Current Events > ITT: I answer your dental related questions

(+) Yeah! (+)

Sipping on mountain dew all day is pretty bad for your teeth so I know some of you don't have the best oral hygiene. Hit me up with your questions.
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Does never having braces magically make you less prone to wisdom teeth issues.

Also, best toothpaste you can recommend
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why do i have teeth?
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Why don't humans have infinitely self replacing teeth like sharks?
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Bloodychess posted...

Does never having braces magically make you less prone to wisdom teeth issues.

Nope. If anything, you'll have more "wisdom teeth issues" without braces although they will almost certainly be extracted before any orthodontic treatment.

Also, best toothpaste you can recommend

Any toothpaste with fluoride is more or less the same. Go with whatever big brand is the cheapest.
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Have you heard of FA**A (fixed anterior growth guidance appliance) and what do you think of it?

(the two asterisks are G's because GameFAQs is fucking stupid)
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Do I really need to floss every night or is like every other night okay
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Conflict posted...

I remember beefing with you from like 2012

wild

Wild I don't remember you at all.

TeaMilk posted...

why do i have teeth?

So you can eat.

DarkTransient posted...

Why don't humans have infinitely self replacing teeth like sharks?

No one knows for sure why, but I guess it wasn't that important from an evolutionary perspective.
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NOM posted...

Have you heard of FA**A (fixed anterior growth guidance appliance) and what do you think of it?

(the two asterisks are G's because GameFAQs is fucking stupid)

Marked.
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all 4 of my wisdom teeth are like 25-30% of the way in and kinda impacted, how screwed am I?
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NOM posted...

Have you heard of FA**A (fixed anterior growth guidance appliance) and what do you think of it?

Yup, that a device they use for ortho to expand the upper jaw. If that's a good option for you? You need to discuss that with your orthodontist.
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Why didn't my dentist call me on Wednesday morning like she said she would? She was gonna ask me how my night guard fit after she had repaired my back tooth.
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Snuckie7 posted...

NOM posted...

Have you heard of FA**A (fixed anterior growth guidance appliance) and what do you think of it?

Yup, that a device they use for ortho to expand the upper jaw. If that's a good option for you? You need to discuss that with your orthodontist.

Well, what do YOU personally think of it? Do you think it works? My understanding is it's a relatively new/unknown procedure with not a lot of evidence/studies behind it. Hard to believe you can magically grow more bone tissue or whatever in your jaw...
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Muffinz0rz posted...

Do I really need to floss every night or is like every other night okay

I wouldn't tell you this if you were my patient, but it depends actually. Not everybody needs to floss with the same frequency (usually people with straight teeth don't need to as much) because a lot of things contribute to getting cavities. If you don't get cavities when you go in for your regular checkups, whatever your current flossing habits are is probably fine.
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Snuckie7 posted...

Muffinz0rz posted...

Do I really need to floss every night or is like every other night okay

I wouldn't tell you this if you were my patient, but it depends actually. Not everybody needs to floss with the same frequency (usually people with straight teeth don't need to as much) because a lot of things contribute to getting cavities. If you don't get cavities when you go in for your regular checkups, whatever your current flossing habits are is probably fine.

Joke's on you, I am your patient
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thronedfire2 posted...

all 4 of my wisdom teeth are like 25-30% of the way in and kinda impacted, how screwed am I?

You can get them extracted whenever you want so you're not really screwed. You should think about getting that done though.

FF_Redux posted...

Why didn't my dentist call me on Wednesday morning like she said she would? She was gonna ask me how my night guard fit after she had repaired my back tooth.

Because she has hundreds and hundreds of patients and probably forgot. Dentists are busy people.

NOM posted...

Snuckie7 posted...

NOM posted...

Have you heard of FA**A (fixed anterior growth guidance appliance) and what do you think of it?

Yup, that a device they use for ortho to expand the upper jaw. If that's a good option for you? You need to discuss that with your orthodontist.

Well, what do YOU personally think of it? Do you think it works? My understanding is it's a relatively new/unknown procedure with not a lot of evidence/studies behind it. Hard to believe you can magically grow more bone tissue or whatever in your jaw...

