
Jan 31, 2018 13:33
|
|
|
If things are sometimes this hard for people with dental issues in 2018, I can't begin to fathom what dentail hygiene must have looked like in 1918. How janky were the mouths and teeths of the average adult a hundred years ago? Was everyone walking around with cavities and stank breath? Dennis McClaren fucked around with this message at 14:50 on Feb 1, 2018 |
|
#
?
Feb 1, 2018 14:34
|
|
|
Dennis McClaren posted:If things are sometimes this hard for people with dental issues in 2018, I can't begin to fathom what dentail hygiene must have looked like in 1918. I think having less sugar in their diets probably helped. Also, interesting nugget: https://bizarrevictoria.livejournal.com/95923.html quote:On the show, Stephen Fry asked the panel if they knew why, in the Victorian era, Glaswegian women lost all their teeth on their wedding night. This, of course, set everyone up to have filthy minds or make jokes about drunken domestic violence, but the real reason was actually very practical.
|
|
#
?
Feb 1, 2018 18:11
|
|
|
Jiminy Christmas! Shoes! posted:I think having less sugar in their diets probably helped. that tooth pulling sounds painful in the victorian age...
|
|
#
?
Feb 1, 2018 20:39
|
|
|
Here's a question about water picks: mine has a "pik pocket" which allows me to put the pick into pockets on my gums and clean it out. The instructions speak specifically about using some kind of special fluid that I'd get from a dentist. Are these available OTC? Would distilled water suffice?
|
|
#
?
Feb 1, 2018 21:40
|
|
|
The Changeling posted:Here's a question about water picks: mine has a "pik pocket" which allows me to put the pick into pockets on my gums and clean it out. If they are clean and not infected, water is fine. Otherwise, if they are infected, your dentist might prescribe an antibiotic rinse or tiny little pellets that he'd put down there to sort out any problems.
|
|
#
?
Feb 3, 2018 23:17
|
|
|
I’m probably one of those dental horrors you hear about. A combo of braces having a negative impact on my roots (my dentist called me an orthodontic failure, nice), severe depression for many years where I didn’t take care of myself and a crippling fear of the dentist I lost 2 of my bottom teeth 2 years ago and have to wear a plate. I can’t afford implants, the plates super uncomfortable and despite really picking up on my oral hygiene I am constantly at risk of gum loss on my lower teeth. Look after your goddamn teeth, it’s really not worth it. Also this thread is interesting! I’ve gone from avoiding thinking about my teeth as much as possible to being pretty paranoid about keeping them clean. I struggle with flossing properly though and will definitely give the water picks a try.
|
|
#
?
Feb 4, 2018 16:19
|
|
|
Octolady posted:I’m probably one of those dental horrors you hear about. A combo of braces having a negative impact on my roots (my dentist called me an orthodontic failure, nice), severe depression for many years where I didn’t take care of myself and a crippling fear of the dentist I lost 2 of my bottom teeth 2 years ago and have to wear a plate. I can’t afford implants, the plates super uncomfortable and despite really picking up on my oral hygiene I am constantly at risk of gum loss on my lower teeth. Look after your goddamn teeth, it’s really not worth it. Wtf is a plate? And I had a gum infection after a recent deep clean, and had to use the antibiotic rinse. Worked like a charm.
|
|
#
?
Feb 5, 2018 04:59
|
|
|
A partial denture I guess? The dentist always called it a plate 
|
|
#
?
Feb 5, 2018 10:26
|
|
|
Jiminy Christmas! Shoes! posted:I think having less sugar in their diets probably helped.  US where people think fluoride is a gubmint mind control conspiracy they actually have to remove fluoride from the water because the concentrations are so high.Undoubtedly there are a few locals who go "I don't need no fluoride in mah water, I've never had a cavity!  "
|
|
#
?
