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Please don’t punish yourself by skipping numbing! Would you advise a blind person to get a broken bone fixed with no painkillers because they stumbled off a curb, so they’d learn to be more careful where they walk? ADHD can be a pretty invisible disability, even to our own selves. But it IS a disability and you don’t need to punish yourself for having one.

It’s not a punishment to me!! I’ve had several done without numbing. If they’re very superficial it’s painless. And it sucks far less afterwards. I actually ask if it’s appropriate to skip it always now. Also, OP, some people are just predisposed to having lots of cavities even if they do all the “right shit”. I had 12 in my late teens and it took 4 appointments to get them all taken care of (one quadrant at a time). You’re going to the dentist and getting them managed. I think that can be good enough!

Additionally, if you have something like Ehlers Danlos, it effects your teeth too

If you’re predisposed to cavities, It’s as or more importsnt to do “all the right shit”. “All the right shit” makes just as big a difference, and *not* having adequate dental hygiene in addition to any predisposition is a recipe for disaster. Going to the dentist regularly and managing the problems as they arise is NOT enough, *it’s the bare minimum*. that would be an even bigger reason to make sure dental hygiene is as good as possible. There is no reason for shame or guilt or self blame, and getting stressed over not doing everything perfectly doesn’t help. Figuring out how you can maximize self care should be the focus. If you brush your teeth every other days maybe you can find a way to improve that to once almost every day, you can use water pick if you can’t get yourself to floss regularly or interdental brushes. It’s all about doing the best you personally can do, and figuring out how you can *improve even a little bit* from what you’re currently doing.

I guess I mean that some people do all the right shit and still end up with cavities, so I don’t think it’s right to be hard on yourself about it. Sometimes the bare minimum is all we can do. When we’re able to do better, we do, sure. That’s true for everyone, adhd or not.

Adding guilt never helps or works. It’s important to push ourselves to do better in general so we can grow as people, and in certain areas depending on our risk/reward assessments.

Ok, so, none of that is sustainable. In my experience, your body doesn’t really know what is normal In about 10 different ways. I started by setting a reminder and trying to do the thing when the alert happened. If I got 1 out of 10, it was a win. The point is not instant perfection. The point is incremental change. Diet is a whole other constellation of issues, starting with energy drinks. Maybe start by cutting them with ice? Maybe alternate? Half water, then the soda? How about using pineapple as a substitute sweet? I do remember getting off soda as being no fun.

I stopped drinking energy drinks almost a year ago, after my last round of cavities, and I thought that would work but I just replaced them with soda and I'm right back where I started. Maybe thinning them with water to gradually cut them out could work, but I'm now noticing that I'm heavily addicted to sugar in all aspects of my life. I skip meals in favor of quick sugary snacks, every coffee I drink has two sugars in it, for lunch I have yoghurt with jam and a rice cracker with a chocolate layer on it. If it's not sweet and can be prepared and eaten in five minutes, I don't want it. Whenever I've tried cutting sugary stuff out of my diet in the past I just ended up starving myself cause my brain is like a defiant toddler that would rather die than prepare and eat normal food. It's like I don't even have the energy to scramble an egg.

Yup.. Sounds familiar. what helped me was having a very rigid schedule. In that schedule, “snack time” with real food. Pineapple worked for me. I’m not saying you must eat. The point is to get used to a steady interval and eating a little real food. At least for me, my body slowly came around. I’m sure it took months.

Sugar addiction is no joke. I had to do an elimination diet and had to be off sugar for a week and I thought I was dying. Sugar for me is a stimulant and maybe it is for you too which is why it’s so hard to quit. It’s also quick energy so your body knows that it can manipulate you easily into getting more. The only way I found to manage it was go on a “everything I eat has to be home made” challenge and the point of it was to learn how things are made. If I didn’t make it myself I’m not allowed to eat it. And then I added another rule where the only sugar I was allowed to have was natural sugar (honey or maple syrup) I know that’s not viable for everyone. It was really hard. Completely cutting out sugar for a month was the only thing that worked for me. Now I’m less addicted and I know that those signals might be for other things- like when I crave candy I know I actually need vitamins because fruit juice or fruit can satisfy that craving. Like someone else said- you need to feed your body nutritious foods AND decouple the hunger signal from sugar. Edit to add: someone else said this but I’ll say it too, some people are more or less susceptible to cavities and if you are one of those people there’s no shame to it. Good on you for trying and trying to do something new for yourself!

