I don't WANT to lose my teeth!

[Guinastasia]

Well, it happened again. I was eating popcorn-POPCORN, of all things!-and all of a sudden, it felt like there was a huge kernel stuck in my upper right molars.

But it wasn't a kernel. It was a huge chunk of TOOTH. Just broke off, no provocation (I wasn't chewing hard kernels, but soft popcorn!). Of course, this tooth has already been crumbling, but dammit!

I'm 24 years old. I don't WANT to be toothless by the time I'm thirty. I don't want to be like those old photos of women back in the 1800s, with a sunken mouth and cheeks. I don't WANT to have to wear dentures and have smelly, blackened stumps in my mouth. (I don't...well, not YET!) I brush my teeth every fucking day! I take care of my teeth. But they keep falling apart! I already need a root canal-but I don't have six thousand dollars to plunk down, and I don't have and can't afford insurance at this time. (Though I'm actively job hunting and I do have a good lead). I need a bridge on the other side of my mouth, and now I'm probably going to need one on this side. I have enough silver in my mouth to open up a jewelry store!

I don't want my breath to go really foul and sour-I brush everyday! I chew sugarless gum when I can-except it hurts my teeth. (Mints-my dentist told me to avoid them because they can cause tooth decay-I've made up my mind to try and cut out sodas and sweets and things).

No offense to those who are toothless, who wear dentures, etc. But I feel so gross! I already chew like an old lady! But I'm NOT an old lady!

[AuntiePam]

A woman where I work -- her teeth just break off at the gum line. There's a name for the condition, and apparently it's genetic. There's nothing she can do about it, according to several dentists she's been to. She's in her late 40's. Everyone in her family has had "good" teeth, no cavities, but they just break.

There are worse things than being toothless.

[Amuse yourself while I try to think of one.]

Seriously, I just lost the last of my teeth this year. (I'm 58.)

I stewed and fretted and considered implants and then I just said screw it. I'm getting along fine, and it's nice to be able to chew ice cubes again, and not worry about eating something too sweet or too sour because it hurts. There are probably a lot of people you know who have full or partial dentures and you don't even realize it.

A lot of what you're feeling is guilt. You think you haven't taken care of your teeth, when what might be happening is something you really have no control over. Or not much, anyway.

Have you seen the Butterfinger commercial where the old couple shares the teeth? It's a hoot.

You won't look like that.

[Guinastasia]

Oh, I know I'm being vain and shallow and silly, but it just-I dunno.

My mother's had dentures since she was eighteen. Funny, when I was little, I wanted dentures-I thought it would be the coolest thing in the world to be able to take out your teeth. But it just...I dunno. I guess I saw too many people at Kmart who had really bad teeth and big obvious fake dentures.

[Elza B]

You're not being vain and shallow and silly at all. Teeth are those things we're *supposed* to have for a good, long while. They aren't supposed to fall out, especially not before we get our membership in the AARP.

I feel for you. I have bad teeth, no matter how much I take care of them - it runs in the family. My dentist has said that if they continue to deteriorate at this rate, I'll probably have dentures by forty. No fun. I jwill have dental insurance in three months through work- have never had it before except as a kid through my parents - so I plan on getting my teeth taken care of - I do NOT want to lose all of them. Of course, I'm phobic when it comes to the dentist, so someone will have to drive me and I'll cry the entire time (and that's after a sedative), but at least my teeth will become healthy.

I hope it works out. Definitely try to find a job that offers dental insurance - it will be extremely helpful.

Ava

[AuntiePam]

You're not being vain, shallow or silly. If I had it to do over, I'd try to save my teeth, no question.

Six thousand dollars? To do what? Fix everything? That might be worth taking out a loan for. But a second opinion wouldn't hurt either.

[Jonathan Chance]

Wow. Who quoted you 6 grand for root canal? I'm getting one done AND a major crown for about $1500.

And they have a payment plan.

But good luck to you. All my sympathy. It's a horrible feeling when a tooth breaks. I've been there.

[Elza B]

You're not being vain and shallow and silly at all. Teeth are those things we're *supposed* to have for a good, long while. They aren't supposed to fall out, especially not before we get our membership in the AARP.

