It’s only when they get to pull a tooth, fill a cavity, or do a root canal that they make the big bucks.

This may be true to some extent when seeing any doctor, but not as much as when we visit our dentist.   I swear that I’m not an “anti-dentite” by the way!

When visiting an optometrist for example, even if your eye-sight has deteriorated and you need a stronger prescription, you can very easily buy your glasses/contacts elsewhere.  Yes you have to pay for the appointment, but unless you are getting Lasik you are done.

Not all dentists are the same, but an experience I had with a one of my previous dentists fits into the “I wanna find something wrong with your teeth” mold.

This particular dentist attempted to convince me that I needed a mouth guard made to combat the effects of grinding your teeth while sleeping.  These cost a lot of money and are NOT covered under normal dental insurance.  When I went home a few weeks later to visit my family I got a second opinion from the dentist that I had grown up seeing.  His verdict- no evidence whatsoever of teeth grinding!

With some diligent cleaning and a lot of luck, I have managed to avoid any serious issues with my teeth and I certainly hope to keep it this way.  Anyone else have similar experiences at the dentist???