22 male with worst teeth known to (twenties) MAN

[boa]

Like I said I'm 22 and I have horrible rotten teeth. I've been without a dentist for probably 8-10 years except for when I had my wisdom teeth out at 18. I have a broken black front tooth (10) and beside it (11) is like black on the inside, finally (12) has a chip across the top of the gum line on the outside and has a cavity forming but it's not as bad as those other two. My big tooth (9) was rebuilt (badly) from a dentist years ago after I broke it on bricks riding down a hill and falling over the handlebars on my bike. Lastly, I have a rotten tooth cracked on the inside with a hole (2 or 3). I can't lie I abused alcohol and drugs which led to complete ignorance and massive neglect of my oral health. I aslo ballooned to 280lbs but at age 19 I decided enough was enough. In the time between then and now I lost weight and now weigh 160lbs and I don't do drugs anymore but I sometimes slip up with drinking. I have horrible anxiety, depression, ocd, a fear of germs, and people (all diagnosed; like for 4-5 years I couldn't order pizza for fear of talking over the phone to a stranger). I don't take prescription meds out of fear of eventual addiction and abuse, mainly treating with breathing and exercise. I have kept the weight off for a year and a half now and been off of drugs for close to a year. I just today purchased dental insurance and am going to the dentist (new dentist) for the first time next thurs at 3. I've been planning to do this for some time but couldn't afford it and was dealing with a catholic charity but I never got approved for dental, only medical (which I am grateful for). Now I'm experiencing pain in my big tooth (9) because, well it feels like there is a nerve exposed, sort of like the material is cracking or something. I'm so scared of what this dentist is going to think, I'm not afraid of the pain I know I'm going to have to manage through, just this Dr's thoughts. I'm only 22 and this is not right or okay; frankly, there is no excuse for my teeth to look the way they do. I was warned when I was younger, literally warned that this would happen and I fudged it big time. I take responsibility, I can own it but I can't take judgement like the kind I'm expecting. These rotten teeth have held me back so much, made me a hermit, left me friendless and I'm tired of hiding my smile under my hand. I bought an oral b 4000 like a year ago, brush 2-3 times a day, use listerine twice a day, and floss after meals but all the prevention I do now is about 12 years too late to save my smile. I know I'm going to be missing teeth in the front of my mouth for a little while as I cannot afford dental implants, maybe a bridge but I don't know. I have about 800 saved so far for the work I'll need and I'm aware it's probably not nearly enough but I desperately want it to be. Never had a gf, never been kissed, never smile or laugh in public, avoid certain food so I don't have to open my mouth when I eat, etc...too many nevers. I fixed my weight, I did that from home and money wasn't an issue because it was free. I fixed the drug problem and it saved me money. I got a drivers license, a car, thinking about school again, I'm writing on a daily basis (poems, short stories, a book) and am actively submitting them for publication. I have a crappy job and live cheap with hopes of one day reaching my dream city of seattle where I may in all honesty go sleepless upon arrival. I'm nervous about next week; terrified, shaking, mind racing, heart pounding, pants wetting, I just might want to back out, fear ridden about this visit and it's only a consultation. I need some support, some well wishing, some words of wisdom, a Mr. Miyagi to my karate kid. Corny but true. I just want to smile again.

 

[coolin]

Hey and welcome :

From your description it certainly doesn't sound like you have the worst teeth ever seen on a 22 year old

When I went back to the dentist I had worse teeth than you have only they weren't the front teeth so they were much easier to hide. The dentist didn't judge, gasp or berate me for my dreadful mouth. He just examined them and then did some Xrays and came up with a plan to fix them. That's what they do. If they were to scold every patient who came in they wouldn't be in business long. We patients are just people - we are not perfect.

