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I went to 50 different dentists: almost all gave a different diagnosis (1997)

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Re: I went to 50 different dentists: almost all gave a different diagnosis (1997)

#231

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> floss weekly For me daily makes a big difference. If I leave it until weekly my gums will start to suffer for it. I use the little floss picks, as they're much easier to manage for me than floss, and - here's something - they're reusable. Rinse them off like you would your toothbrush and you can keep those suckers going for a long time. You can also get them made from bio-plastic, so that they'll degrade once they…

Do you get those ones that are thinner than normal floss? Because it won't be as effective if so. Tried the Listerine ones but I'm curious which brand you get that has bioplastic

This is not the brand, but they look a lot like this. https://www.amazon.com/Natural-Dental-Floss-Picks-200/dp/B08...

The double string ones are really good, as they catch a lot of gunk in the gap between them.

Re: I went to 50 different dentists: almost all gave a different diagnosis (1997)

#232
post #86
post #55

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Have you tried a waterpik? Considering an investment there myself.

Got one a year ago. They seem effective, however they make a huge mess - it’s a pressure washer in your bathroom.

I just had a checkup and they mentioned Water Pik and recommended a cordless model you can use in the shower.

Re: I went to 50 different dentists: almost all gave a different diagnosis (1997)

#233

This article was run in 1997. It reads exactly like what a modern dental experience is. If dentists want to start drilling, capping, or pulling. Go get a second opinion. I was referred to the Otho within my dentists office to look at my wisdom teeth. I was not in pain, they weren’t impacted, instead I was told “It’s a standard practice just to check.” It was supposed to be a consultation, but the ortho wanted to rip…

> get a second opinion

This guy got 50 opinions and 12 of the dentists gave reasonable treatment plans. At least one dentist said there was nothing wrong.

I’m not sure two opinions is enough really.

Re: I went to 50 different dentists: almost all gave a different diagnosis (1997)

#234

I know HN will have the answers if no one else will: Anyone have links to good studies (or even RCTs) about flossing, different kinds of toothpaste, etc.? I don't wanna open up the whole fluoride debate, but it seems _stannous_ fluoride is more effective than _sodium_ fluoride. The mouthwash I bought stained my teeth (can't find the link, but you had to dilute it with water. Something like [0]). I remember reading a…

My dad was a dentist and I've never had a cavity. TBH any fluoride is fine, so other preventative care should take priority. The idea being that with proper technique, and barring other health conditions like dairy allergies, nobody should experience tooth decay. This is anecdotal, but ranked from highest to lowest (top 3-5 especially!), I'd say:

* Brush teeth morning and night with any name brand fluoride toothpaste, replacing toothbrush often like every 6 months

* Use a floss pick morning and night, and preferably on any gum pockets after meals, since cavities form where the tartar is, where the food sits, which can be revealed by using disclosing tablets periodically

* Use a water pick morning and night

* Get fluoride treatments from the dentist every 6 months until adulthood, after that is too late except as maintenance, but continue that schedule for checkups

* Sleep with mouth closed at night using nasal strips and optionally taping mouth in an x-shape to not stretch philtrum, because dry mouth causes gum disease

* Avoid sugar and foods like potato chips which stick to roots and cause tartar, or brush afterwards

* Drink milk until adulthood and continue until intolerant, also eat leafy green vegetables and other high-calcium foods

* Eat whole fresh firm foods which develop the jaw and teeth, especially in youth while still growing

* Exercise, especially weights and athletic movements that exercise the face and jaw to promote development and encourage blood flow

* Work on head/neck posture and sit upright in chair while working, since mouth breathing is caused by poor posture that narrows the throat's air supply, which causes dry mouth which leads to bad breath and tooth decay

* Don't smoke and avoid excessive alcohol

* Consider orthodontic treatment if bite is off, since once enamel is worn, it takes too long to redeposit before the tooth wears to the point of failure, but get multiple opinions and avoid all extractive dental work and/or headgear, since orofacial myofunctional exercises accomplish the same thing and can have better long-term results

Re: I went to 50 different dentists: almost all gave a different diagnosis (1997)

#235
post #187
post #113

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The same is true for healthcare generally in my experience. Very bad advice is often given. I can't really common about the US, but here in the UK the quality of healthcare is shocking bad. Although we may have the opposite problem, where instead of doing unnecessary procedures to increase costs, the NHS generally tries to avoid doing anything unless you're dying. I had some pain in my abdomen a few years back and ha…

> From this I found out that I have a fairly rare generic condition which makes me highly predisposed to liver disease and NAFLD. Certainly not the end of the world, but it pissed me off a bit because the disease could have progressed had I taken their advice and simply ignored it. I was diagnosed after a blood test (in the US) but they just put me on a statin (high cholesterol medication) that fixed only what the bl…

Statins reduce cholesterol production. What were you hoping for?

