# Have you gone years without seeing the dentist and returned to find no issues? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 24, 2012, 7:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-gone-years-without-seeing-the-dentist-and-returned-to-find-no-issues/619788 "2012-04-24T07:29:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Quintas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/48db29/32.png) [@Quintas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quintas)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2012, 7:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-gone-years-without-seeing-the-dentist-and-returned-to-find-no-issues/619788/1 "2012-04-24T07:29:27Z")
There was another thread where a poster had gone 3 years and was concerned about periodontal disease and bone disease. I had my last visit at age 18 (no cavities) then spent my 20’s sometimes being insured, sometimes not. But I didn’t go to the dentist even when I was. I was _fairly_ good about caring for my teeth during that time. Brushed at least twice a day. Tried to floss at least once but sometimes skipped. Ate healthy, although I had a smoking habit when out drinking. Finally returned to dentist at age 34 expecting the worst. and nothing. No cavities. No gum issues. There was some plaque build up requiring an annoying scraping session. That was 4 years ago. I’ve been back every 6 months since then and no issues. Still a filling free mouth. Am I just very lucky, or is this pretty normal in the age of fluoridated water? ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2012, 7:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-gone-years-without-seeing-the-dentist-and-returned-to-find-no-issues/619788/2 "2012-04-24T07:45:58Z")
I went a good ten years without a visit to the dentist, during which my own dental care was somewhat spotty - brushed daily, but not after every meal, didn’t floss. Finally felt like I should make sure everything was going okay in there and scheduled a cleaning. The dental technician did her thing, then went to get the dentist. The dentist comes in and, without saying a word, grabs one of those little mirror-on-a-stick things and starts poking around in my mouth in a quick, business like manner. After a couple of seconds, he throws the instrument down on the tray, spits out, “Well, your wisdom teeth are just fine,” and storms out of the room. I think my ten years of dental neglect, without so much as a cavity to show for it, offended him on some sort of fundamental, perhaps theological, level. That, or when he heard someone was coming in for their first cleaning in a decade, he started having visions of paid of Mercedes dancing in his head. ---
**Author:** ![SanVito](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sanvito/32/2805_2.png) [@SanVito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanVito)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2012, 8:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-gone-years-without-seeing-the-dentist-and-returned-to-find-no-issues/619788/3 "2012-04-24T08:24:24Z")
I think it depends on both your personal dental care and the strength of your teeth. I haven’t had so much as a filling since I was 15 (I’m 42), despite some long gaps between dental visits in the past. My ex can’t visit the dentist without needing some work, despite exceptionally good personal attention to her teeth and 6 monthly visits to the dentist her whole life. ---
**Author:** ![Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sleeps_With_Butterflies)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2012, 8:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-gone-years-without-seeing-the-dentist-and-returned-to-find-no-issues/619788/4 "2012-04-24T08:27:16Z")
I don’t think I’ve ever gone more than a year without a trip to the dentist for a cleaning, but I guess I don’t see why not going would impact you greatly. If you have good oral hygiene you’re most likely going to have decent oral health\*. If you have crap oral hygiene, you’re likely to have poor oral health no matter how many times you’ve gone to the dentist. Off topic: I _hate_ flossing. Hate. I pretty much stopped flossing completely once I got [one of these bad boys](http://www.amazon.com/Waterpik-WP-100W-Ultra-Water-Flosser/dp/B000GLRREU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1335255933&sr=8-1). Now my dentist/hygienist gives me rave reviews on my gum health. Sincerely, Sleeps (one cavity in my whole life - booya!) - - Some people have crap teeth from the start, so no I’m not saying EVERYONE. ---
**Author:** ![Eureka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/74df32/32.png) [@Eureka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eureka)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2012, 11:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-gone-years-without-seeing-the-dentist-and-returned-to-find-no-issues/619788/5 "2012-04-24T11:07:30Z")
I went to the dentist only once or twice between the ages of 21 and 35. When I returned, I got nagged about the potential for gum disease, but had no cavities. Eighteen months later, I had two cavities filled–one was actually a childhood filling being replaced, the other a new cavity in a far back tooth. A year after that, I had a brand new itty bitty cavity filled in a baby tooth near the front of my mouth (yes, I’m weird.) And come this fall, I fear I’ll need the other filling from childhood replaced. So I was away from the dentist for a while without lasting consequences, but had the timing been different, I might well have needed several new fillings. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2012, 11:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-gone-years-without-seeing-the-dentist-and-returned-to-find-no-issues/619788/6 "2012-04-24T11:28:37Z")