I'm not an orthodontist so I don't have experience with this specific device. To address your second point though, it is possible (to a certain extent) to expand your jaw with ortho. A lot of devices can do this and the one you're asking about is hardly the first one.
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do I really have to get braces? Is there other alternative to teeth straightening?

Zygoptera posted...

do I really have to get braces? Is there other alternative to teeth straightening?

Check out Invisalign.
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Can I just water pik or do I have to keep flossing?

What if the opening is too small and my interdental brush doesn't fit, do I keep jamming it in and hopes it creates a whole through all the blood, or do I stop and not force it in.

Despite being big on dental care, i lost one of my teeth years ago and ever since then i've noticed many people around me who have lost a tooth (without it getting broken or knocked out) have lost an upper bicuspid first.

I asked a coworker who used to be a dental assistant, and she said she hadn't noticed this trend but suggested it might be simply due to the way people chew and that those teeth take a heavier share of the load than they're meant to a lot of the time.

What's your take on this?
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I need gum restoration.

bknight posted...

Can I just water pik or do I have to keep flossing?

What if the opening is too small and my interdental brush doesn't fit, do I keep jamming it in and hopes it creates a whole through all the blood, or do I stop and not force it in.

Regular floss is more effective than the water pik. You shouldn't have to use excessive force for anything. Look into getting a different cleaning device.

Sphyx posted...

Despite being big on dental care, i lost one of my teeth years ago and ever since then i've noticed many people around me who have lost a tooth (without it getting broken or knocked out) have lost an upper bicuspid first.

I asked a coworker who used to be a dental assistant, and she said she hadn't noticed this trend but suggested it might be simply due to the way people chew and that those teeth take a heavier share of the load than they're meant to a lot of the time.

What's your take on this?

Tbh I haven't noticed this trend either. I don't think it has anything to do with the way people chew though.

Zygoptera posted...

I need gum restoration.

Okay.
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Snuckie7 posted...

Nope. If anything, you'll have more "wisdom teeth issues" without braces although they will almost certainly be extracted before any orthodontic treatment.

I don't think I've ever met anyone who got their wisdom teeth taken out before getting braces.

I had my braces off for quite some time before mine got removed.
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DrizztLink posted...

Snuckie7 posted...

Nope. If anything, you'll have more "wisdom teeth issues" without braces although they will almost certainly be extracted before any orthodontic treatment.

I don't think I've ever met anyone who got their wisdom teeth taken out before getting braces.

I had my braces off for quite some time before mine got removed.

I should clarify, if your wisdom teeth are/have already erupted, most of the time they are taken out before ortho. If you get braces before your wisdom teeth have erupted, they will be extracted after ortho. Either way though, wisdom teeth are almost always extracted at some point if you're getting braces. It's very rare that wisdom teeth will erupt normally in the mouth and not cause problems later down the line.
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Marked posted...

NOM posted...

Have you heard of FA**A (fixed anterior growth guidance appliance) and what do you think of it?

(the two asterisks are G's because GameFAQs is fucking stupid)

Marked.

I really hope this is a bot and not some neckbeard who has the free time and gamefaqs expertise to post 2 minutes later after doing the Sig thing
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I never flossed in my entire life (24yo) and I never had a single spot on any of my teeth.
All 4 wisdom teeth grew out perfectly and all 32 are in perfect allignment.
What do?

My back tooth is slowly rotting away. Tried my best to clean it but it's no use. It's still falling apart. I now only have half a tooth.
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GunmaN1905 posted...

I never flossed in my entire life (24yo) and I never had a single spot on any of my teeth.
All 4 wisdom teeth grew out perfectly and all 32 are in perfect allignment.
What do?

Have a lot of children so you pass on those great teeth genes

Or go back in time and stalk me and bitch slap me every time I get too lazy to brush
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thronedfire2 posted...

all 4 of my wisdom teeth are like 25-30% of the way in and kinda impacted, how screwed am I?

You will die in about a week tops.
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Do you accept Delta Dental PPO?

I barely drink soda or eat sweets and I'm conscientious about brushing (and flossing) my teeth.