Feb 6, 2018 20:45
|
|
|
So I love my little Y picks but now thanks to this thread I'm paranoid about transferring bacteria from tooth to tooth but I'm also way too frugal to throw them out constantly. Could I have a lil dish of alcohol (eg vodka or everclear or something high alcohol %) that I dip it in after each tooth? Would that achieve anything? I hate normal floss. My Y picks are much more fun. Also, I have a little metal pick in my toolkit, can I safely have a go at picking off what I think is hardened plaques myself? Or is this better left until my next dental visit. Also, I've never used an electric toothbrush. Do they have clear advantages over normal ones, and if I want to be really hardcore about my dental hygiene, should I get one?
|
|
#
?
Feb 8, 2018 11:55
|
|
|
I'm not an expert but I would not suggest risking stabbing your gums repeatedly and let a professional handle that periodically.
|
|
#
?
Feb 8, 2018 15:07
|
|
|
Chadzok posted:I hate normal floss. My Y picks are much more fun. Buy a floss holder. They're extremely cheap and solve all your issues here.
|
|
#
?
Feb 16, 2018 00:41
|
|
|
Thanks for this thread, Skeleton King and your answers and info. My question: I brush in the AM and PM (before bed) and sometimes in the middle of the day. I don't smoke Avoid candy Never drink soda pop. I sometimes floss I sometimes use Listerine No pain, no discomfort No cavities in decades However....... I have not had my teeth cleaned at a dentist in about 15 years. Is this a potential problem? And, how often should someone get their teeth cleaned at the dentist in your opinion? Thanks.
|
|
#
?
Feb 27, 2018 14:21
|
|
|
Not the op but my dentists have always said twice a year is ideal and that's what I do.
|
|
#
?
Feb 27, 2018 14:46
|
|
|
If a dentist hasn't seen your teeth in 15 years, that doesn't mean "no cavities in decades," all you know is that your teeth haven't fallen out of your head yet.
|
|
#
?
Feb 27, 2018 16:11
|
|
i like nice words
|
Bakalakadaka posted:Not the op but my dentists have always said twice a year is ideal and that's what I do. And perhaps that's b/c they want more business = $$$. I recall that teeth cleaning used to be done once per year, according to dentists, and the always wanted the x-rays which give a higher profit margin.
|
|
#
?
Feb 27, 2018 18:50
|
|
|
Anne Whateley posted:If a dentist hasn't seen your teeth in 15 years, that doesn't mean "no cavities in decades," all you know is that your teeth haven't fallen out of your head yet. If I had a cavity I'd know it. I'm not against going to the dentist, but what's the point if you take oral hygiene seriously? I just had a full physical at the doctor and all the results are good (thankfully). Am I missing out on anything by not having my teeth cleaned in the last 15 years? Not a rhetorical question but a serious one.
|
|
#
?
Feb 27, 2018 18:53
|
|
|
Positive Optimyst posted:If I had a cavity I'd know it.
|
|
#
?
Feb 27, 2018 18:54
|
|
|
Maybe you have super powers but most people find out they have a cavity in one of only two ways: from their dentist, or when it develops into an abscess which eats through your gums and provokes indescribably horrifying pain. Then comes a root canal, which also happens to be a high profit margin procedure for a dentist.
|
|
#
?
Feb 27, 2018 19:34
|
|
|
Positive Optimyst posted:If I had a cavity I'd know it. Why are you asking OP these questions if they're part of the system you have made it clear you don't believe in? What answer would even sway you? You can't remove plaque on your own at home. No brush is perfect so you absolutely have plaque just like everyone else. You can't diagnose oral problems at home, you're not a doctor, that's what the xray is for.
|
|
#
?
Feb 28, 2018 06:04
|
|
|
I've been waterpicked at the dentist, but reading this thread is the first I've heard about home ones. Makes sense though. Is there anything in particular you'd recommend?
|
|
#
?
Feb 28, 2018 11:53
|
|
|
Imagining the plaque build up rn. Gross. Go to the dentist.
|
|
#
?
Feb 28, 2018 22:53
|
|
|
For real though, dude who hasn’t been to the dentist in a decade and a half, do you have insurance? Even a copay is trivially inexpensive just to make sure something terrible isn’t happening underneath. Then you can return to the thread and own all of us for having no cavities in 15 years.
|
|
#
?
