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Neglected my dental hygiene due to depression (long post, sorry) :(

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DwightKSchrute

Junior member
Joined
Nov 29, 2013
Messages
1
Hello!

I'm a 20 year old female who has been suffering from depression on and off since I was about fourteen, however over the past three or so years it has gotten much worse and it has affected how I look after myself.

I never really looked after my teeth and even as a kid I had a few taken out, lots of fillings, and my dentist was always telling me to stop eating so many sweets and drinking so many carbonated drinks.
I had braces from when I was 13 - 15 but I didn't look after them properly as I was lazy. I was left with stains when they were taken out even though my teeth were much straighter.

It's disgusting but I wouldn't even brush my teeth (or hair) before school some days. I remember the kid sitting next to me in class one day asking if I ever brushed my teeth. :redface:

About two or three years ago I noticed the gums above my top two front teeth were receding ever so slightly which has gotten much worse since then. I also had white stains (not spots) across of three teeth on the top row. The last time I went to the dentist, he told me this was decay and nothing could be done, even though I was pretty sure they were just stains.. I have anxiety though so I didn't question him. These stains are maid worse by the fact that my gums are receding, because it's like there's a 'tooth- coloured' bit of tooth at the top for 2 - 3 mm, the 1mm thick white stain, then the rest of the tooth which is 'tooth coloured' - I hope that makes sense. :redface: It looks horrible.

My teeth are also very thin - the enamel (or what's left of it) it pretty translucent on most of my teeth.

I was so depressed that most days I'd barely leave my bed so the 'looking after my teeth' thing never happened. The receding gums have spread to about three other teeth on the top row, and a few on the bottom too.
My two top front teeth are very prominent and are not 'in line' with my other teeth. They look like bugs bunny teeth and the receding gums certainly don't help. If I put my tongue to my teeth, it doesn't touch the gums - granted, my tongue is pretty short, but I know that I used to be able to feel my gums on my front teeth with my tongue. Now because of them receding, I can't. I think I have tongue-tie, which I've heard can cause receding gums.. I'd feel about 1% better if this was the cause, but I still believe it's because of my poor dental hygiene.

I'm still bad at looking after my teeth.. I brush before work, that's about it. Weekends? I'll try, but chances are it won't happen. I've never flossed as I have big hands and a small mouth and it just seems like such an inconvenience. I know this is an important step in dental hygiene though. I've used Mouthwash before but not often as I'm lazy, however I feel I will be able to get into a habit of doing this quite easily.

I just want nice, healthy teeth. I know I'm never going to have amazing teeth, but I just want to be happy with them. I don't smile in photos or even in real life because I'm so embarrassed. I also feel as if I have bad breath even though no one has ever told me so.. I just feel given how poor my dental hygiene is, it's impossible not to have bad breath. My gums look pretty bad and thin throughout my whole mouth.

I don't even know where to begin. I want the stains gone - I don't know if they are decay or not but I want them gone. As for that, I don't know how the appearance of my teeth can be improved. Receding gums are irreversible as far as I'm aware, and my teeth are pretty square and big. My jaw doesn't align correctly and I have an overbite which doesn't help anything.

I feel I would be so much more confident and happy if I had nice teeth. I already have bad skin which depresses me enough :redface: I'm 100% ready to commit to looking after them as of now but I feel the damage has been done and there's nothing I can do. I work part time for minimum wage so if there is any treatment, I don't know how I'd be able to afford it. I still have depression but recently made the effort to go to the doctors and get some medication, although I'm yet to find one that works. I'm very intimidated by my dentist and because he disagreed with me about the stains on my teeth I feel like he wouldn't really be listening to me.

I wish I could upload a picture of my teeth so you could all see the extent of the damage but I don't have a working camera right now.
I keep crying over my teeth, that's how bad it's gotten. I just want to be able to smile and look nice. My two front teeth are massive though. :cry:

Thank you for any advice, I really appreciate it. :flowers:
 
Last edited:
Hello!

I'm a 20 year old female who has been suffering from depression on and off since I was about fourteen, however over the past three or so years it has gotten much worse and it has affected how I look after myself.