I feel for you. I have bad teeth, no matter how much I take care of them - it runs in the family. My dentist has said that if they continue to deteriorate at this rate, I'll probably have dentures by forty. No fun. I jwill have dental insurance in three months through work- have never had it before except as a kid through my parents - so I plan on getting my teeth taken care of - I do NOT want to lose all of them. Of course, I'm phobic when it comes to the dentist, so someone will have to drive me and I'll cry the entire time (and that's after a sedative), but at least my teeth will become healthy.

I hope it works out. Definitely try to find a job that offers dental insurance - it will be extremely helpful.

Ava

[gwendee]

Another Mush Mouth chiming in.

My SO has had various major dental procedures done at a dental school. The cost is considerably lower. He's been worked on by a professor with the whole thing shown on video to the class, and by students (very close to graduating).

[Kat]

$6000 is definitely too much for one root canal. If that's what you were quoted, you need to switch dentists fast. I just had a root canal and it was about $1200 for the root canal and crown after insurance (and I'm sure my shitty insurance didn't cover more than a few hundred dollars).

[neuroman]

The idea of losing my teeth is horrifying. Guin, I hope you can turn it around. I'm trying to do that myself right now (gum disease.) Good luck.

[Guinastasia]

Maybe it was six hundred. Yeah, that was the co-pay-they'd reimburse me, but I had to have it up front. That was the insurance company, btw. My dentist doesn't do root canals-when I had the one done, I went to a specialist.

Dumbass me.



I haven't seen my dentist for a while-and I'd hate to have to switch dentists, because I really LIKE my dentist. He's really nice and I am so not dentalphobic at all.

[Muad'Dib]

I feel your pain. Sometimes literally if I rub my tounge in the right places.

[Diogenes the Cynic]

The only advice I'd have is definitely cut out soda pop. I never even realized how bad that stuff was for my teeth until I stopped drinking mountain Dew all day long. After a week my whole mouth and teeth felt like ten times cleaner. It makes a difference.

[jayjay]

I feel your pain as well. I just had a back tooth crack on me today. Until the edge wears down, I'm going to be cutting my tongue for a while.

At this point, if I had the money or the insurance, I'd just get them all pulled and get a set of full plates (I'm only 32). It's easier and, I can't help feeling, cheaper than having a mouth full of orthodonty performed. I suspect it's genetic in my case as well, as both of my parents had full dentures by the time they were 35. I'm already more than a little insecure about my smile.

One thing I don't want to do is end up losing them all and still not being able to afford replacements. I know someone who's had his teeth out for several years and still hasn't gotten plates. Every time I see him, I can't help but think, "Boy's got to buy himself some teeth!"

[Darth Nader]

Yet another unlucky one chiming in. Thirteen crowns, two root-canals, and two extractions so far. Next time I see the dentist, I'm due for two more crowns, and she's probably gong to extract another one while she's at it. And I really need to go-- my upper left insisor keeps falling off.

My teeth started to crumble when I hit 25 years old. I'm 32 now, and I expect to have a full set of hardware in my mouth by the time I'm 40.

[ataraxy22]

My dentist just accuses me of having bruxism. But it isn't so *clenches teeth*. He says they'll be worn away to nothing.

My one late uncle had bad, buck teeth, and so one day, many years ago, he had them all pulled and got dentures. Seems like a good plan.

[mouthbreather]

Guin, once you land a job, look into a medical pre-tax spending account -- It's a huge help if you need a lot of work I didn't have any insurance ffrom my late teens to early 20s, so consequently I did not go to the dentist for 6 years.

The first time after that hiatus that I went was four years ago. I got Xrays, and They handed me a sheet of paper with everything that had to be done. $9400. I had so much to get done it seemed like I would never have the time or the money to get it all completed.

I've been going steadily for the past four years now, and all I have left to be done is one crown on my lower side and a couple fillings. It's a very good feeling to know that I am almost done.

I gotta go brush now.

[alice_in_wonderland]

This is scary news.

I've been very lucky in that I have pretty happy teeth, however I have a cousin and an aunt that aren't so lucky.

FWIW, the both have the "New" natural style of dentures, and they look very nice and natural. I realize that you don't want this, and I don't blame you - but at least if you have to get it these days you have some options.

Here's hoping the tooth-fairie can sweep in and give you a helping hand.

[even sven]

Goodness, Guin, I feel for ya.

