so im 14 and some kids at school gave me cigarettes to try and smoke. since then​ ive smoken like 3 in total and i have a dentist appointment to see how my braces are doing or something like that. if i dont ​smoke for 2 weeks before the appointment, could the dentist still tell ive smoked??​

I’m 33F. I recently moved from AR to FL. I had my last dental appointment in May, they checked my gums and they didn’t have any concerns. In Florida, they said I had some 5s, when the highest I’ve had is 4. They also said I have mild bone loss, which has never been mentioned to me. I doubt all of this has happened in the last 5 months..? It also hurt when they were checking my gums, like they were stabbing it in. The only thing I’ve done that’s different, is wear my bite guard because I clench, and I had that lower right crown done, and that’s where a 5 was.

Hello, our dentist told us they have no idea what this is on my wife’s gums and just shrugged when we asked if there was anything we could to help it or anyone else we could see. Does anyone have any idea what this could be?

Hello. I know this is probably not a standard question here, but it is REALLY bothering me.

I was told today that dentists under the ADA are not allowed to diagnose a cavity (even if visible) or even clean teeth if the patient is due for an X-ray - that they become liable for neglect if they do. Well, my personal BS detector went off. I suspect this is just their policy to cover their own butts, and they're hiding behind this supposed requirement. But I'd like to know how accurate my detector is.

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If you're curious about the situation:

My husband and I are actively trying to have a child but it's too early to test atm yet whether I'm pregnant or not. I have a dental appointment in a couple days that's an X-ray appointment and then a cleaning appointment the next week ( they told me they couldn't do them together because it's a comprehensive xray exam that takes longer than the ones i got last year). The xrays have me nervous.

Since I get cleanings 3 times a year anyway (been doing it for years after I started while living abroad) I'd ask to simply flip-flop the appointments or at least do an either/or appointment for the one a week from now when I'll know for sure if I'm pregnant or not. That's when they fed me this line. They also told me that if I don't get the x-rays, I cannot get my usual cleanings, unless I'm willing to risk getting x-rays during pregnancy. That'd mean I'd go over a year between cleanings and the last time I did that I had multiple cavities (a previous dentist has told me my teeth are susceptible to them thus my cleaning schedule). Plus they'd been concerned about my gums last appointment and this next one was a big follow up to see if things had gotten better or worse...

Needless to say, I got pretty upset, especially because I felt like I was being lied too. Plus even if I cancel the sooner appointment, a rescheduling would be at least 3 months out, which means I'd basically miss one of my usual cleaning appointments.

I'm just trying to get a better handle of the situation and the facts, if only to help calm my emotions and look at this more rationally.

So if anyone could help, I'd appreciate it.

NSFW
Got this weird atrophic spot on my tongue and another started forming. The main one has been on my tongue since Sept. Before all of this happened, I was told my dental assistant that my gums have trauma. She was concerned. I started brushing and flossing better and it went away but I see it very clearly today. In Aug my tongue was burning. It wil burn off and on and I also have GERD so my throat would burn too. I also had some very very strange nerve pain that would zap all over my mouth. It finally settled in my front left tooth and I went to an endo who did a root canal and most of that weird zapping went away. I went to an ENT for the lesion on my tongue and he said he has no idea what it was but to leave it alone and it will go away. My dentist said no idea but gave me a referral for a Oral Surgeon if I felt like going bc he knows I’m worried. Any of yall seen anything like this!?!

I also now have this tiny brown spot on the side of my tongue. ALSO I now have a fissured tongue and I never did before!

I haven't been to the dentist since 2019, I had an appointment during COVID and never rescheduled.

I went for the first time and need to get 3 fillings and obviously a cleaning. I just want to know if 3 fillings after not seeing a dentist for 7 years is a lot or reasonable.

I (21F) am honestly so confused and anxious about this situation, and I’m hoping someone can help me understand what might be going on. Posting this on a throwaway bc i’m honestly really embarrassed about how much this is affecting me.

When I was 15–18, my dental hygiene was unfortunately terrible. I barely brushed, never flossed, and rarely saw a dentist because my parents didn’t have the time or resources to take me, and I couldn’t get insurance on my own. When I finally went to the dentist around age 19, I was told I had six cavities that needed fillings. I was devastated, but I got them all taken care of.

Since then, I’ve been extremely diligent about my dental hygiene. I brush twice a day, floss every day, clean my retainer daily, don’t smoke or drink, eat a balanced diet, and go to my routine dental cleanings. I genuinely can’t remember the last time I skipped brushing or flossing. At my previous dentist, everything seemed to be going well. We were monitoring one tooth that had an early cavity/pre-cavity, but otherwise, nothing concerning was ever brought to my attention.

