My tongue has been turning dark and has developed this black peeling ring that makes it hard to eat and so painful to brush. I tried using mouthwash to counteract the pain of brushing, but it seems to have made it worse. Also, the back of my throat is so sore, and I can’t afford to go to a dentist or any doctor right now. Please help!

Edit:

Went to the ER, and they said it looked more like an infection or something parasitic. They prescribed me something that would help. It's definitely not cancer, but I should follow up with the ER and an ENT. Thanks, everyone!

38F, non-drinker, non-smoker. Currently undergoing a full-mouth reconstruction to correct a Class II bite and ongoing jaw/bite problems.

I’m hoping to get opinions from dentists, particularly prosthodontists or anyone experienced in full-mouth rehabilitation.

Approximately three weeks ago, I had my upper and lower teeth prepared and temporary restorations placed.

Since then, I’ve experienced several concerning issues:

• Unable to bite down properly since the temporaries were placed.
• Persistent jaw popping, particularly on one side, which was one of the issues this treatment was supposed to address.
• Three temporary restorations have cracked or detached, all in the same general area where my jaw is popping.
• I previously told my dentist that one temporary felt cracked or unstable. He examined it and assured me it was fine. That same restoration subsequently broke off.
• Severe tooth sensitivity developed suddenly approximately 2.5 weeks after placement. The sensitivity is particularly bad across my lower teeth. Even air conditioning blowing toward my face causes sharp pain.
• Eating is extremely uncomfortable, and applying pressure to certain teeth is excruciating.

At my appointment last week, I explained how severe the pain had become. My dentist told me this sensitivity was completely normal and sent me home with a stellalife kit so help with pain but it still persists.

When he asked me to bite down on a piece of cotton today as he was adjusting my bite, the pain was so intense that I had tears rolling down my face.

My biggest concern is that my permanent restorations have already been ordered from the lab.

I questioned how the permanent restorations could be fabricated correctly when I’m still unable to bite properly, my jaw continues popping, and the temporaries repeatedly fracture.

My dentist explained that the digital scans have corrected my bite and that the permanent restorations will be correct.

However, I’m struggling to understand how this can be determined when the functional issues remain unresolved.

Questions for dentists:

1. Is this degree of sensitivity normal nearly three weeks after extensive tooth preparation, especially when it develops suddenly?
2. Could three temporary fractures in the same area indicate an occlusal issue?
3. Shouldn’t a patient be able to bite comfortably and function properly in their temporaries before proceeding with permanent restorations?
4. Can digital scans accurately establish a corrected bite when the patient is still experiencing significant bite dysfunction?
5. Could the sudden sensitivity indicate pulpal inflammation, exposed dentin, or another complication?
6. Is continued jaw popping concerning when correcting my bite was a primary reason for undergoing this treatment?
7. Would you recommend pausing permanent placement until an independent prosthodontist evaluates the bite?

I understand that full-mouth reconstruction is extensive and that some discomfort and adjustment are expected, i can handle pain - I’ve been in the dental chair since i was a kid and having to get two implants in my front teeth in 2018.

However, I am concerned about proceeding with permanent restorations while experiencing severe pain, repeated temporary failures, and unresolved bite problems.

I’m not looking to place blame. I simply want to understand whether these complications are within the normal range or whether I have legitimate reasons to be concerned.

Any professional insight would be greatly appreciated.

Hello! Sadly, I haven't been to the dentist very often in my life due to financial reasons. Now that I'm an adult and have a job, I'm trying to pay more attention to it.

I've always wondered why my left canine never came in. It turns out that my baby tooth never fell out completely, and a small part of the root remained inside the gum. Because of that, the permanent canine grew in further forward.

I'm going to have the remaining baby tooth root removed, but should I have the canine removed as well? It seems like a pretty invasive procedure. Could it damage any nerves or cause other complications?

About me: Male, 27yo

Really concerned about my tooth implant I’m almost done I get my new tooth in about a month. But backstory I had 2 root canals done on this tooth and then my dentist told me I had to get an implant bc the tooth had a major infection and was eating away at my bone. Throughout the progress I’ve been getting worried about my canines bc they seem to to be loosing gum tissue what can I do and does this look concerning? also before any of this teeth were so pretty and white. I do floss a lot but that canine next to the gap is so hard to floss bc there’s nothing to help grip against. Also I feel like I’m implant maybe rejecting, I’m not sure.what do yall think ?