I walked around for two years with horrible toothaches. Then one day I was eating a peanut butter and jelly sandwhich and I bit something hard. It ended up that it was a good chunk of a molar. I went and got some emergency work done on it, and got a temporary filling. That fell out, and I walked around with a giant gaping hole in my tooth (that would get full of food every time I ate and have to be cleaned out) for another two years. Finally I realized I was on my last year of any sort of dental insurance, and got it all taken care of. Luckly my mom paid the two thousand dollars it ended up costing. I had to have two root canals (which wern't too bad because all the nerves died), half a million fillings, and got a nice new gold tooth.

So hang in there. They can fix up just about anything. You'll have money one day.......

[xcheopis]

One of my incisors broke in the middle of a P-chem exam this past semester. Hurt like hell and my tongue wouldn't leave the jagged shard of tooth alone. ("What's this? Ow! "What's this? Ow! What's this? Ow!")

I'm looking at $7000 in surgery this summer and then I'll have to have braces. The good news is that I'll be able to chew with my own teeth when I'm fifty. The bad news is that I'll be too broke to afford anything but peanut butter.

[ratty]

I'm sorry, Guin. If it makes you feel any better, it's a wonderful sign of the progress of modern medicine that we must now deal with out-living our teeth. I hope everything works out for you.

But having dentures isn't a big deal, even if you're young. I know tons of people who have them, one as young as 16. I have too small a mouth to hold all my adult teeth, and I've had so many problems with the remaining ones that it's to the point now where I just want to pull them all out.

BTW, why does it sometimes hurt if you eat something really sweet or sour? Or cold?

[Audrey Levins]

I'm so sorry, Guin! That really sucks the big one.

My dad's got similarly bad teeth; he's fanatical about oral hygeine but it doesn't help. He's just cursed. It isn't anything you did, rest assured; sometimes it's just the way you're made.

I wish I could say I feel your pain, but I've never had any kind of dental problems. Not even a cavity. *knock on wood* I got these teeth from my mom, who had her first cavity at age 42.

But we all have certain kinds of crummy luck...I've got a thread entitled "Miss 26" about my own....so don't think I'm being smug.

I wish you luck, insurance, and beautiful teeth.

[irishgirl]

I'm sorry Guin, that sounds horrible.

I've had 6 perfectly healthy teeth extracted (my jaws are really small) and only one filling so far (I'm 21).

My dentist does Ozone therapy, so even if I should get a cavity, it's unlikely to need to be filled (yeay). It's pretty new, but it saved my parents and sisters from fillings, the ozone makes the tooth enamel grow back and fill the cavity, He's used it on mouth ulcers and cold sores too, with good success at improving healing times.

And you joke about the British having bad teeth!
(Sorry, no offence intended, I couldn't resist)

[In Conceivable]

Go see your dentist. My dentist always worked out payment plans with me. If you really need the work done and you havea good relationship with the dentist he will most likely help you out.

If your dentist won't work out a payment plan then go to another one.

Your teeth are too important to just sit around and worry about. You need to do something.

Good luck on the job lead!

[bernse]

I brush my teeth every fucking day! I take care of my teeth.

Have you asked your dentist what you are doing wrong? IANAD, but something sure doesn't sound right!

I brush twice a day (I know, the old saying is 3) but since I started doing that as a teen I have yet to get a single cavity.

Do you floss?

[Bad News Baboon]

Guin,

I second the notion that you go and talk with a dentist about a payment plan.
IANAD, but sometimes by putting something off, you can make the problem much, much worse. You know, the typical "if you had come here a year ago, we could have saved them..." type of things.

I googled a bit and found that the Red Cross will help you out.
Seriously, don't wait any longer.

[Bad News Baboon]

Here is a group that you should contact:

http://www.philcodent.org/home/

(I seem to recall you are from Philadelphia).

[Judith Prietht]

This thread is like my worst nightmares come to life. I have an extremely low tolerance for anything involving teeth breaking, shattering, or crumbling. Even that lame scene from Dumb and Dumberer skeeves me out when they run into each other and a part of the one guy's tooth breaks off and sticks in the other guy's forehead. The curb scene in American History X? Forget it. Fight Club, where he spits his tooth into the sink? Gak.

