# I'm so goddamn tired of dental problems. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [March 10, 2014, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-so-goddamn-tired-of-dental-problems/683365 "2014-03-10T17:42:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2014, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-so-goddamn-tired-of-dental-problems/683365/1 "2014-03-10T17:42:29Z")
I just had a couple problems completed a month or so ago, and for a few weeks I could actually chew food without pain or worrying about losing a temporary crown. But of course that couldn’t last long. Late last week I’m eating lunch, and I feel/hear a crack or snap, and it feels like somebody fired a roofing nail into my lower jaw. It looks like an old metallic filling has failed, so back to the dentist I go. And away goes a few more hundred dollars, since my dental insurance is about as useful as plastic tits on a blind lizard. No joke, I’ve been at the place so much the last year or so the last time I was leaving, one of the receptionists was just coming into the office and greeted me by name, like Norm coming into Cheers. FUCK FUCK FUCK! ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2014, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-so-goddamn-tired-of-dental-problems/683365/2 "2014-03-10T20:06:10Z")
Do they at least let you have the good drugs? Sorry your choppers are giving you grief. Is it the same teeth, or different ones every time? Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2014, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-so-goddamn-tired-of-dental-problems/683365/3 "2014-03-10T20:42:29Z")
Plastic tits on a blind lizard, you say? Anyway, sorry about that. I had something similar to me happen a couple years ago to a back molar I had filled as a teenager. I was eating Doritos and the filling broke open and one of the pointy edges of the chips was positioned \*_just so_ as to jam right on the now exposed nerve ending. That’s a…really _special_ kind of pain, right there. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2014, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-so-goddamn-tired-of-dental-problems/683365/4 "2014-03-10T21:06:31Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > Sorry your choppers are giving you grief. Is it the same teeth, or different ones every time? It seems to be old fillings breaking down that are my primary problems, so it’s a bunch of different teeth. I just Googled how long amalgam fillings generally last, and the average seems to be about 12 years. The ones that have been breaking on me I think are like 30 years old, so maybe I should be happy with how much use I got out them instead of whining like a little bitch… > [@FoieGrasIsEvil](#): > > Anyway, sorry about that. I had something similar to me happen a couple years ago to a back molar I had filled as a teenager. I was eating Doritos and the filling broke open and one of the pointy edges of the chips was positioned \*_just so_ as to jam right on the now exposed nerve ending. > > That’s a…really _special_ kind of pain, right there. Yeah, that’s a good way to describe it. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2014, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-so-goddamn-tired-of-dental-problems/683365/5 "2014-03-11T01:00:20Z")
You can whine about crappy teeth all you want - what’s not to whine about? It really sucks, it hurts like crazy when the teeth are bad and it hurts when you’re getting them fixed, it’s really expensive to fix, the fixes don’t last so you have to fix them again and again, they stick fricking needles in your fricking mouth - complain away, my friend. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2014, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-so-goddamn-tired-of-dental-problems/683365/6 "2014-03-11T04:06:17Z")
> [@Revtim](#): > > Yeah, that’s a good way to describe it. It’s much like a lightning bolt going off through your brain into your mouth. My appendicitis was almost a cakewalk by comparison. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2014, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-so-goddamn-tired-of-dental-problems/683365/7 "2014-03-11T21:21:49Z")
Yeah, dental pain really seems out of proportion compared to pain in other parts of the body. I’d start a GQ thread asking about the evolutionary purpose, if any, behind it, but I don’t wish to talk about it until I’m done with my current issue. Beyond bitching about it here. ---
**Author:** ![Askance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askance/32/8281_2.png) [@Askance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askance)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2014, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-so-goddamn-tired-of-dental-problems/683365/8 "2014-03-12T00:53:59Z")
I find it helps to think about something soothing while undergoing these procedures. Something that will whisk you away from the everyday, so you can associate the pain with this calming experience, rather than trauma. Something redolent of smoothness, sleepers, travel … yes, I’m talking about trains and dental meditation. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2014, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-so-goddamn-tired-of-dental-problems/683365/9 "2014-03-12T01:06:13Z")
