Why don't people have all their teeth removed?

[godless dave]

I don't think my teeth require much more maintenance than dentures would. I've had a cavities in my 20s and 30s but that's it.

 

[Gazpacho]

My teeth have sentimental value. My mother gave them to me.

 

[Bill Thompson]

If the technology does not exist for a good replacement for teeth, I woould prefer time be spent on replacing something else. I want a replacement for my hair first. I can stand to brush my teeth everyday and keep them.

 

[TubbaBlubba]

I expect my teeth to, or at least will not be surprised if they start chipping off (and by that I mean virtually every tooth, all the time, until they are useless) around or before middle age for medical reasons*. Hopefully they'll have invented good implants then... My mother who has the same condition is currently toothless.

*Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, defective collagen, which the dentin partially consists off. It's one of the least pleasant effects.

 

[quarky]

Why not abandon teeth altogether? Gumming is a viable replacement for chewing. You can eat your fill at the Country Buffet with no teeth. That's how tender the food is.

 

[celia44]

Hi tomblvd.
You are right in what you say but having been toothless now for a long time and having dentures I have no difficulty at all with chewing. My gums are good even after this long time. They have of course shrinked which makes it necessary to change the dentures each 5-7 years. It is very important to take care of the gums having good fit to the dentures and ensure that the bite is correct.
For me having dentures have been a very good experience and when touching the denture teeth I can in fact tell which one I have touched due to the vibration to the gum.
To have teeth I can take out and clean thoroughly and rest the gums is good and even the feeling of the round smooth gums is very good.
All in all to have my teeth pulled has been a success on in all aspects for me

 

[dafydd]

This used to be quite common in Scotland. Girls would have all their teeth out and get a set of dentures for their 21st birthday.

It's not really done now, can't imagine why....

Rolfe.

That was my mother's 21st birthday present.

 

[dafydd]

Darling, your teeth are like stars........they come out at night.

 

[Dragoonster]

Short answer: I already have teeth.

And how much will/might you pay per lifetime? The "$20,000" refrain as a scare tactic, actually would be a bad reason. One time $20,000--or $2000 a year for sixty years? Obviously the answer depends largely on genetics. Some folks just have strong-ass teeth or proper/affordable care, so only visit a dentist every decade or so at little relative cost...and can dismiss others, all...

Long answer: Why would I remove them instead of just maintaining them ? Do you get a new car at each maintenance date ? Plus, real teeth cut better.

Do you pay $2000 a year to maintain your automobile for no rational reason why you should?

In the interregnum (not sure JREF exists anymore so no necropost) my teeth utterly failed and I got false teeth. That was a bit a part of my OP query, due to fear and consequence... seeking options and informed posts by terrific posters who would inform me about my ignorance, including that jaw thing which I was ignorant about. Thanks all of you, and sorry I may have decieved due to my teeth being utterly awful at the time I made the post. I just wanted a clean, rational slate, with no personal baggage, because I trust your reasoning, and you delivered.

But I asked that not just for me but my mama who the same dentist that pulled all of mine didn't do such for her. I'm not sure if I have a genetic predeliction, but I did go to an ER (later bill for ambulance, a factor and grea expense) for incredible pain and the ER doc refused to believe that my teeth were only horrible due to soda pops or other things. He seemed to think it was meth or something. The only drugs I've done are Mary Jane twice, and neither were anything for me to care about any other time.

One of my teeth was so awful and painful and I was so *********** poor that I tried to remove it with a pair of pliers just to end the pain. I had to evaluate the cost (including later ambulance charge or trying to find $5 for a round-bus trip) of going to the same ******* ER doctor who dismissed the pain/problem. In the end I tried to plier the tooth but couldn't stand the pain of yanking it out. Have not had any pain whatsoever since getting dentures. A great personal easing of the mind and worry about weekly/monthy dental pain. Unexpected $$ cost from who-knows teeth-problems/dentist-visits per year even with Medicaid, to literally maybe $12 a year for denture tabs. An obvious reason for poor people to choose to get their teeth replaced...and so too:

The other was that for that brief time (well still am but this was special since there was a kind dentist who I entered into argument with) I was on welfare/Medicaid and my dentist was willing to remove the rest of my awful teeth and fashion replacements, for a hell of a lot less than $20,000. And which I can so far eat everything ever so far except for most bubblegum...apple-eating contest, let's go.

