cavities making me paranoid?

[joe666]

hi everyone, im new here. just feel i needed to let this out.

see, i have a few fillings in my mouth and i understand that its a normal thing of life. but im very self consious about it and im always looking at it in the mirror and worrying about them. i know that eventually down the road it will be replaced once its old and then finally a crown when im older like 40ish. im only 18 and i just keep worrying about my smile in the future. it stress me out that i'll have a silver tooth whenever i smile. it wont be for awhile but i just kep worrying about it. anyways, just wanted to see how you all feel on this topic. thank you for your replies in advance.

[keenan]

Hi joe666. Welcome to eNotAlone!

 

Which tooth do you have a silver filling in now? They usually just use silver for the back teeth, and porcelain or other white 'tooth matching' materials for the front ones.

[joe666]

my fillings are all in the back, just one near the front but wont be noticeable unless i smile big. i guess im just self conscious. ive heard about those white ones. arnt they really expensive?

[Meow18]

I think there are white ones, and they could be more expensive. You will probably have a job when the time comes, and it will be easier to save up for what you really want.

 

There's no need to stress over something you have no control over. And you know, you are lucky that it's so far off in the future. They are always coming out with new and improved things. So who knows what will be out there in 30 or 40 years.

[keenan]

Yeah, they're more expensive, and they're also a bit more fragile. If they're in the back I wouldn't worry about it. Nearly everybody has them, unfortunately. Don't stop smiling because of them! Smiles are lots more important.

[joe666]

thanks ladies, i'll try to put my mind at ease. thanks for your inputs.

[enigmaz_Barbie]

Hey!! I have cavieties! All my fillings are done in white, its not a big deal. Just keep them clean, brush regually, floss etc and the fillings will last longer. Dont stop smiling becasue of fillings, Smiles rock!

[BellaDonna]

Don't worry about it.

 

If it really bothers you, then you can get them replaced with white composite fillings- but I don't think that's a good idea. White fillings should really only be used on the front teeth. The composite material is more likely to shrink over time, allowing leakage under the filling which can cause new decay again in the area where the cavity was. White fillings are also not as sturdy in general. On front teeth this doesn't always matter because people tend not to bite as hard using their front teeth= but on back teeth the white fillings can come out easily.

 

People are likely not even noticing the silver filling you are talking about, and even if they do see it- it's nothing that they probably don't have in their own mouth(s).

 

Keep smiling

 

 

BellaDonna

[Scotcha]

Hmm.. Amalgam (silver looking) can also have faulty margins that need to be checked because it WILL happen over time with all fillings. Your mouth by nature is exposed to a variety temperatures causing them to expand and contract and over time they loose their integrity. As long as you go to your dentist regularly they'll be able to look for this and hopefully keep decay from recurring. There are positives and negatives to both amalgam and composites, neither one is wrong as it is a matter of opinion and preference.

 

I don't think that you have anything at all to be embarrassed about and I really hope you do keep smiling. You took the necessary steps to repair your tooth and that's a good thing!

 

Most people worry about cavities but honestly gum disease is far worse for your smile. The single best thing you can do for a healthy mouth is to floss every day. Make sure not to snap the floss between your teeth. Saw it through the contact genty and hug each side of the tooth by making a "C" shape with the floss. Also, be sure to floss be down in the crevice that surrounds the tooth.

 

To protect your teeth brush regularly. Use a tooth brush with soft bristles and light pressure. Too much can be damageing to your gums. Angle the toothbrush head at 45* and brush along the gumline to remove plaque. Be sure to brush every surface of your teeth.

 

I would also suggest a flouride mouth rinse. There is probably no need for a prescription, just check out the over the counter brands. Even the generic ones are just as effective.

 

p.s. I care a lot about this subject as I'm a dental hygiene student.

