First time I'm really feeling the damage smoking has caused. I was at the dentist today because my crown fell out for the second time. My dentist told me I will need to see an oral surgeon to have the tooth removed. He then asked if I was a smoker. My tummy dropped. Quit now kids. I'm only 36 years old. It does not take long for tooth to decay and loss of bone from smoking.
Kristen 735 DOF
Sorry Kristen! I hope the bone loss isn't too bad and implants are an option for you. They aren't for me.
Oh, my - I am so sorry! Stinks - hands down!
Hope an implant will be possible. You are far too young to experience this!
Nancy
I'm so sorry this is happening to you but Lord willing an implant will work and thankfully you are now you are smokefree, huge hug.
I'm hoping for an implant. Dentist is sending X-ray to the surgeon to see if I have enough bone for an implant. If I don't, I can either do nothing or get a bridge. My comment to my dentist was " I thought that is for old people!" That's when he asked if I smoked.
Financially i cant afford it. An implant will be about $4 grand and a bridge about $3500. I'm never going to get out of debt! ALWAYS one thing after another! But, I am not going to be without a tooth. Luckily you can't see it when I smile but I know it's missing. Credit card it is!!
Find out if they accept Care Credit...that gives you a certain length of of time to pay it off, interest free. I used it when I needed my extractions and then the partials. I AM an old person but, let me tell you, it is a sobering thing to go through. You have such a beautiful smile...keep it! I have a friend who still smokes, she also has RA, she had full upper and lower implants, the cost was incredible but her father paid for it. She did NOT have enough bone left in her jaw but it was from the RA, years of steroids, AND smoking. My oldest daughter was working for a dentist at the time and she took classes on implants. She said that people with advanced auto immune disease...particularly RA are NOT candidates for implants because they will NOT stay in place. Unfortunately, she was right, they stayed in place for a few years but she kept losing more and more bone and ended up having full upper and lower dentures...she still smokes and will probably be one of those people who smokes forever. This is one tooth...you can either have an implant or a fixed bridge which no one will be able to tell is there.
One more reason to stay smoke free....as if we need any more reasons!
Hugs,
Ellen
elvan I do have Care Credit. I JUST transferred my balance from my veneers onto a 0% Promo on my other card. Guess the big man upstairs knew I was going to need room on my Care credit!
How do you reverse the effects of smoking in your mouth? Can you grow bone back???
no. but you can slow and stop the loss!
kristen-9.7.15, I have been in your position before, and if there isn't enough bone left, they can also do bone graft, of course that's another price to pay, but just wanted to bring it to your attention. And if the doctor is not mentioning that to you, you might want to find another one. You don't have dental insurance at all? Because some of them started covering, at least partially for dental implants. I have two on the lower side, and they cost me about $3,000 each, but it was more than 10 years ago, the best investment I ever made on myself.
Hi Daniela-3-11-2016. Sorry I just saw this. I do have dental insurance. It will cover some of the extraction but I don't think on the implant. It is considered cosmetic.
There are Affordable Dentures Inc. in my state, check around and see if they are available for you. Sorry, I know you will figure this out. Good luck. I know how you are feeling. Thinking I was taking good care of my teeth but destroying my gums with smoke.
Omg! Dentures!! Aye aye aye! Wish I never smoked!!! I will look around. Thanks!
This is ONE tooth...hopefully it is not going to be any more than that. You are going to be fine. Glad you have Care Credit.
I SO hope no more teeth will be taken from me!!!
Just take really, really good care of your teeth...I am sure you do hope for no more problems. I am a LOT older than you are, honey, and I was on steroids for SO LONG, I had two strikes against me, along with bone deterioration in my spine and my hips...multiple rib fractures. You are a healthy young woman and any dentist who sees you is going to turn himself or herself inside out to protect that smile. It's going to be FINE and you don't have to face ANYTHING until it's there...period. I am going to say some heavy duty prayers for you...
XOXO,
Ellen
AWe sorry Kristen you have to go through this. Know how ya feel about the finances too as it seems every time I thing I getting caught then something else happens. Sure hope you can get the implant.
That's one of the things that most of us never heard about when told the hazards of smoking. Lung cancer, emphysema, COPD yes. But your teeth falling out? Was news to me the first time I found out. It destroys your gums. Having had periodontal deep root cleaning done I know a wee bit about how much the costs are. When I asked how to prevent it in the future they said FLOSS. I've been flossing ever since. Live and learn. Sorry you're gong through such at such a young age.
Hi Kristen. Sorry for your teeth troubles. There are lots of things you can do for bones. Magnesium is one of them. Vitamin k-2. calcium of course. Research it. Walking every day also. You can build bone with the proper nutrients. I did. You are so young. You will do fine.
Oh yes, the teeth problems smoking causes. I too fell victim to that. In addition to the smoking, my family doctor put me on Fosamax, but yet another drug that destroys jar bone when it is prescribed for osteoporosis, and it causes your teeth to break off at the gum line.
If you are young, and you want to keep your teeth, stop lying to yourself if you think smoking does not destroy your teeth, because it does. It also makes them yellow, and your breathe and body smell like the bottom of a dirty ashtray to those around you.
Quit smoking and if you are quit, protect that quit!!!!
IrishRose They wanted to put me on fosamax too, I read the side effects and said no...most inhalers cause osteoporosis and I have severe osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, osteoi'll get you back, moron. Yep, paying the price AND sounding like Darth Vader.
My dentist told me to STOP taking the Fosamax even if I had to lie to my primary care doctor by telling him I was continuing to take it when I was not. Such a vicious circle. There are so many pharama meds out there that have more bad side effects than good ones for taking the drug in the first place.
There is no way that I am taking anything that has two pages of side effects...for God's sakes...some of the biologicals for RA cause lymphoma and lung cancer...are you KIDDING me? Not happening.
Yikes! How are you doing Kristen? I'm so thankful for all of us Exers because we finally brightened up and took back our lives, I hope you've found out some news about your tooth.....
I'll send up good thoughts and prayers for you and Lord willing everything will work out for you, big hug.
Thanks Marilyn!
You are going to get good news...I KNOW you are. No one is going to take THAT smile...do let us know.
XOXO,
Ellen
I got my tooth pulled today. There was NO pain whatsoever! I can't believe I was thinking about being completely put out for that. It literally took him about 5 minutes to pull it. The longest part was waiting for the novacane.
Granted, I am still numb so I'm sure I will be in pain/discomfort soon. I dropped off my prescription for pain meds. I'm eating ice cream right now...only soft cold foods for a few day
You never know. I had a tooth pulled a couple years ago and never felt pain after the Novocaine wore off. Took a couple Advil because my jaw was sore, but nothing else.
Glad it's over...now don't glue a hair in there. Love you. Take the pain medication if you feel any pain, it will work better if you don't wait for the pain to get bad.
xoxoxo
I took a pain pill when I got home and now just took one before I go to bed. I'll have to take OTC during the day because this stuff knocks me out. I have to heal for about 6 months then I go get my implant.
elvan Teeheehee. You're too funny. Love you too.
Oh Kristen, I am SO GLAD that you quit while you are still so young. Between smoking and over 25 years on steroids, my teeth started to break off below the gum line. No crowns held because the posts would eventually not have anything to hang on to. I have upper and lower partials...it is a nightmare.