Embarrasing Smile

[SadSmile]

Hi there

I have a number of dental problems and am not sure what to do. I have very little money at the moment as I am temping (I am looking for a permanent position, so hopefully I will be able to afford decent dental treatment in the not too distant future).

Firstly, my bite is really out. I had braces when I was younger, but the teeth have moved and my bite is really uncomfortable. I can't get the NHS dentist to take this seriously and even the maxillo-facial clinic I have been visiting have insisted that the teeth are not out enough to cause a problem. I was sent to the maxillo-facial clinic because I have very bad tempo mandibular joint pain. I now sleep with a soft teeth guard every night.

The second problem is that my gums have receded quite a bit. My teeth are therefore aching. The dentist has given me very high strength fluoride toothpaste, but it is not working that well and my teeth are very sensitive.

My teeth are also very yellow and I am becoming reluctant to smile at all. I brush with an electric toothbrush and for a long time, often until my gums bleed, but I can't get the staining and yellow line close to the gum line to go. I have a LOT of fillings and crowns and have lost a molar that needs to be replaced at some point. Most of the damage was done when I had my braces as a teenager and the orthodontist did not take care of the teeth. So many of the fillings are on the sides of the teeth, facing out. My front teeth are ground down a bit and I just generally am very unhappy about my mouth and very aware of how ugly my smile is.

As I said at the start, I don't have much money right now, so I probably won't be able to do anything for a while, but I really don't want to make the situation worse. Is there anything (whitening toothpaste for example) that I can use in the meantime which will not make the sensitivity worse? And how can I get the gums back to where they are supposed to be?

I do hope you can help!

[Dr Pav Khaira]

I can certainly understand your concerns. Without a full consultation it is very difficult to say exaclty what needs to be done.

It does sound like you have a number of problems and you really need treatment, although I do understand your financial situation. I hope you manage to get the job you are after!

Your jaw joint problem and sensitivity may be related. You seem to already have decided that treatment is too expensive. Do remember that most top dentists do offer finance options. If not, you could at least have a consultation done and some stabilising treatment to prevent your condition getting worse. This way you would know exactly what needs to be done and make your decision accordingly.

Do make sure you find a dentist with high skills in bite and jaw joint problems

I hope this helps

Kindest regards

[SadSmile]

Dr Khaira, thank you for the quick reply. Could you expand a bit on what sort of stabilising treatment may be needed (I understand that I need a consultation, but would like to have some idea of what this means). I am terrified of making the situation worse. I have sleepless nights about losing my teeth and I worry all the time about the situation getting so bad that it can't be fixed! With so much stress in my life already, I really don't need this as well.

How would I check to make sure if a dentist has the right kind of qualifications? I have had some very bad experiences with dentists and specialists!

[Dr Pav Khaira]

Please check your private messages

Kindest regards