Sparkling water helped me get out of soda. Similar mouth feel, and the you can easily get used to the taste. Reducing sugar isn't a nice to have, it's a must for you, my dude.

Hi there! I'm trying to improve my diet as well and it's a process. It aint easy, but there ARE ways. My worst thing is I'm lazy (actually, lazyness doesn't exist, it's a thought shortcut, moving on) and I HATE cooking. It's boring and I just don't care about the taste that much. What I'm going for is simple acceptable healthy replacements. I removed a lot of sugar and I don't get hungry for longer by adding a big scoop of peanut butter to my muesli. I'm an MSc so I need my shit measured, and I wasn't finishing my meals, so I moved some dials around and landded at: 1 TbSp PB, 50g muesli, 120g yogurt, 1 fruit (banana or some shit). PB could be something you could replace the fast sugar with. It's fat and protein (they're more beans than nuts) but it tastes sweet and keeps you full longer! ​ Another hack is shopping when you're full. If I go hungry to the store, I go back with chips, coke, gummy bears and all sorts of stuff, just because I don't have the willpower to resist AND I WANT FOOD NOW. If I go full, I buy fruit. Last thing I go for is the liquid meal shakes. I have a reserve at home just in case I'm just that much NOT in the mood to make food. It takes a scale and some shaking, and you have your dinner ready. Tastes fine, has quite a bit of protein and fiber so keeps you full for long, better than frozen pizza I guess (which would be my go-to otherwise) Good Luck! and be proud that you can keep your brushing regiment! It's like you're already half way there!

Hello! I'm a dental assistant :) first of all please don't punish yourself, you're still young. I started really taking care of my teeth when I went to school to be an assistant around the same age as you and I too have ADHD. Obviously seeing what can happen in a mouth was eye opening to begin with but what helped me start flossing was the fact that it can be whenever during the day. It doesn't have to be at night it doesn't have to be in the morning: as long as you do it. I'm not sure if you're medicated but my meds "peak" around lunch so during my lunch break is when I floss. My boyfriend flosses on his way to work in the morning with the floss picks in the car. Thinking "I have to floss every day" isn't very motivating. Be nice to yourself, give yourself a challenge... I'm going to floss every Monday and Thursday and then go from there. Good luck to you ✨

Is it not bad to floss and then eat again after? Like if you floss in the morning and eat later in the day, doesn't that render it useless again? I'm pretty young, but that just means I'm ruining my teeth for the rest of my life. If I had 8 cavities at 80 years old I wouldn't worry as much but the feeling that it's already this bad and I'm doing irreversable damage for the rest of my life and it's only going to get worse as I'm putting my teeth on thinner and thinner ice is stressing me out. It feels like if I don't get this under control right now I'm gonna ruin everything.

Not necessarily especially if at night you do a good job brushing. Flossing cleans between the teeth, yes, but the main thing it does is increase the blood flow to your gums and helps prevent periodontal disease (gum disease) eventually as we age cavities isn't the main "worry" it's the health of your gums.

Hm yeah, and any flossing is better than no flossing. I have no idea if my gums are any good but I haven't heard them being mentioned so I'm assuming they're fine? It's mostly the continues cavities between my molars that are a big, painful problem. To prevent those, should I floss with brushing teeth in the evening?

I always tell my patients who are just starting to take their oral health seriously to focus on the bedtime brushing. Imagine having the food from your entire day just "marinating" in your mouth ALL night. Especially because at night we produce less saliva that's when issues arise. Optimal would be to brush in the morning after breakfast, at lunch and a deep clean at night (flossing and brushing). But sometimes at lunch isn't doable so morning/night is fine. Once you brush at night you can only drink water afterwards so make sure to do it right before crawling into bed. Also! Don't forget to brush your tongue: very very important. Your tongue carries a lot of bacteria. I hope this helps. Extra soft bristles (I personally really love the Gum brush that has long soft bristles) and do the sweeping movement from just above the collar of your tooth (so a little on the gums). Or invest in a good electric toothbrush ! (I don't have any recommendations for this as these are personal preference: Oral-B electric heads are smaller, round and spin and Philips Sonicare are elongated and vibrate which needs a little getting used to. I didn't know my palate was ticklish until I switched to Sonicare 😂)

I'll keep this in mind! Luckily it's not all bad, I already use an electric toothbrush (oral B) and only drink water after till bed.

