To want dentures at 30 to stop this constant worrying??

[Coffeeebean]

Bit of an odd one

I have HORRIBLE anxiety about my teeth. Horrible.

I am constantly worried about decay and check them pretty much hourly with a torch and a mirror in my mouth. If I notice a new dark spot that I havent seen before its day and days of anxiety and tears and checking checking checking.

Eating anything sugary stresses me out and I have to rinse my mouth out immediately after.

I brush 3-4 times a day which I know is bad in itself. I also go to see my poor dentist every 3-4 months because ive found another thing that i need to get checked because i cant eat from the anxiety of it being decay.

The strangest thing is...nothing has ever been wrong with them. Ive never had any work done. My teeth have lots of staining and some enamel erosion due to an ED in my 20s....but my dentist reassures me they are fine.

Despite being told this from multiple dentist, I am still always thinking about my teeth. Worrying about the future. How long will they last, what work will i need done, will i be able to afford it.

I am already on medication for anxiety and have had CBT. I told my GP about my behaviour with my teeth (as was concerned it was OCD) and was told there was nothing else that could be done.

So, AIBU to want to have them all removed now so i can stop this constant worrying???

I feel like they are ruining my life

Take it from someone that knows, even if you did that you would fixate on something else, you need to treat the underlying anxiety (said from someone that hasn't 🙄)

My experience with my GP was terrible (to the point ive now put in a formal complaint). Im not sure what else the NHs has to offer me. But i do think a diagnosis would be helpful...

I’m 51and have no fillings. I brush them 3-4 times a day. I have given up going to the dentist. Even if you do get a small cavity, they are actually reversible.
Sometimes my teeth become sensitive so I cut down on fruit and increase the dairy.
This is all you need to do, and make sure you brush around the gum-line and floss at least before sleeping every night.

How much are you paying to see the dentist frequently? Do you have an NHS dentist?
What's the fear? What would happen if you did have a cavity?

Another thought - I am actually not sure i would fixate on something else.

My teeth are unique in that I know they are damaged from my past, they are irreperable (unlike any other body part) and they cost a fortune when they go wrong (as i only have private dentisty as an option)

I cant think of anything else that would create such a big problem in the future that it would cause me so much anxiety now

You will find something else to fixate on.
It feels like you won't because anxiety only cares about the current thing.
Teeth aren't unique. Many people actually have terrible teeth they need fixing and have no money and it still doesn't concern them.

Like someone else said, even if you did have your teeth removed, you'd just transfer your fears onto something else. That could be worse...at least with teeth you can keep an eye on them and nothing life-threatening is going to happen. If I was you I'd continue going to the dentist for now. You know that nothing is going to happen in 3-4 months and if you know you're going to receive that reassurance you can hopefully wean yourself off the checking.

I know your thoughts aren't rational (I have health anxiety/ocd) but I'm not sure why having your teeth removed now is different to possibly having them removed in the future.

My DF got dentures at 42 due to bad teeth and despite what other posters said they were utter misery for him from start to end, there were loads of foods he could no longer eat, they were uncomfortable, and most of the time he didn't wear them due to the issues he had so he just had an empty mouth which was how I remember him.

He was diagnosed with OCD (amongst other things) and got to the point where he was worried his dentures were contaminated and could never brush them enough for them to be ok to go in his mouth after a few years, so I don't think dentures are the answer you're looking for.

Also bear in mind the amount of time between having all your teeth removed and actually getting the dentures made because you don't instantly get them, your jaw has to settle properly first before they can take moulds for the dentures to fit properly.

Something else is probably going on op. My health anxiety gets much worse when I'm stressed about something else.

Well no NHS dentist will give you dentures instead of healthy teeth, it would be unethical and not cost effective, so practically that's the end of that.

I have a private dentist?

But removable dentures (from a privat3 dentist) are ~£1000 compared to implants at ~£30,000

What's the worst that could happen if they did decay?
It wouldn't happen to all your teeth overnight - if you visit the dentist regularly (but on a standard cycle, not more than that) they would usually pick it up even before you felt it and could fill or extract at that point, one tooth at a time, and only when necessary. So if you needed dentures you'd end up with them, but you could get the full use out of your own healthy teeth first.

And psychotherapy is cheaper still. And there are other free methods of improving your mental health and living with OCD.

Get yourself some GC tooth mousse to repair the damage (it is repairable these days). It was recommended to us for DC1 who had severely damaged teeth from terrible reflux (constant vomiting) until age 18 months which ruined all his baby teeth. You put it on once a week and leave it on overnight. It's bloody expensive (about £20) but you can get it from a dentist or from Amazon.

I wonder if the fact that your teeth are damaged from your ED is triggering this OP.

It sounds like a form of health anxiety - a good cbt therapist.

I agree with Blanket. I do think addressing the anxiety is key.

Not a single dentist in the UK would take out an entire mouth of healthy teeth and replace them with dentures. Frankly they would get struck off as inevitably you would report them for doing something so unethical once all the problems of having to deal with dentures set in for you. Loss of teeth at an early age will result in resorption of your jaws until they are so unbelievably thin. They will result in collapse of your lower face muscles as the thinning jaw and teeth no longer support the soft tissues. Every time you take out your dentures you would age 30 years.

if your teeth are fine and you get them checked every few months and you have moderate amounts of sugar (no need to cut it out entirely don’t worry the odd bit of sugar here or there is fine) and you don’t over brush (this can wear away tooth tissue) then you will be absolutely fine.

what you need is your gp to refer you to psychiatry - not just for therapy. They may will need to prescribe you medication for OCD if they diagnose that and that often can be high dose antidepressants (usually and SSRI).

please note that OCD is not logical or rational and is an illness - I’m just highlighting it won’t get better by taking out your teeth. If you’re worried about potential costs in the future you’re doing the best thing to avoid it which is regular 6 monthly check ups and not eating excess sugar.

The only way you’ll be able to do it is privately

no NHS dentist would take out someone entire teeth that are healthy

I’m a bit confused about why you think it would solve your anxiety to get denture now OP?

Your teeth are ok at the moment so why not wait until you have serious issues with them and get the dentures then?

You don’t save money by getting them now.

Also, my mother lost her teeth in her 20s and dentures have been awful for her so you could end up regretting it.

Terrible advice.

I have a relative who was firmly in the grips of anorexia from age 18 until her 40's.Now 60 she carries a lot of guilt about what she did to her body in that time - her teeth being one of her major concerns. They were damaged but they are actually better than mine. Your anxiety/OCD/guilt is controlling you OP. Better treatment and therapy is the way forward. Not dentures.

I had .my wisdom tooth our privately and it was £275 plus the xrays I had already had.

Then you have to worry about dry socket.

I don't think any UK dentist would remove healthy teeth. So what if you get a filling. Seeing the dentist that often will be a 2 minute job.

I didn't go for about 10 years and wasn't particularly careful tbh and no treatment needed at all.

With teeth removal doesn't the jaw shrink and gums etc so will alter your face shape and dentures can become uncomfortable?

I had a removable brace and that was gross.

Having all your teeth removed is associated with much higher risk of other health complications (diabetes, heart disease for example). If you already have health anxiety it is only going to end up with you focusing on something else. You need more therapy, plus no decent dentist is going to remove your teeth.

If you want to look 10 15 20 years older go ahead and have them removed. If you want pain in your gums and sores from the dentures go ahead and have them removed. You’ve got health anxiety go to the doctor and get CBT you might have to wait, but it’ll be worth it.

I am in my early 30s, had dentures since mid 20s (had a partial then full top & partial bottoms)
BEST THING I EVER DID!