I have had problems with my teeth my entire life. My parents were very poor and couldn’t take us to the dentist. One day, I developed what they called an abscess. My parents emptied their savings trying to take care of that tooth. I’m not sure the dentist who did the root canal treatment did a very good job because when I turned 19, the tooth just broke in half. It was humiliating. As I’ve gotten older, I have worked hard to see the dentist regularly but it seems I have the worst teeth in history. I can’t keep up with all the work that needs to be done. Most of the dentists I’ve been to just don’t seem to care. They just suggest I take out teeth. Is it possible to find a dentist willing to put in the work to save my teeth? Is there anything I can do to improve my situation? I promise you I brush.
Laura
Dear Laura,
You are in a tough spot. There are patients who seem to have teeth that are working against them. While there are some dentists who do not care and it seems like whoever did your root canal may not have been careful or done the adequate follow-up, many dentists go into their profession because they want to help people. Some may get easily discouraged when they encounter a mouth that seems to fall apart quickly. Others may be making premature judgments about your teeth thinking because of the shape they are in you don’t take care of them so why should they. It is wrong to decide something like that without getting to know a patient. Plus, they are literally getting paid to take care of them.
The first thing I am going to suggest is you do some searching for the best dentist for you. This will mean calling the office and asking for a free “meet the dentist” consultation. Explain your situation and get a feel for the care he will give to you.
It will also help if that dentist offers dental sedation. If you use something like oral conscious sedation, it will allow you to get more work done at each appointment. You can sleep through the procedures as well.
The Best Thing You Can Do for Your Teeth
While it is important that you brush your teeth twice a day, floss every night, as well as visit the dentist twice a year, the most important defense against decay is your saliva. There are minerals and enzymes in your saliva that help to fight decay. However, they need time to work. People who snack constantly throughout the day, sabotage the best defense their teeth have. My suggestion is to eat three meals a day and snack no more than twice.
This blog is brought to you by Hoffman Estates Dentist Dr. William Becker.