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Anxiety about the number of fillings I have and if I will need more

A

AJM92

Junior member
Joined
Jan 6, 2024
Messages
7
Location
UK
Hey Everyone,
I’ve only just found this site and thought I’d give it a go. Basically I’m 31 and have got a lot of white fillings. A combination of eating loads of sweets and diet carbonated drinks through my life (worse when I was younger). My last appointment in 2022 had three more and not seen a dentist since due to moving far away for going to uni as a mature student. I’ve made an appointment (can’t get one before March) and I’m really scared I will need more. I brush twice a day and usually also floss. I know I should have a better diet, but I’m an emotional eater, always have been. I’m just so scared I will end up like my mum who has had all but 6 front teeth pulled. Is there any hope for me if I start to watch my diet? I’ve not been sleeping and wanting to throw up from anxiety over this.
 
Ultimately it's all down to your diet. Brushing and flossing make almost zero difference to decay, despite what the toothpaste ads say.

Cut out the fizzy drinks, except the occasional one as a treat at mealtimes, don't snack between meals with sugary stuff and you'll be fine.
 
@AJM92
Here’s what I can tell you. When I was 31, I was in the same situation as you. I got loads of fillings (and even root canals etc) all through my 20s. But around my early/mid 30s I started really taking care of my teeth— flossing consistently, snacking less between meals, etc. And it basically stopped all the problems. In the past five years, I had to have one repair, as an old filling cracked. But otherwise, she just says “looks good” at every visit. I’m 41 now, and I’ve never had any extractions, don’t need any, and I don’t have any gum disease.

So I know your biggest fear is ending up with no teeth— I’m 10 years further down the road from you and I am not headed toward dentures or anything like that.
 
@Gordon Hi Gordon, thank you for your advice. I will look at my diet and try to do better. I’ve managed so far to go two days without fizzy juice and when snacking I go for an apple or some cheese. This I think has hopefully been the wake up call I need and will help me kick the habit of being addicted to fizzy drinks and sweets.
 
@HeatherWasHere Hi Heather, thank you so much for sharing your story with me! I really do appreciate it, and you have made me feel a lot better. I’m going to stay away from fizzy drinks and snacking and hopefully kick my addiction to them. It’ll also help with my waistline as well 😅
 
@Gordon very true! My diet became very bad when I went back into full time education, snacking and frizzy drinks to get me through the days 😅
 
Tell me about it. I put on about a stone in the lead up to my final exams :-)
 
@Gordon I firmly stay away from all scales nearing the end of the semester 😅. Literally about to go into dissertation proposal mode and going to leave bank card at my flat to stop be buying food at uni shop 🤣
 
@Gordon I hope it is ok to reply to your comment like this (new here). I just wanted to say that this is interesting - I nearly had a nervous breakdown in toothpaste aisle at supermarket as so overwhelming with choice. I been buying “enamel repair” and “densifying” toothpastes for years, sometimes that are very expensive. Do I need to? I know this is a bit open ended but to know it’s way more diet related regardless is interesting. Thank you so much for what you do with this forum.
 
It's fine to comment on threads, it's a discussion forum so comments are what keep the forum alive :)

In general, almost all (over the counter) toothpastes are pretty similar. Some are helpful for desensitising exposed enamel, they contain specific ingredients for this.
Otherwise so long as they have Fluoride in them, they're all equally effective at stopping decay.

There are a few prescription only toothpastes that have very high levels of Fluoride in them which aren't meant for daily use by everyone. Hence prescription only.

Pick the one you like the taste of the most :-)
 
@Gordon thank you very much :) this is really helpful :)
 
Hey guys, thought I’d give an update, after basically making myself sick with worry (and having to go private), told there was nothing wrong and I was complimented on how well I’ve been taking care of my teeth. Then had hygienist appointment and she basically said she didn’t have to touch my teeth as there was no plaque build up and I was doing an excellent job 😅. So basically I’m a bit of a numpty and need to stop getting anxious over nothing.
 
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