Post Punk Kitchen Forum

So the enamel on my molars is extremely worn down (from years of eating disorder abuse-one reason among many that i very strongly encourage all to be strong and resist this path of certain doom). I don't know what kind of answer exactly can be given to a question like this, but has anyone dealt with problems like this? Am i going to be toothless by the time im 30? i'm only just 21! :( is there any dental work that can help repair this kind of damage? i like having teeth- they're kind of helpful in life.

you know what i would do? i'd call a dentist that someone you know recommends. or check out the internet, and see if you can find recommendations. don't just go to a random dentist.
i'm not exactly sure what should be done, but usually it is stuff like filling in cavities and doing porcelain veneers.
your best bet is to go to a dentist that you can trust.

yeah, you're definitely right- that seems like the way to go. it just seems kind of like an overwhelming problem and i guess i was just wondering if anyone's had success having repairs done on this kind of situation. I suppose i'm just looking for some hope or assurance that i won't go toothless too early in life.

I have a similar thing with worn down enamel- not due to an eating disorder but simply drinking buckets of orange juice from the age of 5 and then vigorously brushing my teeth every morning for years and years. My teeth are quite transparent and stain easily. I have "enamel strengthening toothpaste" but I don't know if it's just marketing hype. It was worth a try.

My dentist didn't recommend anything to cure it, but just said to stop it worsening just don't brush your teeth after eating anything acid!

My friends brother however also had an eating disorder, and she said he had to have his teeth 'crowned?' I'm entirely sure what that entails but it might help you to look into it.

Hope this helps!

Thanks peacefully, that was pretty helpful. the crowning thing would make sense and kind of gives me some hope. i think it's basically putting a cover on your teeth to seal and protect them, like with cavities that get bad enough. i really appreciate you guys giving input. this issue has been really worrying me lately.

This explains what a crown is, and if you are a visual learner like I am, has animated graphics to show the tooth before preperation, after prep, and with the crown on.
http://www.animated-teeth.com/dental_cr ... at_are.htm

I don't have much enamel left from a similar history and when I last went to the dentist she gave me some super fluoride toothpaste to use in addition to regular toothpaste. I haven't been back since then but it made me feel a little better.

If you're in a major metropolitan area, you might contact a local dentistry school.

Restoration dentistry is not always covered by insurance (not to mention, depending on what you have done it's insanely expensive). I've known a few folks who were able to have work done at the dentistry school for less than they would have paid at a regular dentist.

good luck!

oh yeah, that's a great idea. thanks a lot. i could always get to a metropolitan area if and when needed.

Ahhh... I've been there, Im 25 and had/have the same fear. The enamel from my front teeth was especially worn. The dentist drilled em down a bit and then covered them with tooth colored resin, the same thing the would use to fill in cavities.

Oh also, the dentist told me if your take good care of the resin cover they last longer than veneers. You have to get veneers replace more often and your teeth drilled down slightly each time.

Oh also, the dentist told me if your take good care of the resin cover they last longer than veneers. You have to get veneers replace more often and your teeth drilled down slightly each time.

thanks, i will keep that in mind if i ever do something about this.

I had to get a bridge, probably a few more, from teeth grinding and various other problems. Dentists can either be dicks - why I avoided going for years or really nice - like the one I have now. Ask around, see if your pals or family have recs! :) Dental health is important - loosing teeth is a big deal and can really age your appearance and do damage to your organs. I need more dental work done, I need a lot more $ though!

I am in a similar situation, having weakened tooth enamel/transparent edges on my teeth from an eating disorder. And I have had my dentist try to tell me that I needed veneers, not covered by insurance, for an absurd amount of money I do not have. But I would say that if you are still trying to figure it out, just take better care of your teeth and avoid chipping them. I don't know how much discomfort they cause you, but if none, you'll have more time to decide. mine have become very sensitive to sugar, to the point where it is extremely difficult to eat sweets at all. So, I would suggest trying to find a cheaper option than veneers. And also, decide whether to do this now, or not, depending on if you are fully recovered from any eating disorder or not. If not, as in my case, it seems a little pointless to restore my teeth now... Good luck though.

An older friend of my dad's (he's in his 70's) told me he had some issue since childhood in which he simply had very little to no enamel on his teeth. He told me he goes to a dentistry school every once in a while for cleanings and enamel treatments I think? I'm not sure exactly what the procedure is and I don't know if he had caps or veneers done as well. Seems to be win-win though, they gain experience and he gets healthier teeth.

Sorry that I don't have better info. :( Hope all goes well for you!

Thanks everyone, every one of your guys' answers has been very helpful. I'm just glad to know there are things that can be done if it ever gets to the point where something really does need to be done about it. the only discomfort i have with my teeth now is if i eat something very acidic like citrus my teeth can temporarily get pretty sensitive when i chew. I'll still take any others answers other are willing to offer though! any information or experience stories are all very helpful.