I never really looked after my teeth and even as a kid I had a few taken out, lots of fillings, and my dentist was always telling me to stop eating so many sweets and drinking so many carbonated drinks.
I had braces from when I was 13 - 15 but I didn't look after them properly as I was lazy. I was left with stains when they were taken out even though my teeth were much straighter.

It's disgusting but I wouldn't even brush my teeth (or hair) before school some days. I remember the kid sitting next to me in class one day asking if I ever brushed my teeth. :redface:

About two or three years ago I noticed the gums above my top two front teeth were receding ever so slightly which has gotten much worse since then. I also had white stains (not spots) across of three teeth on the top row. The last time I went to the dentist, he told me this was decay and nothing could be done, even though I was pretty sure they were just stains.. I have anxiety though so I didn't question him. These stains are maid worse by the fact that my gums are receding, because it's like there's a 'tooth- coloured' bit of tooth at the top for 2 - 3 mm, the 1mm thick white stain, then the rest of the tooth which is 'tooth coloured' - I hope that makes sense. :redface: It looks horrible.

My teeth are also very thin - the enamel (or what's left of it) it pretty translucent on most of my teeth.

I was so depressed that most days I'd barely leave my bed so the 'looking after my teeth' thing never happened. The receding gums have spread to about three other teeth on the top row, and a few on the bottom too.
My two top front teeth are very prominent and are not 'in line' with my other teeth. They look like bugs bunny teeth and the receding gums certainly don't help. If I put my tongue to my teeth, it doesn't touch the gums - granted, my tongue is pretty short, but I know that I used to be able to feel my gums on my front teeth with my tongue. Now because of them receding, I can't.

I'm still bad at looking after my teeth.. I brush before work, that's about it. Weekends? I'll try, but chances are it won't happen. I've never flossed as I have big hands and a small mouth and it just seems like such an inconvenience. I know this is an important step in dental hygiene though. I've used Mouthwash before but not often as I'm lazy, however I feel I will be able to get into a habit of doing this quite easily.

I just want nice, healthy teeth. I know I'm never going to have amazing teeth, but I just want to be happy with them. I don't smile in photos or even in real life because I'm so embarrassed. I also feel as if I have bad breath even though no one has ever told me so.. I just feel given how poor my dental hygiene is, it's impossible not to have bad breath. My gums look pretty bad and thin throughout my whole mouth.

I don't even know where to begin. I want the stains gone - I don't know if they are decay or not but I want them gone. As for that, I don't know how the appearance of my teeth can be improved. Receding gums are irreversible as far as I'm aware, and my teeth are pretty square and big. My jaw doesn't align correctly and I have an overbite which doesn't help anything.

I feel I would be so much more confident and happy if I had nice teeth. I already have bad skin which depresses me enough :redface: I'm 100% ready to commit to looking after them as of now but I feel the damage has been done and there's nothing I can do. I work part time for minimum wage so if there is any treatment, I don't know how I'd be able to afford it. I still have depression but recently made the effort to go to the doctors and get some medication, although I'm yet to find one that works. I'm very intimidated by my dentist and because he disagreed with me about the stains on my teeth I feel like he wouldn't really be listening to me.

I wish I could upload a picture of my teeth so you could all see the extent of the damage but I don't have a working camera right now.
I keep crying over my teeth, that's how bad it's gotten. I just want to be able to smile and look nice. My two front teeth are massive though. :cry:

Thank you for any advice, I really appreciate it. :flowers:


DO NOT BE EMBARRESSED.

Honestly, I know how you're feeling. I have some pretty bad teeth in places. I just really got the courage to start going to the dentist and I honestly put it off for so long on the basis that I thought the dentist would laugh at me and be disgusted. But I always keep it in my head, the dentist has probably seen worse and you can get help.

Honestly, you'll be fine. Brave it out and make an appointment, when you have the perfect smile that you like, you'll have confidence shining out of you from everywhere.

Good luck, I wish you all the best! Let us know how it goes.
 
Hi,

I have the exact same problem with neglecting my health from depression. I am also too "lazy" to brush my teeth. I've found chewing gum helps a bit
 
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