Leaving toothpaste on teeth?

[gary2019]

So I don't actually have a lot (if any) calcium which I would guess can effect the strength of my teeth.

I was wondering, does leaving toothpaste on my teeth overnight effect them in anyway? I've done it before but woke up with a really bad dry mouth.

 

[Busybee]

I doubt it's any good for the health of the soft tissues in your mouth. The surfactants can cause irritation even during normal use.

 

[MattKW]

Teeth are not bone, so even if you have osteoporosis your teeth will be as strong as the day they came through your gums. Your bones could dissolve completely and your teeth will be unchanged.
There's no harm in leaving toothpaste on your teeth, and it is recommended for people with high risk of decay. But that would normally be with a high-fluoride toothpaste like Colgate Neutrafluor.
You imply that your teeth aren't strong - why is that? Lots of decay?

 

[Busybee]

IMO if the dentist asked you to do this then he should provide mouthguards so that the stuff stays inside and on your teeth and does not irritate the delicate tissues of the mouth lining. Anything else will wash off with saliva anyway so basically pointless. If we were meant to eat toothpaste it would be on sale in the food section of the supermarket!

 

[MattKW]

You can indeed go to the extra lengths that Busybee suggests if you want maximal effect, but that will cost you extra for the mouthguard, and is normally only used for patients with severe dry mouth (e.g. following damage to salivary glands). It is not "basically pointless" to let it slowly dissipate in your mouth if you are a normal person; you will get added beneficial effect. But then, Bb is not a dentist, and doesn't study the literature (quick search!), so you have to take her anecdotal suggestions with a grain of salt.

 

[gary2019]

I'm just getting a lot of cavities even when I have changed to regular water. My dentist did mention putting it in my mouth but that was when I used a weaker toothpaste, they recently gave me 5000ppm toothpaste.

I do have retainers, could i keep the toothpaste inside of the retainers? (that is of course If I should use the toothpaste at all.

 

[MattKW]

Yes, the retainers will work well as a reservoir. You might also consider using a remineralising paste like Tooth Mousse overnight in the retainers. Although I don't know for sure, I'd suggest using the 5000ppm toothpaste when brushing (at least 2x daily), then put a smear of Mousse in the retainers overnight. The Mousse is not a toothpaste, so don't apply on a toothbrush - it is usually smeared on by finger. The Mousse will help remineralise your white areas near the gumlines. If you follow this regimen (and a good diet), I'd like to see another photo in 6 mos please.

 

[Busybee]

You should use it exactly as your dentist has advised. If the dentist did not say to leave it on overnight then check with the surgery before doing this.

Nobody here has examined your mouth and you will have filled in a full health history at the dentists so they will be best placed to advise you on how best to use what they have prescribed.

 

[MattKW]

We have the photo, Bb, and that's enough for me to see decalcification from poor hygiene around the brackets. And of course, I'm a dentist whereas you're not, and shouldn't be giving out your untrained advice. A full health history has exactly what bearing on this case?

 

[gary2019]

Matt should I be getting fillings immediately? For the holes seen on my teeth? Or wait until they become sensitive/painful? Because my dentist is well aware of the holes, but hasn't done anything.

One of my molars have actually started to become painful. Second bottom of the left of the photo (so my right)

 

[gary2019]

And, can I floss more than once a day? Should I be flossing between fillings? (I have been but it's been sensitive)

 

[Busybee]

You should floss between all your teeth including the area circled. Try to be gentle but thorough. It's important to change angle so that you don't shove the debris up into your gums. But you do need to pay attention to the gum area. If it's sensitive perhaps you should try a different type of floss. There are different thicknesses, waxed/unwaxed etc. Your dentist should really refer you to a specialist at a dental hospital. You should demand this.

