Anxiety Over Dental Health

Post Reply New Topic

Lately I've been making good on my new year's resolution this year to take better care of my teeth (not that I hadn't been taking care of my teeth prior to 2018, but namely to floss more). I even went the extra mile of rinsing out my mouth with mouth wash twice a day (something I used to do but fell out of for a number of years) and using a Waterpik at night.

But I think now that I've been devoting lots of extra time to taking care of my teeth, it's also created a lot of anxiety over their wellness and appearance. A year ago my dentist instructed me not to brush so low below the gum line because it was causing my gums to recede (contrary to what a previous dentist told me to do several years before because I wasn't knocking out all of the plaque). This didn't bother me too much then, but it's driving me up the wall now. I feel like it has receded more since then, and one tooth in particular "hurts," but all of that could just as easily be in my head. It's to the point where my dental health is all I can think about, and I can no longer enjoy the things I used to enjoy because of it.

I think my teeth generally look fine, but noticing these small differences does not make me feel any better. Has anyone else dealt with this?

If your tooth actually hurts, see a dentist.

If you're so worried about your teeth than you might as well get them all pulled and replaced with dentures. That's the only way you'll be satisfied with their look. I hate to break it to you like that but we are humans and each of us has our own set of imperfections. On the same line though, I can understand your dilemma. I feel insecure about my extra pounds, I was alot smaller last year but have gained weight because my poor eating habits.

Discuss your hygiene techniques with whoever cleans your teeth. They are usually delighted to talk to anyone who actually listens to them!