The Money Mustache Community

General Discussion => Welcome and General Discussion => Topic started by: KaitlinLacher on April 01, 2025, 02:54:59 AM

Title: Re: Dental - How Many Fillings Do You Have?
Post by: KaitlinLacher on April 01, 2025, 02:54:59 AM
I’ve got four fillings, all from years ago before I started flossing daily. Lately, I’ve been using a water flosser too, and it seems to help keep new ones away.
Title: Re: Dental - How Many Fillings Do You Have?
Post by: AuspiciousEight on April 01, 2025, 05:20:40 AM
I have a *lot* of fillings - like basically every tooth has a filling in it.

This is all from when I was a kid / teenager.

It's a long story, but as an adult I very rarely get cavities because I have access to things like a toothbrush, floss, and dental care now. :)
Title: Re: Dental - How Many Fillings Do You Have?
Post by: GilesMM on April 01, 2025, 06:10:35 AM
Never counted but have some.


Hope this helps!
Title: Re: Dental - How Many Fillings Do You Have?
Post by: Metalcat on April 01, 2025, 06:38:13 AM
This is a weird first post in a financial forum.
Title: Re: Dental - How Many Fillings Do You Have?
Post by: AuspiciousEight on April 01, 2025, 06:43:48 AM
This is a weird first post in a financial forum.

Maybe their next post will be an advertisement for a water flosser.

I could use a good water flosser....
Title: Re: Dental - How Many Fillings Do You Have?
Post by: NotJen on April 01, 2025, 06:51:18 AM
This appears to be a necropost, somehow posted as a new thread instead of a reply?

https://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/welcome-to-the-forum/dental-how-many-fillings-do-you-have/

(The real question is why the heck did I remember reading this original thread?)
Title: Re: Dental - How Many Fillings Do You Have?
Post by: Metalcat on April 01, 2025, 06:54:55 AM
This appears to be a necropost, somehow posted as a new thread instead of a reply?

https://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/welcome-to-the-forum/dental-how-many-fillings-do-you-have/

(The real question is why the heck did I remember reading this original thread?)

I've seen this a few times that a necroposts response then also shows up as a new thread. It's weird.
Title: Re: Dental - How Many Fillings Do You Have?
Post by: 41_swish on April 01, 2025, 08:38:37 AM
I am a little embarrassed to admit this, but when I was in my very early 20s like 20 21 22, I had horrible dental hygiene. As a result, I actually ended up getting about 8 fillings over that time period. I have all of my wisdom teeth and those are very hard to keep clean.
Title: Re: Dental - How Many Fillings Do You Have?
Post by: Cranky on April 01, 2025, 08:50:29 AM
Lots. I’m at the stage where my fillings are being replaced by crowns. And I have **always** had excellent oral hygiene, I just got my mom’s crummy teeth genes.
Title: Re: Dental - How Many Fillings Do You Have?
Post by: k290 on April 01, 2025, 09:48:10 AM
This appears to be a necropost, somehow posted as a new thread instead of a reply?

https://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/welcome-to-the-forum/dental-how-many-fillings-do-you-have/

(The real question is why the heck did I remember reading this original thread?)

I've seen this a few times that a necroposts response then also shows up as a new thread. It's weird.

admins need to update to a newer version of SMF (the software this forum runs on). It's showing its age. Apart from buggy behaviour in some threads half the page is taken up by page numbers.
Title: Re: Dental - How Many Fillings Do You Have?
Post by: Dicey on April 01, 2025, 01:54:39 PM
This appears to be a necropost, somehow posted as a new thread instead of a reply?

https://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/welcome-to-the-forum/dental-how-many-fillings-do-you-have/

(The real question is why the heck did I remember reading this original thread?)

I've seen this a few times that a necroposts response then also shows up as a new thread. It's weird.

admins need to update to a newer version of SMF (the software this forum runs on). It's showing its age. Apart from buggy behaviour in some threads half the page is taken up by page numbers.
Perhaps if they were asked nicely instead of being told what they "need" to do...
Title: Re: Dental - How Many Fillings Do You Have?
Post by: HPstache on April 01, 2025, 03:14:45 PM
Zero.  I credit the fluoride in the water that I've had my whole life
Title: Re: Dental - How Many Fillings Do You Have?
Post by: 41_swish on April 01, 2025, 08:43:25 PM
I discredit all the candy and ice cream that I eat
Title: Re: Dental - How Many Fillings Do You Have?
Post by: big_owl on April 02, 2025, 11:59:34 AM
I feel like genetics have a huge say in tooth health.  My spouse and I have similar diets except I have a mountain dew habit whereas she doesn't drink any soda.  She brushes her teeth like 3x per day where I just do twice a day.  She grew up on city water with Flouride where I've always had well water.   She goes to the dentist 4x/yr here I only go twice.  She has a new cavity every year vs. me, at 44yo, having never had a single cavity in my entire life.  Makes no sense. 
Title: Re: Dental - How Many Fillings Do You Have?
Post by: Metalcat on April 02, 2025, 12:59:13 PM
I feel like genetics have a huge say in tooth health.  My spouse and I have similar diets except I have a mountain dew habit whereas she doesn't drink any soda.  She brushes her teeth like 3x per day where I just do twice a day.  She grew up on city water with Flouride where I've always had well water.   She goes to the dentist 4x/yr here I only go twice.  She has a new cavity every year vs. me, at 44yo, having never had a single cavity in my entire life.  Makes no sense.