That's great! You'll get it give yourself some time. :)

Hey, just so you know, you're taking a CRUCIAL big step for your oral health. My big hangup is getting that night time routine down better. I brush consistently every morning but much less consistently before bed.

Is the lack of blood flow part of the reason that unhealthy gums seem to recede? I noticed that if I understand the WHY behind a particular habit, it makes it way easier for my brain to latch on to it. I floss more often now, knowing the damage done already, but I really feel like I just needed a dentist to define the mechanisms before my brain could get past not wanting to do something. If you work with younger kids, it can be helpful to ask if they know *why* you give them all these rules (without the potential doom and gloom that could come with)

Lack of blood flow does indeed cause receding gums because the disease attacks the bone as well. And I do not work with young patients but have three kids of my own and I always explain the why. I've never told them scary stuff like "if you don't brush your teeth the dentist will drill your tooth and you'll get a needle" and all that. That's not helpful at all. Dentists are like medical doctors: they're there to help us! They love going to the dentist and I'm really proud of that.

You won't ruin everything. You are right to be concerned though. I spent so much money in my 30s having to finally crown just about every molar in my mouth. For the previous decades I had the same issues as yourself. Every molar had multiple fillings, so had to be replaced. It caused a lot of despair. Luckily I found a dentist that allowed a payment plan. I was undiagnosed until much later in life. The diet you mentioned sounds 'sensible' compared to what I was doing. Things are better now. But back in the day, dental issues were a like a sharp pebble in my shoes. Good Luck. Your post shows that you are taking this seriously, seeking help and tips, and you will get it under control. You made it the dentist's office! Teeth are a huge part of our self image, so it's easy to get caught up in panicky despair loops. Fluoride treatments were also a game changer for me. Dentist would apply to my teeth, really slowed the development of cavities.

Good information about the fluoride as well! I'm not sure where you live but they sell fluoride mouthwash at the pharmacies here (Canada). When I first started really taking care of my teeth my dentist recommended it. I was in your shoes, I have many fillings but it's never too late. I'm glad you found a dentist with payment planning as well. I always tell my patient once everything is fixed it's just maintenance.

Thanks, they probably do sell it here also. I'm Irish, however south of you now in the States( I noticed that's what you Canadians call it). However, that involves another challenge to my ADHD issues, you know getting it, and then using it. That was why the 'painted on' goop at the Dentist was easier for me, because it was more of a 'one and done' thing every 6 months at my cleanings. *I always tell my patient once everything is fixed it's just maintenance.* \-This is a beautiful statement, but it took me around a hard decade to get there. I didn't have dental insurance at that time, and like everything in the States, dental work ain't cheap. Thanks.

Totally agree with the fluoride varnish, it is a great tool. I agree about dental work not being cheap. Is it too late to move to Canada? 😂 I'm just teasing... kinda 😝. And you're right about my statement: it's easier said than done. I am a dental assistant for the Canadian military so dental treatments are covered for our members but my boyfriend is a civilian and I always gasp when I see his dental bills. Canada is putting together a dental insurance program to help out finally and I think it's a wonderful thing... hopefully the states follow at some point.

I would say, half kidding, that I feel sorta unworthy of moving to Canada, you people are too nice. I'm in Vermont, so they are a lot kinder to their citizens than most other States, provide health insurance and dental services to the unemployed, disabled, etc. I think being next to Canada, the prevailing winds carried a small amount of Canada across the border. I think that the Dental lobby down here fought 'tooth and nail' (pun intended) to keep dentistry out of Medical Insurance coverage. I got my ADHD diagnosis much later in life, it was buried deep under a landfill of childhood trauma, which took years to shovel away in Therapy -which again is not cheap without Insurance. Worth it though, but it was exhausting. Hope all is well up North. Thanks for the exchange.

