So. In a way to not downplay it any, I have nearly a lifetime of horrible dental hygiene practices. Before maybe the last year or so, I only rarely brushed, almost never flossed, and only usually used listerene occasionally and I avoid dentist visits with an ardent passion like my survival somehow depended on it. My teeth have, obviously, been decaying quite a bit, but even when the decaying started, that still wasn't enough to convince me to change my ways. Around a year, maybe a year and a half ago, my gums where my teeth met would start bleeding if I did nearly anything, from spitting, to biting into soft bread, even talking in certain ways could make my gums start bleeding. At that time, thats when I realized, I REALLY needed to salvage what little bit I could. I started brushing regularly a couple times a week, which I had to do because brushing would, also, cause my gums to bleed. Over the last year, I have managed to build up to being able to brush at least twice a day, with little to no gum bleeding under almost any normal conditions at all. Until now, my brushing is always done solely with clean, fresh water, because I don't know the answer to the titular question. With teeth that at a relatively (I think) moderately high level of decay, would toothpaste and specifically a flouride-based toothpaste, be...."good" for my teeth, or with a moderately high level of decay, would it do even more damage? As a veteran, I have started planning to visit a Dental Clinic of some sort and face the music, to find out what my future options are for.
Thank you for any time spent on this topic.
Thank you for any time spent on this topic.