Should I Listen To My Dentist?

[Belly-laughs]

I´ve got two wisdom teeth in the upper jaw, none in the bottom. My dentist tells me on every check that as long as they´re not pushing on the other teeth and I´m able to clean them properly, he refuses to remove them. He will only remove them if they cause serious pain or get cavities.

So my suggestion would be to leave them alone, live with the occasional pain, brush them properly and spend the money you save on a new Intel Mac mini.

 

[BarfBag]

I'm 15 and have never been to the dentist. Ever. My teeth came in perfect. I'm in need of a cleaning, though. Not urgent.

 

[kretzy]

I'm 15 and have never been to the dentist. Ever. My teeth came in perfect. I'm in need of a cleaning, though. Not urgent.

I wish we were all so lucky! However, you should go for regular check-ups and a clean, just to make sure you keep those teeth perfect.

 

[hana]

Go to the dentist.

Get your teeth cleaned at the very least.

When you say the dentist says that you need to see an oral surgeon...did he take x-rays & analyze them? What did he base that assessment on?

It kind of strikes me as wierd that they'd suggest that you go see an oral surgeon and at the same time (when they had you in the office) not make your next six month/yearly exam appointment. (A specific recommendation vs. missing a routine thing that would insure them future income)

 

[Lazyhound]

Go for it. I had my wisdom teeth out two weeks ago (two were impacted), and I was back to eating that evening. Totally painless.

 

[haiggy]

I would get them removed. Going to your dentist every 6 months is good... if they are a good dentist. I got my first cavity after 17 years the other day.... nooooooo!

 

[David L.]

Enjoy!

 

[floriflee]

I'd like to add my concurrence with the majority of responses to this thread. However, I have a bit of a different spin. My husband was told several years back by his dentist to not bother having his wisdom teeth out because they would never come in. Well, all was fine and dandy until about a month or so before our wedding about eight months back when one of his teeth actually did start to come in and got infected. He didn't have dental insurance, but I did, so he ended up having to go to the dentist for an evaluation, pay for the exam and some antibiotics out of pocket and then wait until after our wedding (and honeymoon) to go to the oral surgeon to have the wisdom teeth (that had now become compacted) extracted. So story be told GET THOSE TEETH OUT! There's no telling if down the road they'll become more of a pain so just don't bother having to even deal with that possibility.

If for no other reason, just go to have the laughing gas experience. Nothing like a little anesthesia to bring out the best in you....

 

[nbs2]

...However, I have a bit of a different spin...(general point making)

She's right. But she doesn't realize how annoyed I was. The tooth had been coming in for a few months before it got infected. I knew it was there and gambled on making it until we got married to have it removed. I really thought I was going to make it. When it started to get infected, I thought it was just a toothache, but it wouldn't go away. Then, I couldn't open my mouth very much and eating was painful. I ended up at the dentists, paying too much for what amounted to a 5 minute "hey, give me a prescription" meeting. And on top of that, she had the gall to try and sell me on an immediate extraction. Of course, she could do it (and if anything went wrong, she would send me to an oral surgeon who could fix it up and she wouldn't charge me). Anyway, I got the drugs, knowing that the infection could easily come back during my honeymoon. Lots of ibuprofin and antibiotics later, I went to the oral surgeon who was brilliant. It may have been the best doctor's office visit I've ever had.

Anyway, the point of the story - find a good oral surgeon, and have them taken out. It wouldn have been a lot nicer to have been able to choose my extraction time rather than letting my mouth do it for me.

One last thing - when I was 19, my dentist told me I was "dentally retarded" and I would never have to worry about the wisdom teeth. I got them out 7 years later.