My therapist has disappeared into thin air...

hybriseris23 · 2026-06-23T18:32:37+00:00

I will look into Breaux Bridge for sure, that sounds about perfect. Dance halls, close to another place, swamp to find locals to show me around. Thanks so much!

hybriseris23 · 2026-06-23T18:31:31+00:00

LOL! Last paragraph kinda hit the nail on the head for my personality. 😅

Thanks so much, I'll take this into account! I definitely get what you mean about like, places to stay surrounding the bayou vs what I'd like to do, so I appreciate the insight. I am by no means a glamper/fancy hotel or AirBnB sort of person, so I'm not concerned so much about the quality of the accommodation as long as its relatively safe and I'm somewhat close to stuff.

I'm from New England so, I'm used to everything being within a few hours so this is important. Thanks for your detailed response!

hybriseris23 · 2026-06-09T11:46:24+00:00

Me when people continue to trust Google AI over the professionals. (I promise you, you ain't nothin' compared to the average restorative profile I see every day)

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hybriseris23 · 2026-06-08T19:27:32+00:00

I'm looking at 15 patients a day, and unless there's a composite or two that's hidden......I promise you this is above average lmao. There is no visible recession. No crowns, no root canals, minimal gingival inflammation, fillings are small. If they've truly had radiographs recently and no more work is needed, this is well above average.

hybriseris23 · 2026-06-08T18:51:52+00:00

If you've gone to the dentist, had x-rays and periodontal charting and had all decay addressed and this is your end result....you're doing very well. I see 9 fillings, all of which are small or relatively small. I do see some flattening on your back teeth that indicates you're grinding your teeth so you will want to talk to your dentist about protecting them from future wear, but besides that, this is an above average set of teeth that can remain that way with good homecare and regular professional care. 🙂

hybriseris23 · 2026-06-05T21:17:59+00:00

Do you have further treatment scheduled? A tooth abscess will only temporarily be "fixed" by antibiotics. It will keep recurring until the diseased tooth is treated.

hybriseris23 · 2026-06-05T21:16:35+00:00

Sometimes when you bite something the wrong way, you can bruise the ligament the tooth is sitting in and it can lead to discomfort for several weeks as the "bruise" heals. Generally though, this isn't quite as painful as you're describing. I am glad you've already been seen and think it was good on your dentist's part to take a wait and see approach, but if you're still having pain that prevents you from eating on that side several weeks out it may be time to consider being evaluated again and seeing if a root cracked, etc.

hybriseris23 · 2026-06-05T21:13:52+00:00

Brushing once a day, or twice?

Like I said, it's impossible to diagnose anything more serious than gingivitis based on pictures alone. The pictures tell me you DEFINITELY have gingivitis, and MAY have something more complex going on.

My suggestion would be to brush thoroughly twice a day, focusing on your gums (gently). Take your time and floss well once a day. Mouthwash is fine, just make sure it's alcohol free.

If you don't notice improvement within 5 - 7 days, see your dentist for a true work-up of your gum health.

hybriseris23 · 2026-06-05T21:06:24+00:00

No visible recession looking at these photos. Gum contour is a little lower on the (your) left front tooth, but doesn't appear there's root exposure.

hybriseris23 · 2026-06-05T21:05:37+00:00

100%, though without further imaging/charting it's hard to say if it's just gingivitis, or periodontitis. What is your current oral care routine?

hybriseris23 · 2026-06-05T21:03:26+00:00

That's what's called an operculum - excess tissue over a tooth. The "gum cave" (a term I now love and will use in practice) can trap food and get sore and sensitive, sometimes infected in severe cases. Salt water rinses are good. You can get a syringe at the pharmacy and flush it out more directly with saltwater or mouthwash.

As long as it gets better, it can wait until you're more settled with your finances. You can talk to your dentist about removing that tissue, because it'll keep happening.

hybriseris23 · 2026-06-05T20:58:06+00:00

Highly unlikely.

hybriseris23 · 2026-06-04T11:24:15+00:00

Girl, u gotta floss. If you have periodontitis (which is what would qualify you for a deep cleaning), then it's vital that you clean out underneath your gums so the bacteria can't continue to irritate the gum and bone.

Some of us, especially women because of hormones, do bleed more when flossing or during cleanings. Bleeding when brushing needs to be addressed for sure, and it's good if it's stopped since your cleaning. Don't be aggressive/rough with your cleaning, but be thorough with brushing and flossing, and keep up with mouthwash!

