Why do teeth ruin my life?

The biggest problem in my life has always been based around my mouth and to be specific my teeth, if it wasnt fillings, then it was them being crooked, hurting, moving around, and my family being poor without insurance to get me braces. I find myself depressed, paranoid and insecure about my teeth weekly, always thinking something is wrong and things are moving and getting worse, I take perfect care of my teeth in terms of flossing, brushing, mouthwash, etc. To shorten up my question; WHY ME!?

Why do teeth ruin my life?
Genetics...





Blame your parents for having unprotected sex with each other.





My lovely (Bottom of the gene pool) father, used to tell us kids to; "Always f*ck, up... never down!





One parent is usually with the other because they couldn't do any better... That poor matching damages the gene pool and causes numerous problems such as teeth, weight, addiction, mental illness. You are not alone darling. We all have a thing or two we would rather not have been genetically predisposed to.





It is actually the thing that Hitler was trying to do away with by genetics perfection and race cleansing and for a few years he actually did breed a perfect race... Right before he brainwashed them into killing machines, baby machines, and little blond haired blue eyed monsters! In an insane and completely wacked out kind of way he was trying to illiminate imperfections.
Reply:I don't know, but I have the same problem. i have taken perfect care of my teeth for years, and I have all sorts of problems. I wonder if maybe I overbrushed and removed all of the enamel??
Reply:cant quite answer ur question but dont focus on ur looks all the time
Reply:thats just part of life... i know it sucks but it happens to the best of us. Good luck and don't worry about it.
Reply:you are not alone.
Reply:The Mouth-Body Connection





You may have heard of the mind-body connection, but what about the mouth-body connection? To many people, a dental visit is about getting their teeth cleaned, having a tooth pulled or having a filling placed. However, a dental visit is not just about teeth. It is also about your overall health. What goes on in your mouth can affect the rest of your body, and what goes on in the rest of your body can have an effect on your mouth.


Many diseases and conditions can affect your oral health. For example, people with weakened immune systems may be more likely to get fungal and viral infections in the mouth. The immune system (the system that protects the body from illness and infection) can be weakened by disease or as a side effect of cancer chemotherapy drugs or by drugs that are taken to prevent the rejection of transplanted organs or bone marrow. Medications taken for other conditions also can affect the health of your mouth. For example, many drugs cause dry mouth, which can increase your risk of dental decay, oral yeast infections and other oral infections.


During your dental exam, your dentist might see something in your mouth that is a sign or symptom of an illness or disease that you might not even know you have. You can then be referred to a specialist for treatment. Your dentist also can make sure you get specialized oral and dental care if you have a chronic condition that requires it. If necessary, he or she can refer you to an expert in oral medicine.


Your oral health also can affect other medical conditions. For example, if you are diabetic, an infection in your mouth can disrupt your blood-sugar levels and make your diabetes harder to control. Researchers also are exploring the role of periodontal (gum) disease as a potential risk factor for various medical conditions, including heart disease.





Mouth-healthy eating


If you want to prevent cavities, how often you eat can be just as important as what you eat. That's because food affects your teeth and mouth long after you swallow. Eating cookies with dinner will do less harm to your teeth than eating them in the middle of the afternoon as a separate snack. Of course, overall poor nutrition can contribute to periodontal (gum) disease and can have other long-term effects on your mouth. Learning how food affects your oral health — long-term and short-term — is the first step toward mouth-healthy eating.





Immediate Effects of Food


Changes begin in your mouth the minute you start to eat certain foods. Bacteria in your mouth make dental plaque become more acidic, and the acid starts the process that can lead to cavities.


How does this happen?


All carbohydrate foods eventually break down into simple sugars: glucose, fructose, maltose and lactose. Some foods, called fermentable carbohydrates, break down in the mouth, whereas others don't break down until they move further down the digestive tract.


It's the fermentable carbohydrates that work with bacteria to begin the decay process and eventually destroy teeth. They include the obvious sugary foods, such as cookies, cakes, soft drinks and candy, but they also include less obvious food, such as bread, crackers, bananas and breakfast cereals.