As others have said, it's better to get these things taken care of right away, by a reputable dentist. I hope you find a way to take care of the payments soon, and wish you a quick recovery.

[Guinastasia]

Thanks for the advice. I do appreciate it.

I know dentures aren't the worst thing in the world-I'm sure advances have been made that they'd look completely natural. But I just keep seeing those big buck false teeth people would get out of the Sears catalogues back in the day.

My dad did mention to try rinsing with salt water, and I'm thinking of antiseptic mouth wash that kills germs.

It's more the concept of chewing that I have a problem with. It's just so frustrating. And once again-I know why I said 6,000 instead of 600. The total figure was about 1,000, but 600 had to be paid up front, which would later be reimbursed. I switched the figures. (Stupid me!)

[Zazie]

I have terrible teeth... I could have opened this thread myself.
I am only 27 years old, and all my teeth (well, thank God not the front ones) have one or more than one cavitie, I have cavities getting under fillings... it's an endless cycle. I can't remember the last time my mouth did not bother me or worse just plain hurt me.
I am lucky to have insurance and I go see the dentist very regularly, my husband jokes around that he is my lover The dentist wife jokes around that I should have Xmas dinner at their house!
My teeth break like you described and it is because of cavities (usually hard to see in my case as they always start between 2 teeth) eating the tooth inside out.
I now floss every day and also have prescribed fluoride get to put on (what a pain I tell you). Without prescription, I'd suggest you buy a fluoride rinse (cheap, any drug store) and use it every night.
In my case, my teeth don't "keep" fluoride so it has to have more than requested.
Good luck, it sucks, but hey we'll make it !

I am very lucky that my teeth actually "look" very good..Straight, thanks to a retainer, and in a good shape from just looking at them!!

[istara]

Guin - when you say mints cause tooth decay, do you mean like suckable mints - I mean is there anything particularly bad about mints per se, or just all sugary suckable things?

[Guinastasia]

Originally posted by Bad News Baboon
Here is a group that you should contact:

http://www.philcodent.org/home/

(I seem to recall you are from Philadelphia).

Nope, Pittsburgh, actually.

[Bad News Baboon]

eh, same difference.

You might try contacting them just the same.

[The Calculus of Logic]

You still going to get sealant for your molars?

I know i must sound like a broken record, but you should look into a dental discount plan if money is a problem. i think you can combine them with your regualr insurance.

heres the post-discount price list for pennsylvania.
http://unified.cidental.com/new_bene...1_schedule.pdf

loooook, you can get a whole denture set for $1100. i say go for it. No more pain, or long term care or your teeth falling out.

[El Cid Viscoso]

Hey Guin,

I dig it -- I'm terrified of losing my teeth. All vanity aside, it's just an awful thing to imagine.

My personal goal is to achieve enough riches to be able to have all my teeth preemptively pulled, then have titanium studs screwed into my jawbone while it's still young and healthy. Atop the studs will be molded enamel crowns in the shape of my natural teeth. I do a lot of electrical and high-tech wiring work, so two of the teeth could be left with a bare-metal edge to facilitate wire cutting and stripping.

[Helen's Eidolon]

Please excuse me as I go to spend some quality time on dental care.

*shudder*

[neutron star]

I inherited bad teeth from my mom. To make matters worse, I was a lazy bastard growing up, and I rarely brushed them. Also, I drank about a gallon of Coke a day. Combined, those three things are a dental death sentence.

When I was 10, my dentist told me that if I kept up my habits, I'd have dentures by the time I was 21. He was uncannily accurate. I ended up getting the last of my remaining teeth yanked, and a shiny new set of dentures just six months after my 21st birthday. The dentist tried to talk me into getting a full set of dental implants that are anchored to the jaw with titanium rods, but that procedure is somewhere on the order of $10,000 - just a tad out of my price range.

The dentist went on and on about how uncomfortable and inconvenient the dentures would be. He told me that I'd have trouble eating very hard foods because I simply couldn't exert enough pressure to bite through them. He even told me that people who live most of their lives with dentures tend to have more digestive problems and die younger because of poorly-chewed food.