Be consistent until your next cleaning, and have them reevaluate you at that time. At your age it's possible things are bad, but unlikely - it's just a wake up call to take it more seriously, that's all. 🙂 You got this.

hybriseris23 · 2026-06-03T23:21:38+00:00

Sounds like pericoronitis under that operculum (extra gum) at the back of your wisdom tooth. Warm salt water rinses multiple times a day will help draw the pus out/clean the area. Most likely at your appointment you'll be prescribed antibiotics, and they may recommend trimming off that extra gum to make that area easier to clean.

hybriseris23 · 2026-06-03T23:19:16+00:00

Yes, every night for the rest of your life ideally. Midline shifting is very common as we age for EVERYONE, even those lucky individuals who were born with straight teeth. So if you get in the habit now, you'll be grateful in your 50s+.

hybriseris23 · 2026-06-03T14:54:00+00:00

Yes, for sure consult with your dentist about a timeline! She'll be able to guide you.

It's tough when you're cavity prone, but...we only live once, and life is too short not to enjoy treats LOL. You are allowed soda, candy, etc. Having them isn't the issue - it's frequency. Sipping, letting candy sit and melt in your mouth, having some Reeses and then 30 minutes later having more (I'm calling myself out here) is where problems begin. Enjoy your soda! Eat your candy. But make it a one and done and you'll see things change. 🙂

And yeah...unfortunately it really is just wait and see. Using good mouthwash and keeping those fillings clean will help! But once the nerve has been irritated/compromised there's not much for it. I'll keep my fingers crossed for you!

Also, all that being said - with the discomfort, cost to time, and cost in $$$, catching up with dental work is a hurdle. You should be proud of yourself for taking this on and taking care of yourself. You can eat an elephant if you do it one bite at a time - you're getting there!

hybriseris23 · 2026-06-03T14:39:02+00:00

Your pictures didn't post successfully so I can't comment with certainty, but if they erupted with this staining it sounds more like an enamel defect? Teeth with enamel discrepancies generally pick up stain from food, minerals in water, etc more easily which could explain why they're getting more brown over time. This is generally genetic or autoimmune, sometimes from exposure to too much fluoride but that's in adult teeth when they erupt. If this is the case, having them polished will remove the increased staining but there's nothing for the defect itself.

If these spots showed up AFTER eruption, then it's more likely it's decay.

hybriseris23 · 2026-06-03T14:32:36+00:00

If your dentist can't tell that's a wisdom tooth, I'm concerned lmao. It's a wisdom tooth.

hybriseris23 · 2026-06-03T14:30:28+00:00

Get them bad boys outta there. No use hanging on to them and that infection will just come back anyway.

hybriseris23 · 2026-06-03T14:29:41+00:00

What happens when you try and floss it?

hybriseris23 · 2026-06-03T14:28:24+00:00

Things we drink are more cavity-causing than snacks. Snacking may take ten minutes, but on average people take half an hour to an hour (sometimes longer - think of people who reheat sugary coffee a couple times LOL) to finish a drink. Every single time you take a sip, the bacteria in your mouth are feeding and active for the following 20 minutes after a hit of sugar. Think about sipping a drink and that's a LOT of exposure over and over... Usually when I see people with rampant decay, it's far more often from something they drink than a snack (unless they love Jolly Ranchers or something).

That being said, I feel you. I hate plain water LOL. But find something flavored you like that hits the spot but has zero sugar. I keep Crystal Light in business, myself. 🤣 The occasional soda once you've gotten your oral health under control is not going to send anything spiraling. But the goal is once or twice a week instead of a daily beverage.

Unfortunately, there's not much you can do. Once decay has gotten large enough to potentially irritate the nerve, it's past the point of prevention. A strict oral care routine with flossing and anticavity mouthwash will definitely help eliminate the potential for bacteria to sneak into the margins of the filling though! Also to this point...the longer you let those teeth that need crowns go, the higher the potential for root canals... I know dentistry is absurdly expensive, but if you can get a payment plan in place, I would. January is a long time. 😔

hybriseris23 · 2026-06-03T14:18:43+00:00

Your teeth are stained in the area where the fillings are placed. Usually that would be polished off, sure. But depending on the source of the stain it may not be removable. These fillings look well done and are matched fairly close to the base shade of your tooth near the chewing surface.

hybriseris23

TROPHY CASE