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Author Topic: How often do you go to the Dentist?  (Read 12672 times)

Offline Scott

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How often do you go to the Dentist?
« on: January 28, 2004, 02:13 PM »
I haven't been for a year and a half now (sorry Dressel) but I just have this sneaking suspicion that the "cavity" I had last time was just a quick way for the dentist to make a few hundred off me, I hate going, plus my inusrance doesn't cover anything besides cleaning. Add on top of that a constant badgering for new x-rays and teeth whitening and scraping, I avoid going at all costs...my teeth are OK, probably need a good scraping...
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Offline Brian

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Re: How often do you go to the Dentist?
« Reply #1 on: January 28, 2004, 02:25 PM »
Its terrible to say, but I can't remember the last time I went to the dentist.  I've never been a fan of going (like many), and I think I was in college the last time I went.  I know for sure that I haven't been since we've been married, which is going on 4 years here soon.  Not too good I suppose, although I do try to keep my teeth as clean as humanly possible.  It wouldn't hurt for me to go in for a cleaning at least though sometime soon.  It probably didn't help that I wasn't the biggest fan of my last dentist, and now we need to find a new one since we live somewhere else now.
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Offline JediMAC

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Re: How often do you go to the Dentist?
« Reply #2 on: January 28, 2004, 02:35 PM »
Wow, that's a weird coincidence.  Probably right as you were typing that up, I was discussing this exact question with one of my coworkers.  It's been about 3 years for me, but before that, it was probably about 10.  She said it's been at least 15 for her.

Almost seems like most of us just quit once we were no longer being "forced" to go by our parents while we were still under their plans and/or living at home.  Pretty lazy of us!

I've got really good dental insurance here, but I'm completely wasting it, which is stupid.  I also have the same paranoia Scott, that the dentist is "saying" I've got something that needs to be fixed, even if it really doesn't, just to make some extra moolah on me.  Obviously that's completely unethical, and I'm sure that's not the case with 90% of the dentists out there, but you just never know.  I guess it's the same concept with taking your car in, and they say all kinds of crap is wrong with it, when you're pretty sure they're just taking you for a ride.   :-\

So Matt (Dressel), what's your take on how often, or what % of dentists do this?  Also, when's your butt moving to SoCal?  Maybe you can be my dentist...   ;)
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Offline Jim

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Re: How often do you go to the Dentist?
« Reply #3 on: January 28, 2004, 03:14 PM »
Orthodontist every 4-6 weeks and a cleaning and x-rays every 6 months.   Proud to say, no cavities in over 20 years. ;D I cant imagine going for as long as you guys.  Just a pet peeve, but I need my dental fix.  Twisted aint it?
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Offline Scott

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Re: How often do you go to the Dentist?
« Reply #4 on: January 28, 2004, 05:19 PM »
Part of it is laziness, I just don't go in, I hate that feeling the day or so after, the dull ache in the gums (which I pronounce gooms BTW)

I'd like Dressel's thoughts on the whole corruption angle though, how do I know I have a cavity, they can stick that sticker in pretty tough and say, hmm, a little stick here, lets give you a $200 filling
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Offline Darth Kenobi

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Re: How often do you go to the Dentist?
« Reply #5 on: January 28, 2004, 10:06 PM »
The last time I went to the Dentist was for a checkup and it was about a year ago,  I'm overdue for a cleaning its been about 1 1/2 years.  Seeing as I don't have insurance at the moment my teeth cleaning can wait.  The longest I have gone between visits was propbally 4 yrs and I will hopefully never do that again.  I had 4 cavities and when the lady was cleaning my teeth my gums were getting very bloody.   :P  
So after that I decided to go more often.  
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Offline sp00ky

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Re: How often do you go to the Dentist?
« Reply #6 on: January 28, 2004, 10:54 PM »
Haven't been for over 10 years.  My dentist was an ....  well I won't say.  It seemed to me he actually liked inflicting pain!