> [@Askance](#): > > I find it helps to think about something soothing while undergoing these procedures. Something that will whisk you away from the everyday, so you can associate the pain with this calming experience, rather than trauma. Something redolent of smoothness, sleepers, travel … yes, I’m talking about trains and dental meditation. Ouch. That hurt as badly as the tooth. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![SeaDragonTattoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2014, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-so-goddamn-tired-of-dental-problems/683365/10 "2014-03-12T01:45:15Z")
I had two old gray fillings that I wanted gone, and my dentist was more than happy to drill them out and replace them with composite. Maybe you could do something similar over the next couple of cleaning appointments or something, so you’re rid of fillings that will probably soon fail anyway, and you’ll have nice, tooth colored fillings in their place, knowing they won’t cause trouble for quite a while. Just a thought. It’s not fun, but maybe less painful than have another filling fail. Sorry you’re having issues. Dental pain really is no joke. ---
**Author:** ![Psychopants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Psychopants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Psychopants)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2014, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-so-goddamn-tired-of-dental-problems/683365/11 "2014-03-12T02:10:22Z")
Two words. Marathon. Man. ---
**Author:** ![FXMastermind](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fxmastermind/32/7289_2.png) [@FXMastermind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FXMastermind)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2014, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-so-goddamn-tired-of-dental-problems/683365/12 "2014-03-12T03:05:10Z")
Amalgam fillings are from Satan. No seriously. They are true evil, and not just because of the mercury, they have to drill a shit ton of tooth out to be able to use them, which weakens the tooth, forever. It’s fucking evil. The sooner you get all the mercury out and modern fillings in, the better. And fuck any dentists who still uses amalgam fillings. It’s barbaric. ---
**Author:** ![flatlined](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/eb9ed0/32.png) [@flatlined](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flatlined)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2014, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-so-goddamn-tired-of-dental-problems/683365/13 "2014-03-12T03:48:31Z")
Last year, we spent a whole bunch of money to get my teeth fixed. The entire process sucked big time. Last weekend, a crown fell off one of my teeth that had gotten fixed in the past and now I’m back in his chair. I really do fucking hate this shit. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2014, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-so-goddamn-tired-of-dental-problems/683365/14 "2014-03-12T04:14:59Z")
> [@SeaDragonTattoo](#): > > I had two old gray fillings that I wanted gone, and my dentist was more than happy to drill them out and replace them with composite. Maybe you could do something similar over the next couple of cleaning appointments or something, so you’re rid of fillings that will probably soon fail anyway, and you’ll have nice, tooth colored fillings in their place, knowing they won’t cause trouble for quite a while. Just a thought. It’s not fun, but maybe less painful than have another filling fail. \ I did that a few years ago - every time I needed a new filling in one quadrant of my mouth, they replaced all the old amalgam fillings in that section at the same time. I have purty tooth-coloured fillings now. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2014, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-so-goddamn-tired-of-dental-problems/683365/15 "2014-03-12T05:08:14Z")
> [@Askance](#): > > I find it helps to think about something soothing while undergoing these procedures. Something that will whisk you away from the everyday, so you can associate the pain with this calming experience, rather than trauma. Something redolent of smoothness, sleepers, travel … yes, I’m talking about trains and dental meditation. Anything that helps you transcend dental medication. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![shantih](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f6c823/32.png) [@shantih](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shantih)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2014, 8:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-so-goddamn-tired-of-dental-problems/683365/16 "2014-03-12T08:45:24Z")
> [@Askance](#): > > I find it helps to think about something soothing while undergoing these procedures. Something that will whisk you away from the everyday, so you can associate the pain with this calming experience, rather than trauma. Something redolent of smoothness, sleepers, travel … yes, I’m talking about trains and dental meditation. > [@cochrane](#): > > Anything that helps you transcend dental medication. 😃 I’m going to need both of you to wait in the hall while the rest of us discuss what to do with you. **Revtim** , ouch! Nothing but sympathy here for you. Dental pain really is the worst. ---