[annie24]

ok, so... my story is.... I brushed everyday, but didn't floss, and didn't go to the dentist for 2 years. when I finally went, I had 15 cavities, all between my teeth!!! I got the white filling, because I didn't want insane amounts of silver stuff in my mouth. yes, it did cost more, but it looks completely natural. can't see anything!

 

now, I take very good care of my teeth, flossing at least once a day. now the dentists always tell me how beautiful my gums and teeth are.

 

get the white filling - it costs more, but it blends in perfectly!

 

and yes, they are more fragile - I have had a few crack already, but the dentist took care of it pretty fast. I hope that there is nothing getting under them though YIKES!!!

[BellaDonna]

Composites do look nice. I have one on a front tooth that I chipped as a child, but I've lost count of the amount of times I've had to replace it though. It has flown accross the room a bunch of times on different occasions....almost swallowed it when eating a couple of times.

 

I used to work as a dental assistant, and composites coming out are a common occurrence. Some patients would choose composities over silver fillings for all of their teeth (even molars), but they tended to need to replace them more often. If you have a good dentist that will take you in right away to replace it, then it's not so bad...

 

 

BellaDonna

[annie24]

oh yeah, my dentist is really close to my work, I've called and said "HELP! It's cracked in half!!!" they've taken me in right away.

[joe666]

wow, you guys sure know alot about this! ya, i usualy take care of my teeth. i use one of those electric toothbrushes you recharge and it tells me when ive hit the 2 minute mark. I go past it now because i dont want any more cavities! Its probably just the dentist office that scares the hell out of me. (no offence to you dentists) Its just that nice aroma of drilled teeth when you walk in that sets me off haha.

[annie24]

make sure you floss also everyday!!!!!

[joe666]

I floss at night usually but it seems like im doin it all wrong haha. I 'snap' the string betwen my teeth I guess isnt good? My teeth are close together so its always hard to get it out. Fustrating stuff, thank god I dont see the dentist for another 6 months yay!

[annie24]

maybe use dental tape or a different kind of floss. seriously, like I said - I brushed ALL THE TIME, but since I didn't floss, I wound up with 15 cavities. *sigh*

[joe666]

maybe use dental tape or a different kind of floss. seriously, like I said - I brushed ALL THE TIME, but since I didn't floss, I wound up with 15 cavities. *sigh*

 

15 cavities, must of been a nasty bill!

[annie24]

yes, that was a very nasty bill I have very good insurance, but even with insurance, my bill was still $1500!!!

 

Do you know how much floss I could have bought with $1500???

[joe666]

I brush two to three times a day, floss, and even water pik my teeth. I have naturally deep crevaces in my teeth, so I've had most of them 'painted' so that they are less prone to cavities. Yearly dentist checkups. ...but I still get them, lots of them. I cried when I got my first two done because I felt embarrassed and ashamed (and then they missed freezing my mouth so I felt it until I told them something was wrong!). ...but then my dentist showed me his mouth and it was all fillings!

 

It seems that no matter what you do some people just get more than others.

 

I've always imagined that dentists have perfect teeth, they should since they have a degree on it.

[joe666]

yes, that was a very nasty bill I have very good insurance, but even with insurance, my bill was still $1500!!!

 

Do you know how much floss I could have bought with $1500???

 

I bet you've got some motivation to floss now! For $1500 you could of hired your own personal dentist! I know one thing, im gonna floss more often. I need the $1500 for my "textbooks" haha!

[keenan]

My dad was a dentist. He didn't get braces until he was 25, and he had lots of fillings (but fine breath LOL, INFJ). I think it's that, like anyone, dentists don't decide what they're going to do for a living until they hit late high school or college. By then they have a few cavities like anyone else.

 

He flipped out when I got MY first cavity when I was 16, though. You'd think I'd gotten pregnant and eloped with a bank robber. Sheesh.

[ilovecats]

I'm going to go brush my teeth right now!!

[keenan]

I'm going to go brush my teeth right now!!

 

 

Don't forget to floss!