Dreaded Cavities

[Kury Wagner]

I haven't been to the dentist in about three years, or so, but I have a cleaning appointment on Saturday. So last night, I was talking to some friends and all of them informed me that they've never had a cavity. Never. Geh! I felt like such a weirdo.

I have three fillings, and some newish cavities that I'm sure to get yelled at about this weekend. Yet, I take pretty good care of my teeth (now. I didn't when I was younger; I've only cared about their well-being for about four years), and they're very nice pearly whites. Even with all my past soda- and tea-drinking, they stayed and continue to sparkle all nicely. However, teeth/mouth problems run in my family. Everything from curved roots to TMJ to fangs (yes! We're vampires!!).

So what I'm getting at here is, have you had cavities/fillings? Just help me feel more normal, please.

[Delthayre]

Awkwardly enough, I've never had any cavities. My sole dental problem is a misaslignment of my teeth, which is mostly a cosmetic concern and doesn't really seem to warrant the expense of various forms of oral hardware, especially as it's become rather slighter after the removal of my wisdom teeth. I've generally been very fastidious about brushing my teeth, indeed, I apparently overdo it and have worn down my gums, so I might have some dental nuisance yet!

My wisdom teeth removal went very well too. I only had three wisdom teeth come in and apparently the removal went like a dream. I didn't even need the Vicodin they gave me and I was able to have dinner at an Italian restaurant the following night. All the fuss, worry, and horror stories we'd heard about pain and such gave us expectations that were hardly met, and a surplus of pudding and ice cream.

My brother has had a cavity or two (I'm not too up on my family's oral situation). So, there's someone.

[randomguy]

I too am cavity-free. Sorry.

That said, I have undergone my fair share of annoying teeth-related procedures, particularly in my adolescent years. I went through quite a bit of orthodontic work in high school, including braces, rubber bands, spacers, an expander on the roof of my meath (a metal construct in which you would periodically insert and turn a key, gradually expanding the size of my upper jaw), rubber bands, and the use of a retainer for about a year. Even now, with all that work thankfully completed, I still have a permanent lower-lingual retainer right behind my bottom teeth.

I also had all four wisdom teeth removed, and lots of gum tissue cut out to facilitate the straightening of my teeth. So if it's any consolation, I may be cavity-free but I've still dealt with quite a bit of crud.

[Zubby]

I have a mouth FULL of fillings. I think I know why too. My dentist told me that my pattern of cavities is very typical for someone who did not have flouridated water while growing up.
I grew up in a rural area, drinking well water. Most city water is flouridated, but of course water from a well isn't. By not having all that flouride, I was much more susceptible to the bacteria that cause cavities.

[Fan of Sponge]

I've never had any cavities in my life, I'm lucky.:anime: However, I did have two filling on my molars on each side once. My dentist told me it cause by a detoration of the crown, but they stopped somehow. Luckily those were my baby teeth and I never had a problem since with my teeth.

[Michael24]

In 27 years, I've only had a couple cavities, and my last one (so far) was back in 1998. Other than those and wearing braces for two years in the early-90s (including a couple pulled teeth needed for them to work properly and followed by a bothersome retainer for a couple more years after that),
I've fortunately not had any serious problems with my teeth.

[ConquerorWorm]

I'm 23 and I haven't had a single cavity though all my family and friends have had them. The last time I went to the dentist he thought he found a cavity on the x-ray but it turned out to be an anomaly. He says I have abnormally high fluoride levels making my teeth extremely strong and resistant to decay. Sounds good to me. :cool:

Though I have had my wisdom teeth out and I had braces for several years. I still have retainers glued into my mouth on the top and bottom but they're on the back of my teeth so they can't be seen. I've been seeing the same orthodontist for 13 years now.

[mikestorm]

Almost 31 and never had a cavity in my life. :D

Unfortunately, it's now part of my identity, and if I ever am informed I have a cavity, I don't think I'll take it well.

[Chad Bonin]

I've had one, but it was nothing serious. It was more "This'll become a cavity, so we'll fix it now".

[Kagetsu]

I had Flouridated water and still have cavities. I'm hard pressed to find a back tooth without a filling. The upper bicuspids are the ones I notice the most. Gosh I hate going anywhere near dentists. Mom forces me dispite my whining and I'm sure the techs hate to see me come in, I'm a royal terror. :sweat: She can't tell me of the appointment until that day because it worries me sick.

[Punisher]

Man, in first grade I had four. The first thing my mom told was not to tell anybody else about it. Now, I actually care about my teeth and just recently(as in last week) got a filling. Though I suppose all of it isn't totally my fault as I was born with really, really, soft enamel.

[Kury Wagner]

Gah, I still can't believe that so many of you don't have any. Though I appreciate all the responses, regardless of my slight resentment.

Oh, and randomguy? Aaah. You poor guy.

Though I suppose all of it isn't totally my fault as I was born with really, really, soft enamel.My cousin had no enamel on his first set. And his sister had/has weak teeth. My little brother's teeth are also like that; his front few are enamel-less and broke off oh so easily. We really hope that his adult teeth won't be like this.

[RD!]

I have been suffering perhaps the worst pain I've ever experienced in my life, due to a botched filling on one of my teeth (too deep, I'll give them the benefit of the doubt) and I'm talking nearly constant unyeilding pain for 3 weeks. But it was somewhat managable while I waited for my (first ever) root canal in two weeks. Then... I don't know what happened but I would get intense pain that nearly killed me in my car. =[

I suppose the summation is. I got my first root canal done and it hardly hurt. The most overhyped event of my life.

