Saturday, May 28, 2011

I'm 16 years old, what should I do about my loose tooth?

I'm a 16 year old girl with no dentist (or any other type of health insurance) and I tried signing up for a cheap plan via my school but they never called me back. Anyway a couple months ago I'd been getting pains in my second bicuspid in my upper set of teeth (see this: http://www.teeth-care.cn/images/2009/03/… while eating. When I bit down with it there would be a sharp pain and so I had to chew with the other side of my mouth. Anyway recently it stopped hurting but it was still loose, but okay enough so that I could chew with it. However, today as I was eating some grapes my tooth felt really weird so I touched it and the grape made it come out of the root almost halfway. I'm pretty sure this isn't a baby tooth. And I also don't think this happened because of any physical impacts (I don't recall being hit in the mouth/jaw area by anything). As for my dental habits I brush once a day most of the time because I always forget to at the end of the day, and my family never really flosses. Also I do have maybe 2 or 3 cavities but they are on my bottom set of teeth, and the loose tooth involved here isn't affected by a cavity. Here are my main questions: 1. What's happening to my tooth? 2. If it does fall out, is there a way to restore it? How much would it cost? 3. If there is no possible way to restore it, what are my options for replacing the tooth? Thanks so much for your help, guys!
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Jane, if it's not a tooth with a cavity, it probably really is an extremely late exfoliating baby tooth. Let's hope. If you sent a picture, we could let you know immediately. If it's not a baby tooth, you need a dentist, fast! It could be anything from a serious problem with one tooth to a serious form of periodontal disease that can quickly affect all your teeth. Have your school nurse look at your mouth, and ask for help getting dental care if your family won't take you to a dentist. Even the cavities on the lower teeth need to be addressed before they become serious problems. Most states have programs to make sure kids receive proper dental treatment, but once you hit 19 you are on your own, so start delving into this NOW. In the meantime, help yourself develop good habits. You do need to brush twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste. If you are too tired at night, find time right after dinner. If you train yourself to floss before brushing, you will never forget to floss again. Good luck, honey.
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