Major dental caries a problem - what to do?
What steps can be done to reverse or halt tooth decay? Also how far gone must a tooth be for it to make extraction inevitable.
Personally, I’ve had an exceptionally high rate of tooth decay all of my life (I’m in my 60’s). Here’s what I’ve learned:
1. Find a dentist who has recently graduated and set up her practice. Find someone who is "idealistic" and enthusiastic/fanatical about stopping the decay process.
2. The dentist will have to remove ALL of the decay. This may mean gum surgery, if the decay has progressed below the gum-line. Painful and expensive, but necessary. Any small areas of decay progress rapidly, so cleaning out all of this decay is essential.
3. Schedule teeth cleaning + exams every 3 months. Insist that the hygienist explain in detail how to clean every surface of your teeth, after every meal. This means: brushing, flossing, and (often) using an "inter-dental" brush to get between the teeth, at the gum-line.
4. The insurance won’t pay the hygienist to do this necessary "training", so I simply pay out-of-pocket.
5. I also consult with my oral surgeon about how to clean my teeth. He’s passionate about cleanliness.
6. Think of the hygienist, oral surgeon, etc. as "Personal Trainers" for your teeth. Personally, I tend to get lazy in cleaning my teeth, and I need a Personal Trainer to keep me focused.
7. Get a 1% topical fluoride solution, and add drops to your drinking water. Get from your dentist a PRESCRIPTION 1% topical fluoride toothpaste. This increases the hardness of your tooth enamel.
8. Personally, during my lifetime, I’ve gone from multi-surface fillings to crowns on most teeth, and recently gum surgery & a complete second set of crowns. A little expensive, but still fully functional.
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August 7th, 2009 at 12:41 pm
If you already have tooth decay, then you need a filling.
To prevent tooth decay…toothpaste and a good electric toothbrush…about $6 at Walmart, used every day.
Also, cut down on sugar,.
References :
August 7th, 2009 at 1:19 pm
If the decay is just in the enamel, this can be reversed with good brushing, flossing, and not snacking between meals.
If the decay is into the dentin, it will continue until you get a filing from your dentist.
Extraction is just when the decay is so far and the tooth is rotted so close to the bone that a dentist is left with no room to put a crown on the tooth.
References :
4th year dental student
August 7th, 2009 at 2:04 pm
Personally, I’ve had an exceptionally high rate of tooth decay all of my life (I’m in my 60’s). Here’s what I’ve learned:
1. Find a dentist who has recently graduated and set up her practice. Find someone who is "idealistic" and enthusiastic/fanatical about stopping the decay process.
2. The dentist will have to remove ALL of the decay. This may mean gum surgery, if the decay has progressed below the gum-line. Painful and expensive, but necessary. Any small areas of decay progress rapidly, so cleaning out all of this decay is essential.
3. Schedule teeth cleaning + exams every 3 months. Insist that the hygienist explain in detail how to clean every surface of your teeth, after every meal. This means: brushing, flossing, and (often) using an "inter-dental" brush to get between the teeth, at the gum-line.
4. The insurance won’t pay the hygienist to do this necessary "training", so I simply pay out-of-pocket.
5. I also consult with my oral surgeon about how to clean my teeth. He’s passionate about cleanliness.
6. Think of the hygienist, oral surgeon, etc. as "Personal Trainers" for your teeth. Personally, I tend to get lazy in cleaning my teeth, and I need a Personal Trainer to keep me focused.
7. Get a 1% topical fluoride solution, and add drops to your drinking water. Get from your dentist a PRESCRIPTION 1% topical fluoride toothpaste. This increases the hardness of your tooth enamel.
8. Personally, during my lifetime, I’ve gone from multi-surface fillings to crowns on most teeth, and recently gum surgery & a complete second set of crowns. A little expensive, but still fully functional.
References :