Dental Health and pH question

I visited my dentist yesterday. After some x-rays, she asked if my diet / oral hygiene had gone downhill because she noted a couple of nicks in my teeth which, if left unchecked, would need fillings.

Now, my diet is very clean and the only sugar I take is my post-workout shake. So my question is, how damaging is a thrice-weekly ingestion of 60-80g of dextrose? I’ve started to brush my teeth immediately after the shake - will this counter any of the negative effects?

Dan,

if you are low carbing and are keto at all, you can get a metallic taste in your mouth. Better indicator of ketones than the lipolysis strips.

“US=GG, don’t worry, I had plenty to defend. My thesis showed that a random sample of patients with braces in Alberta get better treatment than the absolute best outcomes in the United States. And that was using a developed American grading system. So the lesson is that if you want great, straight teeth, come here and get them fixed.”

Poor canadian. Even your theses are based on your inferiority complex.

Thanks!

DARCY: In the high-tech tooth brush department, Rotadent or Sonicare? Is the 120$ premium really worth it compared to 30$ Colgate and toothpaste company ones?

US=GG: What a comment. Political controversy rating: 100%. Worthlessness: 100%.

Mr. Darcy,

Thanks again for the tips. I am actually Ms. Anderson, and yes, the screen name “andersons” is stupid. :slight_smile:

My filling fell out maybe 5 years ago. I have no idea how big it is in mm, but the drilled hole cut right through the inside (tongue side) of the molar. I now sometimes get a feeling of weakness when chewing. Not really pain, just a sense that something might break if I chew.

I asked about the filling because I am concerned about my health. I’m not sure how valid the health concerns are for mercury fillings. I’ve read stuff, but it’s hard for me to separate paranoia from valid concerns. Your other post suggested to me that you believe mercury to be safer than amalgam, so I was just looking for clarification on that. I’d be just as happy if you’d rather point me to a good source rather than type your fingers off. :slight_smile:

And yes, I’ll vote to hear your opinion about bleaching. And how about porcelain veneers?

GEE WHIZ!
I go see 45 adolescents to improve their psychosocial outlook and come back to all these replies…

Here are my answers, in no particular order, so please don’t assume I’m playing favorites:

Dan C: Gold or porcelain CROWNS should be the same cost. No more labor involved, and same basic lab fees for making them. Insurance companies should cover either, but maybe it’s dif’t in Quebec. Which reminds me, I left an outfit in the Frontenac in 1993 when I played a gig there (saxophone). Can you go see if it’s there? (ha ha…) Insurance companies have ZERO logic. They aren’t on your side, remember. If the fillings are small I repeat - white composites will generally be fine and stand up to normal oral wear and tear.

Recoba: Small “nicks” don’t mean bugger all. If it’s decay, they should fill it. If it’s a minor little enamel chip, it will be fine. And no, brushing after a post-workout shake wouldn’t hurt, but won’t really change much. You’ll be fine, trust me. Once in the morning, once at night. No more, really unless you’re on a date/just ate garlic. REMEMBER FOLKS: overbrushing will remove healthy enamel and create way more problems. And while I’m on that topic, THROW OUT ALL TOOTHBRUSHES THAT ARE “MEDIUM” OR “HARD”. “Oh, but Dr. Dietz, my teeth feel cleaner when I use a hard brush…”. Want to know why? Because you just removed 10 microns of cavity fighting enamel. It’ll never be back. Are you happy? Keep scrubbing away then, and when you get about two millimeters into the tooth, and can no longer drink cool water or breath outside air for fear of sending your brain into spasms, you’ll remember what I said, and go buy 5 cases of Sensodyne.

US=GG: Good comeback. But I won’t turn this into a fight. I like most Americans. They invented almost all of the technology that guides my new specialty of Orthodontics. In fact, it was NASA and the U.S. Navy that invented the alloy that straightens teeth in record time and gives children a new, confident smile. So, if you want to fight keep it limited to anything involving MonsieurQuebec.

Dan C: Yes, Sonicare, in my opinion, is well worth the extra money. I have NEVER seen a tooth brush as good as it. The new model (that came out in the past 6 months) is so good that I would guess, if used properly, you will almost never need a major cleaning again. Darn, I wish they paid me to say that, but I’m only telling the truth. I’ll say it again. Go buy one for you and your spouse/date, except don’t say it’s a Christmas/Birthday gift as I’ve found that there’s little to no romantic foreplay worse than giving a loved one an oral care appliance. (not that I’ve done that…)

Oh yes - Colgate TOTAL. Buy it. Buy stock in Proctor and Gamble, while you’re at it.

