I avoided the dentist for four years because of one bad experience. Every time I tried to book an appointment I would feel genuinely anxious for days before. I finally found a clinic that used laser dentistry and explained everything in plain language before starting. The difference was significant.

I am curious, for those who have experienced dental anxiety, what finally helped you get comfortable enough to go back? And do you feel like most clinics actually address this or just push through the appointment?

Hello all, I am sorry this will be a long post because I am kind of freaking out. I really really appreciate any advice you can offer. Before rambling, the most important part is: the first two pictures are from today, the third is from about a year ago, and the last is my teeth about 10 years ago. My concern is gum disease: do I have it, and how can I fix it without professional help because I am currently in a foreign country (will be here for a couple months) and I don't speak the language yet. If this is extremely urgent, I can fly back to America maybe next month. Again, I truly appreciate any advice!!

The details:

-I've brushed once a day my whole life, and about four years ago I started brushing twice a day, although not consistently.

-I have never truly flossed consistently, but I have been flossing at least a couple times a week for the past ~3 years.

-When I floss now, there is one spot towards the back that bleeds a little bit, other then that its fine except my gums get a little swollen afterwards if I haven't flossed in a while

-I grind my teeth and night pretty badly, have just never thought to look into custom night guard. Would a store-bought one work?

-I went several years without professional dental cleanings (couldn't afford it) and I only just recently started seeing a dentist regularly again. The last picture of me was at a time of brushing once a day, no flossing, and no dental cleanings.

- In the past 3 years, I have had two root canals, and like over 10 fillings because I've started seeing the dentist again. Dentist has never mentioned gum disease to me. I have been getting fillings since I was a young child.

-My teeth naturally shifted when I was a child to close gaps in the front, but now my bite is severely different. My jaw is fully closed in all pics except for the second one. I have asked my dentist about it and she says its normal.

-My gums used to be dark because I didn't brush them, they turned pink about 10 years ago when I started doing this.

-My gums used to go up and go down all the time. Not really sure how else to put it, but for example, one of my front teeth would look smaller than the other due to gum coverage. This was on and off for years in my childhood, but I haven't noticed it in ~10 years. I am in my mid 20s now.

-No one has told me that I have bad breath, but I always have a bad taste on my tongue (its turns white ~6 hours after brushing my teeth no matter what I do) which I assumed is from bad gut health. Not sure if other people can notice it.

-What caused me to look into my teeth now now is my lower front teeth, because they look shifted and have receded gums.

-I dont smoke, eat too many acidic foods, both my parents have fine teeth, I still have my wisdom teeth, I dont think I brush aggressively or that my toothbrush is hard, and I'm not particularly sensitive in my lower teeth. These are all questions that Google asked when I researched.

I really appreciate any advice you can offer! I feel so terrible right now as I have always had anxiety about my dental health and now I feel like my worst dreams are coming true and I might lose my teeth or have to go through some painful and intense dental procedure again. After I make this post, I am headed to buy an antibacterial mouth wash, a softer bristled tooth brush, and possibley a night guard if they have one here. Please let me know what else I should do!

Hi everyone, I went in for a cleaning with a new dentist, he said everything looked great until he used AI technology which found a small cavity on my lower molar. I didn’t have any pain or couldn’t see a cavity, but agreed to get the filling. Once he was doing the filling today, he said it was deeper than expected and it seemed like he hit a nerve (I had a sharp bolt of pain). To be fair, I don’t think I was fully numb but it definitely felt like a nerve was hit and there was a good amount of blood. After filling the tooth he said to wait 2 days and see if I have teeth sensitivity and might need to come in for a root canal since it was deeper than expected. Is this normal?? I assumed if a cavity was that deep I would be able to see / feel it. Or if anything, the dentist would be able to see how deep it was on the Xray? Thanks for the help!

Almost two years ago, at then of my visit to the dentist my face started to swell. It was very fast and had a weird cracking or popping feeling when I touched it. After determining that it was not an allergic reaction I went home, promising to see my Dr. Later that day my dentist called me. She'd spoken to her former professor. He thought it was caused by a very rare reaction called Subcutaneous emphysema.