I KNOW MY TEETH LOOK BAD! But i need to know how are my gums looking? I fear i'm losing my gums around my teeth😭 i keep looking my gums everyday and i fear i must lose all my teeth.. I'm seeing a dentist next week but please tell me are my gums bad?

So we took my 5 year old son to the dentist for the first time today. I had some issues with getting insurance. And he has a lot of cavities, which I was completely aware as his front teeth are pretty bad. We brush and brush. Ive cut out sugar as much as I can. Im a mother of 4 and one on the way all with my husband. And the dentist said hes never worked on teeth as bad as his and referred him to someone else. They didnt mention cps. But im so worried. I take care of my children, and im not sure how the dental stuff got so far away from me. I never went as a kid, and I suppose that I figured he was okay. Do you think the dentist will report me? Ive already called to schedule regarding the referral. I think cps wouldnt take my children from me over some cavities, and im honestly going to jump on it and get this taken care of. My babies are my world and life has just been so busy that I figured my 5yo would be okay since he isnt in pain. Our family has had several other health issues among us that I prioritized and let the dental stuff slip by me. Im in the process of having all of my children get cleanings and xrays. I had my 5yo first because his are significantly worse than the other kiddos. But he has no pain and he does brush his teeth everyday. His dad had the same issues with his front baby teeth but im not sure if that could play a part, but I know this is my fault and im not trying to make excuses. Im just wondering if the dentist called and if I should expect a visit. Im pregnant and super anxious and feel like I failed my son.

Hello! I have received a zirconia crown yesterday, but I have some concerns about it.

It looks really wide to me, and I'm not sure if that's normal. It's noticeably bigger than the other molar on the opposite side of my mouth.

When the dentist placed the crown, it was really high at first, so they had to shorten it multiple times. They also adjusted the opposing tooth under it. It took a little while to get it to where the bite felt normal.

I previously had a ceramic crown on that tooth but had to replace it because it cracked around three weeks ago. The previous one needed to be shortened when I initially got it because it was also high. It also seemed a little big, but I think this zirconia one is even larger.

Does this crown look normal to you all? Is it bulkier than it should be? I feel like it shouldn't look like this.

I have a lot of anxiety regarding my teeth in general and I'm not sure what to do. I'd appreciate any advice or insight. Thank you!

Hi there, I would highly appreciate it if someone can check my picture and share their thoughts whether they think the the c formed brown part is a stain, a cavity or can’t be said without an x-ray.

I went for teeth cleaning today and the mouth hygienist upon one look said its a cavity, but I am not fully as she didn’t do further checks.

I 21M haven’t been to the dentist since i was an early teenager. During the time of not visiting the dentist, i also was not good about oral hygiene for a long stretch. The tooth directly left from my left molar is severely decayed and i have minimal decay on some of other front teeth and i’m sure i have tons of cavities. I hide my teeth 24/7 because they look bad. I have dental insurance through my work and just scheduled a dental exam for later this week. Super nervous about the situation to be honest! Mainly worried they are going to tell me they have to take the tooth out… that would make a bad situation even worse. Im also prepared to have to spend thousands to fix my mistakes which is okay.

Hey there, I want to say I’m scheduling a follow up with my surgeon but I’m curious for opinions on my frenectomy healing. Initially, I had total release. I followed the massaging protocol for the weeks after. 1 week post op looked good. As time has passed I feel like my results have a thicker white band along my tongue compared to the full releases I see online. Is this normal or would you consider this a failed release? I’ve better range of motion compared to pre surgery, but obviously as you can see the range of motion from immediately after surgery changed as the scar tissue matured.

First two photos, April 3 weeks post op. Other photos today about 7 months post op. I do not have before photos.

Do I need to get this out? How much time will it take to heal afterwards?

Yesterday I went in for a root canal on my bottom back tooth. (19). I arrived at 1 and they begun and they didn’t finish until 5:10. There was just one small break when I started to panic (took about a two minute break and then he started again). They did not say how or why this took so much longer than I was told and after telling others how long it was this doesn’t seem normal. Any ideas? I’m obviously very sore this morning, and not to be too dramatic but it was quite a terrifying experience laying there so long

My boss insisted on RCT but I did a filling anyway. Patient had sensitivity to cold for one second only. Should I have done the RCT?

