Dealing with regret?

[Wolfsrule18]

I lost all my top front teeth (still have the molars) and all but 3 of my bottom teeth. In total 22 teeth. It was simply from years of neglect. I never brushed and at first nothing seemed to happen because of it...then it became to painful to brush. I still deal with a lot of regret from that as I'm only 19 and think if I'd only brushed!! I'm now very on top of my oral care, I brush twice a day and floss. I make sure my partials get clean every night and that my gums are clean as well. However I just can't shake the regret.

 

[Superscared32]

I have a lot of regret too. I have lost all of my teeth too and only have about 11 left. On the 10th I am going to have what's left removed under IV sedation. I am totally scared I know it needs to be done and I regret not taking better care of my mouth. In have dealt with a lot of social anxiety because of my teeth or lack of. I haven't ever had a job because of it. I've been lucky and found a guy who loves me and takes good care of me. Anyway the time has come to do it and looking on here has cal,ed me down a lot and I think I am ready.

 

[Wolfsrule18]

I have a lot of regret too. I have lost all of my teeth too and only have about 11 left. On the 10th I am going to have what's left removed under IV sedation. I am totally scared I know it needs to be done and I regret not taking better care of my mouth. In have dealt with a lot of social anxiety because of my teeth or lack of. I haven't ever had a job because of it. I've been lucky and found a guy who loves me and takes good care of me. Anyway the time has come to do it and looking on here has cal,ed me down a lot and I think I am ready.

I wish you luck on the 10th!

 

[Anxious76]

I lost all my top front teeth (still have the molars) and all but 3 of my bottom teeth. In total 22 teeth. It was simply from years of neglect. I never brushed and at first nothing seemed to happen because of it...then it became to painful to brush. I still deal with a lot of regret from that as I'm only 19 and think if I'd only brushed!! I'm now very on top of my oral care, I brush twice a day and floss. I make sure my partials get clean every night and that my gums are clean as well. However I just can't shake the regret.

Try not to dwell on the should haves. I had full mouth extractions back in September and if I were to allow myself to wallow I would be in a terrible state. There is nothing that can be done about “then”. All we can do is move forward and make healthy and rational choices the best we can. It sounds like you’re doing just that, so good for you!

 

[FuzzEV]

The past is gone. What matters is what you do from now on and the future. It sounds like you've made oral hygiene a priority now. No matter how many teeth you have left, you're not the same person as before, you're taking the right actions and therefore dealing with the hand your past self has left you. The way I think of it is... I'm not that person anymore but I don't forget that I used to be. This brings me some type of solace knowing that we can change and grow. I know it won't bring back the teeth you had removed but change in perspective might help alleviate the feeling of regret.