I’m 20 years old and already have a bunch of filled teeth, plus one root canal with a crown. I just visited the dentist again, and now the tooth next to the root canal also needs a root canal.
I’ve taken care of my teeth since I was a kid—brushing regularly and all that. And for the past 4 years, I’ve been even more serious about dental care. But it feels like it’s made no real difference. Things just keep getting worse.
I’m starting to wonder if there’s a separate underlying reason for all this.
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Talk to your dentist. A good dentist and his staff will give you tips on what to do to keep your teeth healthy. Brushing, flossing, regular checkups are all key.
I was in a similiar place to you. For me it was juice. I stopped drinking juice and the cavities stopped.
I had more dental work by the age of 30 than anyone else I knew, other than my dad. He had all his teeth removed and fully dentured by the age of 50 and I just had my teeth removed and replaced with dentures a few years ago at the age of 55. I also took care of my teeth, brushed, flossed, had regular dental visits, and the like. I think it’s genetic.
Some people have stronger teeth than others. My sister had to have a bridge in the front when she was 19. And she did care for her teeth.
A lot of it is just genetics. Do your parents also have bad teeth? I took half-assed care of my teeth for over a decade but have still never had a cavity because I happen to have good tooth genetics. My parents are in their 70s and both still have all their teeth (minus wisdom teeth).
I have no basis for this it’s entirely my own thought but I’m convinced to a degree it’s genetic. I didn’t see a dentist for a good 10-15 years and frankly cared poorly for my teeth, and when I finally saw one they were fine and just needed a hygenist. I know people who have cared perfectly for their teeth and always see a dentist and still have issues. Best thing you can do is have a proper conversation with your dentist and be like I’m doing everything wrong and still dealing with these issues, what can I do about it
Childhood nutrition and genetics, if you did not get enough calcium and drank a lot of pop you’ll have weak teeth
Teeth are mostly genetic. Sorry dude.
Correct fluoride intake when your teeth are growing makes a huge difference to the enamel strength. The best thing to do is ask your dentist.
Flossing is the key
Luck of the gene lottery, bad dental habits, bad nutrition habits. My dad had full dentures by age 36, I’m now 64 and have 5 missing teeth, 4 crowns.
Does your family have a history of Ehlers-Danlos syndrome?
I believe teeth are a sign of overall health. A bit like a dogs fur.
But I feel you on that, mine are also crap.
Need a root canal? Ya, I was told by a dentist 12 years ago that I probably needed one.. I read up on them and decided I didn’t want to get one until absolutely necessary, preferring a filling at a tenth of the cost. 12 years later I still don’t need a root canal
Genetics has a lot to do with it. My father has horrible issues with his top teeth, no issue ever with the bottom. I’ve picked up the same shit. I brush regularly, go to the dentist every 6 months. Just can’t stop it. Chipped teeth, impacted teeth, terribly painful wisdom teeth that needed specialists to remove. All of my teeth have what my dentist has said “the most hooked roots i’ve ever seen.”
Sometimes you can do everything possible, and still have chronic issues. I used to think it was my diet. I haven’t had much sugar in 2 years. Stopped drinking all carbonated beverages, and drinks with no sugar. Avoid acidity, just generally staying conscious of tooth health. I still have something never everytime I’m in the dental office.
I’m near at the point where I’m just thinking of getting them all removed and going the whole false teeth setup. Gonna cost a arm & a leg though.
EDIT : I’m 40, and have had issues since I was in my late 20’s.
too much refined sugar, in drinks, candy bars, bread, lots of things. blame you parents for letting you have those thing.
You might get bad teeth sooner if you just genetically have bad teeth. Or, you might be taking some sort of medication that makes the enamel of your teeth softer. Or, your eating habits might be leaving your teeth washed in sugar for extra long accumulated times during the day. My dentist told me to stop putting milk in my coffee if I’m going to drink it all morning. (no)
Anyway, talk to your dentist is good advice. Good luck!
