LONGECITY

Hey

I'm currently 17 years old and 5 months.
It's only in the past year that I have started to take a proactive role in my dental hygiene.
Prompted largely by a root canal which I had done.

I have noticed that lately, my teeth are corroding/eroding/wearing away faster than usual.
The cusps of the front teeth are becoming somewhat jagged etc...

Any suggestions to reduce tooth wear? Tooth decay? or Repair it?

Some background:
- My jaw is mis-aligned, so half of my teeth don't touch (right hand side), surgery is planned for when I stop growing
- I have a tendency to like lots of sugary foods
- I only drink water, of the bottled variety (should be filtered, but its a hassle, I'm still at school)
- I brush every morning and brush every night, I floss pretty much every night, once in a blue moon I give myself a break
- My diet consists of fruits, vegetables, rice, chicken/beef/lamb stews and casseroles, salads etc...

I would really appreciate some help here.

Thank you!

Um, reduce sugary foods for a start ?

Use Biotene and/or toothpastes with Liquid calcium...

http://www.myoralcare.com/promos/#age
http://www.biotene.c...toothpaste.aspx
http://www.biotene.c.../mouthwash.aspx

http://wholehealthso.....dental health

I have noticed that lately, my teeth are corroding/eroding/wearing away faster than usual.
The cusps of the front teeth are becoming somewhat jagged etc...

Fabien, it sounds like you might be grinding your teeth while you sleep. You should really talk to a dentist about it, and see about getting a bite guard. Don't wait until you've worn through your enamel. A dentist will be able to tell what's going on from the wear patterns. I don't think it has anything to do with what you eat, unless you eat sand.

http://wholehealthso.....dental health

Have been there a couple of times, thanks for the link

Fabien, it sounds like you might be grinding your teeth while you sleep. You should really talk to a dentist about it, and see about getting a bite guard. Don't wait until you've worn through your enamel. A dentist will be able to tell what's going on from the wear patterns

Thank you, I will certainly look into it. I find that many dentists are often passive about my concerns, and finding a proactive one can be difficult.

I don't think it has anything to do with what you eat, unless you eat sand.

Made me laugh, hehe

Chew on xylitol gum after eating.

Thank you, I will certainly look into it. I find that many dentists are often passive about my concerns, and finding a proactive one can be difficult.

See if you can find a dentist with an interest in minimally invasive dentistry. Unfortunately that sometimes seems to be more of a buzzword right now for dental supply companies but in its essence it refers to performing dentistry while attempting to be as conservative of natural tooth structure as possible. Minimally invasive dentists will prefer to perform slot preparations and create partial coverage crowns where possible. They will often advocate performing tests and exams to determine the causes for your loss of tooth structure and then recommend steps you can take to prevent further deterioration.

In your case I emphatically second the recommendation to see if an occlusal guard is right for you. You can ask your dentist if they think you would be benefited by seeing an orofacial pain/TMJ specialist. Do you have a condition causing asymmetric growth of the face?

I have noticed that lately, my teeth are corroding/eroding/wearing away faster than usual.
The cusps of the front teeth are becoming somewhat jagged etc...

Fabien, it sounds like you might be grinding your teeth while you sleep. You should really talk to a dentist about it, and see about getting a bite guard. Don't wait until you've worn through your enamel. A dentist will be able to tell what's going on from the wear patterns. I don't think it has anything to do with what you eat, unless you eat sand.

If you are grinding your teeth .. I would recommend checking out a night guard. It does sound like the original poster is grinding their teeth. I've had luck with http://www.IMaDentalSpammer.com .. their night guards are affordable. I had a serious teeth grinding issue as well. I had to put a stop to it, because I feared serious TMJ. I hope this helps.

- Dave
Edited by FunkOdyssey, 01 October 2009 - 04:41 PM.

Thanks Dave and Lunar - this is a priority for me and I'll be checking it out within the next few weeks, I'm in exams at the moment.
I have been consulting an orthodontist regarding this misalignment for the past four years or so, give or take. We have been doing
a 'wait and see' kind of thing, but since I see my teeth on a daily basis, I notice some of the cusps are wearing away, but it may be
due to grinding (my mother was diagnosed with this a while back, big hint for me hehe).

So, at the moment, I am waiting 9 months to get another sex of X-rays done to see if any change has occured, if none has, I will
be getting braces in end of 2010/start of 2011. For now, I'll look into the nightguard. Thanks again

http://www.cleanwhit...s/CWTSystem.pdf

It is impossible to make a diagnosis without an examination, but several suggestions previously made have merit. The fact that you are being followed by an Orthodontist is crucial. I think you should have your regular dentist consult with your Orthodontist for the appropriate care until you are ready for surgery/braces. From what you have initially written, I would guess that along with your maloccusion, you also have a rather severe overbite. Bruxing is almost a certainty given your age. Incisal wear to the point of having jagged incisal edges is extremely uncommon at 17.

Your dentist can make you an occlusal splint that will protect your incisors from further damage. If finances are a problem, you can buy a temporary niteguard from a drugstore. I would do that sooner than later. X-rays will not provide much information on your problem.

MK, DDS

You could be grinding your teeth either during the day or at night. Usually people tend to grind their teeth in their sleep. Your dentist should notice this and recommend a mouth guard to wear at night if it's serious or not. It seems your doing a good job of taking care of your teeth. I would just bring it up to your dentist the next time you go in for a cleaning.

Hey

I'm currently 17 years old and 5 months.
It's only in the past year that I have started to take a proactive role in my dental hygiene.
Prompted largely by a root canal which I had done.

I have noticed that lately, my teeth are corroding/eroding/wearing away faster than usual.
The cusps of the front teeth are becoming somewhat jagged etc...

Any suggestions to reduce tooth wear? Tooth decay? or Repair it?

Some background:
- My jaw is mis-aligned, so half of my teeth don't touch (right hand side), surgery is planned for when I stop growing
- I have a tendency to like lots of sugary foods
- I only drink water, of the bottled variety (should be filtered, but its a hassle, I'm still at school)
- I brush every morning and brush every night, I floss pretty much every night, once in a blue moon I give myself a break
- My diet consists of fruits, vegetables, rice, chicken/beef/lamb stews and casseroles, salads etc...

I would really appreciate some help here.

Thank you!

See my post here: http://www.imminst.o...mp;#entry399278