Have a look at this link

"My teeth are the worst the dentist has ever seen"

Many people think they will have the worst teeth a dentist has ever seen - but this is highly unlikely. This page contains some graphic photos.

www.dentalfearcentral.org

And as for the pain - there shouldn't be any. Dentists are able to give pain-free injections now especially if they use numbing gel. Look here:

Fear of Painful Dental Treatment

Do you avoid the dentist because you are afraid of pain? Find out how dental treatment can be made painless.

www.dentalfearcentral.org

Good luck with your appointment. Keep coming back to talk to us. And please tell us how it goes. I helps others to see the 'what happened next' bit when they are reading this forum.

If I can help in any way let me know

Coolin

 

[Aldridge]

Please don't back out. I bet things will not be as bad as you think. I thought that after my epic 20+ years' avoidance of dental surgeries, my teeth would be the worst my poor chosen dentist had EVER seen and he would think I was the laziest, most pathetic coward on the planet - and that even if he didn't openly say so, his expression would say it all for him. That guy was amazing and it turned out I just needed fillings (for which he used IV sedation) and he said, "hey, it just works out at one filling per two and a half years' absence; I don't call THAT bad!" That was the only comment he made. AND he said it with a big smile! I've had to change dentists since then (owing to relocation to somewhere I had always wanted to live - and if I can get to here, believe me, you can get to Seattle) and my "new" dentist is just as non-judgmental, even when I relapsed into a 5-year blip because I was freaking out about something which he eventually fixed in 5 (painless) minutes. Most dentists these days seem to have realised that sticks don't work half as well as carrots! By the way, I love the way you write; would love to read some of your stories. Do you have any of your writing on the web?

 

[Steve In Cleveland]

Welcome to the club, boa!

Sounds like you've been through, and overcome, a lot at the young age of 22. (Spoken as an old man of 41!) The best words of wisdom I can offer you are: You can't go back and undo what's in the past; forgive your younger self for the things he did, and do the best you can moving forward.

One of the most profound moments of my life was when I finally went back to the dentist last year after decades away. My mouth was full of broken teeth and giant gaping holes and big jagged fragments. Like you I was afraid of the dentist, but mostly I was afraid of what her reaction would be, what she would think of me, how dirty I would feel, etc. As it turned out, my dentist and her assistant are the sweetest, most compassionate people in the world. Neither of them flinched, gasped, withdrew in horror, or lectured me. I actually told my dentist, "there's a lot of nasty stuff in there" but she just said, "yeah, I can see that, but we're not looking at that today." (I was there for a toothache on one of the few teeth that actually looked decent, ironically.) When I went back for a full consultation, the assistant took some x-rays, and then the dentist went through tooth by tooth and calmly described what each one needed. And she actually praised me for how good my gums looked! And she said something similar to what I told you: "We can't go back and change what happened, so let's focus on what we can do to make things better." I was practically in tears, at the compassion of that remark.

I think you should be incredibly proud of yourself for investing in a good electric toothbrush (I use the same one, and it's been great) and brushing and flossing regularly. While it can't fix the teeth that are already broken, it's really beneficial to your gums and overall health, and it will help clean up a lot of built-up tartar. (When I recently had my first cleaning in almost 20 years, the hygienist said my teeth and gums looked like I hadn't missed a cleaning!) It will also make dental work easier for the teeth that do need fixing.

I hope you find the strength to make your appointment next week. I know how terrifying it is-- for me it felt like I was walking into a giant meet grinder, with certain death and lots of pain sure to come. But it really is not painful, no matter how hard it is to believe that-- even for major work like root canals. And, your life will improve immediately. Even if you can't afford to have everything done right now, just the relief of having a dentist and knowing that you have a plan will be a huge weight off your shoulders.

I'll back up what others have told you-- your teeth really don't sound anything like the worst teeth in the world. We all think that, but if you've been able to brush and floss, you're worlds ahead of some of the rest of us. I can't say what will happen to 9,10, and 11-- as bad as you think they are, often teeth like this can still be saved. If they do have to come out, extraction is surprisingly easy, fast, and painless, and you can get a "flipper" denture for fairly cheap to fill in the gap. The point is, don't assume that your teeth are doomed-- there are lots of options, and a skilled dentist can do wonders.