Despite all his warnings, I'd have to say that I'm very happy with my dentures. For $1500, I got a set of dentures custom-molded to fit my mouth. I don't look like a circus freak or an old man. Nobody knows my teeth aren't real unless I tell them. The only things I can't eat are food products that are excessively sticky - saltwater taffy, bubble gum, and things of that nature. There are, however, many kinds of chewing gum that I can enjoy without sticking. I have no problems chewing things like tough steaks. I can bite right into hard candies.

One thing I always worried about was dropping and breaking my dentures in half. I'm a clumsy oaf, so I knew it would happen sooner or later. When it finally did happen, I freaked out. How was I going to eat? Where was I going to get the money to get them fixed? Could they be fixed? How long would I be without teeth?

Every one of my fears was quickly put to rest. My dentist sent me to a lab across town. I dropped off my broken dentures and came back a couple of hours later to find them good as new. Total cost? A mere $35!

In some ways, I like my dentures more than real teeth. Ever get little pieces of food stuck in your teeth and spend several minutes with a toothpick or your fingernail trying to dislodge them? Not me. I just yank them out and turn the kitchen sink sprayer on them.

I don't have to deal with brushing and flossing the "hard to reach places" the tootbrush commercials are always harping about. I just pull my teeth out and remove every last speck of dirt with my hard-bristled brush in mere seconds.

I even leave them in my mouth when I sleep. It's not uncomfortable at all. According to the dentist, though, I should sleep without them at least one night a week for some gum-health-related reason that I can't remember offhand.

I had originally planned to get the dental implants sometime down the road when I have money, but now I'm not so sure. The dentures have worked out so great for me that I can't think of any compelling reason to switch.

[Muffin]

If you can't arrange insurance or financing for a root canal and a crown, consider a root canal and a filling. If you are lucky, the filling might last long enough until you can swing a crown. I did this as a starving student with several teeth (my teeth break easily), and got lucky with the fillings lasting.

(Unfortunately, one of the root canals from several years back has abcessed on me, so I'm a bit miserable at the moment.)

[Guinastasia]

Ouch-Muffin that sucks.

I'm hoping to ask my dentist about sealing as soon as I can get in to see him. In the meantime, today I am now brushing after every sugary, sweet thing I eat. And rinsing after every meal, regardless. I have to say, it is nice to have a fresh, minty taste in my mouth. I've also been better about flossing-yes, I do tend to forget.

My dentist said that breath mints are often like candy-because you sit and suck on them, and if they have sugar, it coats your teeth-you're better off with sugarless gum. I wish they'd make unsweetened gum.


Yeah, like I said-when I was little, I wanted dentures-I thought it would be so freaking COOL to be able to take out my teeth. My grandfather had dentures and when I was small, he would push them out in the front to make me laugh.

[soulburnz]

Dentures really aren't that bad. I was devistated when I lost my front 4 teeth due to gum disease and having braces 2 times. (that's what the dental college said anyway) They also told me I wouldn't be able to chew and eat alot of things, but I can eat almost anything with them. Just use the back teeth instead.

Mine look like a retainer with teeth attached. This was supposed to be a temporary thing. They told me it would only last for 2 years. I have had them for almost 3. They even dyed them to match my other smokers teeth - so you can hardly tell they are fake. When I tell people they are very surprised. I have to sleep with them in or the teeth around them move too much. I went to the local university college of dentistry - it was signifcantly less than regular dentists.

I know it sucks right now thinking about it... but they can do alot of good things now that aren't too bad. Good luck...

[Yllaria]

<<I wish they'd make unsweetened gum. >>

Well, if you chew it long enough, it's unsweetened.

Good luck with the dental work. The first crown in always the hardest, mentally.

Ask your dentist if you may have bruxism. If you do a fixture might help, although they go for $250+. Dentists can tell by looking at the shape of your teeth whether you grind them or not.

Hang in.

[terd_ferguson]

I too feel your pain. I just bit a fork 45 minutes and the fork won. Just makes me SOO ANGRY. BRIAN SMASH.

[keturah]

Guin,
I know you are in a town with plenty of dental schools...Often they run clinical trials where you can get your teeth looked at and fixed and if you meet the criteria you can even get paid to participate. If you don't fit a particular studies criteria you can get discount rates for students to work on your mouth (many schools will set up a payment plan). You have options if you choose to persue them. You have to take control and do what you can to take care of your teeth. This is clearly something that upsets you, so rather than just fret--take action.