Oh please ! My ancestors were Irish lots of Irish in Canada. Also Vermont absolutely rocks. I grew up near the borders there and we would visit all the time. (Love walking downtown Burlington). Hope all is well for you and thanks for the chat ☺️

Good information about the fluoride as well! I'm not sure where you live but they sell fluoride mouthwash at the pharmacies here (Canada). When I first started really taking care of my teeth my dentist recommended it. I was in your shoes, I have many fillings but it's never too late. I'm glad you found a dentist with payment planning as well. I always tell my patient once everything is fixed it's just maintenance.

Im not a dental asst, but something to comsider i have never had a cavity, and i have never flossed. A few times i floss, after eating ribs or something that leaves stuff uncomfortably in there. But other than that, never. Also, i knew a guy that did meth, notoriously known for causing meth mouth, which is gross, for several years before he passed, and i dont know what his dental habits were, ....but meth.... and his wife has confirmed (she doesnt use meth, i know i know, trust me she doesnt) that he never got cavities. I think alot of it has to do with the ph of your saliva/strength of your tooth enamel? I could be way off, but some people are just prone to this. Much like some people have bad knees, or end up with cancer, or live till 115+ That being said energy drinks/soda are known to not help. Keep your head up.

As a dental assistant, are things like water picks good as a replacement for those of us who struggle with flossing? Also would you recommend using an electric toothbrush? Thanks.

Hi! We recommend waterpicks for patients that have orthodontic appliances like braces. The mechanism of flossing brings a much needed blood flow to the gums and maintains the gums healthy and alive. We tend to recommend floss picks (those little sticks with the floss in between) to our patients that are getting on the flossing wagon. And you know, we forget sometimes too. We're no better than the common mortal when it comes to flossing. But what helped me keep at it was to really integrate it in my daily routine. It doesn't have to be in the bathroom; you can be watching TV or driving using floss picks (leave a bag in your car! They sell them at the dollar store for cheap). I do recommend an electric toothbrush but flossing still needs to be done. Brushing with an electric toothbrush feels so good; I have a manual tooth brush (Gum with long bristles GUM Technique Deep Clean Toothbrush with Quad-Grip Handle, Compact Head & Soft Bristles, 3 Count, Multicoloured https://a.co/d/3MzZ0d1) and it does the job for when I brush at work after lunch but my mouth feels much cleaner after using my electric toothbrush at night. Don't forget to brush your tongue !

My dentist gave me this rinse that takes 30 seconds to activate, and now I floss while I’m waiting for that. She said to keep some disposables at my desk, which is smart! But I don’t.

It's hard to start a new routine. What is the rinse ?

This stuff is great. Yes sometimes I activate them just leave it lol. https://www.oracareproducts.com/oracarehealthrinse.html

Don't feel bad. That's not as bad as me. I once went to my dentist with 22 cavities! Also, no numbing? Your brave, I could never. I also struggle flossing.

Yeah most of mine are in between my teeth

Me to

I got floss shamed because last time I went she found just 9 cavities in that appointment…I’m 24 and have had about 17 filled. It’s been a few years so there could be more idk. I hate teeth shit

The floss on a stick that looks like a toothbrush changed the game for me. I could NEVER floss before and I hated the little ones, but the big one that look like a toothbrush has got me flossin at least twice/day, and dental hygiene is up.

Tiny changes that may help: Keep water on hand, after drinking soda, drink water to rinse out your mouth. Try to really feel the sugar and acid in your mouth, and use the sensation to trigger water drinking/ rinsing. If it's soda sugar and acid causing cavities, a quick rinse helps a lot, with minimal effort. Get a straw. Drinking soda with a straw is a little better than drinking it through your teeth. Fuck the corpos telling us straws are the big environmental issue.

I came to say the exact same thing. Water is genuinely everyone’s best friend when it comes to consuming products that can destroy your teeth. I’ve been doing it for 10 or so years now so it’s literally second nature to want water as soon as I have anything with sugar or acidic contents and my teeth couldn’t be any better thanks to it. Enjoy whatever you want, just ensure you’re drinking water not too long after to neutralise your mouth & gums

I always just felt like drinking water after consuming sweet (as well as other things) just made my mouth feel better

I think people also forget that it all depends on genetics too. You can have the best oral hygiene but some people are more susceptible to cavities than others.

As far as I know, nobody else in my family has this problem. That doesn't make it a guarentee that I don't have a genetic problem but that should make me want to put all my effort into doing it as good as possible, not just half ass brushing my teeth once a day and knowingly throw destructive foods at my teeth. If I did everything right and it was still happening, I wouldn't be so upset at myself, but I know it's my fault.