Re: I went to 50 different dentists: almost all gave a different diagnosis (1997)

#236

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It strikes me as unfortunate that for a lot of things like home repairs/renovations its pretty normal to get 3+ different opinions/bids.. but for our health its usually your regular doctor, and at most a 2nd opinion in some cases. We'll make life changing decisions based on the opinion/advice of 1 individual, while shopping around on a home project or car repair that's +/- $5k. It seems again like a combination of sh…

Something your comment overlooked is the overall availability and the required timeline for something health related is usually quite different than home maintenance or car troubles. I had a really bad sprain about two years ago to the point where my partner had to help me on and off the toilet. Eventually I took off work, went to urgent care, and paid $200 for them to basically say "well it's not broken, we could do…

In an ideal world, what would you say should have happened?

Re: I went to 50 different dentists: almost all gave a different diagnosis (1997)

#237
post #113

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The same is true for healthcare generally in my experience. Very bad advice is often given. I can't really common about the US, but here in the UK the quality of healthcare is shocking bad. Although we may have the opposite problem, where instead of doing unnecessary procedures to increase costs, the NHS generally tries to avoid doing anything unless you're dying. I had some pain in my abdomen a few years back and ha…

>> It doesn't really matter if you see the best doctor in the world, if they can't spent the time and money running the tests you need you're not going to get a good diagnosis. Everyone in the UK should get to experience a private consultation just once. The difference between the rushed 10mins you get with the NHS and the considered 30mins you get private is amazing. You leave feeling like you’ve been taken care of…

>The difference between the rushed 10mins you get with the NHS and the considered 30mins you get private is amazing. You leave feeling like you’ve been taken care of and all your questions have been answered.

This is true for fairly simple cases. But when something is complex or very serious you want a true multidisciplinary team that sees the most cases per annum - that is the NHS.

A private consultant in a nice office with a very nice efficient secretary is great for their particular expertise but outside of that poor. This is based on more experience personally and with family than I would wish anyone to have.

Re: I went to 50 different dentists: almost all gave a different diagnosis (1997)

#238

My son when 3 had a fall and a few teeth were bent. Went to our local dentist who mostly had a wait and see opinion. But then calls a day later and says they’ve decided they should just come out. Two top front teeth. Would have no top front teeth for years. I went into engineer mode and while I acknowledged I didn’t have domain expertise, I asked questions and probed the whole situation. Very unsatisfactory, meanderi…

I have learned from personal experience to never take healthcare medicals for their words.

Always do your own research. Ask them consequences and how sure they are.

And take into consideration the impact of treatments and diagnosis to the life quality of yourself or loved ones. At times can be hard for doctors and others to look beyond their own worldview.

Personally I’ve had this eczema where I found the correct cream by reading the research on it, and later found out this is also the official advice. Most doctors here just prescribe an old cream out of habit, that contains hormones and often creates worse side effects.

But a bigger diagnosis mistake was a close family member diagnosed with a very bad gen defect that would cause liver failure within a few years. He wanted the kid to start taking unpleasant medicines to be sure. He told us to get bloodwork done (without mentioning the costs) but in the end couldn’t find enough genes that had the mistakes. He wanted to do even more bloodwork being convinced there needed to be 2 genes with the defect, but I clearly told him he was going in uncharted territory, after doing the extra bloodwork he had to come back and agree he was wrong.

One defect gene was found and in extreme health circumstances liver values were found that matched the pattern of a certain disease. Which is why he was convinced it was wrong.

He was a well intentioned doctor, but these academics doctors get obsessed with analysing and diagnosis without always understanding the costs for the patients. Although they try to. In the meantime our family thought the kid was going to die for months and made significant unnecessary costs.

Re: I went to 50 different dentists: almost all gave a different diagnosis (1997)

#239
I had the same experience in the last two weeks!

I hadn't been to the dentist since covid. My gf convinced me to try her dentist -- I left with a $6000 proposal to fix all sorts of problems (including the one that sent me there -- a lost filling).

So I went back to my old dentist; she identified the missing filling and a couple of holes "worth keeping an eye on" with a total projected cost of... $300.

Re: I went to 50 different dentists: almost all gave a different diagnosis (1997)

#240

At the very end of the article: "This article originally ran in the February 1997 issue of Reader’s Digest." Surely this should be noted in the HN title?

I note that one of the few dentists he mentions by name as providing a diagnosis consistent with his panel and a reasonable estimate is still practicing: Dr. Henry Wah in Marion, AR, apparently still has a good reputation and has been joined by other family members: https://wahfamilydentistry.com/
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