My mom is still a bit pissed that I got all my teeth pulled yet she has to keep doing various expensive things with her few remaining teeth, so as to visit dentists ad nauseum. Sorry mom. Maybe I got a largesse from our long-ago unusually caring dentist before Big Dental swooped in.

And...yes, if I or a huge amount of other US citizens feel they might be having a heart-attack or just had a stroke, they might not immediately call 911 for rescue services, because that might cost a lot. Even if they died in situ they may have a final nice thought that their family wouldn't be burdened after death due to trying to live, due to huge bills. Welcome to the Capitalist-Terror-drome. Cost of health service, even immediate and mortal, is a careful thing to be evaluated by the very poor.

 

[UnrepentantSinner]

Since this thread was first posted my gums have really gone to crap. I've also got some teeth that are moving (right upper canine has slid forward and a gap is developing between my upper middle incisors). That pisses me off because I had braces and a lot of orthodontics including two palate expanders from the time I was 10 years old or so.

It's likely that I'll start losing my teeth soon. On the plus side, my teeth themselves are in really great shape.

 

[bytewizard]

Dentures are almost impossible to fit perfectly, especially the bottom. Next time you are in the toothpaste aisle, check out the cost of denture adhesives. They come in a tiny tube or strips, and none of the brands work worth a damn. Also, the cleaning of dentures is a pain compared to brushing one's teeth 2 or 3 times a day.

 

[EHocking]

When we visited the Galapagos Islands we were told of a German, Frederick Ritter, who stole away with someone's wife to Floreana in 1928.
Apparently they were seeking their Shangri La and the world press dubbed them the Adam and Eve of the Galapagos.

Knowing that there wasn't much in the way of medical support in the archipelago in the 1920's, Ritter preemptively had all his teeth removed and a set of stainless steel false teeth used as replacements.

The married woman (and patient of his) that ran away with him to paradise, Dore Strauch's teeth became rotten while on the island and he ended up having to pull them all.
All without anaesthesia.

As with all good stories, the twist is that after all his pre-trip dental preparations, he and Dora ended up with not a tooth between them and only one pair of false teeth which they then had to share in order to eat.

 

[Dragoonster]

Dentures are almost impossible to fit perfectly, especially the bottom. Next time you are in the toothpaste aisle, check out the cost of denture adhesives. They come in a tiny tube or strips, and none of the brands work worth a damn. Also, the cleaning of dentures is a pain compared to brushing one's teeth 2 or 3 times a day.

My bottom was easy to fit and my gums made measure, and for poor people "perfect" is, well irrelevant (even though for me it was) if it both ends awful pain and lasts. Also, my dentist was so apparently impossibly good that even now my dentures have never had any need to apply a paste or clinging tape or whatever. Guess I was just lucky at that unique fitting. Cost of adhesives to me, last ten years: $0.00. Cost of tooth problems: $0.00.

As for cleaning of dentures with a tablet purchase for $10 or so every month or two or vs. a toothpaste tube used to brush "2 or 3 times a day" for however long that lasts...kind of nitpicking considering the other enormous cost disparities. Like...just what would you pay to put a crown in one tooth? To pay for one root canal? Just one measure to save a tooth might cost the entire lifetime of a toothpaste daily purchase.

I at least am aware that teeth problems continue to cost thousands of dollars in costs even to old-ass people such as my mom. Anyone without any knowledge would sure, just look at their toothpaste and mock anyone who has bad teeth, since just using toothpaste was magic. Just use Crest! Magical Crest! Brush 2 or 3 times a day! I did it, anyone can do it!

And just from efficient ideomotor and proprioception and waking years on Earth, I'm pretty sure 2/3 brushes per day waste more time and calories than a few seconds popping a cleaning tablet into a bin and dentures out once/twice a week. I mean, if you think denture wearers have to do this every day instead, then you are Big Efferdent.

Then again, I also don't shower every day, since that is a waste of time compared to my maximum minutes alive on this planet. 2/3 brushings a day equals: @ 60 seconds per X 2.5 X 365 days X 70 years = 3832500 seconds spent on that. = 3832500 / 60 secs in a minute = 63875 minutes / 60 minutes in an hour= 1064 hours. Divided by assumed 16 hours per waking day = Your life if you live to 70, has spent 66 waking days just brushing your teeth. Time well spent?

My math may suck though, I'm bad at that. And a bit inebriated.

But for god's sake, we're all going to die pretty soon. Why waste time/money/joy-of-life when you have any other option?