A thread about nothing

[chuck white]

Yet another editorial comment about dentists. 

I'm nearing my 80th year. I not only don't plan to live to be 100, I have plans to NOT live to be 100. (Can't think of a more awful experience) 

So my teeth start to wear down or some have to be pulled. I'll live with it. No, I dont' have them "whitened". 

But my dentist (who I get along with fine and suspect he is as good as most) has a "policy" that I, and all those who sit in his dentist chair, have X-Rays every year. 

I don't like the program and object to the cost, but I've been seeing this guy for years, it's where I get my teeth cleaned (I like the sparkling feeling after cleaning) and I'll return. 

But I wonder about this policy and without knowing for sure I'll bet it will be common, if not already so. 

Oh well...it's only money. But it's MY money.

Funny you bring that up. Part of my shopping a new dentist is finding one who will abide by my request of no xRays period unless I have a tooth that hurts or breaks. I am done playing by their rules, my mouth, my teeth, my decisions.

Good luck with that. Many of them will tell you to find someone else. They claim it's an "insurance issue" and protects them from us coming back later saying we did not get adequate care.

It seems to me their "claim" might well be valid. I know the health of your teeth can go south in a hurry. I think smoking cigs was the cause of most my problems.Other than when I knocked a tooth out with a 1/2 in Milwaukee drill handle
How much does the Xray cost? Or are you guys worried about the radiation? Because I'm pretty sure the amount of radiation from once a year is not significant.

When I was a younger guy (1912) I was all in favor of using all the tools a dentist had to ward off problems with my teeth or gums.

Nearing 80, I really don't care all that much. I'd rather spend the X-Ray money on popcorn at the movies. 

And, we SHOULD at least have the choice. It's the Dentists job to advise us, but I wonder about his power to dictate the level of care. Many now do that.

I bought an old dental X-ray machine on Ebay and bring in my own X-rays. The dentist always complains that they are over exposed. You never know about these guys, so I then pull out 20 more and tell him there got to be a good one in there somewhere. Not only do I save on dental X-ray cost, it cured my acme. (and I don't have to shave anymore).