Ms Anderson: Amalgam fillings ARE the same things as Mercury fillings. There is some information on the Canadian and American Dental Association Websites, respectively. Regarding your tooth, I’d say it sounds pretty darn bad. I wish I could help you out. I’d fix it for nothing as a gesture to other T-folks out there. However, get it looked at quickly. Ask for referrals from friends for a good dentist. And trust them if they can fix it either way. Better than extracting it and needing to replace it or suffering from chewing problems.

Bleaching VS Veneers: I’d probably be better off starting a dental health thread. Short answer: If your front teeth look okay but are just stained/naturally darker then bleach. The newest home kits (WhiteStrips/Paint on Stuff) work just fine for “most” people. Don’t waste money at the dental office until you’ve tried the cheaper home kit first. Secondly, laser bleaching is no different than any other bleaching, so quit throwing money at dentists. They have enough. Spend it on a new set of dumbells or some Hot-Rox.

Veneers: Are a wonderful option IF your “bite” is generally okay, and if you aren’t a grinder. Also, if you’d like your teeth to look a little bigger (a la Hollywood) then they work too. But they don’t last forever, and if you clench your teeth when your workout, they’ll snap off faster than a Cupcake Orgasm.

Final Note: Almost everyone in Hollywood has a “fake” smile. If you want super bright, perfectly shaped teeth, then prepare to spend 20,000.00 to get what you see when you watch the Grammy’s, Oscar’s, etc. And that’s got to be redone every 5-10 years generally speaking.

I’m off to go bake some chicken and veggies. I’ll check back tomorrow for more of these typing workouts. This is like “finger-cardio” only my pulse seems to be a lot more than 150 bpm. Maybe if I shut down that window of www.HotDentalAssistants.com it’ll go down…

To Tell You the Tooth,
this is kind of fun.

Like Ann Landers, only with teeth, and without the amusing “my wife left me for another dentist” stories…

DARCY: Wow! What an answer! Ill digest that and keep you informed. Ill stop asking questions. I wouldnt want to burn our specialist who gracefully gives free expert advice! Thats a rarity that must be treated kindly. Thanks again!

Happy to do it. Sorry for the long answers. I did enjoy replying.
One way or another, you’re going to be seeing or hearing a lot more from me in the future. Cryptic? Why, yes! You’ll see soon enough.

Now would the T-mod looking at this post kindly go floss. I know you haven’t in days. We ALL know. And don’t just do it the day before you come in for your cleaning. Even a rookie DMD can sniff out that weak attempt. I won’t tell you how.

Orally,
Darcy,
Inventor of Low-Carb Braces
(Soon to be called South Beotch Braces, aka Atkins Tooth Str8’ners )

What about those braces on the inside of your teeth? I’m 27 years old and can’t go into a clients office looking like I’m 16.

Those are called “lingual braces” and do work, but take far longer to treat a case with, and often interfere with your bite. They are a lot more expensive too, because they take so much more work, chair time, materials…

If your problem isn’t too bad, you should consider the Invisalign System, which are completely clear shells that fit over your teeth and slowly move them into position. Every 3 weeks you insert a new one, for about 28 times. Again, it’s expensive, but works well for some people.

Finally, I generally use 3M Unitek Brand Clarity Braces, which are white and blend in nicely with the teeth. Often, people don’t know you’ve got braces. They work great, short treatment time, and no additional cost of the standard metal braces. Adults love them.

regards
Darcy

But the wires are still metal aren’t they?

True, the wires are a metal alloy. However, at 20/1000th’s of an inch, they aren’t that visible. Still, if you want true stealth, the other options are out there. Just be prepared to pay for it. Companies are doing a lot of R&D on a true “invisible” wire, but they have all the wrong properties, mainly fracture strength and lack of memory.

Unitek is coming out with a new system in May, but I can’t talk about it as I’m part of the team.

laters
go lift or something.

“they’ll snap off faster than a Cupcake Orgasm”

Too funny!

We get six threads about whether or not a Slurpee (sorry Cupcake) and some dope are the best for pwo and this thread with good questions and great answers gets lost.

Weird mixed up priorities we have.

Anyway Darcy I’ve been noticing lateley that I’ve been grinding my teeth non-stop. I’m not really stressed out and don’t know what else would cause me to do this. Any ideas on what might help me stop? Are there any sort of clear mouth pieces that I could wear during the day that would save my teeth from fractures?

Oh and tell your lovely wife that Stu and I say hi.

Craig