<p>A couple of years ago my regular dentist noticed my gums were receding and my brushing technique was scraping away the enamel towards the base, so he had me brush less aggressively and sent me off to a specialist. In a rather painful procedure, he harvested pieces of skin from inside my lips and stitched them to my gums, but in a couple of months it was back to where it was. Since it wasn’t hurting, rather than tempt fate, I did nothing. </p>
<p>Fast forward to a couple of months ago - was getting a lot of teeth pain, and went to a different dentist who noted the same problem, but chose to fill the exposed areas that should have been below the gum line for some dozen teeth. A month ago a tooth began to hurt even more, and he sent me to another specialist who said the tooth had decayed and did a root canal. (Am I the only one who didn’t feel any real teeth pain during the procedure, but the X-Rays which were done a dozen times were terrible on the soft parts on the base and roof of the mouth?) </p>
<p>More interestingly he said the nerves are sometimes killed by the filling at the base of the tooth; now I notice several other teeth that had been filled in the front near the gumline beginning to act up, especially in contact with cold fluids. So do fillings sometimes actually cause the decay of teeth, and am I stuck getting a bunch of root canals? And where does this end?</p>
<p>I don’t know about your specific problems- but I have had experience with improved dental health after beginning supplements ( and getting a sonic care toothbrush).</p>
<p>One dentist said I needed a root canal among other things- but the estimate was more than we could pay then, so I delayed it. When I went to another dentist a few years later- my X-rays showed my teeth were in great shape!</p>
<p>As long as the tooth root isn’t completely dead- I think that better nutrition to the tooth can help improve dental health.</p>
<p>I haven’t had that level of problem yet either but I started using a Waterpik a few years ago and it really made a huge difference in my gums. Even the hygienist asked me what I was doing. This is the one I use:</p>
<p>Also, I was having a tremendous amount of sensitivity at the gum line on certain teeth and my dentist gave me ClinPro 5000. It’s a toothpaste that is suppose to help build enamel. It really has made a difference. When my teeth are feeling sensitive, I dab some on around the gum line.</p>
<p>Just switched dentists a few months ago after being told I need a wisdom tooth pulled as well as a root canal on a tooth that had a amalgam filling that was so deep , it resulted in a broken tooth…I had a lot of sensitivity and luckily we know not only a dentist that is a customer , but his brother makes crowns for all of the local dentists…long story short , we did a business trade, saved the WT, got the crown for 10% of what the dentists charge and LOVE the new dentist…he has a wonderful hygenist that recommended the sonic care toothbrush to us and it has done wonders for us.</p>
<p>My dentist told me that the silver fillings we all got when we were young are causing our teeth to now crack. He has been replacing mine that are showing weakness but before they crack to avoid having to have a crown done. </p>
<p>We’ve used Sonicare for about 20 years - the toothbrush does all of the work at cleaning your teeth. A regular toothbrush uses pressure and friction to remove food - with the Sonicare, the toothbrush does the work with light pressure.</p>
<p>Yes, I think that fillings can cause problems if they’re not done well or if there’s something that the dentist missed. My dentist explains what he does and he talks about issues that he runs into about tolerances and how much material is a safe amount to leave.</p>
<p>I also have some sensitivity after dental work but it’s due to teeth in the wrong place banging on other teeth.</p>
<p>I’ve had my metal fillings replaced over the years too. </p>
<p>For me the solution has been flossing. I floss every day and it makes the cleaning visits so fast and easy, and zero - absolute zero problems- with any of my teeth in the years i’ve been flossing (which has only been absolutely daily for the past 5 years or so). </p>
<p>Maybe it’s just good luck so far but my dentist and hygienist seem able to tell. And when I look at what my flossing accomplishes AFTER thoroughly brushing my teeth, there is no way I can trust brushing alone.</p>
<p>*Yes, that and the fact that you’re now in your fifties… and they were done when you were twelve. *</p>
<p>Mine are still good I had an excellent dentist in my childhood however- plus ya know how you either have great enamel & crooked teeth or gorgeous teeth that are full of fillings? I had 4 permanent teeth pulled when I was 10 to get ready for my major journey through the land of braces & headgear. :p</p>
<p>I’ve had three root canals because my molars cracked. The root canals were not painful since the tooth was not diseased and I guess I’m relieved that I don’t have to worry about 3 of my 4 molars anymore. Anyway…no flouride in the water as a kid, braces that the glued onto your teeth and never removed for 4 years in the late sixties and deep fillings that were never replaced in those molars that were done when I was maybe ten have all contributed. Ah the fifties.</p>
