How Do I Acquire Good Oral Health?

LMrMister on 26/05/2017 - 23:32
Last edited 27/05/2017 - 08:52 by 1 other user

Hello!

Thought I might have a stab asking the OzBargain community for dental health advice ;)

Basically, I haven't brushed my teeth from the ages of 13 - 19…………say 5 to 6 years? I know, ewwww. Don't worry, I haven't kissed anyone yet :) This was due to a combination of laziness and being unable to 'properly' access my teeth (due to braces). I go to a dentist and everything. I even have my teeth washed annually. In the past week I've began brushing and flossing twice a day. I'd really like to improve the condition of my teeth.

Here are the current problems: My teeth look pretty bad (No profanity)….I've got virtually yellow teeth, some even with black markings! Some of the teeth are beginning to look translucent! My gums bleed when I brush! Fortunately, I experience no pain. Also, it doesn't affect my health.

So..that's the situation and some background. Does anyone have any advice as to how I can reverse (improve) all of this? How can I get stunningly white teeth? More importantly, how do I acquire good oral health? I don't want to get to 30 and have a set of fakes.

Anyway, if you've read to this point, Thanks and have a good one!

Health & Beauty

Comments

  • retiredfeline on 26/05/2017 - 23:38
    +1

    Gums bleeding means you have food trapped between teeth and also near the gums, and infection. You need to brush better and also floss. It will take time to reverse. Pay the money and get a cleaning and get the dentist to give you advice on how to brush. You will squirm at the advice but you won't forget it. For a while at least.

    • MrMister on 26/05/2017 - 23:40

      Sounds good! I've already booked the clean for next week haha. Can I ask, do you know if the damage on my teeth will be reversed?

  • garetz on 26/05/2017 - 23:54
    -2

    Of course it affects your health, you just do not realise how yet. Not being able to feel the pain is not a good thing, that means you have had so much numbing fluoride, you cannot feel your teeth or gums.

    Do a search for oil pulling, and do some thorough research on the topic. There are many different toothpastes you can use, i used fluoride most my life, fluoride doesnt actually whiten your teeth naturally, it acts like a bleach, so the stain is gone through a bleaching process. That does not necessarily mean your teeth are healthy just cause they are whitened by fluoride.

    • airal3rt on 27/05/2017 - 01:24
      +4

      Whoever invented "oil pulling" had a sense of irony, the very name is a nod to the snake oil inspiration for it.

      No scientific evidence for it, not even a plausible mechanism of action.

      Pure pseudoscience.

      • garetz on 27/05/2017 - 02:34
        -1

        oil pulling has been around for 1000s of years, people did it in christs time, you think everyone in history had toothpaste and toothbrushes ? They are relatively new inventions.

        Maybe you should educate yourself, before criticizing something you obviously know very little about.

        • fantombloo on 28/05/2017 - 10:30

          Lots of new inventions are better than historical alternatives.

    • MishyMoo on 10/06/2017 - 15:43

      Agree. For me, Oil pulling is about the best cleaner for teeth. It gets rid of stains and bacteria. Mouth feels amazing afterwards. I learned about it when I travelled around Thailand with a monk… teaching natural self-care.
      I won't use anything with fluoride. I now make my own 'toothpaste' from a base of bicarb, salt, oils (neem, clove, cinnamon, peppermint, sesame and coconut) , turmeric. The paste is actually black. It works for me. I did a lot of research when all I ever heard from dentists was $$$$root canal, root canal.
      There are alternatives for those interested in natural ways to clean and fix teeth….
      So then I researched Western Drs who were experts in natural therapies.
      I found that Dr Hal Huggins did some great work in the oral health area.
      He also taught, so there are dentists worldwide who follow his protocols. I know that it's not for everyone, but there is a lead on info for those who want it.

  • humdingaling on 27/05/2017 - 00:07
    +4

    your parents bothered to get you braces but didnt bother to follow thru to make sure you actually brushed your teeth?

    you go to the dentist but yet they never say anything about your oral hygiene or how to take care of your teeth with braces?

    • PJC on 27/05/2017 - 04:55
      +1

      Yes, it does seem unusual.

  • lizzle on 27/05/2017 - 00:14

    Let me know when you need those dentures :) I could make you a nice set.

    • MrMister on 27/05/2017 - 21:50

      hahahahaha savage.

  • peterpeterpumpkin on 27/05/2017 - 00:15

    I don't know the answers myself.

