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Comment by z7 | Hacker News Reader

I used to go to the dentist every 4-6 months and there was almost always something that seemed to require a drilling procedure. Then after graduation my life became chaotic and I stopped going and frankly haven't been to the dentist in seven years. So far I've felt no toothache or anything like it. I know I'm probably walking around with a host of dental problems. Still seems interesting that I've made it this far.

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after graduation my life became chaotic and I stopped going

I skipped the dentist for over a decade for much the same reason. I had no problems at all, right up until I got lots of problems at once.

Exactly what happened to me (UK) last year! Hadn't been to the dentist for something like 10 years. My partner (TW) takes me to her family dentist and I was expecting loads of problems, but he only did one small touch up filling and cleaning. Just one procedure in 10 years!

So many other problems in life are tied to tooth issues, and most appear hard later in life.

A dentist visit without insurance is usually under $100, and is a great investment in your future happiness and health.

It could also be linked to a change in your diet. I have the same kind of experience, but I eat less sugar and this helped a lot in my case

Some people can not brush their teeth for extended periods of time and not get cavities. It really depends on your diet, mouth flora, etc. Some studies suggest xylitol and other artificial sweeteners may have a positive impact on tooth decay because they cannot be used as food for bacteria and some substantially change the bacteria that live in your mouth over time to those that are not harmful to the teeth.

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