All I want for Christmas is my Two Front Teeth

I needed to see an NHS dentist a while back when I was out of work and could not find one anywhere close to me. I did find out a dentist did have a space but not for 18 months. Thankfully, I started to earn regularly again and went to a private dentist. It turned out I had an infection and it was lucky it hadn't spread but my doctor had given me antibiotics to keep me going until I found a dentist. My private dentist charged £85 for seeing me and £85 for the extraction, which I thought wasn't too bad given the length of time that I hadn't been to a dentist. I make sure I go every six months now and I'd advise anyone if they have dental pain to contact a dentists as ASAP or to see an emergency dentist, which is usually free.

I have lost my front tooth since childhood, for like a decade or two I've been using some sort of jacket crown. but since it's no longer fitting, i've finally decided to use dentures because of that. anyways, took me a while to realize that i really need to take care of my teeth but it's too late now but i have been brushing my teeth every after meal now

I was seven years old when this Chipmunks Christmas song became available here in my country. At that time I was shedding my baby teeth and my brothers kept teasing me that I would be toothless. I never understood that I would just be toothless for a few month, even weeks maybe. So when my permanent teeth started growing, I kept silent and never told my mom that I needed to go to the dentist. So what happened is that my teeth have become crooked because my permanent teeth just overlapped my baby teeth. My teeth are still crooked and would need braces to straighten them out. But in my country, this is very expensive so I never really had braces installed. I don't mind the crookedness of my teeth though because one can hardly notice it. But growing up I was very conscious of my crooked teeth. I guess as you grow older, your scales become thicker and the name calling that would send you to tears as a child seems very stupid today.

that happened to us as well. hubby had no health insurance and we couldn't afford to go to the dentist and then he lost his job and i needed to get some stuff done to my teeth. fortunately, here where i live, there is a dental 'bus' that goes around for people with low or no income and i got a chance to get treated there.

Like another responder, I have "soft teeth" that plagued me with cavities growing up. Luckily, my mother was a firm believer in oral health and made all kinds of sacrifices to make sure that we all had regular dental care. I have a couple of bridges and crowns due to not being able to afford dental care as a young adult. And when I was married I sent my kids to the dentist rather than myself so I allowed plaque and tarter to build up. Now I need a skin graft on one of my lower front teeth since the skin has retracted from periodontal disease but I can't really afford the $2,000 it would be. I also need a new crown ($800) because the one I have keeps coming off. My teeth are sensitive to heat and cold and I can only chew on the right side, which hurts since I started grinding my teeth. I bought a night guard that helps a bit in that respect but most mornings I find it in the bed instead of my mouth! At least I don't have any cavities and I now go to the dentist twice a year for cleanings. Dentists are so expensive but oral health affects overall health and can even cause heart trouble if you let things go untreated. I would really like to find a way that everyone can afford to go to the dentist--many dentists donate huge blocks of time to free clinics for the poor but people like me who aren't poor but not well off enough to do anything more than make ends meet are really in a bad spot when it comes to dental and general health care.

Santa Clause will keep laughing when he read your discussion. the gift you needed is just so funny.i believe santa clause will reach your house and put two teeth in your socks. wish you nice days.

Personally my teeth are not good, and a lot of it is due to being diabetic and not having good dental insurance or the money to see a dentist and do something snout this. Even back the yrs I was on disability it did not include seeing a dentist. So unfortunately my teeth is nothing to write home about.

I must admit that it has been quite a few years since I visited a dentist for myself. One of the reasons was having to keep re-registering and finding a good dentist. My teeth have always been healthy. The only problem being aesthetic. The last time I went to the dentist myself, I had had my teeth scraped and was supposed to get back for a polish. I didn't go back as I thought the dentist had done more harm than good considering I had never had a problem with my teeth but then they became sensitive. So as far as I know, my teeth are ok. I only brush them once a day - as I always have but I drink lots of milk so that's supposed to help. I take my boys regularly and they're always fine too. We keep being told about brushing twice a day and that brushing it night is the most important, etc. yet my and my childrens' teeth are always fine despite only eerie brushing in the morning!

My teeth are awful and I hate them and for the last few years have been embarrassed by them. However I have been noticing lately that many folk of my vintage have teeth similar to mine. Mine are crooked and yellow and holy where the fillings have fallen out and many women I see also have crooked, stained and gappy teeth. I'm not speaking of lower class type people either; the woman I saw the other day was in upper management in a prestige car dealer establishment. I think brushing your teeth like that Pikey is only setting yourself up for more dental work. You are wearing them out mate! A good brushing with a soft brush at night after your meal, a refresh brush when you wake up and a toothpick or floss somewhere in between. I keep a toothpick with me constantly.

I was supposed to go to the dentist this morning but woke up in the middle of the night sick - so that didn't happen!

In better shape than yours, but I do need to floss more often...

Ah, that's a bit of a shame. It kind of feels bad when you have something like that happen and you know that it might have been prevented somehow. I usually have checkups for my teeth each year. I go on the public waiting list which is very long but its better than nothing.

Hello pIke, you are so happy with your health care system. The picture of our country is quite opposite. We have no health insurance benefit. The government hospitals are overcrowded. There are no sufficient beds in the hospitals. Patients lay on the floor. They are mostly poor people. Hospitals can not supply required medicines. Patients have to buy medicine from outside with high price. Rich people get treatment from private hospitals and clinics. These are very costly. Only wealthy people could afford such costly treatment.

Im lucky Ive never had problems with my teeth.. if I did Im lucky to have a great family friend who is a dentist here in Mexico. my grandfather taught him. My son also wants to be a dentist....

I haven't seen a dentist since late 2010 (last time I had insurance). Strangely, she said that my teeth were relatively clean and free of gum disease, but noticed something under a crown I had done, and sent me to a dendodontist to take a look because it was under the post. Turned out I had an abscess that was causing horrendous pain all that time! I spent money out of pocket for him to refer me to a local oral surgeon. So I'll be forced to be sedated and have the entire post and crown removed, the abscess removed and the entire socket cleaned, and finally get a bridge. I'm scared how much this will also cost me, especially now that I no longer have insurance! I'm terrible about flossing (I had 11 cavities filled in 2005, most of which where between my teeth!). I've got 'soft' teeth, like my mother and sister-we've required a lot of work, even with brushing daily. When I start working again, I'm going to see a local dentist and begin exploring getting everything done on a payment plan!

hi pikey our health care system is horrible but I am luckedy with my hmo for seniors bu t it has a lousy dental help and I have mouthful of need to be filled teeht and need crowns because the ose is os e xpensive and what little dental coverage I have is minimal to what the d entist act ually charge. to all who fight Presideent obamas health care p lan I want tol say thankd for nothing you stupid idiots, we need it most of us are not wealthy asnd cannot afford private insurances. darn. some people good m orning pikey

I should probably visit the dentist. I'm holding out for my probationary period with my new job to finish so my health insurance kicks in. That way its not as much cost out of pocket.

I'd like to have one tooth removed for it doesn't look good but I'm scared of blood and injections hence I kept in putting it off. I have a health card that also covers dental care but all I avail every year is teeth cleaning service and my daughter who got this for me is not glad why I'm not taking advantage of the covered benefits.

I lost my teeth many years ago due to a very serious gum disease. Most of them basically fell out. The roots disintegrated. So now I have full dentures. In a way, its good. I have no dental insurance, and am on a fixed income, so at least I don't have to worry about dental bills.