 

[MattKW]

There are some small cavities that I would treat now. From your photos they are teeth 13, 23, and 34 (FDI). But there may be more that I can't see. Floss at least once a day - the "angulation" is unimportant as is "pushing debris up into the gums", that's tosh from Bb. You must get the floss slightly under the gums - there is a pocket (sulcus) of 2-3mm you can penetrate. If you keep flossing and brushing the tenderness in the gums will subside as your gums become less inflamed. You can then find flossing is quite fast - you will soon be able to do your mouth in less than 60 secs.

 

[gary2019]

I do floss daily already, I was just wondering if I can floss for more than 1 time a day?

I got referred to the dental hospital a few months ago and I am guessing I am still in a queue to get seen about my front tooth that got a root canal. (smallest tooth with the red ring around it) I am just hoping it does not need removed or anything. It's still sore after root canal treatment. The dentist didn't do it under any antithetic either, she just told me to mention when I could feel her touching the root with the pins, whenever I told her I could feel it she stopped doing it. I think there was some miscommunication as it was not painful, I was just telling her I could feel it. So I am guess that's why there has been complications.

She said many roots in my teeth have grew quite sort, but she didn't mention if I could do anything about that myself, or if she was going to do anything about it.

are root canal teeth suppose to have a crown on them? Do I currently not have a crown as there has been complications?

 

[Busybee]

If I had a root canal I would want a crown to protect the tooth. I'm sure the dentists have a converse opinion as that appears to be the case quite often here! But I would want the tooth crowned. It should be a good crown with a margin that fits well. As this is your front tooth, I would have it done privately so that it looks nice. The NHS is inflexible in material choices.

You should always be able to floss more than once a day. You should be able to floss whenever you want. Get some advice from a hygienist on flossing method. They are the experts. Have you seen a hygienist or did your dentist give you what they call a "scale and polish"? That's not my idea of professional cleaning. A dental hygienist should be high on your list of dental self care. They really know their stuff and it's worth paying for a proper appointment with one.

I'm surprised at the method of carrying out a root treatment with no painkillers and relying on you to say whether you can feel anything. It's not your fault if anything was badly done. She is the professional you put your trust in. Did she have imaging equipment? Did she show you the x ray of the completed root canal?

There is nothing you can do if you have short roots. But it should not mean that you will lose your teeth if you look after them. There is no point in worrying about this because from what you have posted you are already doing your best to look after your teeth.

if I were you I would pay to have a good private dentist give an opinion on your dental work and dentition. It should not cost a great deal. You should also check where that appointment with the dental hospital has got to. Make sure you are still on the waiting list. Make that a priority.

 

[MattKW]

Shouldn't have been done without local anaesthetic (LA); the length is determined from Xrays, and if it is done by "feel" then there is a high chance that it hasn't been completed to full length. Get an Xray of it.
Crowns are nearly always recommended for back teeth (premolars and molars). They are not always beneficial for front teeth, especially lateral incisors because the preparation for the crown sometimes weakens the front tooth more than it strengthens it, and that's why dentists often have a contrary opinion to Bb on this forum - because we know more. That's a combination of training, experience, and further learning. I spent 4 hours on Sunday at the library (no distractions) going through dental literature.

 

[gary2019]

Can a tooth that's been through root canal treatment become lose from the gum/wobbly? As that was another major concern I had. I was prescribed antibiotics and that done nothing.

 

[gary2019]

As for the tooth mousse situation, I have got some called "GC toothe mousse" and wasn't sure how much to put in my retainer so I tried to put as little as possible around the entire retainer and it came out of the retainer when placing it on. This is what the end result was. I'm not sure if I'm suppose to just leave it in the retainer over night now when I sleep? For the mousse that escaped the retainer, I rinsed it out with mouthwash. Probably next time I will put a small amount of mousse on the teeth then put the retainer on

 

[MattKW]

Yep, that's the general idea. Just leave it overnight. Given how expensive the Mousse is, then a minimum amount is all you need so it's not wasted. This could take months.Great taste for a medicinal product.

 

[gary2019]

I was actually unable to keep it on overnight as there must be a little gap or something in my retainer therefore I couldn't stop swallowing as I was laying down. Is there an alternative way?