**Author:** ![clairobscur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2014, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-so-goddamn-tired-of-dental-problems/683365/17 "2014-03-12T12:14:35Z")
Amen. Since the beginning of the year : a crowned tooth broke and had to be extracted, another tooth with a filling broke too (and I needed a root canal) and since yesterday I have a pain in another crowned tooth, so I expect it will have to be extracted too. I don’t think I had a whole year free of dental problems during the last 15 years or so. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2014, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-so-goddamn-tired-of-dental-problems/683365/18 "2014-03-12T13:53:53Z")
> [@Revtim](#): > > It seems to be old fillings breaking down that are my primary problems, so it’s a bunch of different teeth. I just Googled how long amalgam fillings generally last, and the average seems to be about 12 years. The ones that have been breaking on me I think are like 30 years old, so maybe I should be happy with how much use I got out them instead of whining like a little bitch… > > Yeah, that’s a good way to describe it. What sucks is that there’s a sort of progression - first filling, second filling, and then a crown, because usually when the fillings start to fail, decay starts around the margins, and the dentists have to widen the drilled-out area. Eventually, this gets too big to support a filling, so they go with a crown. I had my first big set of fillings at about 12, and then again in my mid-20s (12 years!), and then again in my mid-late 30s, I got a set of crowns because that second set of fillings had worn out. The good news, I guess, is that crowns are much less problematic than fillings; they may occasionally pop off, but they can be reglued in many cases. ---
**Author:** ![FXMastermind](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fxmastermind/32/7289_2.png) [@FXMastermind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FXMastermind)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2014, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-so-goddamn-tired-of-dental-problems/683365/19 "2014-03-12T14:32:24Z")
The real problem is the drill and fill still used by many dentists. Drilling out the small area when decay first starts, and bonding a non toxic filling to the tooth eliminates almost all of the real problems with weakened teeth. If your Dentists still uses mercury, leave them. Now. Mercury fillings are fucking evil. Period. > [@bump](#): > > The good news, I guess, is that crowns are much less problematic than fillings; they may occasionally pop off, but they can be reglued in many cases. Yes, but the root canals have their own set of problems, an issue fought tooth and nail (pun intended) by those who do root canals. Which we will now see in this topic. As any critics of root canals are viciously slandered and attacked for even mentioning the problems. Myself, I will have a tooth removed before having a root canal. I can deal with a missing tooth, but the chronic infection from a bad root canal is for life. > [@](#): > > Dr. Meinig brings a most curious perspective to an expose of the latent dangers of root canal therapy. As one of the original founders of the American Association of Endodontists (root canal specialists) he’s filled his share of root canals. And when he wasn’t filling canals himself, he was teaching the technique to dentists across the country at weekend seminars and clinics. About two years ago, having recently retired, he decided to read all 1174 pages of the detailed research of Dr. Weston Price, (D.D.S). Dr. Meinig was startled and shocked. Here was valid documentation of systemic illnesses resulting from latent infections lingering in filled roots. He has since written a book, “Root Canal Cover-Up EXPOSED - Many Illnesses Result”, and is devoting himself to radio, TV, and personal appearances before groups in an attempt to blow the whistle and alert the public of the dangers of root canal therapy. > **[Root Canal Cover Up Exposed](https://www.foodmatters.com/article/root-canal-cover-up-exposed)** > > Join Dr George Meinig, D.D.S. Holistic Dentist, as he discusses the important research of Dr Weston Price in uncovering the link between nutrition, root canals and chronic illness. Read this before your next dentist appointment! ---
**Author:** ![FXMastermind](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fxmastermind/32/7289_2.png) [@FXMastermind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FXMastermind)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2014, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-so-goddamn-tired-of-dental-problems/683365/20 "2014-03-12T14:33:54Z")
That website/source may be considered woo, but you can find the actual scientific data online if you really want to know. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-so-goddamn-tired-of-dental-problems/683365.md?page=2)