aspiring dental hygiene student, with slightly messed up teeth!

[babis babis]

Hi, I'm new to these forums but I would love to become a dental hygiene student and then a dental hygienist. Sadly though I feel as if my dentist did not do enough and my gums are receding and I have gingivitis on my lower teeth. I have been on birth control for about three years and never really had these problems until I began taking birth control. He told me to floss more but to no avail. I also have tmj that has progressed significantly this past year, leading me to stop flossing altogether. I don't have dental insurance and I'm only 19, somebody please help! Also I'm a resident in the US, forgot to mention my dentist has also told me I shouldn't go into a practice if I don't do something myself that is apart of the practice so should I just opt out of dental hygiene altogether?

 

[babis babis]

Someone with any advice whatsoever will be greatly appreciated. I have been looking for some resolve for awhile now and I could really use it because I have been very anxious due to no answers

 

[kitkat]

Hi!
Don't let the state of your teeth stop you from doing what you want to do! There is no person out there with flawless teeth. I don't know if birth control has anything to do with your gums but your dentist did not give you any other advice besides to floss more? Maybe you would benefit from a deep clean or a perio rinse/mouthwash? I'd get another opinion from a different dentist. It could be that it is not as severe as you think or there is a simple solution. Regardless of the tmj, it is extremely important to floss to stop the gum recession. Could you use interdental brushes or a water pik instead as an alternative? Best of luck.

 

[babis babis]

Thank you so much for your reply. My dentist never suggested anything more than to floss, I continuously flossed with no help to the gingivitis or one tooth I feel had started to recede. I've tried flossing with my tmj but I'm constantly in pain from it. I've tried arthritis pain reliever and the pain was still there. I do believe I am going to save up some money to get a second opinion or hear from a periodontal specialist . I've looked at water piks, are they easier to use than floss and produce the same results?

 

[kitkat]

To my knowledge, typically gum recession can only be "maintained" but not reversed by flossing alone. So chances are, you would not see any actual improvement by just flossing more but it may keep things from getting worse. Water piks can be pretty tricky and difficult to get the hang of... they tend to be a bit messy with water spraying in all directions until you get the dexterity figured out. It tends to take longer than flossing and you have to open your mouth pretty wide so it probably would not be a great option for you. I would suggest interdental brushes. They get in the tight spaces between teeth like floss would and are pretty inexpensive at any drug store ... probably not as good as floss but it's something.

 

[mandie]

I used to see a dentist who went to school to become one because he was terrified of them. He got over his fear and is the most soft spoken gentle man and a great dentist. His practice is called Gentle Dental. His slogan is "we cater to cowards". So, if you want to be a dental hygienist, do it!! you don't have to have perfect teeth to be one. Jist take care of the teeth you have and when you get a job at a practice, most dental care will be discounted or even free! You'll have access to great tools and advice and help with your teeth. My cousin worked at a dentist office as a receptionist and got all of her work done for free. Whitening, cleanings, fillings, all kinds of stuff.
Go for it!!

 

[kittykat]

To put it in perspective, I know alot of nurses that smoke and are morbidly obese. Technically against the practice. Kind of ironic. But that's ok!