Teeth Issues

[Ginger38]

I have had poor enamel my entire life and they never knew why. I have taken care of my teeth but it never seemed to matter much. I ended up losing a few teeth bc of this. I also lost 2 due to a tumor and both teeth had to be removed. the oral surgeon asked me if i was bulimic my enamel was so bad... I still have poor enamel and sensitive teeth with what teeth I have left. It has made me terribly self conscious missing so many  teeth at 39 and I'm terrified of what my dental future holds... can anyone relate??? I also have severe dental anxiety bc of all my issues over the years

[Scott Adams]

Celiac disease causes dental enamel issues in many who are undiagnosed, and if you have it and are not gluten-free while your teeth are developing it can cause specific defects, and here are some research summaries on this topic:

https://www.celiac.com/search/?q=enamel&quick=1&type=cms_records2&search_in=titles

It's unclear what happens to those defects after someone goes gluten-free, and they may be lifelong. I am no dental expert, but my understanding is that dental enamel doesn't repair itself very well, or maybe not at all (definitely talk to your dentist about this, as there may be fluoride treatments, supplements, etc., that may help).

I know that dental implants can be expensive, but the cost of them has been dropping steadily, and when done correctly most people claim that they feel, look and work just like your old teeth, and can last a lifetime. If you have anxiety for dental procedures it might be a difficult way for you to go, but if you can get through a few hours in a dental office it might get rid of the "terribly self conscious" feelings you have.