Expert: Jeff Dalin DDS - 11/5/2009

Question
Hi, I'm an eighteen year-old female and I'm extremely anxious about the state of my teeth.

I think I had a lot of cavities when I was younger, although I can't remember how many. Anyway, all of them fell out except three which remain as silver fillings in the back of my mouth.

I have not had any other cavities that I can recall except for three that I got filled about eight months ago, one of which was so small it was filled with no anesthesia. That puts my total at around six, if I remember correctly.

I THINK I might have found one or two more, although I know that it cannot be determined until I go to the dentist, which I am planning on doing very soon. All of them have been in the biting surfaces of my teeth.

I guess my question is, does this mean my teeth are basically healthy? I know you aren't looking in my mouth or anything, but I was worried that I have more cavities than would be considered normal. I have tried to take good care of them and I'm considering getting sealants placed on the teeth I think are at risk, but I still worry that I have had too many cavities.

Thank you for your time.

Answer
gwyn
first off, let me apologize about the delay in getting back to you. i did not get this question until this morning. now to answer your questions, your teeth sound very healthy. you have had some small fillings done in the grooves. sealants are something that help prevent them. sealants can be done only on teeth that have not had fillings done. so the teeth with fillings can no longer be sealed. since your fillings have only been in grooves, it does not sound like you are prone to decay. you merely have teeth with deep grooves. to prevent future problems, be sure to brush and floss daily. cut down on sugary foods...this helps. if you want to strengthen your teeth, you can consider fluoride rinses (1 teaspoon, swish, and spit out daily). and of course, do not forget regular dental checkups. if you do all of this, things should remain stable and healthy. try all of these ideas and see how good things go for you. good luck,

jeff dalin, dds