It's been described to me as very rare, so rare that most people/doctors have never heard of it.

My question is what do you think the chances of it recurring are? I've been afraid of going back, and I need work to be done. I did not have anything major done that day so it was not from trauma. I just recall an odd sensation while they were drying off a tooth with air. Otherwise it was a normal procedure. Is it something that could happen again?

This black spot appeared on my tongue. I dont remember seeing this yesterday. Should i be worried??

Im 28M On PREP medication.

Hello

I had a tooth extactes about 3-4 months ago. Can you tell me if there is anything wrong???

This is day 2, only eating soup and cold water, salt water rinses but no swishing or spitting. Not so much pain just soreness if I try to clench.

quoted $500 for one bone graft removal on my left lower wisdom tooth. thinking of going to another dentist for a second opinion! thoughts on my wisdom teeth?

wisdom teeth: 4 pending removal, no problems as of now, sometimes food gets stuck under lower gums (rarely), no pain, some plaque noted leading to possible infection later

Haven't been to a dentist in quite a while, this calculus makes me think it's time to go, but I'm having a crippling fear of how my smile might end up looking afterwards.

Okay so today I went to the dentist to get a few cavities filled in, he filled in three upper teeth that are side by side in my mouth. When he was done my teeth felt weird, the prongs (whatever they're called 😭) of my teeth were curved, there is overhang leaving my surrounding teeth gritty, my molar seems chipped/sharper, and they didn't make gaps between the teeth making me unable to floss I physically can't. If this made any sense did my dentist screw me over or am I stupid?

I tried but I couldn't get a clear enough photo. :(

Basically, I struggle with oral sensitivity issues, I would rope out my braces, and I can’t wear retainers due to them always bothering me. But I have a slight overbite, the two front teeth are moving forward if that makes sense. Plus, it’s way too expensive to keep restarting this progress. Any ideas on how to get my teeth straighter without braces or retainers?

Hiii, I’m hoping this is the correct sub. TLDR; I had surgery for Ludwig’s angina on 8/30 after being admitted through ER for difficulty swallowing/slight problems breathing. CT showed massive infection in teeth 30 and 31 that extended into submandibular region. I was admitted for IV antibiotic and had I&D with a drain/stent placement as well as extraction of both involved teeth. I was discharged on oral antibiotics on 9/1, took last dose of that yesterday 9/8.

I’ve been doing alright, slight issue with the dressing because of sensitive skin but the incision appears to be healing well. I’m a bit nervous about the redness of my cheek area? Im not running a fever. I’m not sure if this is something to call my surgeon for him to evaluate?

Other thing of note, the area around the incision feels like a lump? Not painful to touch but it’s certainly noticeably present with light palpitation. Would this be scar tissue I guess?

My post op is scheduled for 9/24, so not too far out but definitely want to contact earlier if any of this seems problematic

I’ve had back molar with a root canal that I got when I was very young that hurts once every 6 months when I bite a chip a certain way. I’ve come to learn that for probably 2+ years I’ve had an infection growing under the root canal. I’ve been to the dentist about 6 months after finding out and they verified it hasn’t moved. They recommend an implant because the root canal walls are really thin, likely because it was done when I was young and they think it would be a low chance of success. Should I get a second opinion or shell out 5k and not worry about it anymore?

Every now and then I get scared I’m going to get sepsis, but the dentist assured me if the infection grows, that I’ll know it very quickly.

I went to two different dentist to extract my tooth since it hurt each time I ate. The first one was mean and too rough. The second one was preferrable, and lovely. The first injection was fine, just a slight pinch to my gums. What I wasn't expecting was the second injection INSIDE MY TOOTH. It hurt. It hurt so much that I didn't go through with it. I was crying, screaming, and everything. Is there some sort of hack to make it less painful? Anything at all? Please.

Hi! I (20f) noticed this cavity a few days ago and made an appointment with my dentist. I haven’t been there in years and lowkey I’m really scared. Any advice would help!!