Are you female? Hormones play into it. I had a lot of fillings in treens and twenties but none since.
Some enamel is just weak :/
It could be genetics. It could be something like too few of your teeth touch, causing greater stress to the teeth that do touch. Or, sleeping with your mouth open because dry mouth a better environment for bacteria. Or drinking/eating/hygiene habits. Or grinding your teeth a lot from stress. You should ask your dentist. I switched to a better dentist and she’s told me things I never knew before about teeth longevity. Seems like my previous dentist was happy to take my constant filing money over advising me on long term tooth health.
Take ADD meds by any chance ? Well documented but never discussed with patients, it weakens the enamel
As others have said, genetics are a major factor. Premature babies also tend to have more dental problems later in life. I got both – my grandparents always had dentures and I just thought that was normal for older people when I was young.
Take heart that some of it is hereditary. I barely took care of my teeth and have only had a couple cavity’s and just now mid forties am having my first crown. Meanwhile my best friend in high school took amazing care of her teeth and back then they were still discolored and had tons of cavities. Hygiene and routine absolutely matter but to some degree it’s also luck of the draw.
My family has weak teeth, by 25 I had dumped over 10k into my teeth, sometimes life just doesn’t feel good.
Well, I’m guessing your local politicians decided floride in the drinking water was a bad idea, or you grew up with well water.
I was always told getting cavities when you took good care of your teeth was genetic. I’ve significantly cut down on the amount of processed carbs I was eating, and started taking a vitamin d/k2 supplement. Haven’t had a cavity in three years now.
Do you take vitamin D?
I’ve been taking 5000 IU of Vitamin D for a few years now. I’m in my 50s and my teeth are better than ever.
Genetics
Genetics is one thing.
Dental care is another, and can be offset by your diet. For instance, brushing and flossing as recommended can be offset by drinking a few bottles of coca cola.
Also, are you on well water or municipal water with added fluoride.
I have had terrible teeth my entire life. I follow dental hygiene and have ALWAYS had problems.
Some people just have terrible teeth.
My Mom grew up in a good home with dentists and all of the right stuff. Terrible teeth.
I’m basically fine
Is there fluoride in your water supply? I grew up in an area with Florida but live in a non-fluoridated water district and the dentist can tell I’m not from around here.
It’s also probably genetic but a fluoride rinse might help harden up weak spots on your teeth.asknyour dentist.
Fluoride when you are a child can make a huge difference. Some places have fluoride in the public water and some places don’t. We had to get fluoride from our pediatric dentist when our children were small because we had a well for water. Genetics plays a part and so does your diet. Proper dental hygiene and regular dental care by your dentist is a key factor for your health as well.
Genetics mate.
Do you trust your dentist?
I had two family members with full dentures by age thirty. Genetics matter, for sure. Sorry you’re going through that.
I have a prescription fluoride toothpaste that I brush on before I go to bed and just leave there. Maybe ask your dentist about it! I feel like it makes a big difference
corn syrup is added to a lot of food products. even if you’re trying to tailor your diet to preserve your teeth, it is hard to avoid a lot of sugar. they say, eat fiber. it’s not just good for your gut, it’s good for your teeth. dark greens have minerals, and fiber. you need minerals for your teeth to be strong. not just calcium, all of them.
also a lot of our foods are very, very acidic. guys be eating buffalo wings and jalapeno cheese fries every day and their whole mouth is dissolving.
you can deal with some of the acid, to an extent, by drinking regular water, especially between meals. if you drink soda, you’re not ever getting the acid out, you’re just adding more acid. and corn syrup. this is especially important at night. if you ever get to know guys who drink soda at night, you’ll notice their teeth rapidly degrading as time goes on.
