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For the last couple years Ive felt a small what feels like a cavity in the back area of my 2nd tooth from the middle on my right side im mos def not hallucinating. It started as just a small part of my tooth, but over at couple years or so Ive physically been noticing its' getting bigger and bigger until now where it actually feels like half of the back area of the tooth is practically gone. I also get a sharp pain in that area too. I also physically see in the mirror the area of the tooth which is now gone. I finally just recently, today actually, found a low income accepting dentist who says I don't have any cavities and nothing is wrong with me.. Ive read online that untreated cavities can cause heart problems and possibly even death if left untreated for long enough. This is worrying and I get anxiety thinking about it. I really dont even know what to do or think because while my dentist says nothing is wrong, he cant explain why I can physically feel the cavity growing or even why i have my pain. Right now it literally feels like only a very small part of my tooth is left and can actually feel my pure gum between that and the rest of my tooth. If anyone has any idea what my situation might be or why my dentist isn't indentifying what I have as a cavity it would be much appreciated.
Untreated *infections* can trigger heart problems, and lead to death, if not treated. Cavities aren't infections. You might have a chipped tooth. A chipped tooth is also not an infection. If the spot where the tooth has changed, is grey, brown or black, even after brushing, then you need to find a dentist who will tell you why. If it's chipped, you need a dentist who will communicate to you whether or not it's something that can, or should be repaired.
A dentist who says nothing more than "nope, no cavities" and sends you on your way, is not a communicative dentist. On the other hand, if there really isn't anything wrong with the tooth, and you really are just believing an overactive imagination, then I can understand why the dentist says there's nothing wrong with you and dismisses your concern.
On the other OTHER hand, if that was the case, and I were your dentist, I'd suggest to you that maybe some techniques to relieve stress might be in order, and recommend meditation and vigorous exercise.
For now though, you might just want to get a second opinion, from a dentist outside that office. I suggest just a normal family practice non-group dentist.
Thanks for the advice. I just went in again today and he told me just not to think so negatively. I supposed it could be from an over anxious perspective, but I still have no idea why I can actually see exactly the difference between that tooth and the same one on the opposite side, I clearly remember there being only a vey small what felt like chipping off the corner of my tooth where as now there is only a small portion of my tooth left. When I asked if there would be any reason why I would physically be seeing that difference he said he didn't know and I'm quite sure even if i am being over anxious I wouldn't hallucinate that vividly, I don't think. Do you think by any chance from my constanly feeling that tooth with my tongue, somehow caused it to slowly erode or something?
I think you need a new dentist. Pick one who is younger and more versed in modern technology.
I had an older man for years who kept telling me everything was Aok. Turns out it wasn't. Todays modern dentist has better ways to see infection, cavities, and problems. I needed alot of work cause infection was eating up my tooth. I found the right dentist and now am fine.
Thanks for the advice. I just went in again today and he told me just not to think so negatively. I supposed it could be from an over anxious perspective, but I still have no idea why I can actually see exactly the difference between that tooth and the same one on the opposite side, I clearly remember there being only a vey small what felt like chipping off the corner of my tooth where as now there is only a small portion of my tooth left. When I asked if there would be any reason why I would physically be seeing that difference he said he didn't know and I'm quite sure even if i am being over anxious I wouldn't hallucinate that vividly, I don't think. Do you think by any chance from my constanly feeling that tooth with my tongue, somehow caused it to slowly erode or something?
I'm not understanding why you didn't get a second opinion. A second opinion doesn't mean going back to the -same- doctor twice. It means going to a different doctor.
Did this dentist show you an x-ray and explain what you were looking at? No, touching your tooth with your tongue can't erode it. It's possible that your GUM has shifted and is now covering more of the tooth than it used to. If you had a regular dentist that you were comfortable with, who was communicative, and who you went to consistently, you'd have someone who could track the history of your mouth and explain any changes. You can't get that by walking into a clinic or "conveyor belt" dentist's office.