Mar 1, 2018 02:23
|
|
|
Positive Optimyst posted:If I had a cavity I'd know it. Hello fellow not-going-to-the-dentist dude! I recently sucked it up and went after about 11 years of not going for various reasons. I had a slight cold sensitivity in one area of my mouth so decided to go. My experience was great, dental medicine has come a fair way in the past decade. There are now a bunch of fancy xray things and water picks and whatevers. To make a long story short I had not too much wrong, 4 minor cavities requiring fillings and a bigger one that they said maybe needed a root canal so I just went ahead and did it. One thing that struck me about the dentist now vs then is how they communicated with me throughout the procedure, informing me of what we were doing in my mouth and where we were at in the procedure which was very nice and helped keep me calm and less bored. One thing my dentist said that you can't really deal with with just yourself is the scale that builds up on your teeth (even with decent brushing/flossing), for that they need to scrape and the longer it sits on your tooth the worse it gets. I didn't think I had any and my cleaning session took forever because there was so much. Good luck to you, I wish you well in your going/not going to the dentist.
|
|
#
?
Mar 1, 2018 20:09
|
|
|
Where can I go to get a floss holder? My local store didn't have any, could I get one from Walmart or do I have to go online?
|
|
#
?
Mar 2, 2018 00:21
|
|
|
What's the best way to clean my night guard? I brush it daily with hand soap but have noticed some white buildup that I can't seem to brush off.
|
|
#
?
Mar 3, 2018 16:04
|
|
|
Positive Optimyst posted:If I had a cavity I'd know it. Yeah having had numerous cavities in my younger years I thought so too. Then out of the blue my jaw caught fire and I had to spend three hours in the dentist's chair and over a thousand dollars getting a root canal in my molar. You can't see inside of your teeth or below the gum line. Go to the dentist ffs. Dental goons, since I have all these old fillings is there anything beside getting better about brushing/flossing I can do to help prevent other previously filled teeth from rotting?
|
|
#
?
Mar 4, 2018 15:55
|
|
|
Bumping my question since I think it was passed over:Rex-Goliath posted:Also are there any teeth whitening products or methods that don't destroy your enamel?
|
|
#
?
Mar 4, 2018 18:19
|
|
|
So, I had a cleaning done recently and have another appointment on the 19th to take care of a couple of fillings. In the last year and a half, I have been brushing twice a day about 80-90% of the time, and brushing my gums as well, but it seems like my gums are still quite sensitive and have some bad areas of disease. I'm going to try to floss more, at least my front teeth. I have a very small mouth, so that makes it quite difficult for me to floss properly. Is there anything else I can do to improve the state of my gums? Also, when I do back on the 19th, I have to make a decision about what to do with one of my molars, and I really don't know how to decide. I have an asymptomatic abscess. The molar in question had a root canal 13 years ago. My dentist said that it needs another root canal, which will make the tooth very weak, so it might not last long. When I had the initial root canal, I was put under. I've had some bad experience with dental work in the past, and so I've got a bit of a phobia about it. I am terrified of the prospect of being awake for a root canal if I can't afford to be put under. The other option is extraction. My dentist said this option will give me a very unbalanced bite, as I will then only have one molar on my lower left side, and the upper teeth will come further down. I was pretty much told that neither of these are good options, but my only other option is to do nothing and risk losing the other molar as well. Doing a bit of research, it looks like an implant would be a good solution if I can afford it, but it was never presented as an option to me, so I don't know if I would be able to get one. I'm just kind of stuck on what to do. I don't have a lot of money, but I do have insurance at the moment. Both of the options suck, and I don't know how to choose! :/
|
|
#
?
Mar 4, 2018 20:09
|
|
|
What is the raddest filling material? Is it still gold, or is there anything else cool? I brush/floss/rinse/dentist, but if I get a cavity somewhere visible, my next filling has to be blinged out.
|
|
#
?