Congratulations on all your weight loss, overcoming drug addiction, and just surviving and moving forward with as many problems that have been thrown in front of you. It's never too late to change direction and start improving, and it sounds like you've got a lot of willpower to do just that.

Please keep us posted and feel free to share any worries, crazy thoughts, questions, etc. and we'll try to keep your spirits up and give you encouragement. Good luck!

 

[boa]

I'm a sap because I'm holding back tears from reading everbodies replies. Your words have been uplifting to say the very least. "Uplifting", a word that could never describe how your messages actually made me feel and I selected it because my mind is smiling and too cluttered with all your positive feedback to find a better one, one that might be worthy of explaining how thankful I am. Only 6 more days and I'll have to face that gut twisting fear; no more hiding, no more covering my pain with artificial highs. I'm a big believer in fate and I think, or I like to think, that this site and you people are more proof of things happening for a reason. Last night when I wrote this I was not at all optomistic that I would even see a single reply and I convinced myself that even if I did it would be filled with nothing but empty words from somebody who has never known the pain, shame, and embareassment I feel everyday walking around with the smile I am constantly covering up. Tonight the me of yesterday stands corrected. Somewhere in my mind I know that I should not be so afraid of a person I know nothing about and so ashamed of my person, I make an effort to bring happiness to others whenever possible and that something is not shameful. Then again I guess it's not my present as much as my past that drives me inward and away from the world where the help exists. Also, I'm ashamed that I let myself become this way and that I have stayed this way even though I have changed everything else. I look in the mirror at my smile or feel my teeth with my tongue and it is a constant reminder of the wretch that I was, not who I am, but I guess I should also look at my smile from another point of view and see it for what it too is, the last step. Thank you all again and I will keep you informed. In regards to my writing, I just started submitting in February and I'm sorry to say that I am not published online and I cannot post on this site anything I have submitted for possible publication as it would conflict with my agreements with those possible publishers. I will however find something I have not submitted and post it here as a reply and who knows, this conversation might inspire something new. Best Regards-BOA

 

[Dansdoll511]

Hang in there. You'd be surprised at how many of us have let our teeth go out of fear. For me I'm 34 years old and I've had two wisdom teeth pulled ( only when they finally hurt bad enough), one molar had a root canal and I was too scared to get the crown ( now broken and needs to come out), a lower molar with a huge crater ( also needs to come out). And 4 cavities so far ranging from small to large. I've had 3 filled so far and a 4th now has a temp filling since Monday. And we havent done xrays yet to find the itty bitty cavities. So while your teeth are more front and center than mine, I don't think they are any worse. Take it one appointment at a time and only focus on that one. I've found looking at it as a whole project is just too overwhelming. And most dentists are not going to lecture you. They are mostly happy to help you get your mouth back to healthy. So, huge kudos in taking the first step and deciding its time and making an appointment!!! Way to go!! You will be so proud with every little step you take and before you know it, you will have a healthy mouth. My dentist told me in December ,"this time next year you will be all done." I'm looking forward to that day and just taking it step by step even if its only a tooth or two a month. My reward when I'm all done will be to get the Invisalign since I hate how my teeth aren't straight. So plan a reward when you are all done cause this is a HUGE thing!! Wishing you all the best luck and looking forward to reading some of your success stories!! You can do this

 

[Vic]