    But translucent teeth sounds like missing enamel. The main reason I don't like dental procedures is because they nearly always have to damage something to make it better. You want fake enamel via bonding or veneers? Then we'll have to etch your existing enamel down a bit. Got some inflammation or an infection somewhere? Then we'll drill, grind and slice our way through the problem.

    You're lucky you don't have pain. Though in dentistry (aka the money printing industry) that's not always a good thing since dead things don't feel anything.

  • [Deactivated] on 27/05/2017 - 00:25
    +1

    just buy toothbrush and some floss and start right NOW, don't waste another day till you get it sorted.

  • [Deactivated] on 27/05/2017 - 00:27

    lol what you didn't brush you teeth as a child, where were your parents?

    • airal3rt on 27/05/2017 - 01:26
      +1

      He said 13-19 he didn't brush his teeth, did your parents stand in your bathroom watching to make sure you brushed your teeth as a teenager?

      • [Deactivated] on 27/05/2017 - 01:33

        mine did upto the age of 18.

        • MrMister on 27/05/2017 - 21:53

          Really can't complain that I didn't have a helicopter parent lmao. I might've also told some "white lies" every now and then.

  • [Deactivated] on 27/05/2017 - 00:28

    1 more thing everyone hates the dentist but going regular lessons the pain plus saves money, but not brushing twice a day there's no excuse for that.

    • [Deactivated] on 27/05/2017 - 01:00
      +3

      i dont mind my dentist, shes hot and her assistant is even hotter ;)

      • John Kimble on 27/05/2017 - 03:16
        +1

        In Sydney? Tell me more…

      • supnigs super skids on 27/05/2017 - 11:38

        yeah my dentist has big ( .)( .) and she smells nice too

      • OzFrugie on 29/05/2017 - 13:05

        Where?

  • Mattstho on 27/05/2017 - 02:12
    +12

    Hello Mrmister. I hope what I am about to say will help you.

    First off, you need to see a dentist to have your teeth looked at thoroughly for an accurate diagnosis and treatment plan if any work needs to be done. But great job on booking an appointment next week to have things checked and clean. It's a great step forwards.

    To see improvement in the condition of your teeth. you need to be brushing twice a day for 2 minutes each time and flossing daily as well.

    In regards to your "yellow teeth", this could be your natural teeth colour. There are many patients asking why their are yellow but they really aren't so bad. They are comparing it to celebrities who have had work done so they appear toilet bowl white (ie Simon Cowell). My advice is to get a dentist's opinion on it.

    Black markings on your teeth can be due to a multitude of things. This needs to be looked at to accurately diagnose the reason why. It could be from generalised staining on your teeth in which can be removed simply by scaling and cleaning your teeth. It could be decay on your teeth which can be a cavitated or non-cavitated lesion. In a cavitated lesion it means that the decay has essentially gone too far and will need a filling. If this isnt done, the decay will continue to grow and when it eventually touches the nerve of your tooth, you will have a tooth ache. In a non-cavitated lesion, decay is at an early stage and can be monitored. Please note that decay can progress and turn from a non-cavitated lesion into a cavitated one and thus will need a filling for the reasons mentioned prior.

    Translucent teeth is most probably due to you wearing down the enamel on your teeth. For you to begin to notice this, I assume that it is towards your front tips of your teeth. This is most probably due to a habit of some sort, be it grinding at night time or nail biting. If you show signs of occlusal (biting surface) wear on your back teeth, you are most likely grinding your teeth at night. If you can see fine vertical crack lines in some of your teeth, you may be clenching your teeth. Once again, have a dentist look at it and give you advice.

    Bleeding gums is a very common issue. When gums bleed it means that it is not as healthy as they can be. The most common reason why your gums are bleeding is due to a build up of calculus between your teeth. This unfortunately happens naturally and needs to be maintained by flossing daily and have your teeth professionally cleaned 6 monthly. Once the calculus build up is removed from your teeth, combine that with regular daily flossing, your gums should become healthy again and bleeding will improve. If this calculus build up is left on your teeth for too long, it will cause gum disease (periodontitis). Its long term effects will result in boss loss around your teeth, meaning less support for them. Your teeth will become loose and eventually need to be extracted. My advice is to have your teeth cleaned by a dentist 6 monthly and the bleeding will improve within about 2 weeks.

