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Genetic dental problems? And crown at 18

L

LioJ

Junior member
Joined
Jul 30, 2021
Messages
1
Location
United States
I recently had a crown put on a molar (it grew in deformed, I needed a large filling on it at 13, which cracked and I got the crown on last month). My dentist also commented I have “teeth similar to my father” (never elaborated upon) which is absolutely terrifying to me, since I grew up constantly hearing about his dental issues from crowns, to extractions, to implants. I keep thinking since I’m only 18, with a crown and multiple fillings already, how much worse will things be 20 or 30 years down the line? In all fairness, my dental hygiene could be better, since I have oral sensory issues, which makes brushing and flossing difficult. I got my wisdom teeth out as well. Having to constantly look in the back of my mouth to use the syringe made me realize how much better I can take care of my teeth. At this point my anxiety over needing more fillings at such a young age is forcing me to brush my teeth more thoroughly despite sensory problems.
Sorry for such a rambling post, but basically, does supposedly inheriting dental issues and having a crown and multiple fillings at 18 mean I will have more severe dental problems down the line?
 
Hi LioJ :welcome: ,

when I was reading that your dentist commented on your teeth by making the comparison to your father, I was wondering what exactly he meant. I see you understood it as having teeth "as bad" as your father and this is giving you anxiety, but could it be that he meant something else, such as shape of your teeth or their appearance, or something else, that has nothing to do with dental problems?
Each of us has some genetic preposition and it is always the question, what you do with it. Having a crown at 18 does not necessarily mean you are predisposed to further problems, provided you do your part of the job, which is taking care of how you eat and good home care. If struggle with one of it, then thinking about how to compensate for that be a good thing - you could go for more frequent dental cleanings or think of ways how to clean as well as you can. Maybe your dentist can help you with this? We have some articles about how to take care of your teeth here and here, that may give you an idea about what is important when it comes to avoiding problems.
I had the majority of dental work done between 12 and 20, but as I learned about the relevant things when it comes to home care, I stopped having issues. I am sure there is a lot what you can do as well :)

All the best wishes
 
Hi,

please allow me to share with you a video which is very relevant to your question:
Self blaming, shame and guilt in light of dental problems
Oral health is multi factorial. You don’t have control on all of these factors. You do have control on oral hygiene (mainly cleaning between the teeth) , diet (frequency of sugar and acid consumption) and regular dental check ups.
When it comes to dental treatment, I believe it is better to be conservative. That means treating only significant cavities.
 
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