Like I said I'm 22 and I have horrible rotten teeth. I've been without a dentist for probably 8-10 years except for when I had my wisdom teeth out at 18. I have a broken black front tooth (10) and beside it (11) is like black on the inside, finally (12) has a chip across the top of the gum line on the outside and has a cavity forming but it's not as bad as those other two. My big tooth (9) was rebuilt (badly) from a dentist years ago after I broke it on bricks riding down a hill and falling over the handlebars on my bike. Lastly, I have a rotten tooth cracked on the inside with a hole (2 or 3). I can't lie I abused alcohol and drugs which led to complete ignorance and massive neglect of my oral health. I aslo ballooned to 280lbs but at age 19 I decided enough was enough. In the time between then and now I lost weight and now weigh 160lbs and I don't do drugs anymore but I sometimes slip up with drinking. I have horrible anxiety, depression, ocd, a fear of germs, and people (all diagnosed; like for 4-5 years I couldn't order pizza for fear of talking over the phone to a stranger). I don't take prescription meds out of fear of eventual addiction and abuse, mainly treating with breathing and exercise. I have kept the weight off for a year and a half now and been off of drugs for close to a year. I just today purchased dental insurance and am going to the dentist (new dentist) for the first time next thurs at 3. I've been planning to do this for some time but couldn't afford it and was dealing with a catholic charity but I never got approved for dental, only medical (which I am grateful for). Now I'm experiencing pain in my big tooth (9) because, well it feels like there is a nerve exposed, sort of like the material is cracking or something. I'm so scared of what this dentist is going to think, I'm not afraid of the pain I know I'm going to have to manage through, just this Dr's thoughts. I'm only 22 and this is not right or okay; frankly, there is no excuse for my teeth to look the way they do. I was warned when I was younger, literally warned that this would happen and I fudged it big time. I take responsibility, I can own it but I can't take judgement like the kind I'm expecting. These rotten teeth have held me back so much, made me a hermit, left me friendless and I'm tired of hiding my smile under my hand. I bought an oral b 4000 like a year ago, brush 2-3 times a day, use listerine twice a day, and floss after meals but all the prevention I do now is about 12 years too late to save my smile. I know I'm going to be missing teeth in the front of my mouth for a little while as I cannot afford dental implants, maybe a bridge but I don't know. I have about 800 saved so far for the work I'll need and I'm aware it's probably not nearly enough but I desperately want it to be. Never had a gf, never been kissed, never smile or laugh in public, avoid certain food so I don't have to open my mouth when I eat, etc...too many nevers. I fixed my weight, I did that from home and money wasn't an issue because it was free. I fixed the drug problem and it saved me money. I got a drivers license, a car, thinking about school again, I'm writing on a daily basis (poems, short stories, a book) and am actively submitting them for publication. I have a crappy job and live cheap with hopes of one day reaching my dream city of seattle where I may in all honesty go sleepless upon arrival. I'm nervous about next week; terrified, shaking, mind racing, heart pounding, pants wetting, I just might want to back out, fear ridden about this visit and it's only a consultation. I need some support, some well wishing, some words of wisdom, a Mr. Miyagi to my karate kid. Corny but true. I just want to smile again.

Boa, I am in EXACTLY the same situation as you are. Actually, you might just be a little further along than I am on the road to recovery. I am also 22, with badly decayed teeth, especially in the front. I am trying very hard to stop using drugs, and I'd like to think that I am making progress. Years of neglect and bad choices got me to this point but unfortunately, its not something that can be taken back. I am going to see a dentist for the first time in years this week, and I am just as scared as you are. Seeing your particular post has, in a way, eased a little bit of my anxiety. So I thank you, and I hope that you take some comfort in knowing that you are not alone. Please do post after your visit to the dentist with any updates, and I will do the same. Good luck to you.

 

[Aldridge]

Boa, I can't wait to read your success story! Best wishes to you too, Vic.

 

[Deejay]

BOA and VIC

I just want to wish you both well in your journey towards a healthy mouth and a nice smile, my years of neglect due to bad past dental experiences has lead to so much work being needed per tooth to get them right (some are beyond saving due to bone loss) and my fear off treatment I now face having to get 17 teeth pulled and full upper and partial lower immediates under conscious IV sedation, neglect through fear is a bad journey mentally and physically, when things are going good you forget all about the bad and when things are bad you are too scared or embarrassed to seek help, wish I'd found this site earlier then I would have realised what help there was both professionally and emotionally through the support, I sincerely hope you get the results you want, one step at a time and keep posting I am looking forward to following your journey ( I certainly would be in a worse state had I not had this forum and in it lots off worldwide friends( from some places I've had to google to pinpoint the location!) who have either been through the same or similar or who are awaiting treatment the same as mine, I have only been on her a few weeks and I even been able to calm other people's worries if they are going for a treatment or procedure I have had and I have only be brave enough to go back to a dentist since January!! So you may feel isolated when you write but the replies are like a giant x x and all the best for your future journey

 

[boa]

I will stay in touch and feel I am almost too excited for this coming Thursday.

