Dental caries

[xxtanya23]

Hi where do i start, basically i hadn’t been dentist since i was 13 after having a bad experience I’m now 23 that was 10 years ago I recently bit the bullet and decided to go i changed dentists from my old dentist and i got told i have to get 3 extractions and 2 fillings. Which i knew already i would have to get But i rang the dentist back in fear of my other teeth and why he didn’t fill the rest as i had 4 other teeth with suspicious black marks on them. I went along and he probed them with a dental explorer and said if it’s not sticky to the touch i won’t drill them. He said i wouldn’t go drilling those now if i think they need drilling I’ll drill them. He prescribed me high fluoride toothpaste to use. And to go back in 3 months time I’m just very concerned that those black marks he’s left might have cavities under them Does anybody know if he’s right In saying if it’s not sticky it’s ok ? has anybody else been told this before

 

[letsconnect]

Yes that sounds about right! Our understanding of tooth decay has changed massively over the years, and nowadays it would be unusual to attack anything vaguely suspicious looking when it's most likely either a stain, or arrested decay (which has remineralised and won't progress).

Not sure about your dentist using the explorer to check for stickiness - in the normal way, this is no longer done these days because it could weaken tooth enamel that still has a chance to remineralise. Maybe he just did it to reassure you . Anyway, if it was hard, it's not decay.

 

[TeaMatcha]

I had a brown spot on one of my molar too. I found it after having a root canal tooth extracted. Whenever I apply toothpaste directly on that brown spot, it will have a sensitive aching kinda of pain. I asked my dentist about it, she use the explorer to check for any soft spot too but it was hard therefore she say it wasn't an decay, it might be an arrested decay.

Could it be sensitive?

I actually have an x-ray that will show the surface of that tooth.

 

[Dr. Daniel]

Not sure about your dentist using the explorer to check for stickiness - in the normal way, this is no longer done these days because it could weaken tooth enamel that still has a chance to remineralise. Maybe he just did it to reassure you . Anyway, if it was hard, it's not decay.

That is true but..... dentists still use the explorer, including me.
xxtanya, I think your dentist did well. Sounds like he is not into treating too much and focuses on prevention.
Even if your dentist was wrong and there is a small active carious lesion, since cavities as well as gum diseases develop slowly, as long as you keep on going for a check up regularly every 6-12 months you are under control and in a good position.

 

[kitkat]

Yep, this sounds right. I just had a filling done a week ago (it was in between my teeth) and my dentist told me she could see 2 black pits on the chewing surface of the same tooth but when she probed them they were not sticky or tacky so she was not going to touch those areas. She explained the goal is to always preserve as much natural tooth structure as possible.