Hey I’m so stressed can that 6th molar be saved with filling?it’s shaved almost 2years I did not do crown im young 18 so stressed about it can it be filled ?

Hello, two years ago, the teeth on both the left and right sides were rebuilt on the existing stumps. Root canals were performed, and glass fiber posts were inserted to hold everything together; the filling material is composite. Now, my question is: Why can I see the glass fiber posts? There are no holes—everything is smooth and sealed—but shouldn't the posts actually be underneath the composite to prevent infections? I’m not experiencing any pain or other issues; I just noticed it and thought I’d ask. Thanks in advance.

Hello everyone,

I had a small cavity that required a filling on my 1st molar located on the upper left side of my jaw. It's on the side that's adjacent to the 2nd molar (I think it's called an interproximal filling).

I went in August 26th when the filling was done. I had pain when eating and flossing that continued for weeks so I went back to my dentist and she redid the filling on September 16th (almost a month ago).

Since then, it's been way better, but I still have pain when eating harder or crunchier foods. It's not as sharp, but rather a dull-ish pain. I also have mild discomfort when floss goes in or out. I went to my dentist in the beginning of the month and she said it should settle down within 1-2 months and said the filling is fine. She did an xray and bitewing and both showed nothing.

To me, this is not normal, but I'm not a dentist so I'd appreciate some insight from people who understand this. Is this normal for such a filling and should I just wait it out? I don't want to keep going every week to my dentist about this.

What is this filling ? They didn’t told me much. Just that i had a deep cavity & needed a root canal. Then they told me they would clean the decay & if they saw the nerve i would get it done but if not then a filling would be done instead

That was 6 days ago, they used numbing gel & gave me anesthetic injection but for some reason i felt a bit of pain (nothing serious) when they were working on it. Anyways i have throbbing pain right now, nothing crazy probably like a 5/10. A 800mg ibuprofen helps for hours. But i was wondering if i should go back soon or wait. I was thinking of giving it maybe a month to see if pain disappears during the heeling

Is this a baby abscess forming? It hurts right where that pale spot is only when I apply pressure, kinda deep bruise-y sore feeling, and I just noticed it today/maybe a bit yesterday. I had a cleaning and I believe X-rays in August and I don’t remember them finding anything super problematic. No history of root canals or cavities in this tooth and I don’t smoke or drink at all.

My dentist is several hours away so it’s tough to get in on short notice. Thanks in advance!!

NAD. I had a molar extracted about a week ago. Today while I was eating apple sauce, this big pice of string fell out from the site. It seemed to be held together by some red dots. I did have a bone graft, which, what I am concerned fell out.I need to know if I need an emergency appointment, or if this is something that normally happens?

so in the near future I plan on getting braces. I used to be scared of this dental procedure up until like a year or 2 ago. I finally worked up the courage, lol. the thing is now is that I know for a fact that I’m going to have to get a few teeth pulled to get rid of crowding. I AM TERRIFIED of getting a tooth pulled. its to the point where I can start to think about it or watch a video about and will literally tear up and shake. You would think I was otw to the dentist at that moment the way i start fidgeting. getting a tooth pulled is like one of my worst fears. I need to transform my smile and I don’t won’t my thoughts about this taking over. i am so terrified. y’all don’t even understan. what can I do to ease my nerves? can I be given anesthesia so I won’t be awake? there’s no way I can walk in with a sane mind and let them pull my teeth without feeling like I’m about to go crazy. 😔

sorry my dentist drew on the x ray a bit lol. i do not smoke and only drink very occasionally.

i’m just wondering if and how much this would complicate healing and my future oral health. am i in a situation where i shouldn’t expect full recovery?

Please can anyone tell me what I can do to not get an implant??? I don’t trust the dentist who installed the crown. My tooth decayed under it in less than two years and he’s pushing me to his surgeon friend for an implant. What questions can I ask another dentist to make sure I exhaust ever effort to maintain my natural tooth???

I’ve been having really bad pain behind this tooth. Is this something serious?