STYLETHREAD -- LET'S TALK SHOP!

Luv2Shop · Kate Spade

I have 5 cavities!!!!!!

ILoveChoo · Hermes

eat lots of veggies and calcium. cavities can actually heal themselves! I am terrified of dentists so always wait forever to get them filled (this was when I was younger) and half the time if I had switched up my diet a bit, they'd be all set to go and I wouldn't have the cavity anymore!

oh, and don't too hard- you can actually wear down the enamal on your tooth and make them more succeptable to cavities that way. Brush gently! The dentist used to yell at my mom all the time for brushing too vigorously.

-- Edited by ILoveChoo at 09:52, 2006-02-02

Luv2Shop · Kate Spade

Wow!!! I had no idea!! Thanks for the advice!! I do drink a lot of milk, but I need to eat more veggies. Thank you!!

Mandy · Kate Spade

luv2shop, i feel your pain. i haven't been to the dentist in a long time and im scared to go for that reason. im afraid i'll have lots of cavities. im definitely going to increase my consumption of veggies and milk!!

Elle · Hermes

Don't have any advice on the cavaties , but do on the wisdom teeth!

I still have mine too - I only have 3 to begin with, and only the bottom 2 have partially emerged. They don't hurt, and I make sure to brush them and rinse w/a flouride rinse once a day. If they aren't hurting you/rotting or causing other teeth to shift, there is no reason to have them removed other than to make the dentist money. Some people have to have them removed because they start to rot, but my dentist says that's because stuff gets trapped under the gums around them and people aren't thorough enough when they clean them. So pretty preventable!

Could they give you some laughing gas before they do the novocaine?

member · Hermes

First of all, it doesn't sound right to me that he told you he has to fill all 5 cavaties at once. I'm assuming they aren't all on one side of your mouth? He should do one side of your mouth one day and have you come back to finish. Otherwise, you won't be able to eat that night or anything. Definitely talk to him about that.

I would definitely get a second opinion on your wisdom teeth. If one told you they could stay in and one told you they had to come out, you should go get a 3rd opinion. It'd be a shame to leave them in and then one day have major problems with them rotting or shifting your teeth. You shouldn't cause yourself more problems. I'd go to an oral surgeon that specializes in wisdom teeth removal and get their opinion. Or maybe even a different dentist.

You only get one set of teeth - so I am a strong believer that you need to take care of them! And girl, go to the dentist more often!!

BTW - eating better and brushing and flossing and all that will help, but my dentist told that cavaties are genetic.

Cortney1982 · Chanel

Yikes! You brush your teeth right? Just kidding! Maybe you should switch toothpaste and the kind of toothbrush you are using. I use a Sonicare toothbrush and could definintly tell the difference the first time I used it. Cleans much better. And I have been using Mentadent toothpaste for 10 years now, it works pretty good. Also I have my Carnation Instant Breakfast every morning, so I get my calcium and other vitamins.

shopgirl82 · Chanel

my dad's a dentist but i have to admit, sometimes i go to bed without brushing me teeth (i usually brush them in the morning, and afternoon, so sometimes if i forget, i feel like it's ok, because i've already brushed them twice.)

three things, 1) it's ok if you forget to brush your teeth, but the only way that you can get away with that is to go to the dentist AT LEAST once a year (it's best to go every 6 months). 2) before the invention of bottled water, we were all getting fluoride through tap water, well, now that no one drinks tap water, we need to get it through toothpaste. 3) i keep a little box with facial cleansers, toner, moisturizer, altoids, and hand lotion by my bed. in the container is also floss. not the string kind that hurts your fingers, but those little plastic things with the string already on it. flossing is sooo important, so maybe keep them by your bed (i used to never floss, even though my dad always told me it was just as important) now it's a habit.

don't be scared of the dentist, because if you go regularly, it's not going to be as bad (aka, you're not going to need to get 5 cavities filled everytime you go). most cleanings take about 15-20 minutes.

Luv2Shop · Kate Spade

Thanks for all the advice! I do brush my teeth once a day, if I didn't It would be gross! But I only floss like once a week. I am going to start brushing twice a day and flossing every other day. I'm just scared about cavity day. He did say he could do all 5 in one sitting. I guess I should just get it over with rather then spreading them out. I am going to ask for laughing gas and just tell them I need it cause I am really nervous. (which I will be) but those novacaine shots hurt!!!!

HeatherLynn · Gucci

Luv2Shop wrote:

Thanks for all the advice! I do brush my teeth once a day, if I didn't It would be gross! But I only floss like once a week. I am going to start brushing twice a day and flossing every other day. I'm just scared about cavity day. He did say he could do all 5 in one sitting. I guess I should just get it over with rather then spreading them out. I am going to ask for laughing gas and just tell them I need it cause I am really nervous. (which I will be) but those novacaine shots hurt!!!!

