I just have to say that my primary evidence AGAINST intelligent design is the fact that our teeth have hypersensitive nerve endings in them that outlive the tooth in which they are embedded.
Posts: 22497 | Registered: Sep 2000
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How old are you? I'm 20, and I've been wearing a guard for grinding my teeth since I was 18. I think wearing the guard is better than killing your teeth.
Sorry I can't answer any of your real questions. I'm not a dentist.
Posts: 1960 | Registered: May 2005
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Wow... I guess you can never be too young to wear a night guard. I'm Sorry
I'm 25, but I should have started wearing one when I was 24 at the first sign of grinding which was TMJ.
Posts: 1417 | Registered: Aug 1999
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1. Yes, but last only 3-5 years at their most successful (per my dentist).
2. I've had four at once, my dentist filled two at a time. I'm betting it depends on the dentist, but a bit of begging will probably get the dentist to cave on his/her rules regarding that.
3. I don't know.
4. Never been pregnant but I looked around and found this interesting bit of information:
quote: During the 2nd trimester of pregnancy, gingivitis may occur more frequently due to a rise in the estrogen levels that increase the blood flow to the body tissues.
and another link from The American Academy of Periodontology says that about about half of women experience this pregnancy gingivitis.
Regarding the grinding, I've been doing since I was about 20. I have never done anything about it because it isn't serious and has only caused very minimal damage.
I've also heard that fluoride has something to do with cavities. I saw in your profile that you live in WA. This website shows which counties in your state have it in the water. I spent a lot of time growing up in California, had awful teeth. I *believe* my dentist growing up thought it might have to do with the quality of water. I'm sure it didn't help that my grandparents spoiled me rotten with candy and lots of sugary drinks. Posts: 2064 | Registered: Dec 2003
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uw, yes, adults can get sealants. I had them put on my teeth in my 20's. 'Course, they wear down over time so I don't have them anymore (I'm 37 now), but I've not had any cavities since, so I'd say they've done their job.
I've never heard of a limit on the number of cavities a dentist can fill in one sitting...I'm taking my son in for his cleaning tomorrow, so I can ask then if you'd like. Personally, I'd rather just get them all done at once if it were me. I don't like Novacaine.
If you have sensitive teeth, take care what toothpaste you're using. I had real problems with mine until I switched to Sensodyne. Now I just have temperature sensitivity and that isn't nearly as bad as it used to be.
Building babies takes a lot out of you. If you don't get enough calcium during pregnancy, the baby will leech it out of you however it can. I'm sorry you're having such problems. I swear, the only thing worse than oral surgery is sinus surgery.
edit: where in WA are you, uw?? I didn't know you lived here!
Posts: 5948 | Registered: Jun 2001
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Thanks for the links and the support guys... I needed it. *hug smily*
What may have caused the cavities... I would think the fact that I have been pregnant twice this year... and they both ended in miscarriages... and also from Jan to (let's say) April I didn't have enough will power when passing the candy dish at my work... What I don't get is that since May I have been flossing, brushing more than twice a day and even swishing with Listerine... I know people who would barely brush and they have no cavities at all... I wish the genetics of my teeth were better... I thought they were, I hardly had any cavities in my mouth until now. It's like an explosion!!
Sealants are sounding so good right now. Are they expensive?
Posts: 1417 | Registered: Aug 1999
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Sealants aren't that expensive, and yes, you can get them as an adult. But be warned: they don't prevent all cavities.
I don't know why, but pregnancy does definitely cause dental problems. I usually have pretty good dental health, but I get bloody gums and sensitive teeth when I'm pregnant.
Yes, cavities can hurt even after filled. Sorry.
I was prescribed a custom night guard when I was 15-- after I chewed and ground and gnashed all the way through two of the soft silicone ones ( !)
Posts: 21182 | Registered: Sep 2004
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Pregnancy causes dental problems because of hormones (which cause the mouth to alternate rapidly between overdry and overmoist, both of which can increase (different types of) decay); calcium and other minerals being leeched from the teeth (this one you can do something about by taking a good multi-vitamin/-mineral supplement); increased stress (which often increases teeth grinding); and I forget what all else.
Old saying: Have a baby, lose a tooth.
The good news is that you don't have to lose teeth these days. The bad news: keeping them ain't cheap or painless.
Before I had kids, I had two cavities. Little ones. In the twelve years since my first pregnancy, I have spent $$$$ on crowns, huge cavities, and most recently to seal my four most cavity-prone teeth.
Most dentists will work on one quadrant at a time. Crowns are generally done separately from other work (but can be done two the same visit), and take two visits, but the second one is short.
Good luck! It will take some time, but before too long you will, as I did a week ago, suddenly notice that none of your teeth hurt!
Posts: 32919 | Registered: Mar 2003
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So, I spoke with a dentist friend about this and these were his answers:
1. Sealants are available for adults, but it isn't very helpful if you've had cavities before. 2. It depends on the location and size of the cavities. He will only do two quadrants at a single appointment, for the comfort of the patient. There's also the issue of how long each filling takes and the dentist's schedule. 3. It depends on how close the filling is to the nerve and what material the dentist used. The main thing is whether the sensitivity is getting better rather than worse (indicating the tooth is healing). 4. The baby doesn't steal the calcium! He mentioned the gingivitis/estrogen connection. (Non-dental answers) My wife (currently pregnant) things frequent vomiting will destroy enamel. Also, she feels sick when she brushes and so doesn't do as good a job as she should.
All information offered without guarantee or implication of all interested parties. Hope you feel better soon Posts: 2926 | Registered: Sep 2005
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quote:Originally posted by ketchupqueen: I was prescribed a custom night guard when I was 15-- after I chewed and ground and gnashed all the way through two of the soft silicone ones ( !)
Wow KP! That must have been frustrating. My mom has a nightguard and relax pills and she still has chipped many many many teeth. So many teeth, she said, that the dentist won't even fix them until they bother her.
Seno, Thank you for speaking to your dentist friend and answering some of my questions. I especially appreciate the sealant answer.
I have decided rather than going to my current dentist (which is an hour away and I haven't been too happy with the way she filled my teeth last time) I will go to a dentist here (which has been recommended), that doesn't take my insurance (there are very few dentists who do) but I will make payments. I hope I can get the other dentist to fax the xrays or something.
Posts: 1417 | Registered: Aug 1999
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A warning about sealants: I believe they can sometimes leak and lead to breast cancer.
I used to have sealants when I was younger, but my father read up on them and must have discovered something to this effect because he immediately found me another dentist to remove them, which was very scary and tasted awful.
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I've had five cavities filled in one sitting. Wait, no...six. I think I have PTSD from it or something. He was only going to fill three, then someone cancelled, so he just kept...going.
>_<
I'd taken Vioxx beforehand to stave off the headache so I could continue to work that day, but it couuld do nothing against the SIX fillings and that grinding from the drill *twitch*.
So I tried to work. After an hour, I was saying uncle and had to go home.
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Edited: No one is too young for it. ![[Wall Bash]](graemlins/wallbash.gif)
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I usually have pretty good dental health, but I get bloody gums and sensitive teeth when I'm pregnant.![[Eek!]](eek.gif)
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I especially appreciate the sealant answer.