    To have white teeth, you can consider whitening them professionally. I am assuming that since you had braces done your teeth are straight and you just want them whiter. If whitening doesnt get the results you are after, you are really looking at getting some veneers done. Veneers are like fake nails that get glued on the front side of your teeth. It can virtually change the shape and colour of your teeth.

    It is not a question of how to acquire good oral health, it is actually a question of whether you have the discipline of doing what you've been told growing up. It's the basics, get into the routine of brushing twice daily for a good two minutes. Floss once daily at night as well. By making this a habit you will have good oral health for the rest of your life.

    Anyways I hope everything I've mentioned is clear and it helps you and anyone who reads this comment. I want to stress again it is very difficult to diagnose problems without physically seeing your teeth. Please take this as general advice only and always seek a professional opinion.

    • Xoenz on 27/05/2017 - 02:45

      Great answer with some really thorough explanations and options for treatment!

    • John Kimble on 27/05/2017 - 03:19

      Should you floss before or after brushing, or does it not matter?

      • cloudy on 27/05/2017 - 08:26
        +1

        Flossing should occur after all meals.

        • John Kimble on 27/05/2017 - 09:36

          Ideally, yes, but if I only do it when brushing…

        • scrimshaw on 27/05/2017 - 10:59

          @John Kimble:

          It's good enough that you are doing it once per day (say before going to bed).

          Calculus removal (done by a dentist) should be done every 6 months. This one I strongly agree with…. when I was younger I pretty much neglected going to the dentist as I didn't have a very good health fund and had to pay gap. I also didn't floss very often. Or more like, I never remembered to floss.

          Now that I know a good dentist who doesn't do gap fees, I get it done every half year and my gums have improved significantly.

        • airal3rt on 28/05/2017 - 19:40

          @scrimshaw: Is your dentist in Melbourne by any chance?

        • humdingaling on 29/05/2017 - 11:28

          preferably at the dinner table

    • MrMister on 27/05/2017 - 22:04
      +2

      Mate, if nobody has told you before, you're a freakin legend. I'm working on getting into a habit of brushing and flossing twice a day. Sounds trivial but I'm working on overcoming this obstacle haha.

      I'm genuinely thankful and extremely appreciative of this info and encourgement. Perhaps it's common sense to most, but to me, it's worth its weight in gold.

      • elliebargain on 28/05/2017 - 01:30
        +1

        I really struggled with flossing every day too, and what really helped me was getting the little floss picks that come in packs of 30 from Woolworths (I know they're bad for the environment though!) and keeping them by the lounge, because my dentist reminded me you really don't need to be by a sink to floss, so I used to just do it while I watched a show, then I got so fast I just do it quickly in the bathroom before I brush my teeth, and pair it with another habitat like a 30 second stretch or something like that. It probably sounds silly but you've just got to find what works for you- figure out for to tack it onto an existing habit :)

  • cloudy on 27/05/2017 - 08:29
    +3

    I go to a dentist and everything. I even have my teeth washed annually."

    So why doesn't the dentist tell you about the black marks, etc if you go regularly?

    • MrMister on 27/05/2017 - 22:07

      He just blasts them with the salt water (or whatever it is). He definetley isn't the best dentist, but I'm far far away from perfect.

  • [Deactivated] on 27/05/2017 - 08:31

    ?

  • John Kimble on 27/05/2017 - 09:51
    +1

    More importantly, how do I acquire good oral health?

    Good habit and routine.

  • whooah1979 on 28/05/2017 - 11:50
    +1

    Basically, I haven't brushed my teeth from the ages of 13 - 19…………say 5 to 6 years?

    what?

    how do you keep everyone around you from dying when you open your mouth?

  • Black Brown Blue on 29/05/2017 - 00:05

    You need to follow simple steps-

    • brush once daily for 3-5 minutes and make sure you brush well not casually as this can make a lot of difference. If not sure just google it.

    • Don't worry about yellow teeth, it's quite normal. I have had them since childhood. It's to do with diet, water and other factors. I have tried teeth whitening it's useless. I am happy with them.

    • if you are worried about losing your teeth before 30. Make sure you eat a balanced diet and consume enough calcium. Teeth like bones need a lot of calcium and milk is the best source of calcium.

    • use straws while consuming soft drinks because believe it or not soft drinks can lead to a lot of tooth damage (dentist told me this when I was in primary school)

    Brush regularly or get dentures, your choice. Sorry to be harsh but it's the reality.

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