Dental care discussions and local services.
joshuabiker795
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Topics and replies this member has contributed.
RE: Making your own gentle toothpaste at home (without the extras)
The fluoride point matters more than whether the paste feels gentle. Baking soda and coconut oil can help with the mechanical cleaning, but they don’t provide fluoride, so they shouldn’t be treated as a full substitute f...
RE: Swollen gums and braces: is this normal or just me?
That’s exactly how it was for me when I first got my partials. The gums just seemed to have a mind of their own - one day fine, next day they’d puff up and ache if I so much as glanced at a toothbrush. I used to think ma...
RE: Trying to keep my teeth happy with diabetes… anyone else struggle?
That’s the truth. I thought I was being smart with those “chewy” bars, but I ended up with a cracked molar last year. Didn’t even hurt at first, but the dentist said it was probably from years of little chips and crunche...
RE: How much did your dental implant + extraction actually cost?
I really get where you’re coming from. I went in for a simple extraction and implant a couple years ago, thinking it’d be a straightforward process. Halfway through, my dentist found a bone issue and suddenly I needed gr...
RE: Keeping your mouth clean after dental work: new study says we might be overdoing it?
That’s pretty much how it went for me, too. After my implant, I tried to just rinse a couple times a day like my dentist suggested, but I kept getting that weird taste and some swelling. Ended up going back to saltwater ...
RE: Tackling decay in 13 teeth
I hear you on the flossing. At my age, I’m just happy if I remember where I put my glasses, let alone floss after every meal. Those little brushes are a lifesaver, though. Takes some getting used to, but they really do g...
RE: Would you freak out if your stitches took longer to dissolve?
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve caught myself poking at stitches with my tongue, half convinced they’d never disappear. It’s wild how our minds fixate on the tiniest thing when we’re healing. For me, it took a coupl...
RE: When your teeth start wiggling: a dental horror story starter
That’s so true - it’s almost unsettling, isn’t it? I remember after my bridge work a few years back, I had this weird sensation like something was “off,” but no pain at all. My dentist kept saying, “If it doesn’t hurt, i...
RE: How soon did you get back to your routine after a tooth pulled?
I hear you on the mashed potatoes diet - I basically lived on pudding and applesauce for days. But honestly, I pushed myself a bit sooner, maybe around day 7? Guess I got tired of being paranoid and just wanted real food...
RE: Keeping old bridges standing: tricks that actually work?
I totally get where you’re coming from about being “that person” - I’m the same way now. I used to just trust my dentist’s “no pain, no problem” line, but after a bridge failure snuck up on me, I got a lot more particula...
RE: What if you woke up with dragon breath every day?
Waking up with dragon breath was basically my morning routine for years, especially once I hit my 50s and started with partials. Honestly, nothing quite prepares you for that “what died in here?” moment. I found that eve...
RE: Little trick to help kids dodge cavities: dental "raincoats"
That “little jackhammer” description cracked me up, but I totally get the worry. My youngest grandson is the same way - he grinds so loud you can hear it through the baby monitor. His sealants barely made it a year, and ...
RE: Root canal wasn’t as scary as I thought - pain gone!
That insurance maze is just the worst. I remember thinking the paperwork was more painful than the tooth itself. It’s wild how you can end up spending more on “temporary fixes” than just biting the bullet, isn’t it? I ke...
RE: Battle of the Bristles: Surviving Braces With Old-School Brushes
I get what you mean about those little proxy brushes - they’re handy, but I swear I spend more time fishing them out from behind the sink than actually cleaning my teeth. As for water flossers, I used to think they were ...