Certain bacteria on your teeth use the sugars from these foods and produce acids. These acids dissolve minerals inside the tooth enamel in a process called demineralization. Teeth also regain minerals in a natural process called remineralization. Saliva helps this process, as does fluoride and some foods.


Dental decay begins inside the tooth enamel when minerals are being lost faster than they are being regained.


The longer food stays near the bacteria on the tooth, the more acids will be produced. So sticky carbohydrates, such as raisins, can do more acid damage. But other foods that pack into crevices can also cause decay. Potato chips are a terrific example. Eat a handful of chips and see how long you have to work to get all the stuck bits out from between your teeth. Teeth with a lot of nooks and crannies, such as molars, are more likely to trap food and are more susceptible to decay.


To make matters worse, tooth-unhealthy foods don't create acids on your teeth only while they are being eaten. The acids stick around for the next half-hour.


People who sip soft drinks or sweetened coffee throughout the day or who eat many small sweet or carbohydrate snacks provide a sugar source for the bacteria to produce acid almost constantly. And because acid damage is cumulative, decay is more likely. Studies have shown that those who eat sweets as snacks between meals have higher incidences of decay than those who eat the same amount of sweets with their meals.


On the brighter side, some foods actually help to protect teeth from decay because they increase saliva flow and neutralize the acids produced by bacteria, making the enamel less likely to be demineralized. For example, aged cheese eaten immediately after other food helps buffer the acid. That's another reason why eating sweets between meals causes more cavities. Between-meal snackers not only have an overall longer period when their teeth are exposed to acid, they don't eat other foods with the snack to moderate the effects of the sugar.


Chewing sugarless gums also can help protect your teeth against cavities. Xylitol, an ingredient in some sugarless gums, has been shown to reduce the amount of bacteria in the mouth and help buffer the teeth against the effect of acid. Most sugarless gums and sugarless candies increase the flow of saliva, which has natural antibacterial properties.





Long-Term Effects


Like the rest of your body, your mouth depends on overall good nutrition to stay healthy. In fact, your mouth is highly sensitive to poor nutrition, which can lead to premature tooth loss, serious periodontal (gum) disease and bad breath. Many nutritional problems will affect the mouth before the rest of the body. This is because the cells in the lining of the mouth — called the oral mucosa — are constantly being created and destroyed. In some areas of the mouth, cells completely turn over, with a whole new group of cells taking the place of old cells, in three to seven days.





What To Eat


The current and best recommendation for overall good nutrition is to follow the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, developed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Department of Health and Human Services. The guidelines are simple in concept:


-Eat whole grains daily, such as brown rice, oatmeal and whole wheat bread instead of refined grains, such as white bread and white rice.


-Eat healthier vegetables, including dark green and orange vegetables.


-Eat a variety of fruits.


-Choose a diet with plenty of grain products, fruits and vegetables.


-Choose fish, beans, nuts and seeds for some of your protein needs.


-Choose beverages and foods to moderate your intake of sugars.


-Choose and prepare foods with less salt.


-If you drink alcoholic beverages, do so in moderation.


-Aim for a healthy weight and be physically active each day.


To help people understand these guidelines, the USDA has replaced the old Food Guide Pyramid with a new, interactive tool called MyPyramid. The new tool is actually many different pyramids customized for a person depending on age, gender and physical activity. The tool can be found at www.mypyramid.gov.


Your diet, like the pyramid, should have a strong base of grains; at least 2½ cups of vegetables a day; at least 2 cups of fruits a day; at least 3 cups of calcium-containing milk, yogurt and cheese; and proteins such as meats, beans, eggs and nuts. Eat fats and sweets sparingly.


To prevent tooth decay, you should follow a few additional guidelines to keep the amount of acid created by the bacteria on your teeth to a minimum. Here are some tips:


1. Limit between-meal snacking to reduce the amount of time your teeth are exposed to acid. If you snack, choose foods that are not fermentable carbohydrates.


