How often do you visit the dentist?

[anarres]

Either the last time you went, or the gap between the last time and the one before, whichever is longest.

[digger760]

lets see, i last went in 2001, 1998 before that, then i think it was around 1990 the time before that.

EDIT: and not a single filling:D

[anarres]

The reason I ask is that recently I went after a looong gap, and I was very suprised not to need any fillings (although one of my wisdom teeth was described as borderline :().

As an aside, I had a beautiful oriental dentist. Oriental women are not my normal cup of tea but she was the prettiest woman I have seen for ages. Also, it was kind of a turn on to have her hands all around the inside of my mouth. I guess going to the dentist has improved since I last went. [satan] :D

[ERIKK]

Every 6 months, I make the next appointment after every visit... I got only 1 or 2 fillings which isnt bad at all!

[anarres]

Well I only have 2 partial fillings and I go every 3 to 4 years. ;)

hehe, having said that I have to change my ways if my wisdom tooth is not to be pulled. The damn thing is so slightly below the line of the rest my toothbrush is apparently missing it every time. I intend to go back in 6 months this time.

[Nightfa11]

Every six months...didn't go for a long time, ended up needing three root canals. Now I go every six months :D

[Gothmog]

I go every 6 months to 1 year. Probably every 10 months on average. I will make my next appointment when I go, but I usually have to reschedule once or twice.

I've found that dentists will often tell you to get fillings even if you don't need them for sure. This is good for you anyway because then you will never have real trouble, and it's good for them as they get more of your cash. Often if you talk with your dentist a little more (as long as they aren't on a power trip), they will tell you something like "well, let's see how it is six months from now".

I was told to get braces when I was 12, I refused after discussion and I have never regretted that choice. I was told to get my wisdom teeth out and I refused after discussion - all four are still fine. You got to question authority sometimes.

[Taurendil]

Ehm, i guess i last went when i was about 15. I'm 26 now [blush]. Oh and you have to go at least once a year for the medical insurance in Belgium. On the other hand i've never had any holes --> :D

[prettyvacant]

6 mths - 1 yr
not much choice; if you dont, you get chucked off the NHS list, and if that happens (where i live) you cant find another nhs dentist and would have to go private - which is against both my philosophical and financial priciples.

[ProPain]

anarres, htf do you come up with these kind of polls????

usually every 6-12 months, last time was june and i have to go back in a few weeks to get a filling replaced that cracked a bit when I ate a peanut..... Between the two halves there are those tiny, little hard bits and one of them messed my filling up. And i dont have a good looking, oriental female dentise either [cry]

[anarres]

[lol]

This poll came after a visit to the dentist and the booze poll came after a couple of G&T's... [yeah]

[smalltalk]

I don't like doctors as professionals. I got one as a friend, but otherwise, I'm happy not to see them. So I don't see them until something hurts.

As a child, I went regularely to the dentist. This got me quite some fillings. Then I stopped any visits for a decade and a half. Unfortunately, one of those old fillings began to wear out and fell apart. Silly me ran around with an open tooth until it really began to hurt, so I finally had to see a dentist again.

He said that the root had to be extracted. When I saw him coming with this one-inch long hairline drill, I went sissy.

I said: Hold it! I won't have this down into my jaw. Just fill up that cavity.
He went, that would be a Kunstfehler - failure of medical art - and that I would be experiencing unknown pains and that I would come and throw dirt after him.

But he was a nice guy, so after some arguing, he did what I wanted him to and just filled up the gaping hole.

Up to now, I haven't had any problems with this tooth. And I wonder, have I just been one of those rare lucky cases? Or was the dentist just taking care of the possible 20% risk of cases that would turn bad - and then sue him?

Doctors seem to be so sure. Whereas I feel you can never be sure of something, before you do it. Medicine is based on statictics. But does statistics really apply to any individual person?

Of course, I suffer from a severe medical phobia, but that doesn't mean that doctors are always right. [tongue]