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konadora
Singapore66161 Posts
My dad just came back from the dentist, after some dental surgery.
A brief history about him - he had been working in a very poor family in the countryside as a child, as it was not long after the war was over. My grandfather didn't work, living in the countryside didn't help with getting a good job, neither did having my dad's school being miles away and having to walk 2 hours just to get to school, as he needed to save the money which could have been used on bus fares. Because of his poor childhood, he lacked the basic needs - proper dental healthcare being one of them.
So now, the root of his teeth are quite badly infected, he just got a surgery done where the dentist sliced open the gum near the roots of his teeth (most of his teeth, btw), cleared all the infections/germs and stitched it back.
I was wondering if anyone else has had similar experience/knows somebody who has gone through something like that, and whether if anybody knows any way to help my dad's dental conditions. It just pains me to see him suffer like that 
Any help will be greatly appreciated!
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I had a broken tooth from the decay once, the filling broke apart and the molar was like an eggshell. Had to also get my wisdoms taken out. I am just now getting my crown for my tooth implant.
It was kinda a wakeup call to start really taking care of my teeth. I had all my fillings done recently too. It had been a few years since I went to the dentist. The timing was pretty good though. Took care of alot. The expenses are quite a bit, but hey, dental health is pretty important. I heard even heart conditions can extend from dental problems. Kinda scary.
I don't have a horrible infection or anything, but I better start with the mouth wash and floss and stuff quick.
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konadora
Singapore66161 Posts
I did a surgery too and they gave this non-stinging mouthwash (stinging as in, those Listerine kind) which tasted like bland water + something weird. Sort of like for disinfecting. Will regular brushing help him, or will it not be enough?
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My dad is a dentist, and I've heard of him having patients and doing procedures like this. Honestly, the best way to try and prevent all of this is to get regular cleanings and brush twice a day, for the full two minutes. That really keeps the teeth in a pretty good condition for quite a while. There may be occasional incidents, but usually not much more than a cavity.
With his teeth being recently cleaned, then just wait until the gums heal themselves, them just see how it goes later. It usually depends on how his teeth are after they heal. If they seem to be in decent condition, then you probably won't need more than a brush. But if they proceed to decay/deteriorate, then just try the next step up, like electric toothbrushes, stronger mouthwashes (Perioguard, not Listerine), etc.
It is all about consistency, and keeping them clean so that nothing can just hide in a hidden cavity and grow. Keep brushing consistently, and maybe occasionally a few additional steps and after a while, the problem should heal itself. But if anything more serious happens that these can't solve, just consult your dentist.
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konadora
Singapore66161 Posts
Wow, awesome to have your parent as a dentist. Thanks so much for the advices so far!
So basically, regular brushing will do if nothing serious happens, but if it does worsen a bit then do a bit more, like flossing and mouthwashes, right?
Also, what's the difference between using a normal toothbrush and an electronic one?
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On June 02 2009 23:26 konadora wrote:
Wow, awesome to have your parent as a dentist. Thanks so much for the advices so far!
So basically, regular brushing will do if nothing serious happens, but if it does worsen a bit then do a bit more, like flossing and mouthwashes, right?
Also, what's the difference between using a normal toothbrush and an electronic one?
Electric ones may be more pricey, but they tend to have a somewhat better effect on actually cleaning the teeth, to an extent that is harder, or more effort to reach doing by hand. And regular brushing + flossing will usually maintain the quality. Occasionally, you may get sore spots on the gums, and the main part is just to not brush them extra, because it just irritates them gums. Avoid it, try to clean only the teeth, and not irritate the gums. And the mouth wash should be the little bit to let the gums heal, while cleaning them somewhat.
Just a side note, mouthwashes aren't a replacement for brushing =P.
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Kondora you still have to visit your dentist coz you cant see other things lurking, like proximal caries, impatcted teeth (which may lead to cysts,infection, etc.), oral prophylaxis, etc etc.
As for the toothbrush use soft bristled one.
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konadora
Singapore66161 Posts
Ah, alright.
Lol oneill, it isn't me, it's my dad haha.
Soft bristled? Okay, I'll keep that in mind ^^;
Edit: oh, and it's konadora
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Ya if you've had some sort of gum problem soft bristle the way to go. The harder bristles with harder brushstrokes can push the gumline up further. Brush in small circles, floss everyday and night and let your body do the rest of the work. Since your dad got the infectious shit out its just about maintance. Worst part should be over~
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konadora
Singapore66161 Posts
Okay :D
Btw, any food that he should avoid/take more?
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On June 03 2009 00:08 konadora wrote:
Okay :D
Btw, any food that he should avoid/take more?
he should just brush his theeth after eating or drinking stuff with sugar.
in general what he can and should do is: buy some interdental brushes ( they are cheap) an get some H2O2-solution (Hydrogenperoxid) like 4% form his dentist or a pharmacy. Dip the brush in the H2O2 and clean the cavities between the teeth once a day with it after the normal tooth brushing.
He should also use the mouthwash ( i assume its some kind of hexidin-solution?it should be) regulary as long as he has trouble.
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konadora
Singapore66161 Posts
Uh let me get the bottle.. it's green liquid thing lol
Chlorhexidine mouthwash
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On June 03 2009 00:52 konadora wrote:
Uh let me get the bottle.. it's green liquid thing lol
Chlorhexidine mouthwash
very good
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konadora
Singapore66161 Posts
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wow chlorhexidine in a mouthwash. that stuff is really strong.
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surprised no one mentioned flossing lol. I usually only brush in the morning but I floss all the time.
I got an electric toothbrush that has a 3 minute timer to tell me when I'm done.
There are awesome
also my teeth are pretty bad, I've got like 10 cavities and one ceramic filling chipped off a long time ago and the tooth is sharp now. When my wisdom teeth moved in there were no problems but the slowly over time twisted one of my teeth 90° and the part that used to be under the gumline is kind of sensitive as well as cramping another tooth which caused it decay more easily, I probably need a root canal on that one.
I don't have insurance, and like 2 years ago when I did, it expired in the middle of doing all this shit and here I am.
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brush twice everyday, and try to get a brush with soft bristles. don't half ass it, brush properly, and don't overbrush, it can irritate gums, and if you do it constantly make them recede. floss daily, and if your dad isn't sure how to properly do it just ask the dentist.
as for mouthwash, don't do it in replacement of brushing, or flossing, just add it in to regular dental care. id avoid mouthwashes with alcohol in them, like listerine.
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I got surgery to drill two screws into my jaw. Tomorrow (in less than 24 hours) I get false teeth put on them :O I'd say I lost teeth when I was in nam or something bad ass like that, but I was just born without 4 of my adult teeth :O Dunno if I can really relate to your dad, but I do know how much it sucks to have your mouth killing you for days when you're hungry :O
Only thing I can say is don't torture yourself with foods you need to chew if your mouth hurts.
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Might not be popular but Dentures? My grandma got them when she was 40 (probably back just after or before ww2 cant remember) She says they are the best. Like anything it takes some getting use to but when I met her she'd had them for so many years I honestly didn't even know. look into it or maybe just wait for them to grow new teeth ?
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Brush and floss+mouthrinse every night can save thousands and thousands of dollars and tons of headache down the road. Do it!
I've never had any major issues other than taking wisdom teeth out which sucked!
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