For the past two years, I’ve been driving about two hours to continue seeing that dentist. I recently decided to transfer to a dentist in the city where I now live. At my new appointment, they took X-rays and did a cleaning. The dentist pointed out what he described “problem areas” on the X-rays, but never explicitly told me that I had multiple cavities or that I even needed fillings. He mentioned that one “problem area” was particularly worse than the others, and when I told him about the tooth my previous dentist had been monitoring, he said that was likely the area he meant.

I left the appointment thinking I probably had one cavity that maybe needed a filling, same as the one i’d been monitoring with my past dentist. Then, at checkout, the receptionist asked when I wanted to schedule my fillings. Plural. I was confused and asked how many I needed. She told me EIGHT. Eight cavities requiring fillings, apparently, with most of them being in my FRONT TEETH. I was completely blindsided. I thanked her, left the office, and cried in my car. I genuinely don't understand how this happened.

My biggest question is: Did my previous dentist just never tell me about the other seven cavities? I’ve been going there for two years, getting regular cleanings, and having that tooth monitored. Wouldn’t they have seen the other cavities on my X-rays if they were already there? Could the two dentists have different opinions about what counts as a cavity that needs a filling versus an area that can be monitored? How many cavities do I actually have?

I’m especially confused because the new dentist never clearly explained that I had eight cavities. I only found out from the receptionist. Is that normal? I want to get a second opinion. I’m honestly scared. My mom’s side of the family has a terrible history of dental problems. Almost everyone over 30 has dentures, crowns, implants, or significant tooth decay. They also smoke and drink, so I was hoping that avoiding those habits would save me from those problems- but I’m seeing now that it may not be that simple. I know I can’t change how poorly I cared for my teeth as a teenager, and I’ve worked so hard to do better since then. I’m just terrified that it still won’t be enough. I’ve attached my x ray here if that helps. This is all they would send me and I cant get it in any higher resolution (according to the lady on the phone). Thank you for reading.

my front two teeth have been a nightmare since I was a kid, they were shattered and have been replaced with composite bonding on like three different occasions now. I cracked one again and needed it resurfaced but feel like the colour looks weird and off now - it’s almost like a shadow between my tooth and the fixed part and I’m feeling some weird regret about it when I smile. I understand the composite material has a different texture and opacity to the rest of my tooth, and that health problems haven’t left them in the best condition so they’re a bit transparent and grey, so I’m not sure if asking for a better colour match than this is just impossible. is this fixable without doing more damage or not even worth pursuing?

31 yo woman, coffee drinker, former smoker, celiac disease and hypermobile ehlers danlos syndrome

is my lips protruding? and will braces fix it?

Im getting a root canal today and my anxiety is through the roof. My heart is pulsing, thoughts racing and I need to know a few things

How badly will my heart be thumping after the injection?

I dont have high blood pressure, but its not normal levels either. Around 127/77 average and I'm scared I'll pass out or have heart problems after the local is given

If I do ask for one without adrenaline, how long will that last? Will they have to keep reapplying it?

I will be asking my dentist questions anyway but I am going out of my mind.

My dentist says based on this xray, I have 2 cavities and 1 bad fillings. It will be pricey to do it, so I'm just wanting to hear second opinion.

I don't smoke and drink coffee. I know my teeth are bad, when I was 5-12 I refused to brush my teeth at night. I never knew that I need to floss, I did it sparringly first 7 years ago. Now I floss daily for 1 year.

I've had series of bad dentist that would pull my teeth just because of small cavities, or ones that put amalgam filling on a molar that needs a root canal. I just want to do better and care for my teeth better this time.

I’ve been dealing with this issue for god knows how long now. At least several months. Like march or April. Had severe tooth pain after they were attempting to just make a crown as an old filling was messing up. Things got bad. I got a root canal and the idiot Endo didn’t put the temp crown back on. So the first attempt at the crown ended up being wrong as my teeth shifted a little. That was like in late June, I think. Ended up having to redo it and tried again August 19th after time issues wouldn’t allow me to come 2 weeks prior. He didn’t like how it sat and all and wanted it redone. Did 2 new impressions and sent it out.

Nothing has been heard from them. No call, no anything. Not that I’ve gotten anyway. And it has me irritated and rather terrified. Me waiting on 2 other crowns several years ago had been the reason I lost 2 teeth. The 2 temps broke on a carrot and a grilled cheese from work. I don’t want to eat on that side but I can’t keep just eating on one side anymore. Left a voicemail to hopefully get them to call me but this is not a good situation.

Here’s the story- 3 years back, I had terrible pain in my tooth, and I went to the Dentist. She performed root canal on my tooth for three or four days, and it hurt a lot. I’ve had my two wisdom teeth removed under local anaesthesia, not even general anaesthesia, it was not that painful, but this root canal treatment even with local anaesthesia was so painful and traumatic for me. She filled it with temporary filling and let me go, but then I never went to her after that. It’s been three years, I had pain maybe two or three times in the last three years in this tooth, I never had any pain, that’s why I never went to the dentist again, but in the last 7-8 months it started breaking off. First a small piece on the outer side and now the inner side of the crown part most of the teeth is gone. Although I do not have any pain unless I chew very hard on this side, I usually don’t chew anything on this side. I only chew from the other side. Do you think my tooth is restorable? I don’t want my tooth to be extracted.

