Anyone Stopped Going to the Dentist?

[lawman]

I'm wondering if I might be better off only going the dentist when I have a problem..
1. I pay for x rays that never find a problem
2. Cleaning teeth damages the enamel
3. The dentist tries to create a cavity in my jaw teeth by sticking a hole in it with a very sharp pointed tool

Seems like it might be better to only go to the dentist when I have a problem..Sure would save a lot of money..
Anyone else stopped going ?

 

[euro]

Unless you have EXCEPTIONALLY strong teeth and you take EXCEPTIONALLY good care (brushing, flossing, etc), I would strongly discourage your plan. Not just because you will end up with more costly repairs, but also because it is becoming more and more clear that dental health plays a significant role in overall health (i.e. is directly connected to metabolic health, cardiovascular health, general inflammation, etc).

 

[mickj]

I agree with your premise, dentists for the most part don't help unless you have a problem.

 

[razztazz]

I actually thought of doing that some years back. Every dentist I've ever had has said "If all my patients had teeth like yours I couldn't earn a living." But then I started thinking.... Yes, OK, I got good teeth. Always have. But, I've always been young and healthy too. I am not any longer. What I should have done is skipped all those dental trips for 30 or 40 years and NOW start seeing a dentist every year. 30-40-even 50 year old teeth, well taken care of, won't show much damage. 60-70+ yr old teeth .....? Am I feeling lucky?

 

[braumeister]

My dentist is an absolute wizard at keeping my teeth in good repair, so I'm very grateful to be able to give some support to that enterprise.
Having all my original teeth at my age is not all that common, and I'm highly appreciative. The X-rays are extremely low radiation exposure, so that doesn't concern me at all. Cleaning the teeth seems to be mainly removal of the built up tartar, and that seems essential to good oral health.
Your third point makes no sense to me (and is probably impossible), and if you feel that way then you should certainly find a different dentist.

 

[lawman]

Regarding point 3 I think she is looking for soft spots but in doing so I think damages the tooth..

 

[Surewhitey]

We lived in Mexico and adjusted to 1 cleaning annually at the time. I personally think our plan would work fine even in the states. We are on cruise control with the 2/yr plan...as insurance takes care of it.

Mexico cleaning was only 200 pesos ($15) at the time (2015)...

 

[sengsational]

My current and some past dentists, and I suspect many dentists, always have something "on the list" for older patients. There's probably some calculus they use to determine the pressure to take action. The inputs to that calculus probably include what's good for the patient, what the dentists bank account looks like, and how full their schedule is. One out of three variables isn't very good.

I was thinking of having two dentists, and alternating between the two. If the list of actions and priorities agreed between the two, then I'd be more confident the procedure wasn't primarily revenue driven.

 

[MBAustin]

DBIL stopped going 3 years ago. Last week he had an excruciating toothache while out of town. Massive tooth infection that requires a root canal which couldn't be accommodated where he was. So he got a prescription for antibiotics to help with the infection and pain and has an appointment with endodontist back home in early September - on a waiting list if someone cancels. Dentist told him it could have been caught much earlier before it got painful.
Our dentist is a tooth nerd and occasionally suggests some newfangled preventative treatment. But he's fine that I mostly decline.

 

[RetiredAndLovingIt]

They're checking for gum disease which is important. I personally would not stop getting checkups which my insurance covers but I'm also able to say no if they were to suggest a treatment that I didn't feel I needed.

Dentist Gum Check Numbers and What They Mean | Waterpik™ Oral Care EDU

Many factors go into understanding your overall gum health, but shallow gum pockets are typically healthier than deep gum pockets. Learn more about gum probe measurements…

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[lawman]

They're checking for gum disease which is important. I personally would not stop getting checkups which my insurance covers but I'm also able to say no if they were to suggest a treatment that I didn't feel I needed.

Dentist Gum Check Numbers and What They Mean | Waterpik™ Oral Care EDU

Many factors go into understanding your overall gum health, but shallow gum pockets are typically healthier than deep gum pockets. Learn more about gum probe measurements…

www.waterpik.com

I Waterpik twice a day and have healthy gums..

 

[pb4uski]

I'm wondering if I might be better off only going the dentist when I have a problem..
1. I pay for x rays that never find a problem
2. Cleaning teeth damages the enamel
3. The dentist tries to create a cavity in my jaw teeth by sticking a hole in it with a very sharp pointed tool

Seems like it might be better to only go to the dentist when I have a problem..Sure would save a lot of money..
Anyone else stopped going ?

1. X-rays never find a problem... until they do. It's prudent preventative medicine.
2. Cleaning teeth does NOT damage enamel. Fake news.
3. They are probing for cavaties... if the probe sticks then that might be a problem. Teeth are hard and a probe can't create a cavity.