Mar 5, 2018 05:01
|
|
|
Rockopolis posted:What is the raddest filling material? Is it still gold, or is there anything else cool? I brush/floss/rinse/dentist, but if I get a cavity somewhere visible, my next filling has to be blinged out. Not a filling, but my dentist milled an onlay for a rear molar where I kept breaking the filling. He scanned my tooth with a cool 3D scanning pin and then milled it in the office out of a chunk of ceramic while I waited. It was pretty awesome!
|
|
#
?
Mar 5, 2018 06:08
|
|
|
Nessa posted:I've had some bad experience with dental work in the past, and so I've got a bit of a phobia about it. I am terrified of the prospect of being awake for a root canal if I can't afford to be put under. If you want a budget option vs getting put under, get oral sedation. I don't go to the dentist without it anymore. After 2 benzos you will still be awake but I promise you will not give a single gently caress what happens. Fear will be unknown to you. And they cost almost nothing.
|
|
#
?
Mar 5, 2018 07:25
|
|
|
Nessa posted:So, I had a cleaning done recently and have another appointment on the 19th to take care of a couple of fillings. In the last year and a half, I have been brushing twice a day about 80-90% of the time, and brushing my gums as well, but it seems like my gums are still quite sensitive and have some bad areas of disease. I'm going to try to floss more, at least my front teeth. I have a very small mouth, so that makes it quite difficult for me to floss properly. Hi tiny mouth sensitive gums buddy!  An implant is the best option but they're very expensive. If it's between root canal and extraction I would go for the extraction--a second root canal isn't likely to last more than a few years before the tooth cracks/crumbles and has to be extracted anyway. Extractions aren't that bad as long as you can handle the novocain shots--once that novocain's injected you can't feel a drat thing and usually an extraction only takes a few minutes. The worst thing about a root canal when you have a small mouth is having to hold your jaw at 100% full wide open for an hour straight--my jaw ached for three weeks after. But an extraction's done in 10 minutes. The aftermath is just a matter of taking some pain meds for two days and regularly rinsing with salt water because DRY SOCKET SUCKS REALLY REALLY BAD. I've already lost two molars because I hate trying to get floss back there, it's almost impossible, and so I didn't do it. Get a waterpick. I know they seem expensive at ~$60 but they're very very worth it for us Tiny Mouth Club members. And the other thing when you have gum issues is that cleanings really suck, it's like, wait, I'm paying $50 so I can sit in a chair for an hour while someone cuts my gums into painful bloody ribbons? But yeah, we should have them done like twice a year minimum because as much as they suck, they help a lot. Toothaches from infected gum tissue suck much, much, much more. I Am Not A Dentist and of course you should ignore this and listen to the actual dentist if they disagree. Eric the Mauve fucked around with this message at 15:02 on Mar 5, 2018 |
|
#
?
Mar 5, 2018 14:59
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 4, 2024 20:46 |
|
|
Eric the Mauve posted:Hi tiny mouth sensitive gums buddy! My insurance only covers one cleaning per year. Fortunately, my hygienist this time was really gentle when I told her that my cleanings are usually more painful than getting fillings. She did most things by hand and didn't go too deep, and also used cherry flavoured stuff instead of mint, as I mentioned that mint can trigger my gag reflex. Whose idea was it that all dental stuff has to be mint flavoured? For a very brief period of time, I was able to buy a vanilla flavoured toothpaste. Regarding novacaine, part of my bad experience with dentistry is the fact that I need more shots than most people. When I was younger, my old dentist didn't believe me. (I think he thought I was just being a big baby when I was 8 years old.) He would give me a shot and start drilling, then stopped when I started screaming and gave me another shot. Overall, I end up getting 4 shots each time. When I went to my current dentist a year and a half ago, I told them I would need more shots and they were just like, "You have red hair, so that makes sense." They just believed me! And they gave me the four shots right off the bat and gave me some time between each one. I still cried when I got the first shot in my lower jaw though. That was incredibly painful and it felt like it lasted forever. Upper jaw wasn't so bad though. I'm just glad that my current dentist is accommodating of my fears and helps me feel a little more comfortable. I'll look into oral sedation..
|
|
#
?
Mar 5, 2018 18:16
|
|