How long have you gone without going to the dentist? How many cavities?

[Eben Stone]

Reading the thead What do you use to brush your teeth? - https://www.badgerandblade.com/forum/threads/what-do-you-use-to-brush-your-teeth.604642/ by @AZBronco made me curious about other dental related stuff.

What is the longest you've ever gone without going to the dentist?

And how many cavities have you had?

I'll go first:

Approx 14 years
Zero

 

[Kentos]

Wow 14 years. Did you have a lot of tartar build up at all?

 

[Eben Stone]

Wow 14 years. Did you have a lot of tartar build up at all?

When I finally did go to the dentist he didn't say anything at all about the condition of my teeth. I had to ask him. All he said was no cavities.

 

[Ivo4u2]

Even going every year I have loads of tartar. And yes I brush regularly and electric.

But acc my dentist you either have loads of tartar but no cavities or you have no tartar and cavities. It has something to do with the acidity of your saliver. Which in turn has to do with what you eat, drink, metabolism, stress etc

 

[Peterv1]

Have to go once a year otherwise it won't get covered by my health insurance but that's in Belgium though

 

[StuMcB]

UK here so it's 50/50 NHS & private. Used to blonde every 12 months but COVID has put that back 18months . Next appointment is November this year. Been looking after them though.

 

[Gauthier]

Have to go once a year otherwise it won't get covered by my health insurance but that's in Belgium though

Same system here in Germany. If you don't go once a year, the health insurance won't help to cover any major work you might need. You have to have your leaflet stamped.

I haven't really had any cavities for years.

 

[Rhody]

I go 2x a year. Never missed any significant time. One cavity/chip that had to be filled.

 

[Contact_vs_Feedback]

20 years.

We don't have a yearly dental visit to Dentist in our priority for some reasons.

I needed braces and that's when I went to the dentist and he did a cleaning session before proceeding with the braces.

No cavities just some Calculus.

I need some more help with the braces (now removed) and now when conditions are coming back to normal I will make an appointment soon.

 

[Legion]

I saw this show with an old lady who was turning 100, and still had most of her teeth. When asked what her secrets as she said, from a young age, she took some “tooth silk” and cleaned between her teeth daily.

Flossing is the key.

 

[TexOkie Shaver]

I once went 25 years. The bill was $3500 to fix the cavities. I now go 4 times a year due to periodontal disease. I knew I was in trouble when the dentist looked in my mouth and said, “I guess I can take that Hawaiian Cruise after all.”

 

[never-stop-learning]

3x year for cleaning and checkups.

 

[njpaddy]

And how many cavities have you had?

A bizillion? I was born in the mid-1940s. I spent most of my childhood in a dentist chair. I still remember having ether and it wasn't a fond memory. There isn't a tooth in my mouth that hasn't been pulled, capped, bridged, or refilled over and over, thanks to sugar coke, Bazooka, baseball and bubble gum cards of the 1950s. The cards alone would have paid for several sets of new teeth over the years, if only my mother hadn't tossed out my shoe boxes full when I went away to college. They ain't pretty, and most may not be real, but I'm fortunate to have no missing teeth or dentures.

 

[FarmerTan]

I went two or three years before I went this year in March or April. No problems.

The hygienist said she was scared of what she would find after I opened my mouth, lol!

I explained that I floss like a mad man, and have dental tools for scraping tartar, especially the bottom front teeth.

She was shocked. Actually said, "don't tell anyone, but keep doing what you are doing. Though I do have to recommend you come back every six months."

I had x-rays, and I paid $180 out of pocket. My office of choice doesn't accept my insurance, unfortunately.

But I'll go back this coming Spring..... I was not mentally in the best of places for the last two or three years, sadly.

 

[steveclarkus]

When I finally did go to the dentist he didn't say anything at all about the condition of my teeth. I had to ask him. All he said was no cavities.

Do you know of any other mammal that brushes its teeth?

 

[FarmerTan]

Do you know of any other mammal that brushes its teeth?

hmmm. No.

 

[Kentos]

Humans brush dog and cat teeth…if life expectancies were still stuck in the Middle Ages at 30 we wouldn’t need to brush or floss. We would be dead before not having teeth would be a problem.

 

[FarmerTan]

Humans brush dog and cat teeth…if life expectancies were still stuck in the Middle Ages at 30 we wouldn’t need to brush or floss. We would be dead before not having teeth would be a problem.

So true.

Flossing supposedly adds two years to your life expectancy.

Of course, they are at the END of your life, so POSSIBLY that's not the best news you hear all day...

 

[Kentos]

So true.

Flossing supposedly adds two years to your life expectancy.

Of course, they are at the END of your life, so POSSIBLY that's not the best news you hear all day...

I should go through and add up all my life shortening activities, then look for life prolonging activities to counteract them. Hedge my bets per se.

 

[FarmerTan]

I should go through and add up all my life shortening activities, then look for life prolonging activities to counteract them. Hedge my bets per se.

I'd settle for "Even Steven!" at this point!

Not bloody likely tho .....