Unless I am in agony I WILL NEVER GO BACK!  No worries I keep a pair of figure skates (a la Castaway) around for home dental work.

Scott
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Offline FX-7

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Re: How often do you go to the Dentist?
« Reply #7 on: January 29, 2004, 12:08 PM »
my fiancee is a hygenist so I go every 6 months and get a deal on the work if I need some (like root canals OUCH!)
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Offline Dressel Rebel

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Re: How often do you go to the Dentist?
« Reply #8 on: January 29, 2004, 06:32 PM »
Wassup y'all.

The ADA recommendation for a "checkup and a cleaning" is every 6 months and for 2-4 bitewing X-Rays, which help detect decay much better than a mirror and explorer alone, every YEAR.  

Most dentists that I know would not ever jeapordize their license by telling you that you need something done, or NOT done deceptively, and risk having you run to a 2nd dentist for another opinion; because that dentist and the patient may be so uphauled by the failure to diagnose or the incorrect diagnosis that they may take action against the first dentist, and then he/she risks losing their license.  So, in my opinion, most dentists are on the up and up.  But if you suspect that he's not, you can do 2 things:

1.  Ask for a copy of an X-Ray and send it to ME, and I will give you my opinion.

2.  Go to another dentist and have them do a checkup and treatment plan, WITHOUT mentioning what a previous dentist said, this way they come to their conclusion independently.  And see if the 2 treatment plans match.

Holler at y'all later.
« Last Edit: January 29, 2004, 06:34 PM by Dressel Rebel »
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Offline JediMAC

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Re: How often do you go to the Dentist?
« Reply #9 on: January 29, 2004, 06:48 PM »
Quote from: Dressel Rebel on January 29, 2004, 06:32 PM
1.  Ask for a copy of an X-Ray and send it to ME, and I will give you my opinion.

Yeah, but can we trust you, Matt?!   :D

Thanks for the inside scoop.  Figured that was probably the case, but we all like to be paranoid anyway!   ;)
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Offline Dressel Rebel

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Re: How often do you go to the Dentist?
« Reply #10 on: January 29, 2004, 07:07 PM »
Hey MAC! My opinion's free and I have nothing to gain regardless of whether you get your tooth fixed or if the decay rots right through to the pulp of your tooth, enters your bone marrow, and turns your head gangrenous!!

 :-X
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Offline JediMAC

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Re: How often do you go to the Dentist?
« Reply #11 on: January 29, 2004, 07:38 PM »
Quote from: Dressel Rebel on January 29, 2004, 07:07 PM
Hey MAC! My opinion's free and I have nothing to gain regardless of whether you get your tooth fixed or if the decay rots right through to the pulp of your tooth, enters your bone marrow, and turns your head gangrenous!!

 :-X

 :o

Uh-oh...

:::runs off to call nearest dentist immediately:::     :'(
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Offline Diddly

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Re: How often do you go to the Dentist?
« Reply #12 on: January 29, 2004, 10:37 PM »
Once a month for an Orthodontist appointment, and a Dental cleaning/checkup every 6 months.
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Offline Morgbug

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Re: How often do you go to the Dentist?
« Reply #13 on: January 30, 2004, 12:51 AM »
Does anyone remember the movie with Dustin Hoffman Marathon Man?

that was my dentist as a child.  Nuff said :-X
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Offline jokabofe

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Re: How often do you go to the Dentist?
« Reply #14 on: January 30, 2004, 01:18 AM »
Quote from: Morgbug on January 30, 2004, 12:51 AM
Does anyone remember the movie with Dustin Hoffman Marathon Man?

that was my dentist as a child.  Nuff said :-X

lol... that's such an awesome movie...

as for me? i pretty much go to the dentist when i have to... like, say, when the advil stops working? when i'm in so much pain that i can't stand up... that's when i go to the dentist, and only then. i guess that's why i have as many teeth left as ken daneyko  :-\

(j/k... i've got more than that... but not too many more  :D )
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