if something’s even slightly off—like the tiniest ridge on a filling—I’m poking at it with my tongue all day.
I totally get that. I’m hyper-aware of any change, but I’ll be honest—unless it’s painful, I usually try to tough it out because extra dental visits aren’t cheap. Sometimes I regret waiting, though, because a tiny edge on a filling drove me nuts for months before I finally went back. It’s a toss-up between saving money and saving your sanity.
It’s a toss-up between saving money and saving your sanity.
That is exactly it. I’ve tried to ignore those little rough spots, thinking I’d just get used to them, but honestly... my tongue never lets me forget. I had a crown once that felt just a hair too high, and it drove me up the wall for weeks. I kept telling myself it’d settle in, but every bite felt weird until I finally caved and went back. The dentist shaved it down in two seconds, and suddenly everything felt normal again.
I get the urge to tough it out—dental bills aren’t fun—but sometimes the mental energy spent obsessing over that tiny edge just isn’t worth it. For me, if it’s bugging me after a week or two, I go back. Otherwise, I end up poking at it constantly and probably making things worse. Funny how something so small can take over your whole day, right?
Totally relate to this. It’s wild how something as tiny as a rough edge or a high spot can become the only thing your mouth focuses on. I once had a filling that felt just a *little* off—barely noticeable, but my tongue found it every single time. Tried to convince myself I’d get over it, but nope, it just bugged me more each day. Ended up going back, and the fix was so quick I felt silly for waiting.
I get wanting to avoid another bill, but honestly, the amount of time I spent thinking about that spot probably cost me more in stress than the actual appointment. Sometimes I think our mouths are way more sensitive than we give them credit for... or maybe our brains just love to latch onto the tiniest annoyances. Either way, if it’s still bothering you after a bit, I’d say it’s worth getting checked out. Life’s too short to let a weird tooth ruin your snacks.
Sometimes I think our mouths are way more sensitive than we give them credit for... or maybe our brains just love to latch onto the tiniest annoyances.
That’s so true. It’s weird how you can have something so tiny—like a tiny ridge or a minuscule bump—and suddenly your tongue is obsessed with it. I’ve had that happen with new fillings too, where it felt just a bit “off” but I kept thinking maybe I was imagining it. Is there actually a technical reason why our mouths notice such small differences? Like, are there more nerve endings in the tongue or something?
I totally get the stress part too. Sometimes I’ll try to ignore it, thinking my mouth will adapt, but then days go by and it’s still all I can think about while eating or even just sitting around. It’s almost like once you notice it, you can’t un-notice it.
Honestly, I wouldn’t feel silly for going back to get it fixed. If anything, waiting probably made it worse for me because I was overthinking every meal. Quick fixes are worth it sometimes—especially if they save your sanity (and snacks).
