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Dentists reveal new tooth decay treatment

theguardian.com

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Re: Dentists reveal new tooth decay treatment

#131

Post by Turing_Machine »

Karunamon wrote: post #111
Eldarrion wrote: post #80

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The way root canals were handled is by usually killing the nerve via opening up the nerve, putting arsenic in and sealing it with a temporary filling for 2-3 days. After that's all done, there's very little pain felt except when the doctor goes far enough to poke at the gums. The procedure does take longer than with anesthesia in that you need two visits for the whole process, but that's how they did it.

That explains a lot. I had one of these improperly done on a molar about 10 years ago. After the anesthetic wore off from the first visit, the pain slowly grew over the next few days until it was of brilliant, blinding, bang-head-against-hard-object make it STOP!! intensity. After they took off the temp filling, the smell was nauseating. Apparently it wasn't cleaned very well. Never went to that guy again.

The foul odor may well have been from an infection.

Re: Dentists reveal new tooth decay treatment

#132

Post by Bluestrike2 »

mikeash wrote: post #73
Bluestrike2 wrote: post #59

Earlier quoted context omitted.

When you get a chance, take a look at a photo of an orbitoclast (think ice pick). Hammer it in behind the eye socket, give it a good whack, and swing it around a bit. Walter Freeman, the asshole who invented the device, used to drive around the country in his little van performing lobotomies for $25 a pop. He had a nasty tendency to kill his patients; he even killed one when he stopped to have his photo taken with th…

People like to say that "learning is fun," but I find that with the internet this is often not true.

All too true at times.

Re: Dentists reveal new tooth decay treatment

#133

Post by jacinda »

derriz wrote: post #96
wanderingstan wrote: post #33

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No need to even go that far, in 2006 I had a root canal in Germany with no anesthesia or pain killers given. Made worse by the fact I didn't understand what it was being done. My German was terrible and the dentist's English was worse.

Must be a thing in German speaking countries? Last year i was asked if i wanted local anesthetic when the dentist was about to drill a back tooth for a crown in Zurich. I blinked with incomprehension - I couldn't believe anyone would NOT want anesthesia. But apparently I had understood correctly and according to the dentist quite a few ask to forego it.

They may have asked because having dental insurance isn't as common in Switzerland (medical/accident insurance is mandatory, but not dental), so many people pay for everything out of pocket. They might opt-out of the anesthetic to save money.

Re: Dentists reveal new tooth decay treatment

#134

Post by EGreg »

I am 32 and have never had to havea filling or root canal. I do not brush my teeth very often or do anything special, except possibly limiting sugar intake somewhat, and maybe rinsing once in a while.

I went to a dentist a year ago and they said I am developing a cavity inside one of my upper treth, and should get it treated. Since then it's been a year and I feel no pain there and nothing is visible on the outside. I don't know.

Is this at all typical?

Re: Dentists reveal new tooth decay treatment

#135

Post by devbug »

e40 wrote: post #130
saidajigumi wrote: post #125

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> The current conservative treatment for white spot lesions is to be judicious with cleaning And I'll point out that my current dentist is the only one I've ever had (or known of) who actually bothers to rigorously teach his patients how to clean their teeth well. Most apparently don't believe this is possible or worth their time. Obviously that's not going to take with every patient, but it's really quite amazing th…

Care to elaborate what the techniques your current dentist taught you?

Off the top of my head:

* Modified Stillman's

* Floss properly; "scrape" gently with the floss.

* Water rinse after acidic drinks (like red wine). Brush a half hour after that.

Re: Dentists reveal new tooth decay treatment

#136

Post by vonmoltke »

pageld wrote: post #72
to3m wrote: post #58

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I wonder if quick checkups are any less profitable per unit time than doing fillings. Not much in the way of materials required, and you can get a good throughput, with each visit likely to be of predictable duration. (My teeth are in good shape, and my average dentist visit takes all of 15 minutes: check teeth for basic soundness, scrape off tartar, remove tea stains from upper incisors. Still costs me £55.) There i…

"Quick Checkups" are less profitable. However, Scaling and root planing (periodontal treatment) is super profitable which is just a more time intensive version of a checkup. I do know of some dentists that tell their hygienists to not do a good job so they can get the periodontal treatment and charge $400 a quarter instead of $150 every 6 months. Source: Wife was a hygienist before she burned out from contortionist b…

> Source: Wife was a hygienist before she burned out from contortionist body pain and having to make commission.

Note to self: find out what dentists make their hygienists work on commission and don't go there.

Re: Dentists reveal new tooth decay treatment

#137

Post by lukeschlather »

devbug wrote: post #135
e40 wrote: post #130

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Care to elaborate what the techniques your current dentist taught you?

Off the top of my head: * Modified Stillman's * Floss properly; "scrape" gently with the floss. * Water rinse after acidic drinks (like red wine). Brush a half hour after that.

One thing that has done a lot for me is I've been doing more brushing without toothpaste. I do use toothpaste, but when I do it I treat it more as a fluoride treatment than as a tool to get off plaque. When I'm trying to get off plaque I use a dry brush.

Re: Dentists reveal new tooth decay treatment

#138

Post by Scoundreller »

devbug wrote: post #135
e40 wrote: post #130

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Care to elaborate what the techniques your current dentist taught you?

Off the top of my head: * Modified Stillman's * Floss properly; "scrape" gently with the floss. * Water rinse after acidic drinks (like red wine). Brush a half hour after that.

++ on the water rinse. It intuitively makes a lot of sense.

I've always wondered how much decay could be prevented if we just trained people to drink a glass of water after each meal.

One day I'll distribute a cola that includes a chewable calcium tablet to take after each consumption.

Re: Dentists reveal new tooth decay treatment

#140

Post by Scoundreller »

lukeschlather wrote: post #137
devbug wrote: post #135

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Off the top of my head: * Modified Stillman's * Floss properly; "scrape" gently with the floss. * Water rinse after acidic drinks (like red wine). Brush a half hour after that.

One thing that has done a lot for me is I've been doing more brushing without toothpaste. I do use toothpaste, but when I do it I treat it more as a fluoride treatment than as a tool to get off plaque. When I'm trying to get off plaque I use a dry brush.

Toothpaste is more than fluoride, it contains surfactants and mild abrasives to aid in the cleaning process.
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