Anything I can do to arrest and/or slow carie while waiting to get a filling?

[Bobby Fischer]

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Approximately 0.75 mm cavitation on #19 buccal surface enamel, though darker coloration extends/ fans outward underneath enamel.

I have an appointment with my dentist in 1 week. Already had a filling (called typical 'box' filling?) installed 20 years ago: post the band for braces that encircled this tooth (lazy teenager was I and didn't brush, etc or wear my head brace). Hope I don't need a crown and I certainly don't want the decay to progress to pulp chamber such that I endure pain and end up needing a root canal. No pain or discomfort sensed yet.

Meanwhile, is there anything I can do to arrest the progress of this thing and/or slow it while I wait? How fast do these caries eat through enamel and/or dentin? Any sources I can read to get a sense of the timeline I am looking at for the rate of caries going from enamel-> dentin-> pulp chamber?

Since I discovered the cavity 48 hours ago I've been brushing every 3 hours + after every meal Also packing flouride toothpaste into the cavity after brushing. Staying away from sweets, etc. Perhaps I apply/ flush some hydrogen peroxide to the interior of the cavity with a cotton tipped swab every 4 hours?

to wait another week seems like a long time for the decay to progress through dentin and into pulp chamber/ nerve, etc. I need my #19 and don't want to lose it! Wish I could go in exactly right now and get its progress snuffed immediately before I lose any more structure, etc.

Thought I'd ask some resident experts. Thanks in advance.😳

 

[doc toothache]

Aren't you in ds?

 

[Bobby Fischer]

Aren't you in ds?

yes. Please help me be a good student and point me in some good directions for some timely information on this topic, thank you. I am sure I will know the answer in detail in 4 years but obviously I am concerned about waiting even 1 more week.

Besides dental school professors I thought I would ask here. I am also going to call up a few dentists I know personally (shadowed them) and ask them tomorrow. I had to setup my appointment with my dentist this afternoon (also shadowed him) through his office manager and I didn't get to ask him yet.

All information in reply to my OP including pointing me in the right direction towards sources of information answering my questions is much appreciated!

 

[Wax n Relax]

Approximately 0.75 mm cavitation on #19 buccal surface enamel, though darker coloration extends/ fans outward underneath enamel.

I have an appointment with my dentist in 1 week. Already had a filling (called typical 'box' filling?) installed 20 years ago: post the band for braces that encircled this tooth (lazy teenager was I and didn't brush, etc or wear my head brace). Hope I don't need a crown and I certainly don't want the decay to progress to pulp chamber such that I endure pain and end up needing a root canal. No pain or discomfort sensed yet.

Meanwhile, is there anything I can do to arrest the progress of this thing and/or slow it while I wait? How fast do these caries eat through enamel and/or dentin? Any sources I can read to get a sense of the timeline I am looking at for the rate of caries going from enamel-> dentin-> pulp chamber?

Since I discovered the cavity 48 hours ago I've been brushing every 3 hours + after every meal Also packing flouride toothpaste into the cavity after brushing. Staying away from sweets, etc. Perhaps I apply/ flush some hydrogen peroxide to the interior of the cavity with a cotton tipped swab every 4 hours?

to wait another week seems like a long time for the decay to progress through dentin and into pulp chamber/ nerve, etc. I need my #19 and don't want to lose it! Wish I could go in exactly right now and get its progress snuffed immediately before I lose any more structure, etc.

Thought I'd ask some resident experts. Thanks in advance.😳

This guy seems spot on and very scientific.
http://www.curetoothdecay.com/
I don't understand how this couldn't work. Also, take a chill pill, you'll be fine until next week.

 

[goffdent]

Just think about how long some patients wait just so they can be a boards patient....

 

[Duriel]

Don't brush immediately after eating. You're just scraping away fragile enamel. To slow down the lesion, you need to let the enamel remineralize. More time between meals, fluoride, and some xylitol gum to improve salivary flow.