I would definitely start brushing two times a day and flossing every night. Food builds up between your teeth when you eat and just sits there. The brush can't reach it all of the time and unless you get it out by flossing you could end up with a cavity.

I'm not so sure about the wisdom teeth thing. I had mine out when I had braces and I definitely needed to because my mouth was too small. If it seems like your teeth are shifting you may need them out. You might try to find another dentist and get a 2nd opinion on everything (wisdom and cavities).

needsfashionadvice · Kate Spade

I went to the dentist last week and I also had 5 cavities! I was so embarassed but it had been about 4 years since I had been to the dentist. I have to go back 3 more times to get them all filled. I also need my wisdom teeth pulled :( That's gonna have to wait though.

Wierd thing is, I brush twice a day (sometimes 3 times) and floss every night so I don't know how I got so many cavities!

member · Hermes

needsfashionadvice wrote:

Wierd thing is, I brush twice a day (sometimes 3 times) and floss every night so I don't know how I got so many cavities!

A lot of it is genetic

Shello · Kenneth Cole

When I got my braces off, I had 7 cavities because of all the places I couldn't reach with a toothbrush anymore. They were all really small, but because of college I had to get them all filled at the same time. Not very fun, but if they're small, it's really not that bad. I barely felt anything. Hope you're in the same boat!

Oh, and I've also been told different things about my wisdom teeth, but I'm going to ignore them unless they start causing me pain.

wicked · Coach

Luv2Shop wrote:

I am going to ask for laughing gas and just tell them I need it cause I am really nervous. (which I will be) but those novacaine shots hurt!!!!

I don't know the pros or cons of laughing gas (I had it once when I was a kid and don't remember it's effect), but fwiw my dentist gives me a local anesthetic before the novacaine. (Wait, is novacaine also a local anesthetic? Well, he rubs something on my gum before the novacaine shot.)

KaffeeKlatsch · Marc Jacobs

Awwww...I totally feel you on this.

Thanks to some bad behaviours when our birth mom was pregnant with us, my half-sis and I both were born with fissures in all of our teeth, baby and adult...which means cavities are pretty much impossible to prevent. As it stands now, I have about three teeth which really need root canals and one that just needs to be pulled...but unemployed with no insurance means no dental help for me right now.

small fry · Chanel

I feel your pain on going to the dentist. I went about 2 and half years ago and had my wisdom teeth pulled out before my braces got put on. I went to a person who put me under and pulled them out. It was kinda costly but I had insurance and it covered some of it. Iam like you I dont like pain and hate shots. Oh and I learned the hard way after many many years of not brushing and flossing I had to have some tooth scaling because I had so much it caused some gum disease.Of course my densist gave me a pill that helped relax me and put some kind of numbing gel while they did all that yucky work. The good part is I have healthy gums and my teeth are clean.

Boo- hiss to yellow teeth still

but as soon as these braces come off Iam going to get them whiten

-- Edited by kaykay at 10:12, 2006-02-03

bex · Chanel

i love going to the dentist... i go the 2 times per year as recommended. in fact, i am leaving in a few minutes to go to mine. <--- see my big pretty smile!! i couldn't resist!

i swear by my sonicare. my dentist saw a vast improvement in my gums (i had some small issues with them) when i switched to the sonicare. i highly recommend it and my tjmaxx had some for $25! they were marked down from christmas.... you might want to check yours...

oh and i had my wisdom teeth extracted surgically and it ain't no big thing... if you decide to go for it, you'll be fine!!

-- Edited by bex at 10:54, 2006-02-03

Cortney1982 · Chanel

Well, your bound to have teeth problems if you only brush once a day! I brush twice sometimes three times a day. Usually in the morning since I brush my teeth before going anywhere, if I have had chocolate or candy and can feel the plaque, and of course before I go to bed no matter how tired I am. I will admit I hardly floss. When I do, there really isn't anything there. If any of you are still usuing a manual toothbrush, switch over to a good rechargable one.

About 10 years back, my sister never brushed her teeth for like three months straight. I told her how disgusting it was. Her excuse was that by not brushing them they had built a resistance to needing brushing!!!! Well she brushes daily now, but is suffering the consequnces of her stupidity: root canals!

relrel · Marc Jacobs

just wanted to add for all the non-flossers out there...if you don't like the string and your gums tend to bleed with it you all should try ribbon floss. it's a little plascity ribbon instead of a string. you can get it in the same place as any other floss, and there is some made by colgate, crest, toms of maine, whoever you like. the ribbon is good.

and dude, don't even get me started on flouride in the water. unless you live in a larger city, chances are you DON'T have flouridated water. which, imo, is a good thing. a very very good thing.