Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with health and dental

Speaking English causes bad teeth? Combined with chewing gum, leads to more kids having to wear dental braces? Help me research this one; would like stats and links...

querty — Mon, 11 May 2009 02:11:40 -0800

Speaking English causes bad teeth? Combined with chewing gum, leads to more kids having to wear dental braces? Help me research this one; would like stats and links... (Just a theory) So many words in the English language require you to use your tongue to pronounce a word; most used being the word "the". During pronunciation of these words, your tongue hits the upper portion of your teeth. And I speculate that after thousands and thousands of times with your tongue hitting the upper row of teeth, it would push it out, causing malocclusion. Combine that with chewing bubble gum (blowing bubbles) and other bad habits (teeth grinding), many kids end up having to wear dental braces.

Also, I believe that most Asian languages have shorter characters, pronunciations, and come in short bursts which requires less of the tongue hitting your teeth. Hence Asian people having trouble learning English; skipping all the tail sounds, trying to speak English Asian-burst-style-really-fast. Russell Peters said it best: "When Chinese people speak English, they sound like they are chopping vegetables."

That said, how can I find stats for something like: percentage of population under 18 who wear dental braces, London (English speaking) vs. Beijing (Mandarin speaking)? Or the same stat but for London vs. Singapore (because of their chewing gum ban)?

Again, it's just a theory. Wikipedia doesn't have much on the cause of malocclusion, so anybody familiar with this dental stuff, your opinions, links, and other theories are welcome.

Kitty teeth

greta simone — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 07:40:54 -0800

Cat filter: Do I really need to get her teeth cleaned? I just got back from my yearly vet check-up, and they recommended a teeth cleaning for my cat, stating that she has some gum disease. They showed me what indeed looked a little nasty, and then told me that a cleaning would cost from $250-350. I am very broke, getting ready to finish grad school, look for employment, and move to a large city. I cannot feasibly afford this, and probably won't be able to for quite some time.

I spoke with my mother shortly thereafter, and she said that I didn't need to get a cleaning, with her rationale being "they are animals. Their teeth get dirty. The cleaning is a vet racket". Now, I tend to be one of those cat-mamas that leans toward over-care and protection of my dear feline.

My questions are these: Have you, Mr. or Ms. Cat owner, gotten this recommendation from a vet and not gone ahead with the cleaning? Did you have negative consequences because of your decision? Is this neglect if I don't do it? Should I just bite the bullet and put this expense on my credit card?

Any and all experiences are welcome.

Thanks.

Are the different varieties of toothpaste really all that varied?

wondercow — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 19:37:17 -0800

The major toothpaste brands offer either cavity protection OR tartar control...do I really have to pick one feature and sacrifice the other? I ran out of toothpaste yesterday and headed to the drugstore, where I found myself with way too many options for toothpaste. Both of the major C brands (Colgate and Crest) have about 10 different types each, most of which seem to be some variation on a whitening formula. Not being overly concerned with this, my eyes moved to the bottom shelf where prices were a little lower and the claims on the box were a little more basic. Both Crest and Colgate offer a "cavity protection" toothpaste as well as a "tartar control" formula. Is there really any difference between these (besides flavor)? Am I sacrificing my toothpaste's ability to control tartar if I pick the cavity protection one, or vice versa? Do I honestly have to pick only one method for protecting my teeth without splurging for the cavity protection/tartar control/whitening/fluoride rinse/mouthwash/denture cream/laser cleaning toothpaste on the top shelf?

Help me choose health insurance?

attercoppe — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 12:55:14 -0800

Can you help my wife and I choose health insurance? I'm shopping for health insurance for my wife and I. I'm looking here for recommendations on good companies and good plans; tips on what to be sure to get and what to avoid; and even "Hey you sound like me, here's what I have and love."

We are 31 and 29, in good shape, and non-smokers. We live in Colorado. She currently does massage but in about three months she'll quit that, we'll move, and start trying to get pregnant. I have a desk job now but when we move I'll be looking to learn a trade - likely I'll be apprenticing as a plumber. We both snowboard now, she more than I.