 

[Bobby Fischer]

Don't brush immediately after eating. You're just scraping away fragile enamel. To slow down the lesion, you need to let the enamel remineralize. More time between meals, fluoride, and some xylitol gum to improve salivary flow.

awesome. Where to get xylitol gum? going to google it right now and see what comes up...maybe a pharmacy? thank you👍 Additional thoughts on this thread topic very welcome...

 

[Duriel]

awesome. Where to get xylitol gum? going to google it right now and see what comes up...maybe a pharmacy? thank you👍 Additional thoughts on this thread topic very welcome...

Lots of gum now a days use xylitol, like trident and orbit. Just make sure its the main sugar ingredient.

 

[suarez 7]

You're brushing way too much imo, I think it's becoming abrasive for you.
Also I am not too sure about those remineralization techniques you mentioned. I mean, once the bacteria hits your dentin, there's not much you can do...

 

[Duriel]

You're brushing way too much imo, I think it's becoming abrasive for you.
Also I am not too sure about those remineralization techniques you mentioned. I mean, once the bacteria hits your dentin, there's not much you can do...

We don't know if its in the dentin yet. Plus my information is good for anyone looking to reduce their risk of caries

 

[sleeplessinsf]

if you have access to these things, mix some IRM or Fuji 2/9 and push into the cavity w/ your fingers for a temp fill until you can see your dentist...

frankly I don't think 1 week will make any difference even if you don't do anything..

if you can't get a temp filling in there, put some fluoride varnish into the hole let dry don't eat/drink/rinse for 30 min.

 

[TJNova2011]

Approximately 0.75 mm cavitation on #19 buccal surface enamel, though darker coloration extends/ fans outward underneath enamel.

I have an appointment with my dentist in 1 week. Already had a filling (called typical 'box' filling?) installed 20 years ago: post the band for braces that encircled this tooth (lazy teenager was I and didn't brush, etc or wear my head brace). Hope I don't need a crown and I certainly don't want the decay to progress to pulp chamber such that I endure pain and end up needing a root canal. No pain or discomfort sensed yet.

Meanwhile, is there anything I can do to arrest the progress of this thing and/or slow it while I wait? How fast do these caries eat through enamel and/or dentin? Any sources I can read to get a sense of the timeline I am looking at for the rate of caries going from enamel-> dentin-> pulp chamber?

Since I discovered the cavity 48 hours ago I've been brushing every 3 hours + after every meal Also packing flouride toothpaste into the cavity after brushing. Staying away from sweets, etc. Perhaps I apply/ flush some hydrogen peroxide to the interior of the cavity with a cotton tipped swab every 4 hours?

to wait another week seems like a long time for the decay to progress through dentin and into pulp chamber/ nerve, etc. I need my #19 and don't want to lose it! Wish I could go in exactly right now and get its progress snuffed immediately before I lose any more structure, etc.

Thought I'd ask some resident experts. Thanks in advance.😳

stop acting like a *****, you're not a dental student.

 

[TJNova2011]

stop acting like a *****, you're not a dental student.

are you having any swelling???? these molar teeth can blow up and cause ludwigs angina!!!

 

[Bobby Fischer]

stop acting like a *****, you're not a dental student.

you first. You're not a dentist😛😉

are you having any swelling???? these molar teeth can blow up and cause ludwigs angina!!!

as a matter of fact, here is a picture of myself I just took with my phone camera 😛. Hope I survive the night:

 

[Bobby Fischer]

if you have access to these things, mix some IRM or Fuji 2/9 and push into the cavity w/ your fingers for a temp fill until you can see your dentist...

frankly I don't think 1 week will make any difference even if you don't do anything..

if you can't get a temp filling in there, put some fluoride varnish into the hole let dry don't eat/drink/rinse for 30 min.

+1 👍 Thanks for the ideas!

 

[7 Iron]

Haha, man, some people go years without brushing and they still have their teeth. Don't worry about waiting one week to get it fixed. As someone else mentioned, some carious lesions can remineralize if they are confined to enamel.

 

[tinman831]

Medical advice threads are not permitted.