Is it O.k. to brush my teeth with a beach towel?

They won’t be as clean in all the nooks and crannies as they would with a brush. The decay will settle in the corners and cracks between your teeth, and they will rot.

How could toothpaste burn your teeth? Tooth enamel has no nerves.

@jca It burns… maybe it is getting in from the 8 cavities that I have.

Didn’t you use toilet paper at some point? A towel would be a step up from that, but still not good enough. No wonder you have 8 cavities. And the breath probably is pretty rank, too.

Use toothpaste for sensitive teeth. Hell, even kid’s toothpaste would be better than nothing.

Also, how would a towel replace toothpaste? If anything, it would replace the toothbrush, but that’s not where your problem lies. I’m confused…

@livelaughlove21 It started with my crowns getting all gunked up and the toilet paper worked to clean them… the beach towel came in because I save toilet paper that way.

@talljasperman: If you’re not going to take care of your teeth, you may as well have them pulled out and get dentures.

Dude…97 cents will get you a decent toothbrush. Invest in it. Your teeth are very important.

FFS…...

Stop wiping you teeth with toilet paper and towels. I can’t imagine how disgusting your teeth and breath must be. Get a toothbrush, get toothpaste and for good measure get some Listerine. Start brushing your teeth properly. If brushing makes your mouth/gums hurt it’s because you’ve probably never taken care of your teeth to begin with. Suck it up and start taking care of your teeth. Or if you’re unwilling to even brush your teeth then take @jca‘s suggestion and have them pulled.

Weren’t you about to spend your last $5 dollars on four liters of cola? That can’t help your dental hygiene problem. There is also toothpaste for sensitive teeth and gums.
Sensodyne’

Dental floss is cheap also.

You have open cavities, you’re drinking soda and you are not brushing your teeth? Your issue will not improve.

A beach towel is better than nothing. The next time you see a horse out in a pasture, cut off some long tail hairs to use as floss.

@kritiper and @all I have dental floss… and toothbrush and paste… I just choose not to them it regularly. I use the beach towel every time I use the washroom to clean the gunk off of my two front teeth, which are crowns and get sticky frequently. Children’s toothpaste makes me gag and sensodine burns my teeth. Listerine burns my gums.

@talljasperman Yes, because you don’t take care of them. When was the last time you went to the dentist?

@livelaughlove21 yesterday I got my teeth cleaned. For free. Insurance covers everything once every 6 months.

@talljasperman Great. That means a new start. I suggest you brush your teeth with toothpaste and a toothbrush twice a day. Brush in little circles for two minutes. You’ll miss those teeth if they’re gone, so why not take care of them for longevity?

@talljasperman And what does your dentist have to say about you refusing to brush your teeth? Surely he can tell.

@livelaughlove21 He said to drink pop with a straw, and to floss more often.

@talljasperman: And what does the dentist have to say about your 6 unfilled cavities?

@jca Nothing he was a hygienist. He just wants me to floss more and drink pop with a straw… He thinks that It is a good idea to drink Ensure on a regular basis. He gave me a goodie bag and I will see what he gave me later tonight right now.

@jca O.k. I brushed and flossed I have white parts on my teeth that won’t go away. The toothpaste was o.k. for every tooth except my front gums… It’s wasn’t so bad. My teeth feel fresh. Thank you.

You have white parts that won’t go away? You do realize that your teeth are suppose to be white right?

@Darth_Algar So I have small areas of my teeth that aren’t stained. Yippee.

I am a dentist and wow I have never heard of anything like this. You don’t need to use toothpaste, you can brush with water. If you get root decay under and around those crowns it’s going to be bad because that’s hard to restore . I can’t believe any dental professional would encourage you to drink soda that’s the absolute worst thing for your teeth and body. Good luck you’re going to need it. Ps the ‘white spots’ that won’t go away are decalcification, the softening of the enamel. Next step decay. It’s from soft drink.