I’ve known a bunch of people who have had multiple root canals. gradually you see the patterns. it’s usually soda and candy and “I can’t stand eating food that isn’t soaked in hot sauce”
genetics, water composition (like if you have fluoride water or not), how dry your mouth is (affected by sleep, stress, genetics, etc)
Genetics. My entire family has weak, lacking in enamel teeth. We get regular dental care and always have. My health is fabulous for a late 60s woman, but teeth have always been bad. And so are my husband’s and our kids and now our granddaughter’s. It’s frustrating, but you accept and move on.
When you say “regularly”, what do you mean. Twice a day? Do you ever floss? More importantly, how much sugar do you eat/consume? Do you get teeth cleaning?
I’m 47 and have had 3 cavities my entire life. I brush twice a day, use mouthwash and should be a lot better with flossing! I very rarely went to the dentist growing up (poor) and have been fairly good with the dentist/cleanings. But I literally eat little to no sugar. No sweet drinks, except a Red Bull every once in a while.
Have you asked the dentist?
Yeah there probably is an underlying reason for this.
Do you have GERD or any vitamin deficiencies? I have had a truly ridiculous amount of dental work done because I have both, and my dentist doesn’t think my teeth will ever do well.
Maybe start getting second and 3rd opinions. That dentist might just be scamming you.
Bad genes, same happened to me😟❤️😞
I used to drink a 48pk of mt dew a week and have received over 30 fillings. About 15 years ago I switched to water and/or sugarless flavored water (mio, soda stream, etc.) and chewing xylitol gum. No cavities since the swap. It is as much the pH in your mouth as any cleanliness tricks.
Have you gone to another dentist for a second opinion?
It’s most likely your genetics. Some are blessed with strong healthy teeth and some are not.
I would go to another dentist if you can just to get a second opinion.
When I was a kid, practically every adult in my family had dentures. Mostly full mouth dentures with a few having only top dentures. My mom got top dentures in her early 20s!
I had multiple pulpotomies as a child despite my mother brushing and flossing my teeth over and over and over, back and forth every morning and night. Grandmother did the same after school. Almost never allowed things like fruit juices or Kool-aid, candies were very few and far between. The only gum I was allowed was Extra (sugar free). I was basically immune to the burn of Listerine by kindergarten. Cavity after cavity after cavity. Fillings, baby root canals, sealants, specialists, you name it. I felt like I lived at the dentist’s office. The needles didn’t even scare me anymore. I was the only one of my friend group to have an electric toothbrush and “special’ toothpaste, which they all thought was cool. 🤷 Fluoride treatments being the green liquid you had to hold in your mouth for so long while swishing it around. I didn’t even want the little prizes that dentists passed out because I felt like I had them all. Erasers, stickers, mini coloring books. I was over it. They used to give me those plaque tablets and it would make my mom’s blood boil. Not because they were using them on me but because they were always obvious about expecting there to be all this build up and there was basically nothing. The hygienist finally admitted that as far as plaque and cleanliness went, my teeth were immaculate.
This continued into my teens. More fillings, root canals, post and core buildups and crowns.
As an adult, I’ve had five more root canals done by endodontists, all requiring a post and core buildup, with four more crowns and a bridge because one of the teeth covered by the bridge was unsalvageable after it broke. Two implants. Wisdom teeth removal. My mouth is basically a dental appliance store. The ONE AND ONLY good thing about my teeth is that they’re visually pretty. Perfectly straight and white, so at least I never needed braces 😭. You’d never know anything was wrong just by seeing me smile.
Could I even begin to estimate the lifetime total of what’s been spent on my teeth between what insurance has paid and what’s been paid out of pocket? And it’s not just the major work, it’s all the X-rays, full mouth x-rays, specialists, all of it. I don’t know exactly what was spent before I was an adult, but considering what I’ve spent as an adult and knowing everything that was done when I was a child, I would think I easily have $40k in my mouth. Most likely way more. I lost count years ago. And it will never be finished because of having to replace the crowns and bridges every 10 years or so, including the crowns on the implants. The two implants together were $8k alone in 2020. Basically every back tooth has had a root canal, post and core buildup and a crown or bridge with the only “missing” tooth being the middle tooth that’s “replaced” by the bridge. The last two are the implants. Most of which have been replaced at least once already and will continue to be replaced at different intervals for the rest of my life.