I don't have any insurance or the money to go to a different dentist, that's why I've been going to my current dentist. He did give me xrays of the specific tooth I was talking about, i think it's that tooth atleast, if someone here knows what they're looking at I can try and somehow upload it up here. But he just said I have crowding and that's the only thing wrong with my teeth. I did briefly see another free mobile care dentist that's mostly for homeless people a couple weeks prior to this, and they gave me a couple xrays and basically said the same thing, so I really don't even know what to think.
Also, I'd really like to its the gum, but I can feel a very distinct difference on one half of the tooth and the other, which feels eroded away or something. It feels really sensitive which i touch it or eat or drink something too. Sorry if this all of this sounds crazy, it's just been bothering me and is weird that no one can explain whats going on. So thanks for the help, I appreciate it a lot.
Last edited by BigBrightLights; 01-26-2013 at 11:34 PM..
Well crowding can result in what you're experiencing. The tooth has shifted, and so has the gumline. So you're feeling a different -part- of the tooth now, because the tooth isn't in the same position as it used to be. Sensitivity is a common phenomenon; you can reduce that with toothpastes like Sensodyne, and even Crest has an anti-sensitivity line. Ask the dentist if he has any samples of toothpaste for sensitive teeth, see if that solves that problem.
In the meantime, make SURE you're flossing every day. If it's making your gums bleed, then you've been neglecting to do it. Get enough iron in your diet, get enough exercise, drink enough water, avoid very sweet things (like candy and ice cream - but a teaspoon or two in your coffee should be fine) for a week or two. Give your tooth a chance to calm down. Also avoid whitening strips or treatments. That'll make the sensitivity worse.
If the crowding shifts even more severely you'll want to consider braces, or invisilign or similar. Or, if you still have your wisdom teeth, you might consider having them removed so your other teeth can shift away from each other and stop crowding the front.
Cool, yeah thanks I'm definately going to try those out and see if things get better. I just thought it was weird that only one half of the back area of my tooth would have shifted, but I suppose it's possible. I do still have my wisdom teeth, so that could also be another factor, I just don't have the money to get them removed, they gave me a price estimate of around 1,200 and thats way over my budget. But yeah thanks for the help, definately gave me more of a peace of mind. I'm just gunna try and keep in mind that as long as it's not infected or giving me extreme amounts of pain to the point where I can't sleep, then it's probably nothing too bad that I need to worry about that much and most likely not life threatening.
Cool, yeah thanks I'm definately going to try those out and see if things get better. I just thought it was weird that only one half of the back area of my tooth would have shifted, but I suppose it's possible. I do still have my wisdom teeth, so that could also be another factor, I just don't have the money to get them removed, they gave me a price estimate of around 1,200 and thats way over my budget. But yeah thanks for the help, definately gave me more of a peace of mind. I'm just gunna try and keep in mind that as long as it's not infected or giving me extreme amounts of pain to the point where I can't sleep, then it's probably nothing too bad that I need to worry about that much and most likely not life threatening.
Let us know if things improve or deteriorate! Flossing really should help, once you get past the initial bleeding (if you haven't been flossing already, it's very common for your gums to bleed the first few times).
Pulling wisdom teeth shouldn't cost even -close- to that much unless they need to be surgically removed, rather than just yanked out. Even yanking them is more "traumatic" than pulling a front tooth out, physically - there's a few roots in a wisdom tooth and only one in a front tooth, so there's a lot more resistance. Even so, it's not a big deal to do. The dentist just needs to make sure you have a good solid 5 minutes wait after the last lidocaine shot is injected (usually only 2-3 shots total for one wisdom tooth). The pulling motion is nervewracking for the patient but it's usually over pretty quick (a minute, two tops).
That is as long as there's no problem with the tooth. If it's impacted, or if your jaw is very narrow, the dentist will need to do something different to get at it. That's when the price goes up. A non-impacted wisdom tooth in a reachable jaw shouldn't be more than a couple hundred bucks tops. Just slightly more than it'd cost to take any other tooth out.
I feel pain in the grooves of my tooth.(the one in the back 3rd from the back on the right side) my dentist took xrays all they said it wasn't a cavity if it was an infection they would know and would have let me know right?
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