So considering our current vocations and free-time activites, as well as our planned future situation...

I think we need covered: ER/broken bone, pre-natal and post-natal and possibly delivery. We lean towards home birth, alternative medicine, etc so coverage for that would be great.

I think we don't need: prescriptions, major surgery, mental health.

We might like: dental, vision, chiropractic, massage.

Bonuses would include portability (for when we move (within CO)), and a good range of choice in providers, as well as (in priority order) low premiums, low deductibles, and low co-pays. As befits insurance, this is pretty much just-in-case coverage. We don't really expect to use it much or at all. (Feel free to regale me with evidence that supports other thinking, just please no YOU GOTTA HAVE PSYCH AND MAJOR MED CUZ YOU NEVER KNOW!!1!.)

Thanks so much!

wisdom tooth question

illegiblemess — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 20:49:10 -0800

wisdom teeth removal questions - laughing gas only? is two separate removals a bad idea? I need to get all 4 of my wisdom teeth removed - only one is out enough to be functional, so of couse this one has a cavity. This is the easiest/cheapest of the removals, the other 3 are either "impacted" or "deeply impacted" and thus more expensive/painful to remove. There's no pain really in any of them which is why i was told to get them removed in july and am only dealing with this now.

My insurance only pays 1000$/year of anything, which I've already used up almost half of this year. The oral surgeon's receptionist told me that with the first non-impacted tooth, usually laughing gas alone is just enough, but they highly reccomend an IV drip for the anything impacted. It would save me about $800 if I got the easy tooth removed now and the other three done in Jan with the IV, but I am a little hesitant to think that any tooth removal could be done without being completely out of it, and paying for the IV twice makes it not really worth it. I'm not broke, so an extra 800$ won't kill me if it's better to do it all at once, but I can think of so many other things I'd rather do with my money.

So my questions are: Has anyone had a wisdom tooth removed with just novocain/laughing gas, what's it like? Is it generally just a bad idea to split up the procedure like this, will I be making myself miserable to have to go through recovery twice?

Groan. I need dental braces as an adult... many questions.

lottie — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 20:11:37 -0800

Groan. I need dental braces as an adult... many questions. About fifteen years ago, when I was a teenager, I had my teeth straightened over many uncomfotable years. My teeth, as a result, were perfect, but since have moved dramatically, and continue to move and I have become sort of embarrased about them. I should mention that I'm 34 years of age, so re-visiting the days of my braces sounds about as appealing as, well, adolecence itself.

I saw an Orthodontist here in Sydney this week. Everything they said was exactly as I suspected, and they seemed like a terrific office in general. Sadly, the quote I received to correct my teeth, all from the underside (meaning no work visible) was $12,000. Needless to say I about swallowed my own teeth in alarm, and said I'd get back to them.

This quote is perhaps double what I was expecting to pay - I can probably justify up to $7,000. I called them this morning, explained it was too expensive for me, and asked if they could propose any other options, particularly, a less expensive option if I just take the plunge and get standard braces and be done with it. The revised quote? $9,000 because "my solution was relatively simple".
Pah.

I called a friend who has been through the same thing of late and asked what she has paid, and if she can recommend her Orthodontist. She is having the complete treatment for $6,000, and likes her guy, who I can't see because of where my work is situated.

I can't really shop around, and see other dentists until I find the right price, because the initial consultation fee seems to be in the range of $300 wherever I go.

I'm sure it depends on your "case", but does anyone know:

Is there much variation in price from Orthodontist to Orthodontist?
Is anyone seeeing someone good, and affordable in the Chatswood area?
On the other hand, does anyone know of a great orthodontist in the city (Sydney) or elsewhere who does Saturdays or other peculiar hours, like later in the evenings or opens the practise early in the morning?
Does anyone know a good pricing hack - is any private health cover advisable, or a waste of money?
Any other tips?