Honestly it's gotten to the point where I'm considering just not going to the dentist for years at a time, even with having health insurance. I think they're pretty damn pushy about seeing me twice a year.
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Is it ok to drink soda if you rinse your mouth with water immediately after
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The Wheelman1 posted...

My back tooth is slowly rotting away. Tried my best to clean it but it's no use. It's still falling apart. I now only have half a tooth.

Good oral hygiene is only effective for preventing cavities. Once tooth decay gets to a certain point, you need to see a dentist to fix it, although it sounds like your tooth will probably need to get extracted.
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What about Diet Mtn Dew? Professional opinion please, not something you read on CNN
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How long can you go without brushing your teeth?
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GunmaN1905 posted...

I never flossed in my entire life (24yo) and I never had a single spot on any of my teeth.
All 4 wisdom teeth grew out perfectly and all 32 are in perfect allignment.
What do?

Get regular checkups and cleanings at the dentists.

masticatingman posted...

I barely drink soda or eat sweets and I'm conscientious about brushing (and flossing) my teeth.

Honestly it's gotten to the point where I'm considering just not going to the dentist for years at a time, even with having health insurance. I think they're pretty damn pushy about seeing me twice a year.

Getting cleanings every 6 months is recommended for everyone, even if you have great oral hygiene.
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Snuckie7 posted...

Sipping on mountain dew all day is pretty bad for your teeth so I know some of you don't have the best oral hygiene. Hit me up with your questions.

Aww, son of a bitch....

This is the first bottle of Mt. Dew I've purchased in several weeks.

<_<

ssj3vegeta_ posted...

Is it ok to drink soda if you rinse your mouth with water immediately after

rikasa posted...

What about Diet Mtn Dew? Professional opinion please, not something you read on CNN

All soda is bad for your teeth. Rinsing with water after is a lot better than nothing, but its still better to not drink soda at all.
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knuxnole posted...

How long can you go without brushing your teeth?

It depends. If you never eat any sugar (including carbs), never let any plaque build up on your teeth or in your gums, and drink a lot of fluoridated water, you dont need to brush at all.

You should probably stick to twice a day though.
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Snuckie7 posted...

All soda is bad for your teeth.

you guys are SO boring lol
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rikasa posted...

Snuckie7 posted...

All soda is bad for your teeth.

you guys are SO boring lol

Cant help it if people like things that are bad for their teeth.
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What are the adverse effects of scraping the plaque off your teeth and then eating it
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Why do I get constant caveties despite good brushing habits and my wife has never had one even though she skips brushing at least twice a week(usually she just forgets or I'll be using the bathroom when she needs to leave for work). My dentist even says it looks like I do a good job brushing.
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dib153 posted...

What are the adverse effects of scraping the plaque off your teeth and then eating it

None, although I dont know why you would do that instead of spitting it out.

Relient_K posted...

Why do I get constant caveties despite good brushing habits and my wife has never had one even though she skips brushing at least twice a week(usually she just forgets or I'll be using the bathroom when she needs to leave for work). My dentist even says it looks like I do a good job brushing.

Could be any number of reasons. Your diet, saliva flow and pH, composition of bacteria in your mouth etc. all contribute to your susceptibility to cavities. Some of these things you can change, some of them you cannot.
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RedWhiteBlue posted...

How do you remove tartar/calculus and clean under your gums without seeing a professional? Is there anything that can break down the plaque without harming your enamel?

I dont know of any reliable home care appliances that can do this. You need to go to a dentist or dental hygienist.

I'm almost 24 and I've been to a dentist twice in my life. I can't remember the first time, and the second time was like 4 years ago. I was shocked to not have any cavities when I went last time, I expected to have multiple of them based on my habits. I really should see one and get a cleaning, but I'm very lazy.

Yup you really should.

Also, the last time I went the numbing cream or whatever didn't do jack shit, the moment the brush tool went on my teeth it was high hell pain city. Is there something I can request to make sure I'm properly numbed, anything that isn't expensive and isn't a needle to the gums?

Idk if youve already tried this, but ask your dentist for numbing gel. Its a local anesthetic in a thick liquid that gets placed in your gums around your teeth. The brand I use is called Oraqix.
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How often do you find MB2?
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