Teeth are genuinely luxury bones with luxury prices.
I was told when I was 8 that my saliva is too active and at that age I didn’t know what the dentist meant. I didn’t eat candy/sweets as a child and had few fillings. Then I got to mid 20s and things just kind of erupted. I’d have scale work done then within 24 hours I’d develop an infection and lose bone. I figured I have periodontal disease despite brushing my teeth. I don’t even have bad breath to suggest that I have it. It kind of sucks that dental work triggers an infection when the purpose is to help keep them
Genetics. I have good teeth, husband not so good. The kid got his teeth genes unfortunately. Got his second root canal today. He’s 21.
I used to be you. But now I go to the dentist every 4 months instead of every 6, floss daily, and wear a mouth guard at night. No more issues anymore.
But I mainly attribute this success to going to the dentist more frequently. I pay one out of pocket visit a year. Worth it for me.
Genetics man. Its all genetics
If you’re on any meds, check if they have a tendency to affect the health of your teeth. It could be genetics as well.
Also, it never hurts to get a second opinion. There are some real slimy dentists out there who will tell you you need procedures when you don’t. Esp w procedures like root canals. I’m not saying that your dentist is slimy, it’s just never a bad idea to get a second opinion
What’s your diet like? How much sugar?
Could be genetics. Certain countries have worse dental problems. Dentist asked me about my son’s heritage when he was 4, because every tooth in his head was capped. We called him the 6 million dollar mouth. We are Scottish on my mom’s side and his dad’s side.
Do you grind your teeth at night? I cracked a few from that until I got a dentist that fit me with a custom night guard since I kept spitting the OTC ones out. No new issues since then!
Take care of your gums. Important!
Well water?
Floss well, make sure you get under the edges of your teeth. Brush, dont rinse just spit it out and wait 20-30 minutes to let the fluoride work then use an antiseptic mouth wash, keep swishing for 1-2 minutes, feel the burn. I had teeth problems my entire life, this habit stopped them. Also make sure you have enough calcium vitamin etc, get blood work checked basically
Can be genetics, can also be an underlying medical condition Ehlers danlos can cause enamel defects, Sjogrens syndrome can cause excessive tooth decay, etc.
Genetic, prescriptions ,poor hygiene or crooked dentist. My new one told me to get all my root canals re done. Nobody has that kind of money.
Are you going to a chain type franchise dentist? They are required to make a certain dollar amount per day and do a lot of unnecessary cavity filling and love root canals because it costs a lot. Lot’s of reports of them doing this to satisfy the big funds that own the practice
Have you been experiencing any tooth pain? Or just going with what your dentist recommends?
I’m on the fence how I feel about dentistry, I think there’s a chance a greedy dentist could be doing work that is not needed. Maybe I’m wrong but I’ve always had good luck with my teeth and had to switch dentists a couple years ago and first time in they said I had like 12 cavities. But I had zero pain with hot, cold or sweet foods. Teeth felt great, really strong too. Started to address these ‘12 cavities” and now I experience tooth pain here and there, on the teeth that have been drilled out and filled. I got like 6 of them done and decided to to address anymore. All my teeth feel great but sometimes the ones with fillings hurt.
So I’m just not sure how I feel about dentistry. Right now I’m just taking care of them the best I can and whenever something urgent comes up I’ll just cross that bridge when I get there
I have had three root canals, one which later needed to be pulled, and an implant put in. It’s from grinding my teeth. (And yes, I have a mouth guard and wear it nightly.)
Mine and many others were rotting away in our 20s. You’re not alone. Dentures are expensive, but better than half chipped teeth.