this post was submitted on 07 May 2024
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A 2020 Cochrane review that assessed the two clinical trials concluded that "whether adults see their dentist for a check‐up every six months or at personalized intervals based on their dentist's assessment of their risk of dental disease does not affect tooth decay, gum disease, or quality of life. Longer intervals (up to 24 months) between check‐ups may not negatively affect these outcomes." The Cochrane reviewers reported that they were "confident" of little to no difference between six-month and risk-based check-ups and were "moderately confident" that going up to 24-month checkups would make little to no difference either.

Likewise, Nadanovsky and his colleagues highlight that there is no evidence supporting the benefit of common scaling and polishing treatments for adults without periodontitis. And for children, cavities in baby teeth are routinely filled, despite evidence from a randomized controlled trial that rates of pain and infections are similar—about 40 percent—whether the cavities are filled or not.

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[–] WhatAmLemmy@lemmy.world 86 points 5 months ago (4 children)

Further evidence that the privatization of healthcare is incentivized to produce worse outcomes and waste.

[–] benni@lemmy.world 9 points 5 months ago (1 children)

This article of a dentist testing other dentists gives some more anecdotal evidence: https://www.rd.com/article/how-honest-are-dentists/

[–] ReluctantMuskrat@lemmy.world 1 points 5 months ago (1 children)

Great article, and shocking to see the prices mentioned and this at the end: This article originally ran in the February 1997 issue of Reader’s Digest.

[–] ReluctantMuskrat@lemmy.world 1 points 5 months ago

But then it also says after that Originally Published: November 18, 2020 Who knows?

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[–] Melkath@kbin.social 50 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) (4 children)

Time before last I had a dental checkup, they said I needed 12 fillings. Didn't schedule the fillings.

Last time I went in for a dental checkup, they said I needed 5 fillings. Didn't schedule the fillings.

It's been 15 years since that, and none of my teeth have gone rotten. None of them have gotten painful.

[–] Coreidan@lemmy.world 33 points 5 months ago (1 children)

Sounds like you need a better dentist.

There are caring legit dentists out there. I know, hard to believe.

[–] Melkath@kbin.social 1 points 5 months ago (1 children)

I dont deny it.

Shame on me for just existing with okay teeth.

[–] Coreidan@lemmy.world 13 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) (1 children)

No reason to have shame. All I’m saying is if you think your dentist is fucking around you should get a better dentist instead of avoiding them your entire life.

There are clear benefits to getting regular checkups. You are blessed that you don’t have any problems. But that can change quickly with age.

You only get one set of teeth and you don’t know what you don’t know.

All it takes is a simple infection to fuck your shit up. Bite wing X-rays allows you to get ahead of issues like that instead of waiting until it’s an issue because by then it’s too late.

[–] TheDoozer@lemmy.world -3 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) (2 children)

You only get one set of teeth

This is demonstrably false.

Edit: I think some people missed my joke. We all (almost all) have a set of teeth that fall out and another set comes in, so it's just funny that they used the phrase "you only get one...." like we use for eyes, or brain, when we, in fact, end up having the whole set replaced once in our lives.

[–] capital@lemmy.world 8 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) (1 children)
[–] corsicanguppy@lemmy.ca 2 points 5 months ago (1 children)

They've encouraged new teeth to form in small animals through inhibiting some gene expression. It's new, but it's an exciting niche. Humans are next.

[–] capital@lemmy.world 3 points 5 months ago

Shark teeth for humans when?

[–] Pretzilla@lemmy.world 4 points 5 months ago

Baby oh baby

[–] givesomefucks@lemmy.world 17 points 5 months ago

I feel like there's a lot of dentists in here mad that a study scientifically showed dental care is drastically over prescribed...

You post an ancedot about how you were over prescribed treatment which aligns with the scientific study's findings...

And someone immediately tries to tell you it was bad luck you had it happen

And not the norm across various countries like the scientific study found.

[–] Neato@ttrpg.network 7 points 5 months ago

Some dentists can be very proactive. Mine ID'd 2 small cavities but said if I focus on those areas they will probably not grow and be fine.

My wife's childhood dentist gave her more than a dozen fillings for small cavities. If you ever get a dentist like that, I'd suggest to get a second opinion.

Don't fuck around with your mouth health: dentures are not fun and infections there can be lethal. But another check-up won't hurt if you think something's off.

[–] corsicanguppy@lemmy.ca 1 points 5 months ago

If you have mercenary healthcare, they're gonna want their money.

[–] Dkarma@lemmy.world 17 points 5 months ago

Takes 6 months to even get an appointment!

[–] Neato@ttrpg.network 7 points 5 months ago (1 children)

I think the 6mo cleanings are the prepare for people who don't take good care of their teeth. My plan allows for 3/4 cleanings a year if I want them. And some people are a lot more prone.

[–] corsicanguppy@lemmy.ca 1 points 5 months ago

are the prepare

What?

for people who don’t take good care of their teeth

Genetically, some people have weaker enamel. Economically, your childhood dental care will greatly affect your adulthood needs.

[–] mozz@mbin.grits.dev 5 points 5 months ago
[–] Euphorazine@lemmy.world 4 points 5 months ago (1 children)

Man, just know my dental plan would take a study like this to move to once a year cleanings :(

I like getting my teeth cleaned at the dentist

[–] Sizzler@slrpnk.net 2 points 5 months ago

It's like waterboarding to me!

[–] MonkderDritte@feddit.de 1 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) (1 children)

Here (Swiss) it's every year.

[–] corsicanguppy@lemmy.ca 4 points 5 months ago (1 children)

it’s all year

What exactly happens continually throughout the year for you?

[–] MonkderDritte@feddit.de 6 points 5 months ago (1 children)
[–] samus12345@lemmy.world 3 points 5 months ago

No, it was spelled right. Just a grammatical error.

[–] paige@lemmy.ca 1 points 5 months ago (1 children)

I also remember reading some research which said that time spent flossing is better spent brushing.

Can’t help but wonder if the fillings I got as a kid which need to be replaced every few years were avoidable.

[–] applepie@kbin.social 8 points 5 months ago

Can confirm some bias with a trust me bro here for sure.

Rotting food is what causes most issues with teeth is my understanding for a healthy person.

Depending on how your teeth are spaces, brushing will do fuck all to dislodge the rot. Flossing is the only way to do it for me. Water floss is decent when I am lazy but nothing beats that's string friction.

I floss more regularly than brush

[–] givesomefucks@lemmy.world -2 points 5 months ago (3 children)

Exams are beneficial, they can catch issues early.

The unnecessary cleanings are the bad part, teeth aren't supposed to be bright white, to get them that way we're often stripping off a protective coating.

Like, if you're 60+ years old who cares. But doing it for decades adds up and may end up cancelling out benefits from exams.

What looks best just isn't always the best for long term health.

[–] Coreidan@lemmy.world 30 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) (5 children)

teeth aren't supposed to be bright white

Dental cleanings don’t make your teeth bright white. Removing tarter doesn’t make your teeth white.

All a dental cleaning should ever be is tarter removal. If your dentist is whitening your teeth then you need to get a proper dentist.

But doing it for decades adds up and may end up cancelling out benefits from exams.

You don’t have the first clue as to what you’re talking about and you’re giving people terrible advice.

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[–] iopq@lemmy.world 20 points 5 months ago (3 children)

That's not what cleanings are for

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[–] Montagge@lemmy.zip 9 points 5 months ago (12 children)

I don't get whitening done at my cleaning. Is getting whitening done common?

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