We go twice a year. One is an exam and cleaning and the other visit is just cleaning. $841 for the two of us for 2023.

 

[OldShooter]

I have mentioned several times here that we are using the local university dental school clinic. Reasons:

• 1. No one is motivated to sell me something I don't need.
• 2. Quality control is excellent with faculty consulting on the student dentist's plan and checking progress at every step. (vs zero QC at private practices)
• 3. Cost (not a big factor for us but ...) substantially less than private practice dentists. It depends on procedures and whether outside lab work is needed but routine stuff seems to be about 1/3.

Late in life my mother didn't have good teeth and she ended up with a bridge that held several false front teeth. I very much do not want this, so I am regular, even enthusiastic, about regular dental visits.

@lawman, to your points:

• 1. Not finding problems is a good thing.
• 2. It is polishing, not cleaning that damages enamel. I declined polishing at my last visit for just this reason.
• 3. The dental tool (called an explorer IIRC) is designed to find cavities, not make them. I'm not sure the dentist could use an explorer to make a hole even if he wanted to.

Some problems, like gum problems and loose teeth may not be fixable or may require expen$ive implants.

Most importantly, you probably need to find a dentist you can trust.

 

[Lakedog]

I don't think I would ever stop going but over the last few years I have been going longer between visits, often 9-12 months rather than 6 months. No issues since extending the time between visits.

 

[Jerry1]

I wouldn't stop going but I did extend my visits to every 9 months, so 3 times in 2 years. I have good teeth and a great dentist, but I did end up with a cavity the last time I went. It's frustrating because the hygienist always says how clean my teeth are. She barely has to remove any plaque, which was not the case when I was younger. Still, even taking good care of my teeth, stuff happens. I'll keep going regularly.

 

[FlaMariner]

What about going for routine care once a year?

Our dentist lost one of his two dental hygienist and appointments were a problem and scarce so for the first time ever, we are on the one year plan......The one year visit is next month.

It has not been as bad as we thought and if all goes well next month, we may just stick with the one year plan. Now if she has to get out the sand blaster, we will know that a year was not good.

 

[braumeister]

I wouldn't stop going but I did extend my visits to every 9 months

My career was in the military, where the standard was a dental checkup every year. After I retired and started going to a civilian dentist I was totally surprised at the people who told me I should go every six months. It seemed like overkill, but I decided to compromise and make it every nine months. That has worked out fine, and the dentist is OK with it.

 

[tutan]

3. The dentist tries to create a cavity in my jaw teeth by sticking a hole in it with a very sharp pointed tool

Regarding point 3 I think she is looking for soft spots but in doing so I think damages the tooth..

My dentist does that as part of the exam. It is to test if the enamel has worn away enough to form a cavity or nearly one which would catch the sharp point, which would then necessitate repair with a filling mostly. She does not apply enough force to create a cavity I think.

 

[Car-Guy]

I go to the dentist regularly. About 15 years ago, I had a new cap for a molar. Early this year I had one molar pulled. I expect I'll need to go more often as I get older so maybe my next visit in another 10 years.

 

[momoney]

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[skipro33]

When my father moved in with us at age 83 after being diagnosed with Alzheimers, he refused to brush his teeth. I'd take him in for teeth cleaning every six months and after a few trips, I noticed it took no time at all for them to clean his teeth. They always told me after that Dad is doing great and no problems. I asked about the fact he doesn't brush and they told me it's because of his saliva. They said that someone who has a lot of saliva doesn't need to get their teeth professionally cleaned as often as it naturally flushes the mouth clean and has the right pH and enzyme balance. They told me to bring him in once a year, not twice any longer.
So maybe age might be a reason to cut back, but only if your mouth also produces a lot of saliva I guess.

 

[RetMD21]

I'm wondering if I might be better off only going the dentist when I have a problem..
1. I pay for x rays that never find a problem
2. Cleaning teeth damages the enamel
3. The dentist tries to create a cavity in my jaw teeth by sticking a hole in it with a very sharp pointed tool

Seems like it might be better to only go to the dentist when I have a problem..Sure would save a lot of money..
Anyone else stopped going ?

Maybe you just need a better dentist

 

[GrayHare]

I prefer a single-chair dental office but they are not common now. In the multi-chair places, the primary medical talent briefly checks in on patients, cha-ching, but the less-experienced staff does most of the work.

 

[braumeister]

They said that someone who has a lot of saliva doesn't need to get their teeth professionally cleaned as often as it naturally flushes the mouth clean and has the right pH and enzyme balance.

Very interesting. Dentists have always told me that I produce much more saliva than the average person, so maybe that's a contributing factor.

 

[Chuckanut]

My parents and most of their friends had gum problems, dentures, bridges, ect by the time they were in their 60s. I still have all my teeth though a few are capped. Why would I stop a successful strategy of professional dental care?