@trailsillustrated

Honestly, my guess is that the hygienist wasn’t encouraging him to drink soda, but probably saying something to the extent of “if you insist on drinking sodas then using a straw would be better”.

I find it amazing that a hygienist wouldn’t at least discuss the cavities and encourage him to address them. When I go to the dentist, the hygienist discusses my teeth with the dentist, who then talks to me about whatever they find. I can’t believe going to a dental office and having nobody say anything about cavities. My thought when I was thinking over this thread last night was that maybe in Canada, that’s the way they do it.

Wow, this is absolutely awful.

-Keep brushing your teeth. Everyday or 2x a day, is best.
-If toothpaste is uncomfortable, buy one for sensitive teeth.
-Use mouthwash. There is “low/no alcohol” available kinds that will get you clean but won’t burn as much.

And for the love of Pete, stop drinking soda. Your teeth are rotting and you are overweight. I am not judging you for being overweight, as I was over 300 lb myself at one point, but soda will not help you lose it. Don’t drink it with a straw, just stop drinking it. I gave up soda and all things bubbly over a year ago and I don’t miss it.

except for gin and tonic

I think asking a soda-lover to completely give it up is a tad extreme, and not really necessary. Plenty of people still drink soda and their teeth are fine. I drink soda occasionally (whenever eating out on weekends, usually) – it’s not some horrible thing, as long as you take care of your teeth.

Yes, decreasing your soda intake will help with your oral health and weight issue. You don’t have to completely cut it out and never drink it again, but try some water instead – it’ll serve you well. The most important thing you need to do right now is make brushing your teeth daily a habit. I remember you asking questions about meeting women and, I’ve got to say, wiping your teeth off with a beach towel ain’t gonna cut it. No one wants to kiss someone whose mouth smells like a dumpster. Take care of yourself, for goodness sake!

I can’t imagine not brushing my teeth every day. I wouldn’t even walk out of my house in the morning unless I’ve brushed. I feel pretty gross until I do it.

@livelaughlove21

You’re right, many people do drink it and their teeth are fine and I’m sure you’re one of these people. btw I gave it up not because of teeth reasons but because of stomach surgery reasons However, he has several rotting cavities.

If his teeth were in good condition and he was taking care of them, I’d say fine, drink a little soda here and there like most people. But they aren’t fine. And drinking soda in any amount is just going to stimulate the rot further.

It’s like, take someone who has liver function issues. “Don’t drink alcohol, it’s bad for your liver and you will make it worse!”. And yeah, that person shouldn’t be drinking at all. Okay, many people with HEALTHY livers can drink some alcohol just fine. But that doesn’t extend to the liver-sick person because of their pre-existing condition.

Same thing with @talljasperman

He needs to find something else to drink. Once he has fixed those rotting cavities and gotten his dental hygiene under control, then he can enjoy soda on occasion. But not when his teeth are rotting out.

If @talljasperman has open cavities, drinking sugary drinks is especially harmful to his teeth.

@seekingwolf Touche, but still, it’s probably very unrealistic to ask him to completely give it up. If he were very concerned about his teeth, maybe, but he clearly isn’t. I think any reduction would be an improvement.

@livelaughlove21

Obviously him giving it up entirely would be the best thing here but if the choice is between him reducing the amount of soda or giving it up temporarily and then falling off the wagon and drinking it too much again, well, then yes, reduction is the best.

I definitely urge him to take his health seriously and give it up until he has fixed his dental/oral issues.

@talljasperman: Make sure that you do not take this beach towel with you to the swimming pool (where you should not breathe on anyone.)

^...or near anyone. Or downwind of anyone.

Sugar + saliva = acid

Not to mention that CO2 + water = acid

I used to get several cavities every year. I had to work really hard to keep my teeth clean. I have not had cavities in a long time. You will need to spend $$ to fix your teeth, then work hard to keep them good. It’s all up to you. Good luck.