How much would it cost me to get a tooth pulled.................

[CrownPrinceBandar]

I have an abscess in one of my back molars and think the tooth is too far gone to save. I'm not a yuck-mouth and brush, floss and Listerine my teeth daily, but my lower molars are set so tightly together and cleaning them meticulously is nearly impossible. In fact it's where most of my dental probs have occurred.

The kicker is I don't have dental insurance, and I would like to get this taken care of before it goes from the annoyance it is now, to a painful situation.

Thanks.

[EstimatedProphet]

1. $100 or so

I've had 3 pulled in the last year, and it runs $100 or more, depending on the dentist.

[Cassandra]

2. If you're near a university with a dental school...

that would be a good bet that might be cheaper because they let the students watch. How much a tooth costs to pull depends on whether it needs to be drilled out of your mouth.

[underpants]

3. Right with a sliding scale according to income

You will have to go through the exam and so forth but it is cheaper-generally.

[Speck Tater]

4. One last year cost me $250

at the oral surgeon's office, so I guess it depends.

[fob]

5. If you can get to Tiajuana it'll cost ya $10. I had work done at a

friends family dentist a few years back. Also a root canal for $85, WITH CAP!!

[BrotherBuzz]

6. You're on the right track

but I'd upgrade to the Cabo San Lucas route and make a vacation of the whole event.

[fob]

8. Great idear! I also forgot the prescription for the pain killer grade

tylenol was written on the back of his business card and the farmacia down the block filled it quick and cheap!

[CanuckAmok]

7. Dude, I'll knock it out for $5.

Seriously, go to a dental school. There has to be one within driving distance of where you are.

Even schools which only offer dental hygeinist/dental assistant courses, not full-blown dentistry, are staffed by dentists, and they'll usually help you out.

[Guy_Montag]

9. Last I heard...

dental health is to a large extent genetic. It's something to do with the enzymes in you saliva. Some people are lucky (me) and have no fillings despite only doing the minimum (well brushing & mouthwash sometimes).

[NorthernSpy]

10. me too, but I've got a tooth-related tip anyone can use...

I've never had cavities either, and I think you're right about there being a big genetic component to dental health.

I do have a tip that could help some people, though:

Sugar-free hard candy is made from substances called polyols, or 'sugar alcohols'. They taste sweet, but they are classed with non-fermentable sugars because bacteria cannot metabolize them. Additionally, some polyols also prevent bacteria from metabolizing fermentable sugars in their presence.

What this means is that when you eat a piece of sugar-free hard candy, the Streptococcus mutans bacteria that cause many dental problems are temporarily deprived of food, and cannot produce the acids that harm your teeth. It's not a bad idea to keep some sugarless fruitdrops or mints, or sugarless gum on hand -- especially if you take a medication that dries your mouth. Human saliva is alkaline, and plays a crucial role in neutralizing acids in your mouth. Reduced salivary flow can lead to cavities and other dental problems. (Just don't stress your teeth by biting down on hard candies if you want to try this tip.)

Additionally, there is evidence that sonic toothbrushes are able to remove plaque from tooth surfaces above the gumline, thus resolving some cases of gingivitis. Also, some people find that this kind of brush helps them to clean closely-spaced back teeth more effectively than manual brushing. On the downside, quality sonic toothbrushes are expensive.

Hope these tips help someone!


Mary


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