Community Chat

[Deree]

Information I learned a long time ago:  The pH of saliva also matters.  If a person has an acidic saliva, they will be more prone to cavities;  a basic saliva, more prone to plaque and calculus.  Nevertheless, proper brushing and flossing can overcome these issues.

[Drythe]

@FiddleDeeDee 

Please, what dental insurance do you have?

[Danielle46]

I don’t understand why you didn’t go to the dentist for 11/2 years.  The American Medical & Dental Association only had dentist offices close for three months. I had both of my dental checkups twice last year and have my first one for this year in two weeks. My teeth were fine and so were my husbands.  10 cavities are rxcessive.  What is he eating.  Perhaps you should all get a second opinion.

[lynnie61]

Wow, my dentist was closed 84 days last year (yep, he told me when I went back last June).  He wasn’t happy about it., but said he couldn’t risk his license.  

I when I was young, probably 8 years old, our dentist said I had 10 cavities on one visit, filled over several appointments.  No novacaine.  I’m absolutely sure he ripped my parents off.  We went 2x a year, and he knew my family did not have dental insurance then, and paid cash for our visits.  No way it was what we ate.  I may have had maybe three cavities since I was 15, so I’m sure it was a total rip off.  We went to him for years.  When I was 15, I said i am NOT going back to him, I will get my own dentist at 18, and my parents then found a new dentist.  

Please get a second opinion.  

[FiddleDeeDee]

@persiflage Thank you for that information on the WaterPics. I'll look into those models.

@Carmie  I had the billing office check and receive prior authorization on the work. No issues. I won't go forward on ANY procedure until I know if it's covered or not and if so, how much I have to pay for if applicable.

@chickenbutt The Rx ones are for extra fluoride. OTC contains .2% while these contain 1.8% fluoride. Each tube is 3 ounces (half the size of OTC tubes of toothpaste) and it's for 2 of them. I'm still thinking about it. There is a discount on them via the pharmacy, (they have coupon codes), so the price comes down by $12 ($6 per tube). Office does not sell them or any product.

@Drythe United Healthcare Global PPO (covers our healthcare and dental). Sadly, it does not cover braces (which one of them needs) in any way. The other plans we've had did at 50%.

[patbz]

My best feature is by far my teeth.  Always had frequent access to dentist  and used an electric toothbrush from my twenties ( I'm 77) but have never been able to floss ( teeth close together) but I use a Butler tool several times a day. I've had very few cavities and three crowns. There were years in my 20s when I couldn't afford dental visits but regular brushing, a decent diet and healthy eating carried the day. Because of pandemic ( office closures and then backup of available appointments) I couldn't go to my dentist until this February.  Good dental hygiene and my Butler tool saved the day; I only had one cavity!

[Cats3000]

Have the basic WP100 model.  Have had it for years.  Works for me.

[Icegoddess]

I haven't read all the responses, but I have been water flossing ever since I had braces several years ago.  I have been through 2 or 3 since then.  I can't really say that any one was any better than the other.  The first couple were no-name brands I got off Amazon.  The latest is a Water Pic brand that came from Costco that was a coutertop model with an extra hand-held model.  I have always used just a hand-held model because I just don't have the counter space for the countertop models.  Hubby gets all the counter space, but I get the larger closet.  

Anyways, after just over a year of owning the Water Pic mine just stopped this week out of the blue.  I tried charging it but no luck.  Finally, Hubby called Water Pic and even though it's been a year, they are sending me a replacement, so cudos to their Customer Service.  One thing the rep mentioned was to not let the unit run down before re-charging, to keep it topped off.  Maybe that has been my problem all along with the different ones that I own.  It has to do with the Ni-MH batteries which are different than other rechargeable batteries that seem to do better if you let them run all the way down before recharging or else they "remember" and start losing power sooner and sooner.

Not sure how I'm going to keep it charged.  I like to keep it in the cabinet, but even though the cord is long enough, it's a magnetic connection and it won't stay connected because it pulls.

[Bhvbum]

the best water pic is the one you will use without fail every night, and put in a cap full of mouthwash into the water.  I think the basic Waterpik unit is the best

My dentist was closed for only a short period and then re-opened up and her office contacted me to reschedule my regular annual visit,so I did not miss any visits last year or this year.

There is something terribly wrong with so much work that needs to be done in such a short period of time. 

[Drythe]

@patbz 

Have those ‘tight’ teeth too.  Stimudents are my constant companion, in the car, watching TV, reading, etc.

@FiddleDeeDee  Forgot to mention these!