-Best choices — Cheese, chicken or other meats, nuts or milk. These foods may actually help protect tooth enamel by counteracting acidity or by providing the calcium and phosphorus needed to remineralize teeth.


-Moderate choices — Firm fruits like apples and pears and vegetables. Although firm fruits contain natural sugars, they have a high water content that dilutes the effects of the sugars and they stimulate the flow of saliva, which has antibacterial factors and helps protect against decay. Vegetables do not contain enough carbohydrates to be dangerous.


-Worst choices — Candy, cookies, cakes, crackers, breads, muffins, potato chips, french fries, pretzels, bananas, raisins and other dried fruits. These foods provide a source of sugar for certain bacteria on the teeth to produce acid. The problem can be worse if the foods stick to or get caught between teeth.


2. Limit the amount of soft drinks or any other sugar-containing drinks, including coffee or tea with added sugar, cocoa and lemonade. Fruit juices contain natural sugars that can also cause decay. Limit the amount of time you take to drink any of these drinks and avoid sipping them throughout the day. A can of soda finished with a meal is better than a can of soda finished over two hours because your teeth are exposed to high acid levels for a shorter amount of time.


-Better choices — Unsweetened tea, milk and water, especially fluoridated water. Tea also has fluoride, which can strengthen tooth enamel and milk can also help deter decay. Water helps flush away food debris and can dilute the sugar acids.


3. Avoid sucking on hard candies or mints, even the tiny ones. They have enough sugar to increase the acid produced by bacteria to decay levels. If you need a mint, use the sugarless varieties.


4. Very acidic foods (such as citrus fruits) can make the mouth more acidic and may contribute to tooth demineralization and erosion. The effects of acid exposure are cumulative, so every little bit counts.


5. Brush your teeth after eating to remove the plaque bacteria that create the destructive acids. If you cannot brush after every meal, brush at least twice a day to thoroughly remove all plaque bacteria.


6. Chewing sugarless gum that contains xylitol can help reduce the risk of cavities. It not only helps dislodge some of the food stuck to your teeth, it also increases saliva flow to help buffer the acids.





A lot of people brush, floss like they should but they do it incorrectly here's a good demo on how to properly to brush and floss...http://www.simplestepsdental.com/SS/ihtS...





Another thing is do a OTC fluoride mouthrinse like ACT


Can Fluoride Help Adults?





Fluoride isn't just for children.


"The use of fluoride can prove beneficial for both children and adults," says Sandra Burkett, D.D.S., instructor of clinical dentistry at the Columbia University College of Dental Medicine.


Twenty years ago, dentists thought that fluoride worked mainly by strengthening developing teeth before they entered the mouth. As a result, young children were the main focus of fluoridation efforts. Now, research has shown that fluoride applied to the teeth, using toothpastes, mouth rinses and fluoride treatments, is just as important for all teeth in fighting decay.


"The regular use of fluoride helps to protect the permanent teeth from decay and sensitivity, allowing patients to keep their permanent teeth much longer," Dr. Burkett says.


Although everyone should use fluoride every day, some adults are at higher risk of decay and might need more intensive supplementation. To find out if you might be one of them, consider these questions:





1. Are you taking any medications that cause your mouth to become dry? Do you have a disease that causes dry mouth? Many adults take medications that can cause dry mouth, called xerostomia. Many common medications have this side effect, including allergy medications, antihistamines, anti-anxiety drugs and high blood pressure medicines.


Some diseases, most notably Sjögren's syndrome and diabetes, also can cause dry mouth.


"Decreased saliva flow can increase your risk for dental decay," Dr. Burkett says. That's because saliva helps neutralize the acids in your mouth and washes away food particles that are fuel for decay-causing bacteria. Saliva also contains many minerals, including fluoride, that help keep your teeth decay-free.