<p>No root canals or crowns yet. (knock on wood). However, I figured I prepaid on the pain plan. I’ve had the OP’s gum graft surgery 3 times; the first when I was ~31 years old. My grafts have held well and the only 2 remaining non-grafted areas are holding steady. (knock on wood again). </p>
<p>I also had 4 molars pulled for braces. It was a horrible decision on the part of the orthodontist from he11. No mother today would put up with his arrogant attitude and extreme meanness. I can only hope it gets every nerve of dental kharma he fully deserves :)</p>
<p>Another fifties kid here with old, old fillings that are going bad. I’ve had three of the old filled molars crowned. Or is it four? I have a wonderful (expensive) dentist now who does beautiful work. The good news is that the new crowns are perfect teeth. The only bad news is the expense.</p>
<p>Remember when dentistry was pure torture? Those huge old syringes with the reusable needles? The gigantic, deafening drills? The nightmare extractions? Ugh.</p>
<p>Somemom, I’m not a dentist but everything I’ve heard and read says flossing is one if the best ways to reduce gum disease. My mom developed serious gum disease (her smoking didn’t help), but anyways watching what she’s been through really prompted me to try to avoid that path!</p>
<p>starbright, two different dentists have also told me about the magic of flossing. I started flossing faithfully about 6 months ago, and my last checkup was a breeze – almost no scraping and, unlike the previous time, I didn’t have to have the deep cleaning where they go under the gum line. I’m a believer now. I’ve also started using a dental rinse instead of mouthwash. </p>
<p>About 15 years ago, my dentist at that time told me I probably wouldn’t have any more fillings; since all of my molars were basically thin enamel shells encasing large fillings, there wasn’t much left to fill. I now have 5 molars crowned, and I have to say, I wouldn’t mind more of them. They’re alot less trouble than real teeth.</p>
<p>I cannot live without having floss in every pocket of every piece of clothes and all my bags/purses/cars. My teeth are so bad, I have side fillings in most of them, food get stuck there, I have to floss after every bite of food, including fruits. However, my gums are in very good condition. Flossing that has been going on for decades did not affect the fact that my teeth are rotten, but they look OK, maybe because I am at the dentist office so often. Not by my choice, when teeth hurt, I got to see the dentist, pain does not go away. I have learnt to treat some other pains in my body, including vey bad instances of back pain that sometime lasts for several months. I know what to do, what helps. I cannot tolerate when teeth hurt, and I learned the earlier you go the better, better chance of saving tooth and less chance of another implant (they are about $4000 a piece now, at least it was the latest that I did. Thanks, I have 2 dental coverages and spread the last treatment over 2 years, making it 4 coverages, still had to pay about $1200 out of pocket). Actually, infections in your mouth are very dangerous, so my rule is to see the dentist right away. My dentist will come to the office even on a weekend or before he is flying to vacation to see me, I bet, I am one of his best cash cows.</p>
<p>Some dentists are, shall we say, “overly aggressive?” My old dentist retired, so I went to a new one. First appointment, he does a complete exam, and hands me an estimate for all the work he said I needed - $8,500. I didn’t have $8,500, and I didn’t understand how my teeth could have deteriorated so much in the six months since I’d last seen my old dentist. So I went to a third guy with the estimate from the second guy; he scratched off about three-quarters of the work as not needed and did the rest for about $1,600.</p>
<p>I switched dentists after many loyal years with my older one, as he was getting too old and ill to practice, and really let things go that needed attention. Took me several years to get everything taken care of, which included root canals, crowns, fillings, etc. I told the new dentist that I wanted a plaque with my name on it at the doorway of one of his exam chair rooms, as I had probably paid for it personally (with the help of some limited dental insurance). One of his hygenists is, IMO, too aggressive and wants me to come in for cleanings 3x/year. No thanks. Twice a year is plenty.</p>
<p>The periodontist feels strongly that my gum grafts were necessary due to two things: the orthodontist removing 4 molars and then doing poor orthodontia and over-agressive brushing on my part. I never had gum disease; just gum recession. </p>
<p>It is very demoralizing to have dentists complain and be nasty when one has brushed too hard–all those years we were growing up they said, “Brush more, brush more.” I don’t feel as if I’m brushing too hard. I tried Sonicare and hate that thing.</p>
<p>Not flossing isn’t the problem either. Due to the gum recession since my early 20’s, I too am never without floss or a proxy brush. I prefer the little proxy brushes. Every food gets stuck between my molars. It’s terribly annoying.</p>
I had an excellent dentist in my childhood however- plus ya know how you either have great enamel & crooked teeth or gorgeous teeth that are full of fillings? I had 4 permanent teeth pulled when I was 10 to get ready for my major journey through the land of braces & headgear. :p</p>