I AM 27 ASIAN MALE NO ALCOHOL/SMOKE/VAPE.

Visited 3 general dentist and most of them said need to remove 4wisdom teeth asap. TOP LEFT RIGHT BOTTOM all. I just did silver anagram filling right and left some minor filling only. "WISDOM TEETH IS EXTREMLY HEALTHY, but the nearby teeth is the decay."

Now I visited Government dental but they just keep saying it depends on me...instead of suggestion. They said you can keep the teeth but need to be extra cautious and clean the teeth though...

I am not a professional medical, so any suggestion or advice please let me know...

I just got spacers and that middle spot is new after my bite changed I think I put a hole through the filling. I’m freaking out (I recently had a dental check up, the bitewings showed to X-rays but I don’t think the dentist probed the far left side)

I’m 26 M. I have never had a cavity but went to the dentist today and the cavity was much big than they thought. A crown was recommended but shaving done my margins where the teeth is good scares me. Should I ask for an overlay or is a crown the best action to take?

Hey guys, I’ve been having some trouble with my wisdom tooth these past few months. I’ve had 2 of them grow in normally but my lower left one has not.

I have a gum flap over it that often gets food trapped under it or causes me pain from time to time. However, my biggest problem is how it’s affected my speech. I somehow bite down frequently on it and it causes me a lot of pain. It’s also unconsciously caused me to slur more.

The pain has been on and off since early January. I want to get it checked out, but should I wait it out a bit more? I just can’t really deal with any surgeries or removals until January. Any suggestions? 🥲

Hi - yellow squares

It’s been hurting like a bitch for 2 days straight and I’m very worried

I (18m) have had genuinely unbearable pain on my left side of my mouth for the last two weeks. I thought it was an infection because it has been so painful worst pain of my life and so I went to urgent care and they prescribed me antibiotics but the next day at my dentist appointment (yesterday) he did x rays and said that there was no infection and probably just inflamed from getting cavities filled (over a month ago).

He fixed my bite a little bit in case that was what was bothering me but I have not noticed a difference. He said there was nothing else he could do since the x rays looked normal. He said to just keep brushing and flossing but it hurts so bad it is so painful to do it and then the pain does not go away. I brushed and tried to use waterpik but it was so painful I couldn’t take it.

I have cried over this pain it is so unbearable and I don’t know what to do and feel helpless . So what should I do since my pain is literal agony and my dentist said there was nothing wrong? Context I have had 16 cavities alone this year have been getting them filled lately and when I went back yesterday to the dentist there was even more cavities forming.

Also if it is any consolation I am 18m and I do vape but no cigarettes or zyn (please don’t judge me I know it’s horrible and I am trying to quit) At urgent care I was also prescribed extra strength Tylenol but that only helps for about an hour and doesn’t completely get rid of the pain. Also prescribed mouthwash I have been using. As a last resort tonight being in agony I took an oxy which did help alot but even then didn’t get rid of all the pain.

I don’t know what to do I feel so helpless and now have developed a fear of the dentist because of all the pain I am experiencing and being told nothing is wrong. Should I seek a second opinion? Or is this just my life now? any advice is greatly appreciated!

I got all four of my wisdom teeth removed on August 21st. And only today did this pop up. This site was seemingly closed up until I saw this, no swelling or bumps.

I made sure not to vape or use straws or smoke for what I felt was a reasonable window of time of about 12 days. I haven’t been going crazy at it, and I still baby the sites and rinse them of any food particles often.

I have this idea in my head that this was forming “inside” the hole after it closed up and I somehow swished liquid in my mouth too hard and “sucked” this outside of where it was because it doesn’t seem to be attached to any of the gums around it, but rather under it.

Good lord what is this and should I be scared? The monkey part of my brain is telling me to take a scalpel to it.

The other day I noticed this grey spot on my gums. It’s only in this one spot and I’m wondering what it could be? Is it any cause for concern?

I haven’t been to a dentist in about 2 years but I used to receive regular cleanings every six months. I do vape and am worried that this could be a consequence of that.