EDIT: Guys I'm glad this post is making you laugh but please do give advice! Which is better, whitening strips, gels or a dentist whitening session?

EDIT 2: Some people are confused by me including my eyeball. The reason I added it is to show how yellow my teeth are (they are cheddar cheese-yellow IRL)

My teeth are noticeably yellow in outdoor lighting (slightly less so indoors and on camera)

I want my teeth to be whitened to be as white as the whites in my eyes (pic included for natural reference). I dont mind using whitening strips, gels, in-office etc as long as the appropriate method can make my teeth significantly whiteer.

Also, Ive been using Crest 3d strips for a week now on my top teeth and they are a shade lighter than my bottom teeth. Maybe slightlyyy more noticeable irl

I went to dentist after 10yrs (I know not ideal) I chipped my molar and had severe pain last week, I was flossing and a piece came out (size of a grain of sea salt) pain is completely gone since, it is not too sensitive to cold or hot, it was last week but since then it really isn’t sensitive. I went to a private equity dentist and the dentist barely talked to me explained anything. I honestly don’t trust them. Give me some info please

Bonjour,
Je suis allé chez le dentiste pour un problème de bourrage alimentaire entre deux dents. Pour y remédier, elle m’a réalisé un composite interdentaire.
Cependant, depuis cette intervention, le fil dentaire ne passe plus du tout entre les deux dents. De plus, le résultat esthétique ne me satisfait pas : le composite est visible entre les dents et donne l’impression qu’un morceau d’aliment est coincé à cet endroit. Je souhaiterais savoir si ce problème peut être corrigé et quelles sont les solutions possibles. Est-ce qu’une retouche du composite pourrait suffire, ou faut-il envisager de le refaire ? De plus j'ai la sensation que quand je mache c'est trop lisse. Est ce que elle risque d'abimer les dents en le retirant ? Que dois je faire ? De

I am 32 years old and the gaps between my teeth bother me a bit. I am not sure what would be the best thing for me to do.

Do I get braces, invisaligns? or do I get veneers?

If it were for my liking, I would want a fast solution, that would probably include getting veneers but I do not like the idea of shaving my teeth, and the process being irreversible.

I (22F) have periodontal disease and for the last 2 years have been working with my periodontist to keep my teeth clean as well as upping my home care. I got LANAP done two years ago, but I still have two areas in front of my first molars which have deep pockets (7mm).

My dental hygienists has always said how clean my teeth are and how good my technique for flossing and brushing is etc. when I originally got diagnosed the density told me that the level of bone loss I had localized at my pre molar and molars didn’t match the amount of plaque they usually see with cases like this.

I don’t know what to do anymore because I dropped $8000 on LNAP as well as hundred every three months for cleanings and maintenance only for this issue still. I’m trying so hard not to give up

I do not drink or smoke. I have controlled asthma.

If I can't afford myofunctional therapy then should I even bother with the tongue tie release? The dentist said he could do the release after a filling during the same appointment.

Most of what I see online is that you are cooked without doling out thousands of dollars for the therapy. I do not have thousands of dollars at this time

Any info would be appreciated as my appointment is set for weds Oct 21st

I (28F) have an appointment with the dentist to check this out, but in the mean time I wanted to see if anyone knows what this could potentially be. These photos don’t do it justice, these white patches are so much worse than what I could actually capture with my camera. They cover a much larger area than what you can really see here, mostly on either side of my mouth behind my back teeth, near the sides of my tongue. I’ve been vaping for about 3-4 years now and I also smoke marijuana most nights (grass and pen), could this be just like a smokers keratosis kind of thing that can go away? Or something more serious like oral cancer or leukoplakia? I don’t even really know what leukoplakia, keratosis, or any of that even is but I know there’s many different kinds. Possibly thrush? Dehydration/dry mouth? If it matters, I finally had my first wisdom tooth start coming in a few years ago on the top right and never did anything about it. Could this be some sort of infection from the tooth being impacted or something? It’s never given me any pain or issues, but just recently a second wisdom tooth started barely coming in on the top left. Ive been trying to research all the possibilities but there’s just too much out there and I have no idea. I know it’s bad, but I haven’t been to the dentist in years so I’m terrified of what they will find.

So basically today I got this terrible pain in my bottom teeth. But then it disappeared out of nowhere for a few minutes and came back.

And now all of the sudden I feel the pain also in the UPPER teeth? How????

Iam 28F i dont smoke , drink or chew tobacoo , it started after i used colgate whitening toothpaste saw an oral surgeon and dentist it reduced after i stopped using the tooth paste … after few months today i again felt the rounded raised area hard or stone kind off thing

iam really worried any suggestions???