Dental insurance in Colorado

attercoppe — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 08:40:16 -0800

Cheap, low deductible dental insurance in SW Colorado? My fiancee is gettting a health insurance stipend at her new job. She'd like to get some dental work done (cleaning, about 8 fillings replaced, wisdom teeth pulled, and a recurring infection looked at - root canal? (eek!)) before we get married and go away for a while. Is there such a thing as cheap, (relatively) low-deductible short-term dental insurance, available (meaning someone nearby accepts it) in or near Teluride Colorado? Or would it be just as cheap and/or easy to simply pay for the work?

Help me find a NOLA dentist!

mitzyjalapeno — Wed, 01 Aug 2007 08:59:14 -0800

O brilliant and knowledgable hivemind - I'm looking for a fantastic dentist/oral surgeon in New Orleans. My hubby cracked a tooth almost in half and we're trying to find a reliable dentist that can pull a tooth, even if it's in multiple pieces, with little or no difficulty. Before Katrina, I had an awesome dentist (even though he was retired). He's in Chicago now, and I need someone who can pull a tooth before you even know it's done.

I found a previous thread (http://ask.metafilter.com/54409/Open-wide-this-wont-hurt-a-bit), and I'm going to make some calls and see what some of those dentists have in the way of available appointments, but I'd still appreciate any other recommendations, especially on the Westbank or in downtown New Orleans. We're paying cash, if that makes a difference.

Thanks in advance!

How to combat receding gums?

krisken — Mon, 25 Jun 2007 10:09:57 -0800

Help! My teeth are just fine, but my gums seem to be receding. I can't see my dentist for three months. What can I do in the meantime?

Seeking Encouragement About the Fate of My Teeth

Anonymous — Thu, 31 May 2007 10:29:17 -0800

Due to some psychological issues, over the last one to two years, I've brushed my teeth ... well, probably no more than ten times, total. Having somewhat exorcised whatever little demon caused this neglect, I'm now trying to work my way back to dental health; I need some encouragement that the next step isn't going to be dentures. As always, there's Don't ask me why I neglected my teeth for so long; I'm not sure I could tell you. There were certainly some self-esteem issues involved, as well as issues of hiding from the world and making myself unattractive. Also, I perfectly understand that this may engender a really big "ewww!" factor, but the reaction's not helpful to me. Neglecting the most basic of basic daily maintenance routines is a symptom of depression; that's just how the dice hit the table with me. Sorry.

Basically, I'm looking for two aspects of recommendations from the Mefite community.

First, I'd appreciate recommendations with regards to equipment. For toothpaste, I'm thinking I'd get one of those brands that are supposed to address gum problems and/or enamel issues. Is one of those subbrands better than the other? (i.e. is Crest 'Everything and the Kitchen Sink' better than Colgate 'Super Duper Miracle Gums'?) And I have no idea what brand toothbrush would be best. I'd appreciate recommendations for both manual (for now) and the fancier kind (for later) ... I've heard good things about Sonicare. Is it worth the $120ish?

Second -- and this is the primary question, the reason I ventured into Ask Mefi, albeit anonymously -- I'm looking for reassurance from people who've had the same problem and rescued themselves, or from any Mefite dental professionals. Namely, I'd like any reassurance you can give (a) that I can get to a point where a dental visit won't equate to a visit to Guantanemo, and (b) that it's unlikely that my next step will be dentures, i.e., that it's not likely that I've wrecked my mouth altogether.

The plan is to twice daily prerinse with Plax, then brush, and then follow up with Listerine. I'm going to follow this routine for three months, during which time I'm going to look for a good dentist. (I know — flossing. I'm not going to worry about that for now. I hate flossing, because I've got these huge-ass fingers that I can't navigate in there with. And those little hand tools never seemed to work at all for me. I'm hoping the double-rinsing will do enough for now. I think flossing frustration might've been part of the derail in the past.)