Well, I went for twelve years without seeing a dentist, and when I finally went, I needed ten fillings and two root canals. So, no. (And yes, I keep care of my teeth. I just have crappy genes). ---
**Author:** ![Pai325](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Pai325](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pai325)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2012, 12:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-gone-years-without-seeing-the-dentist-and-returned-to-find-no-issues/619788/7 "2012-04-24T12:36:54Z")
I am always overjoyed when I go for my six-month cleaning and no issues are found. If I ever ignored the dentist for years I’d just order the dentures and be done with it. ---
**Author:** ![Sattua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sattua/32/11906_2.png) [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2012, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-gone-years-without-seeing-the-dentist-and-returned-to-find-no-issues/619788/8 "2012-04-24T12:44:29Z")
I’ve averaged once every two years since I left home for college. No issues ever. I am 31 now (and need to schedule a cleaning). My husband is the same. He regularly goes five years between cleanings and has no issues. He doesn’t even get much plaque. ---
**Author:** ![CatherineZeta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e95f7d/32.png) [@CatherineZeta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CatherineZeta)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2012, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-gone-years-without-seeing-the-dentist-and-returned-to-find-no-issues/619788/9 "2012-04-24T12:47:44Z")
I had extensive orthodontic work (nothing was really wrong, I just had a crazy orthodontist) done between the ages of 10-16, then my parents stopped taking me to the dentist. I was super paranoid about oral hygiene though thanks to Mr. Crazy Orthodontist so brushed and flossed obsessively. Sometime during my first year of college I was concerned about pain in a back molar, but they checked me out, said I was fine and put sealants on my back teeth to ease my concerns. That was very expensive despite the fact that I was able to use my dad’s dental insurance (my parents had me pay for it) so I did not return to the dentist until last March (approximately 4 years later). Groupon and Living Social seem to run lots of deals for dental offices, maybe because so many don’t have insurance. So I bought a Groupon for a $60 cleaning, they said my teeth were fantastic and still no cavities. Since my teeth are fine I’ll probably just buy a Groupon once a year. The only thing that sucks about that is I really liked the dentist I went to a month ago- maybe I’ll talk to them about payment plans. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2012, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-gone-years-without-seeing-the-dentist-and-returned-to-find-no-issues/619788/10 "2012-04-24T13:10:30Z")
I did. No cavities (including the one my previous dentist insisted I had). Some gum loss, but no more than the last time, years before. Needed a lot of cleaning, though. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2012, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-gone-years-without-seeing-the-dentist-and-returned-to-find-no-issues/619788/11 "2012-04-24T13:16:19Z")
I went 20 years. Lied, and told the dentist it was 5. No problem. I’ve only had 3 cavities in my life, all as a teenager. Went for about 10 years regularly, and now I’m lapsed about 10 years. Will probably go this year some time. ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2012, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-gone-years-without-seeing-the-dentist-and-returned-to-find-no-issues/619788/12 "2012-04-24T13:17:31Z")
I think the longest time I went between dentist appointments was about 10 years. I needed some scaling, but that was it. The dentist asked if I was _sure_ it was 10 years. Yup, it was. I should note that at one point around the halfway mark, I chipped a chunk of plaque off of my lower incisors. In retrospect, I probably wouldn’t try self-dentistry again… ---
**Author:** ![shiftless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9c0ed/32.png) [@shiftless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shiftless)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2012, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-gone-years-without-seeing-the-dentist-and-returned-to-find-no-issues/619788/13 "2012-04-24T13:56:54Z")
I missed about 10 years of dentist visits and when I finally went I had zero issues. Went back 6 months later and had a cavity. I’m not saying the dentist creates cavities with that little poker he uses but it is mighty curious. I never poke my teeth with shape metal objects but he does. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2012, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-gone-years-without-seeing-the-dentist-and-returned-to-find-no-issues/619788/14 "2012-04-24T14:08:53Z")