Unfortunately, the main issue is that people who "do everything right" and still get cavities have crappy dentists who don't know enough about prevention.

Yes, genetics play a role, but if someone is willing to take steps to prevent cavities, then the dentist should actually, y'know, learn the interventions that can better prevent cavities.
Title: Re: Dental - How Many Fillings Do You Have?
Post by: big_owl on April 02, 2025, 02:29:47 PM
I feel like genetics have a huge say in tooth health.  My spouse and I have similar diets except I have a mountain dew habit whereas she doesn't drink any soda.  She brushes her teeth like 3x per day where I just do twice a day.  She grew up on city water with Flouride where I've always had well water.   She goes to the dentist 4x/yr here I only go twice.  She has a new cavity every year vs. me, at 44yo, having never had a single cavity in my entire life.  Makes no sense.

Unfortunately, the main issue is that people who "do everything right" and still get cavities have crappy dentists who don't know enough about prevention.

Yes, genetics play a role, but if someone is willing to take steps to prevent cavities, then the dentist should actually, y'know, learn the interventions that can better prevent cavities.

True, but we've been going to the exact same dentists together for 20yrs. 

I looked into this once and read some papers about how some people have more mineral content in their saliva and this helps lay down new tooth deposit faster than the bacteria can dissolve it.  I assume it was calcium but I don't remember exactly. 
Title: Re: Dental - How Many Fillings Do You Have?
Post by: Much Fishing to Do on April 02, 2025, 03:04:19 PM
Genetics have to be the main thing. I brush my teeth one a day (each morning), sometimes floss, so probably am very average with tooth care.  Between the ages of 18 & 42 I did not visit a doctor or dentist.  I had 2 old fillings from childhood.  One of them on a tooth that finally fell apart and replaced with a crown (when I finally saw a dentist again).  I do now go to a dentist twice a year (I since have gotten good dental insurance after being self-employed forever).

On the doctor side I do have high blood pressure and low cholesterol (just like my father).  The high blood pressure led to me feeling horrible and actually starting to realize I should reenter the health care system.
Title: Re: Dental - How Many Fillings Do You Have?
Post by: Metalcat on April 02, 2025, 03:06:08 PM
I feel like genetics have a huge say in tooth health.  My spouse and I have similar diets except I have a mountain dew habit whereas she doesn't drink any soda.  She brushes her teeth like 3x per day where I just do twice a day.  She grew up on city water with Flouride where I've always had well water.   She goes to the dentist 4x/yr here I only go twice.  She has a new cavity every year vs. me, at 44yo, having never had a single cavity in my entire life.  Makes no sense.

Unfortunately, the main issue is that people who "do everything right" and still get cavities have crappy dentists who don't know enough about prevention.

Yes, genetics play a role, but if someone is willing to take steps to prevent cavities, then the dentist should actually, y'know, learn the interventions that can better prevent cavities.

True, but we've been going to the exact same dentists together for 20yrs. 

I looked into this once and read some papers about how some people have more mineral content in their saliva and this helps lay down new tooth deposit faster than the bacteria can dissolve it.  I assume it was calcium but I don't remember exactly.

To be clear, I wasn't saying that genetics don't play a role, they absolutely do, I'm saying that your dentist should know that AND how to work with higher susceptibility to cavities to prevent them.

There are so many interventions for stepping up prevention, dentists just don't bother learning them, which is obnoxious.
Title: Re: Dental - How Many Fillings Do You Have?
Post by: BrandonP on April 02, 2025, 03:15:45 PM
0.

And I'm from the UK!
Title: Re: Dental - How Many Fillings Do You Have?
Post by: Captain FIRE on April 02, 2025, 03:36:53 PM
Lots that turned into crowns, plus 3 root canals all immediately after having my kids. (advice from dentist when I was pregnant: don't throw up. Gee thanks, if only morning sickness worked that way...)

I brush my teeth, floss, use a waterpik, and have a night guard...
Title: Re: Dental - How Many Fillings Do You Have?
Post by: stoaX on April 03, 2025, 07:17:04 AM
2.
Next question....
Title: Re: Dental - How Many Fillings Do You Have?
Post by: San Diego Girl on April 28, 2025, 06:00:00 PM
Zero and I feel very lucky.
Title: Re: Dental - How Many Fillings Do You Have?
Post by: 41_swish on April 28, 2025, 07:42:25 PM
I have all of my wisdom teeth. It is a pain to keep them clean, but I really want to avoid having them taken out.
Title: Re: Dental - How Many Fillings Do You Have?
Post by: happychineseboy on May 14, 2025, 09:24:45 PM
Lots. I’m at the stage where my fillings are being replaced by crowns. And I have **always** had excellent oral hygiene, I just got my mom’s crummy teeth genes.

How long did your fillings last before you had to switch over to crowns? Most of my composite fillings are 15-20 years old at this point so I think crowns may be in my near future unless my dentist left enough tooth for another round of fillings.

I have 5 fillings and am about to get another 2 in a few weeks. I managed to go about 16 years without having a new cavity but I guess my luck has run out (or maybe my new dentist needs a new boat).