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Why Are Human Teeth So Messed Up? (2017)

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201–210 of 238 posts

Re: Why Are Human Teeth So Messed Up? (2017)

#201

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I agree it sounds like bullshit. However, I have listened to a talk by a lady (she consults on murdered cadavers) who can tell which season a body died in by analyzing the teeth! Apparently there is a lot there.

That I can believe, assuming a detailed analysis in a lab. But snap judging from a distance? Cavities are more common in modern populations than before, but hardly omnipresent. I do find it an amusing thought that apparently my skeleton would be assigned a more distant past simply because I am filling free. :D

It might be not that hard for someone who's literal job is examining skeletal remains.

Re: Why Are Human Teeth So Messed Up? (2017)

#202

Interesting. I was born without "Wisdom teeth", which my Dentist claims is widely accepted as human evolution. (apparently the number of people born without them is growing) But I also have a bad, and getting worse "popping jaw" issue. where my jaw pops (loud enough to make my ear ring for a while after) or locks up when under too much pressure or opened too wide. Her advice is to eat soft food.... which seems to go…

> apparently the number of people born without them is growing I don't see what the selective pressure for this would be, since people with wisdom teeth just have surgery to remove them, so there's no real difference in terms of reproductive fitness right?

It's more likely just race mixing, since if I remember correctly, native americans don't grow them.

Re: Why Are Human Teeth So Messed Up? (2017)

#203

Interesting. I was born without "Wisdom teeth", which my Dentist claims is widely accepted as human evolution. (apparently the number of people born without them is growing) But I also have a bad, and getting worse "popping jaw" issue. where my jaw pops (loud enough to make my ear ring for a while after) or locks up when under too much pressure or opened too wide. Her advice is to eat soft food.... which seems to go…

I don’t know about you, but caffeine makes my jaw very tense and the popping bad.

If I manage to get through the three day come-down of caffeine cessation the popping goes away and my jaw starts to relax.

YMMV

Re: Why Are Human Teeth So Messed Up? (2017)

#204

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How does a parent have the ability to say that over some teen's body..? It's horrible to me to read that people would just say that.

Having had wisdom teeth removed, a couple root canals and several cavaties, and having seen the discomfort and problems my wife and daughter’s impacted teeth have had on them, you could do much worse than just ripping them all out and replacing them with high quality manufactured teeth. Human teeth are about as reliable as the gal bladder. Obviously it would be preferable to maintain your essence but (post)agrarian d…

Unfortunately afaik all replacements are worse than real teeth.

For some reasons one of my dentists had a booklet about the replacements in his waiting rooms. They all have issue.

Re: Why Are Human Teeth So Messed Up? (2017)

#206
post #200

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And at selling embalming as a standard and expected part of the process. For the UK at least: - Varnished coffins are usually very thin veneer on top of mainly particle board - the glue is as problematic as any varnish, and add pollution to cremation. US coffins are commonly steel(!) apparently. "Brass" fittings are usually plastic, and not removed before cremation as you might expect. - Embalming is so much an expec…

Burial in a wicker coffin in a forest somewhere has always appealed more to me than all these chemicals. I want to feed worms and trees after I die, not pollute the earth even more.

Throw me off a boat out at sea, wrapped in canvas. I'm good.

Re: Why Are Human Teeth So Messed Up? (2017)

#207
post #200

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And at selling embalming as a standard and expected part of the process. For the UK at least: - Varnished coffins are usually very thin veneer on top of mainly particle board - the glue is as problematic as any varnish, and add pollution to cremation. US coffins are commonly steel(!) apparently. "Brass" fittings are usually plastic, and not removed before cremation as you might expect. - Embalming is so much an expec…

Burial in a wicker coffin in a forest somewhere has always appealed more to me than all these chemicals. I want to feed worms and trees after I die, not pollute the earth even more.

I have to wonder how toxic the human body is. I have read that bioamplification of pesticides and heavy metals can be a problem for fish and birds. A quick google only shows me vague possibilities when reviewing humans. Is it worse for us because we're bigger and long lived, or does processed food avoid that sort of problem?

Re: Why Are Human Teeth So Messed Up? (2017)

#208

My teeth aren't that bad but are bad. My upper teeth are nearly perfect but my bottom middle 4 teeth are a little messed up. Most people can tell because I expose my upper teeth while talking, but if I smile it's pretty obvious they're not aesthetic... For years I've been ok with this, my parents never showed me to an orthodontist. But recently I'm getting more and more self-conscious about this every day. I searched…

I’m 35 and have had braces for over six months now. I kind of regret it because it’s purely cosmetic and a massive pain in the behind. I also cheaped out and got train tracks instead of Invisalign. Don’t do that. Seriously consider medical tourism. I live in China so total cost is going to be just under $3,000. You might be able to go to Mexico or Thailand every two months for your teeth cheaper than getting it done…

Ah that makes sense! Will definitely look into medical tourism to Mexico. Thanks.

Re: Why Are Human Teeth So Messed Up? (2017)

#209
post #200

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Burial in a wicker coffin in a forest somewhere has always appealed more to me than all these chemicals. I want to feed worms and trees after I die, not pollute the earth even more.

Throw me off a boat out at sea, wrapped in canvas. I'm good.

Also appealing. The problem with it is that at some point, a canvas wrapped body is going to wash ashore somewhere and people will want to know where it came from. Victim of an accident? A murder?

Edit: maybe weigh it down. That would work. And by "it" I mean yourself, I guess.

Re: Why Are Human Teeth So Messed Up? (2017)

#210

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I feel like I'd love to have that, but I run into the same reasoning against laser eye surgery: My work benefits cover full dental and my contacts, but I would have to pay substantial out-of-pocket for those procedures, even if they could save the benefits plan money over time.

In practice, dental implants are more work to maintain being much more difficult to properly floss. This leads to bone absorption and receding gums.

I'm interested to know why, since I have one and haven't noticed any difficulties in flossing.
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