it is possible for a person to have hard teeth and not have a mouth environment that allows many bacteria that cause decay or disease. that is rare. ---
**Author:** ![Jennyrosity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/2bfe46/32.png) [@Jennyrosity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jennyrosity)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2012, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-gone-years-without-seeing-the-dentist-and-returned-to-find-no-issues/619788/15 "2012-04-24T14:09:51Z")
I’m going tomorrow for the first time in 14 years, so I’ll let you know. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2012, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-gone-years-without-seeing-the-dentist-and-returned-to-find-no-issues/619788/16 "2012-04-24T14:22:15Z")
> [@Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](#): > > - > - Some people have crap teeth from the start, so no I’m not saying EVERYONE. This is the unfortunate truth. Though most of my dental problems trace back to physical damage, I haven’t had a cavity in a long time. Dental hygiene does a pretty good job of preventing that. Flossing is really rough on my gums, but they make a thing called a floss pick. It allows much better control and I don’t end up cutting my gums. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2012, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-gone-years-without-seeing-the-dentist-and-returned-to-find-no-issues/619788/17 "2012-04-24T15:03:14Z")
I went to the dentist regularly from childhood through at least most of my twenties. My teeth were probably about average; I got my share of cavities filled, and once a crown or two. Then, for various reasons, I went for about ten years without seeing a dentist. In the latter part of that time, I had a filling come out, and I thought, “I ought to have that taken care of,” but, as I didn’t have a regular dentist to go to at that time, and didn’t have dental insurance but heard rumors that it might soon be offered through work, I put it off. A while later, the tooth that the filling had come out of, broke. So now I had a broken molar. It didn’t hurt or bother me, really, except for having a tendency to get food stuck in it, so I was careful to keep it clean, but I was scared about what I dentist might say, or might be able or not be able to do. Plus I still didn’t have a dentist to go to, and I’d heard enough horror stories that I was afraid of putting my mouth in the hands of the wrong one. Eventually, I did find a dentist, and the broken tooth turned out to be fixable with nothing more dramatic than a substantial filling, and the dentist didn’t find any other problems (cavities, gum disease, etc.), and hasn’t since, so was relieved and happy. ---
**Author:** ![UncleRojelio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unclerojelio/32/3160_2.png) [@UncleRojelio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleRojelio)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2012, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-gone-years-without-seeing-the-dentist-and-returned-to-find-no-issues/619788/18 "2012-04-24T15:07:52Z")
Yeah, I went through my 20’s and 30’s without going to the dentist. The only reason I finally went was because I broke a tooth. Once my implant was all healed I started going regularly. Still only one cavity from when I was a teenager. My dad is the same way. No cavities. ---
**Author:** ![Anne\_Neville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Anne\_Neville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anne_Neville)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2012, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-gone-years-without-seeing-the-dentist-and-returned-to-find-no-issues/619788/19 "2012-04-24T15:20:21Z")
Pretty much. I didn’t go to the dentist between 1999 and 2002, due to anxiety. I had quite a bit of tartar buildup, but no other issues. I was told that finding no issues after years of not going to the dentist gets less likely as you get older. ---
**Author:** ![freckafree](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/freckafree/32/3050_2.png) [@freckafree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/freckafree)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2012, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-gone-years-without-seeing-the-dentist-and-returned-to-find-no-issues/619788/20 "2012-04-24T15:32:39Z")
I had a dentist who thought my gums were bad enough that he wanted me to get the deep scraping. I was not a fan of this idea, so I never scheduled it. Then I changed jobs and didn’t have dental insurance. Then I moved. It was probably six years at least before I saw a dentist again. In the meantime, I got a really good electric toothbrush (not ultrasonic, though). When I finally got around to getting a new dentist, I got the all-clear at my first cleaning. No gum pockets of any size to be concerned about, no extraordinary deposits of tartar. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-gone-years-without-seeing-the-dentist-and-returned-to-find-no-issues/619788.md?page=2)