 

[carole]

Best wishes to you, I have enjoyed reading this thread, and look forward to reading more

 

[boa]

Tomorrow is the BIG day and I hope it goes well. I am really desperate for it to go well. Fingers crossed, agonizingly, mind racing desperate. So far this week hasn't been great as I've applied for 12 jobs and heard nothing back, plus two of my submissions have been denied. I just need tomorrow to go my way and for everything to fall neatly into place. Here's to wishing.

 

[Aldridge]

Thinking of you and hoping things went well for you.

 

[Ingrid]

Hope that everything is okay for you, good luck !

 

[boa]

Today was interesting to say the least and I was very pleased. First I was offered the oppurtunity of a lifetime and am currently seeking a small loan (less than 10,000) to put a 10% downpayment on a business that is currently running and operational in my town. Literally too good to be true (I know usually that means it isn't but I've done the research and so far this place looks like a gem going for a steal) and the dentist visit was GREAT! The guy listened intently to what I had to say and then took a look in my mouth, did x-rays, and prescribed me a tooth paste with more fluoride in it ($20 a tube! though so I hope it's not for long) to slow down the decay that has and is taking place. Going in this tues at two to get a cleaning and I guess see what we are going to do from there. He thinks he can save my broken tooth with a root canal and IF he can save that then I'm pretty sure all my other teeth can be saved as well and this work probably won't end up being as expensive as I thought it was going to be. I was thinking at least two dental implants but he was sure he could save them as is which is like "YESSSS!!!" according to me. The guy was really nice, I thought he would be shellshocked by my teeth, and I'm extremely happy I went. FIRST STEP TAKEN!! The dentist wasn't a monster, his staff (even if they talk about me at home ahahaha) were nice to my face, and nobody did anything I wasn't completely okay with before they did it. Thanks to everybody for the encouragement and well wishes, I will keep you all updated until I can post my new smile next to this old one. Thanks again everybody. BEST REGARDS-Boa

 

[Dansdoll511]

Yay!!! Good job. First step done. You are going to have a healthy mouth before you know it and all this will be in the past. Good job!!

 

[Aldridge]

I'm really happy for you.

 

[Steve In Cleveland]

Great job, boa! It's amazing what dentists are able to save these days. And, it sounds like your dentist is kind and friendly. I really think that's the most important thing for phobics, is just knowing that your dentist isn't going to yell at you or lecture you etc. You're on your way!

And, good luck in your new business venture!

 

[carole]

I am really chuffed for you that things went so well at the dentist, and the job front too.

Just remember the staff that were nice to your face, will be pleased to have seen you and been able to deal with your problems. To them it is a job, they do their days work and then enjoy their own down time. They won't give you a second thought, other than thinking, 'well that was a good day at work today', or not as the case may be. They are people just like you and I, and have lives to live outside of work. So don't worry about them talking about you, there are plenty like us and the dentists and staff can't possibly have the time to have a good old gossip about everyone of us.

They will have been really pleased to be able to have helped you so far, and will be happy to continue to do so. They train and choose to do this, if we all had perfect teeth they would be very sad and skint people. They want to do your teeth.

Well done you

 

[boa]

So I've been doing some math and I think all this dental work is gonna run me like $2,000 (max) and I'm thrilled at that number but it's only a guess going off of prices I looked up. With the root canal (they last max 5 years) I'm wondering what is going to hold the place of my broken tooth? Is it like a denture or something other? I'm going to have to get an implant down the line, I hope sooner rather than later (like as soon as I have the money), and I heard with root canals that bacteria can eat away at the bone and if that happens I won't be able to get an implant. I'm just a little concerned with the whole bacteria and what kind of cleaning I'm going to have to do with the root canal. Will I need to invest in a water pik?