[solarflere]

I had so many of them, in both sets of teeth :anime:. I just got (two months ago) 2 cavities filled. And I have a feeling that I have another one that needs work.

[Weatherman]

I've had three almost cavities filled in the last month and a half. It's really weird smelling your tooth turning into dust as they grind away some of it to fill it in.:shrug:

BTW Kury, the tea may not be so good since the bacteria that eat teeth thrive in acidic environments, and tea is acidic.

[Sugar Glider]

When I was a kid I didn't take care of my teeth, but I never got cavities. Then in '01 I went to the dentist for the first time in a couple of years, and found that I had some cavities, plus a couple of teeth that needed to have some work done. I didn't get it--I didn't even see a dentist again for another four years, by which time I had more cavities, and two molars that were in such bad shape that I had to have them pulled. I got the second one done a couple of weeks ago; I still need to get the fillings on the left side of my mouth, plus the lower right side.

[Kury Wagner]

BTW Kury, the tea may not be so good Uh, wrongness. At least, you're wrong about green and black tea (and white, I think). Both of them actually help prevent cavities, gum disease, and strengthens teeth. It also helps bad breath (among many other benefits). So it's a very good idea. I dunno about other types of tea, but I'm guessing the apple can't fall too far from the tree, so to speak. I imagine it all depends on the antioxidant count.

Oh, another really good advantage of drinking tea is bone strength. Yes, despite most teas containing caffeine, it actually protects and helps bones.

[Weatherman]

Uh, wrongness. At least, you're wrong about green and black tea (and white, I think). Both of them actually help prevent cavities, gum disease, and strengthens teeth. It also helps bad breath (among many other benefits). So it's a very good idea. I dunno about other types of tea, but I'm guessing the apple can't fall too far from the tree, so to speak. I imagine it all depends on the antioxidant count.

Oh, another really good advantage of drinking tea is bone strength. Yes, despite most teas containing caffeine, it actually protects and helps bones.

If you say so. I just know th bacteria that do bad things to teeth like acid. That's why they like sugar so much.

[Deadman]

i have had cavities before and they stink. they hurt a lot.

[The Guitar Slayer]

No cavities ever over here! My mom made me brush twice a day since I had teeth to brush (and even then, that crazy woman brushed my gums). Anyone remember Sesame Street Fruity Toothpaste? We had wellwater rather than city water too, but the doctor had prescribed vitamins with fluoride in them at the request of my mom.

I have a lot of genetic issues with my mouth. Sadly, we're the stereotypical quarter-Irish family that can't keep teeth in their head, or at least keep them straight. So far, I've had oral surgery to remove four deeply rooted baby teeth (as in, the roots were completely intact and were as strong as adult roots) and an adult tooth that was a "peg tooth" (like another baby tooth, but supposedly adult). I'm missing the adult incisor on my left side, so when they yanked the peg tooth, I had zippity but my canines there. So they braced them all forward to cover the beaver-like gap that would have been there, and, while I protested, they filed my canines down so I didn't have fangs.

The bracing forward did me a service later -- I have all four of my wisdom teeth. If I hadn't been braced forward, I'd be in some serious pain right now and be on the line for surgery. However, I have enough room for the uppers to come in. The lowers are just too cramped to even break the surface; they're wedged underneath my back molars. As long as they don't mess up my bottom jaw, they can stay there!

[RD!]

If you say so. I just know th bacteria that do bad things to teeth like acid. That's why they like sugar so much.
Who puts sugar in their tea?

[AdamYJ]

Oh, I've had a bunch.

When I was a little kid, I actually used to get fillings without novacaine sometimes because I was more afraid of the needle.

Toward the beggining of college, I seemed to be getting a few at a time. Once I even had four at once and had to schedule two appointments to get them filled.

Also, the reason I had my wisdom teeth removed had nothing to do with the usual reason of them coming in wrong. I got cavities in two of them, and dentists generally don't fill wisdom teeth. Two were removed because of the cavities, the other two as preventive measures.

I actually have one now that I have to get filled on Thursday. I was happy it was only just the one. I've started using a fluoride rinse, so I'm hoping that will cut down on their occurrence even more.

[.Automatisch]

I've had a few over the years, having had some of my older ones refilled as well.

[Chad Bonin]

Who puts sugar in their tea?
People who know the glory that is sweet tea.

[Kury Wagner]

Sooo... the results are not so good. In fact, I did have some cavities. A number I wish not to divulge. But it turns out that because I am a crappy flosser (I rarely floss.. I just never think of it), I have cavities in between a few teeth. The assistant-woman was really nice about it though. She recommended ways for me to remember to floss, gave me extra floss samples, and reassured me that most people have spurts of bad teeth health. It was nice to hear that I have decay from a perky, friendly woman.

My teeth hurt more than they did before I went, though. My appointment was over by 3, and my mouth still aches. *sniffles*

And oh joy, a have an appointment for fillings in mid-April.

[RD!]

My teeth hurt more than they did before I went, though. My appointment was over by 3, and my mouth still aches. *sniffles*My teeth never hurt until I went to the dentist. Now this damn temporary filling is aching a little. =[

[Delthayre]

People who know the glory that is sweet tea.

Bah! Give me a hot cup of Lapsang Souchong straight up over that any day.

[Weatherman]

Who puts sugar in their tea?

Plenty of people. Why do you think tea pots usualyl come with a thing of sugar next to them?

Sorry to hear your mouth's still sore Kury.:sad: