Anyone Stopped Going to the Dentist?

[ShokWaveRider]

Not sure why anyone would stop going to the Dentist.

 

[athena53]

I'm one of 5 kids and my parents, bless them, got us to the dentist every 6 months even though there was no dental insurance. I always had cavities even though we were getting the same care and pretty much eating the same diet. My sister had her first cavity as a young adult. One brother never had them till he was allowed to us the family car for basketball practice and he'd buy and eat candy on the way home.

So now I have quite a few fillings, teeth weakened by fillings so more prone to breaking, etc. Have had crowns and bridges, decay under crowns or the tooth holding up a bridge not discovered till the tooth couldn't be saved, etc. As I've noted in many discussions on dental, I have 8 implants. They were my choice- sometimes as an alternative to a bridge, sometimes because replacing a crown after grinding off the decay wouldn't have left much tooth to hold the crown, once because my dentist suspected the issue was a crack in the root (he was right). That means I have to go for cleanings every 3 months and I cheerfully pay the price. I trust him- he's also a one-dentist office and a "wait and watch" person.

They've told me I tend to build up a lot of plaque and once after a 3+-week trip during where I'd left my WaterPik at home (but brought my Sonicare and used prescription toothpaste), the hygienist was alarmed at the increase in size of some of my gum pockets They'd returned to their usual size by my next visit.

So, for me, negligence is not an option. Fortunately, my other out-of-pocket medical expenses are minimal (thank you, Medicare).

 

[jazz4cash]

I am going more not less… and I have 2 specialists on addition to my regular. I wonder how long I can afford to do this. Dental expenses should not be under BTD category but thats how I feel sometimes.

I am surrounded by folks with bad teeth, missing teeth, ugly teeth and some that can’t eat certain foods so I’m gonna keep my routine.
I think it is largely genetic. Many folks have no problems despite minimal dental care while others (me) have to go consistently to maintain.

 

[Flyfish1]

Just went this morning. Start skipping Dental care at your own peril IMO.

 

[aja8888]

In my mid to late 70's., I sent enough at the dentist and oral surgeon to buy a new, nicely equipped, full size pickup truck. You can outlive your teeth!

 

[pacergal]

Still go twice a year. It is preventative dental care, just like a yearly check up with your medical provider.
Just because they don't find something doesn't mean it isn't necessary or a good idea, hence the words preventative care.

 

[athena53]

I am surrounded by folks with bad teeth, missing teeth, ugly teeth and some that can’t eat certain foods so I’m gonna keep my routine.

I agree. Bad or missing teeth are not only a cosmetic issue but can interfere with your nutrition. (I like crunchy fresh vegetables.)

My first "real" job was at a small-town restaurant and I remember we had a couple of regular patrons who were toothless and didn't have dentures, either. I've read that the jawbone shrinks over time if it's not getting stimulation from the movement of teeth when you chew, so maybe they originally had dentures but they no longer fit. One lady ordered a piece of pie- with a serving of milk and a bowl so she could mash it all up before eating it.

My newest preferred charity is a local one that has a dental clinic for people who can't afford treatment otherwise. I think I need to make another donation.

 

[Midpack]

I Waterpik twice a day and have healthy gums..

I just bought a Waterpik about 6 months ago, and it's fantastic. Wish I'd gotten on that bandwagon 30 years ago. I'm anxious to find out how my upcoming checkups turn out.

As or quitting dentists until/unless I have a problem - maybe at some very advanced age like 90's.

 

[Fermion]

It is strange that for something that is generally agreed to be important to your health, it is not covered by any regular health insurance. One would think the regular health insurance companies would want you to get regular checkups so they don't have to pay for the kidney surgery or whatever problems bad dental health causes in the future. Shortsighted by them?

 

[Jerry1]

After having the hygienist say a few times that I had very little plaque build up, I started going every 9 months - so 3 times per 2 years. That seems fine. Anything caught that needs repair is still quick enough to be a miner repair. I’m not sure what changed with the build up of plaque. It used to be significant and cleanings were a pain. But around 50 something changed and it’s no longer a problem. I certainly eat better so maybe that’s it.

 

[Midpack]

It is strange that for something that is generally agreed to be important to your health, it is not covered by any regular health insurance. One would think the regular health insurance companies would want you to get regular checkups so they don't have to pay for the kidney surgery or whatever problems bad dental health causes in the future. Shortsighted by them?

Not a good reason, but because 'it's always been that way.' As you probably know, there's a long history of separation between dentists and doctors, their educations, and their respective providers. Legacy health insurers have well established relationships with a wide range of hospitals, clinics, physicians, and specialists - not dental equivalents. In many cases, the medical computer systems, policies, and practices have all been developed with the purpose of working with medical entities and their patients. And medical insurance is regulated, dental is not.

 

[Golden Mean]

It is strange that for something that is generally agreed to be important to your health, it is not covered by any regular health insurance. One would think the regular health insurance companies would want you to get regular checkups so they don't have to pay for the kidney surgery or whatever problems bad dental health causes in the future. Shortsighted by them?

I suspect it is mostly a case of, "that's just the way it's always been", and it'll take time to change. Also, the correlation between dental and body health is probably not high enough or been studied enough to state it as a fact that dental causes/leads to certain body conditions.

 

[Fermion]

A correlation does not imply causation thing? A person who goes to the dentist every 3 or 6 months might also be the type to exercise and practice good nutrition?

 

[athena53]

It is strange that for something that is generally agreed to be important to your health, it is not covered by any regular health insurance. One would think the regular health insurance companies would want you to get regular checkups so they don't have to pay for the kidney surgery or whatever problems bad dental health causes in the future. Shortsighted by them?

First, health insurers are noted for their short-sightedness. They're better at paying for problems that start popping up in your 60s and 70s than paying for tests and meds in your 30s that might prevent them or alert you to risk factors.

I've thought about this a lot since I was in property-casualty insurance for my whole career. There are plenty of threads here on dental plans and how limited the coverage is, including limits of $1,500-$2,000 for the most they'll pay for everything in a given year. They also pay pretty low %s for major work such as crowns and implants. This is a form of "managed care" since you're more likely to get a second opinion when faced with a laundry list of things that need to be fixed, with a huge bottom line. I've had honest dentists my entire life- generally when they find something wrong it's a problem I've already noticed. There are, however, horror stories on other threads about a new dentist, especially at one of the national chains, suddenly finding a lot of "problems" that need fixing. In the case of implants, there are people who are NOT candidates- smokers, those without enough bone mass, even women on meds such as Boniva. Someone with a profit motive might recommend them anyway and the patient might agree if the procedure is 100% covered.

With those kinds of dollars at stake, dental insurers would need to have an extensive pre-approval process (not sure what they have now). More expense, more disgruntled patients whose treatment have been denied. I think insurers have just stuck to the safe route of limiting what they pay to effectively exclude the more expensive procedures,

 

[homestead]

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

2. - have never heard that...ever, have a source for that?
3. what? intentional malpractice?
1....I would consider that a good thing....versus never knowing what's going on and ending up with a big hairy problem.

#3 They are not trying to create a cavity, just probing for a suspected soft spot in a tooth.

 

[athena53]

One post-COVID note: My cousin, a dental hygienist, said that some of the cleanings she had to do on people returning after 3 years of not getting regular cleanings were pretty disgusting.

 

[Time2]

I'm wondering if I might be better off only going the dentist when I have a problem..

I have a brother in law that was just to tight to spend the money to go to a dentist, he could afford it. He no longer has any teeth, except the false ones he bought. True story, we all kept telling him!

 

[Dtail]

I see a periodontist 4x yearly. Bad gums but decent teeth. It will now cost me more being on Medicare than the ACA.
I do have a plan from Cigna for this first year, but not sure if it is worth it. Will test drive this year and figure out the bottom line end of year.

 

[Koolau]

Megacorp had a great dental insurance at very low cost. For $23/month, the whole family was covered for all prophylaxis and 50% all treatments up to a max of about $2500/year.

Sometime after I retired, they did away with the insurance. I get by now with 1 cleaning/x-rays, etc. per year but things like old crowns and bridges are beginning to fail after 20+ years and it's not unusual that our dental runs $4K/year. I've looked into insurance and it's all just a way to pay monthly what you would otherwise pay through the year in chunks. AND of course, the insurance company has to make some money on the deal, so we just go naked now. There really is no such thing as dental insurance anymore.

 

[Pluperfect]

I go when I believe I have a problem. I take very good care of my teeth, and I also have been blessed with good straight teeth.

I'm blessed with good teeth, too.

People generally don't take into account that some people naturally have good teeth and some naturally have bad teeth.

The last time I got my teeth cleaned was at a dental hygienist school. It had been more than 10 years since the previous cleaning (in Mexico), and the student hygienist and her supervisor said there was very little plaque. The dentist who checked all the work said everything was fine.

I just have good teeth that don't require much attention.

 

[FIYes]

Dental work…expensive——Good teeth…priceless

I don’t have dental insurance but opt for twice yearly checkups and cleaning.

 

[jazz4cash]

I've read that the jawbone shrinks over time if it's not getting stimulation from the movement of teeth when you chew, so maybe they originally had dentures but they no longer fit. d mash

I have a very very cheap stubborn family member that suffers from this condition. Actually I believe his jawbone has receded into the space where he’s lost teeth. It makes him look older and it is very difficult to understand him when he speaks at normal speed. He has adjusted by speaking more slowly with great effort to form his words. He sounds like a toddler sometimes. I think sometimes my elders have taught me what NOT to do.

 

[Aerides]

"Only going when it hurts" is silly, that's a good reason to avoid ever getting a colonoscopy. While, no, you don't end up with stage 4 could-been-caught-early colon cancer by ignoring your teeth, you can end up with some pretty nasty problems, and miss other things - dental issues are sometimes symptoms of underlying medical problems. Or you could have gotten away with a filling instead of an crown/implant.

Besides all that, ew. At least go and get the appropriate cleanings and check ups.

 

[JBTX]

I’ve found a dentist that I trust for me and adult children - through years he has figured out I don’t want extra or unneeded work. Occasionally I go in and get someone else and they say I need this and that, I kick it back to my dentist and he is fine just to watch it.

There is no doubt in my mind many dentists are pretty aggressive about fillings, which for me eventually turned into crowns. Whether they are being very cautious or trying to create more billable work I can’t say.

 

[reneeh63]

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.

Very likely the need for a root canal could have been prevented by finding the cavity early and just getting a filling - obviously a huge savings! I never understood why some people are willing to wait until they have pain before taking care of something sooner - a stitch in time saves nine! Especially these days when root canals, crowns, and dental implants (especially!) cost a fortune.

The most I might do is to go for a checkup every 12 months vs. 6 months but even that seems risky to me. As it is I'm having some of my 25+ year crowns checked out to see if they might need replacing before I lose my dental insurance at retirement.