Can 2 dentists be wrong?

[TJopp]

Hi everyone,

I really struggle with my teeth, I didn't look after them properly until I was nearly 17, I have a huge and constant amount of guilt and worry about my teeth.

I visited 2 dentists at the start of the year and voiced concern about one of my teeth. The first said it was nothing to worry about and the second said it's something to keep an eye on.

It's got a white line and a brown spot and I can feel a hole, though the first dentists dismissed this and said I was feeling something else.

Is it possible they were wrong? And could anybody tell me what it is if it isn't decay/another problem? I know I should've asked the dentist at the time but I get very flustered.

I know rationally that the odds that both dentists missed something is extremely low but I can't get it out of my kind. I keep feeling and looking at the tooth I'm sure there is something wrong. Has anyone else gone through something similar?

Thanks

 

[Gordon]

Can I go for the hat trick then? It's nothing to worry about but needs to be kept an eye on.

The white line/brown spot are linked, it's called decalcification, basically the enamel hasn't got fully formed, a bit like the growth rings on a tree. It is slightly more susceptible to decay than normal enamel, hence why it needs kept an eye on.

 

[TJopp]

Can I go for the hat trick then? It's nothing to worry about but needs to be kept an eye on.

The white line/brown spot are linked, it's called decalcification, basically the enamel hasn't got fully formed, a bit like the growth rings on a tree. It is slightly more susceptible to decay than normal enamel, hence why it needs kept an eye on.

Thank you, Gordon.
I am also concerned because I seem to be able to catch my nail on the surface of the tooth. Is that in line with decalcification?

 

[Gordon]

Yes. The surface layer of the enamel has broken down slightly. It's fine so long as it's kept an eye on by your dentist.
Think of it as like a chip in the glaze of some porcelain.