I know you can't see my teeth or gums, but there aren't any major twinges or pains bothering me. I don't see any cavities, although I'm not entirely sure what to look for. The worst I can see is that my gumline around the bottom incisors has pulled back a slight bit, and there's one spot near one tooth where the gumline looks a bit darker (I think it might be periodontitis, if I understand the term right), and there's some heavy tartar deposits on my bottom cuspids.

(Also, I know age might be a factor in answering this question. I'm in my early thirties. And I had good dental maintenance up until a few years ago, and my teeth were sealed with flouride when I was a child, which, from what I understand, is a plus in terms of adult tooth health.)

Thanks in advance to anyone who worked their way through this rather yucky query.

Can an American get cheap dental care in Canada?

bajema — Wed, 17 Jan 2007 16:18:10 -0800

Can an American get cheap dental work done in Canada? My girlfriend needs a crown put in and her dentist told her it would be about $1000. She doesn't have insurance. I seem to recall that I've heard of Americans going to Canada to get dental work done for much less money. Is this true? Does anyone have an experience or insights on this?

Stop Gap Measures

EatTheWeak — Wed, 13 Dec 2006 11:08:48 -0800

[Dental Filter] So, my gums are doing an awful lot of bleeding. It will be at least four months before I can go to the dentist. What can I do about this in the mean time? So, yeah, my mouth is sort of in rough shape. It's become common to wake up needing to spit blood in the morning. Sometimes it even happens when I stay up too late at night. When I brush my teeth, I wind up bleeding into my toothpaste. I realize only a dentist can provide a meaningful solution to this, but I won't have insurance until the spring. So, what can I do in the meantime to reclaim my teeth and gums a bit.

Reccommend a dentist in NYC who takes insurance?

scazza — Tue, 21 Nov 2006 13:35:36 -0800

Reccommend a dentist in NYC who takes insurance? I adore my dentist but I just got insurance and need to save the $700/year. Would like someone nice, with gentle hygenists, you know, the usual.

Broken-tooth cat - what to do?

i_am_joe's_spleen — Sat, 26 Aug 2006 14:03:18 -0800

Our feisty little cat has snapped a canine. What should we do? Last night he wandered in and we noticed that one of his canines has snapped about halfway down.

It doesn't seem to be bothering him at all. I've had a look. The pulp is not exposed and the break is clean. Is there anything worthwhile we can do for him?

And how the hell does a cat do this anyway? He's a small tabby, less than two years old, rescued from a shelter.

Poor dental health of chihuahuas

strangelove — Sat, 11 Feb 2006 18:50:56 -0800

Would anyone know of a good vet (and pricing) for heavy cleaning and extraction of some teeth for Chihuahuas in the Toronto area? Today I found a molar on the floor...and then the horror which are my Chihuahuas' teeth. Thanks...

Is toothpaste bad for your teeth?

taz — Sun, 06 Feb 2005 02:30:43 -0800

Is toothpaste bad for your teeth? I recall seeing what was maybe a blog entry by some MeFite on his or her personal site that said (following details are sketchy!): toothpaste is bad for your teeth because of the glycerin, which doesn't allow teeth to "re-enamel". This is just from memory, so I may not have stated it correctly, and I can't find the site again. There was much more information that was very surprising to me (including something about flouride making teeth brittle, and also something about fruit), and I'd like to read more about this. Does anyone here recognize this being from your own site? Has anyone else heard of the toothpaste=bad thing?

Dental Insurance

badstone — Mon, 26 Jul 2004 10:48:19 -0800

I'm looking for advice on dental insurance. My girlfriend's employer does not provide it and she generally doesn't need it because she has magic cavity-preventing saliva. seriously, she's never had a cavity, never goes to the dentist! But now, she can feel one of her wisdom teeth starting to act up and probably needs an extraction. (others should probably be extracted while she's at it.) Should she go with bargain insurance (and can anyone recommend a good dental insurance company), or should she just get the work done without insurance and pay it back over time? If it makes a difference, we're in the Bay Area.