If you are having dry mouth, try using a fluoride mouthwash to lubricate your mouth and protect your teeth. Saliva substitutes are also available at the pharmacy, and many people use them to replace the saliva they have lost.


Dr. Burkett also recommends sucking on sugar-free hard candy or chewing sugar-free gum to increase salivary flow. In particular, she recommends that you look for products that contain xylitol. "Xylitol is a naturally occurring and beneficial sugar," she says. "Also, brush regularly with fluoride toothpaste and visit your dentist as recommended to prevent the formation of cavities."





2. Have your gums receded so more of your teeth show, or has your dentist told you that you have periodontal (gum) disease? By the time you're an adult, you may already have some form of periodontal disease, which can cause your gums to recede and expose more of your teeth. This gives bacteria more room to roam and makes you particularly susceptible to cavities in the roots of your teeth. For example, more than half of adults over age 75 have had root decay. If your dentist has treated you for periodontal disease, your gums may have been reshaped and your tooth roots exposed. This also can lead to decay.


To protect your teeth's roots, your dentist can paint a fluoride varnish or gel on them. You can use a fluoride mouthwash or a prescription fluoride gel to get more fluoride.





3. Have you needed a filling in the last year? If you have had recent tooth decay, you're at risk for more. Having had a cavity in the near past means that you have the bacteria and other conditions necessary to form additional cavities. "The use of fluoride should be an important part of your daily oral health care regimen if you have prior cavities," Dr. Burkett says.





4. Do you have crowned teeth and/or bridges? Crowned teeth are not safe from cavities. As long as some natural tooth remains, these teeth are at risk. "The edges of fillings or crowns can provide a hiding place for decay-causing bacteria," Dr. Burkett says. "Fluoride can protect the tooth from decay and in certain cases stop the decay process and allow the tooth to get stronger."





5. Are you wearing dental braces? "Braces make it difficult for you to reach all areas of the teeth, and provide niches where food can become lodged. The plaque that forms as a result can lead to cavities," Dr. Burkett says. "Your dentist can recommend a fluoride rinse or gel that, when applied daily, protects the teeth against cavities."





6. Are you receiving, or have you received, radiation therapy to the head and neck? Adults receiving radiation therapy to the head and neck are at very high risk of tooth decay because the radiation damages their salivary glands, causing dry mouth. Saliva fights tooth decay, so people suffering from dry mouth are at higher risk for decay.


"If dry mouth results from radiation therapy, then it is important that you use generous amounts of fluoride to prevent decay and visit your dentist every two to three months, or as recommended," Dr. Burkett says.





What To Do


Regardless of risk, all adults should use fluoride toothpaste. Fluoride mouth rinses also are available over the counter and can be used once or twice a day. Toothpaste delivers about 1,000 parts per million of fluoride and mouth rinses about 250 parts per million.


If you think you are at high risk of decay, ask about receiving fluoride treatments in the dental office. During a treatment, your dentist or dental hygienist will dry off your teeth and either paint them with a gel or put a gel or foam into mouth guards that will be placed in your mouth for one to four minutes. You also can get a varnish or gel on the roots of your teeth. You'll be asked not to eat, drink or smoke for 30 minutes after the treatment.


Dental-office fluoride treatments provide fluoride at high levels of 9,000 parts per million to 20,000 parts per million, depending on the type.


You also can give yourself a fluoride treatment at home every day. The fluoride in these treatments, which are usually prescription gels, ranges from 1,000 parts per million to 5,000 parts per million. Your dentist can prescribe these treatments based on your particular needs and risks for dental decay.


Talk to your dentist to determine your risk of dental decay. The use of fluoride products in combination with good oral hygiene habits, control of snacking and dietary carbohydrates, and use of an antimicrobial toothpaste and mouthwash should help reduce the chance of new decay.


"Dentistry is changing, and as a result adults are no longer plagued with dental diseases and can keep their teeth for much longer than was possible over a decade ago," Dr. Burkett says. "The use of fluoride and good oral hygiene practices can ensure that your teeth remain healthy as you age."



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