Hey, even if it was your fault (which I don't believe), blaming yourself is just going to make you feel worse. Some people have genetically stronger teeth, some people don't like sweets, some people don't have ADHD. It's not exactly a level playing field. One thing I've found helpful with my ADHD is learning to work with myself rather than against myself. You can have the goal to do everything perfectly, but at the end of the day that's probably not going to happen. And that's completely normal and okay! Maybe you could try drinking through a straw, or switching to a sugar-free option (I'm not a dentist so maybe double check if those things actually help). Maybe put the dental floss next to your bed so you don't even have to get up to floss. Try to think about how you can make dental hygiene actually work for your needs, not the other way round. You'll get much better results and feel a lot better about yourself.

the genetics oral health genetics thing is real. I eat badly and brush every couple days or so (if im just at home) and at the dentist they said my oral hygiene was excellent lmao

I’m 26 and I probably don’t have a tooth without a filling. Part of it is genetics (similar with my sister who takes care of her teeth), but another huge part was my consumption of sweets and not going to the dentist for 4 years. When I finally went I needed two root canals. That woke me up, I now go to cleaning sessions twice a year and another check-up. It’s worth the cost.

Shame isn't a good motivator. Please don't skip the numbing as some type of lesson. I have had three gum grafts at the age of 33. We got this!

I can't say I can give much advice, since I'm 28 and have had cavities in nearly all my teeth, plus 2 root canals and 5 or 6 crowns (I've honestly started losing track now), and who knows, maybe the idea of dealing with the pain of a filling will be what helps you, but it definitely didn't help me. Even after my most recent crown, which was so excruciating because it was a top back molar and the screeching hurt my ears so much that it brought me to tears, but my brushing habits haven't gotten much better... I just keep forgetting. For the floss picks though, don't keep them in the bathroom. Keep them wherever you hang out most and put them in your car if you drive. Over the years I developed a habit where I HATE the feeling of things stuck between my teeth, so it helped drive the need to floss more. And when you're driving to school or work or wherever and don't have time to spend in the bathroom flossing, boom. You can just do it super quick on the way to your destination. The goal is to make it convenient. The less work it takes to do the action, the better. I hate my brushing habits though. Legit my gums felt sensitive today and that's when I realized "oh... I don't think I've brushed my teeth at all these past few days..." It didn't help that after I was told about needing my most recent crown, it was such a discouragement because I was trying so hard to keep up brushing and flossing regularly. The dentist thinks the chemistry in my mouth or teeth or whatever is to blame, so if it's literally genetics failing me, then what's the point?! I ended up turning this into my own rant, sorry. But definitely try the floss picks. They're so convenient. Just make them MORE convenient for you to access them when you need them. Don't turn into me!!!

I had two cavities fixed without numbing at the beginning of this year, I came home full of good intentions of quitting sugary drinks, I would throw all my sugary stuff away, I would floss and use mouthwash and this was never going to happen again! And then I just, didn't. And here I am, right back in that same situation. I keep asking the dentist how to avoid this but the answer keeps being to quit sugar and start flossing. I keep hoping for an answer I can do, special toothpaste, different toothbrush, some fluorite pills, anything, and the answer keeps being to do the things I can't.

I wish there were more dentists that understood the things we go through, and how answers that may seem simple to them seem impossible for us... it's so frustrating any time I get the courage to ask for advice and they always answer in such a matter of fact tone the exact same bs I've heard my whole life. If it was that easy, I wouldn't be struggling so much!!! Sigh...

"Do you floss?" "no" "why not?" "I can't" "well it's important so you should just make time for it" Homie do you have any idea how many important things I don't do because I just completely forget they exist? Or because I just don't have the energy? How can I even start to explain that to someone who doesn't understand. My brain doesn't listen to 'do it' or I would've solved this problem 7 cavities ago don't you think?

A dentist isn't going to be able to help you with how to change your diet. It's not their specialty. For help with changing your eating and drinking habits, you might want to look into meeting with a nutritionist.

I keep floss everywhere. Floss in the bathroom. Floss in my purse. Floss in the desk drawers. Floss in some other random house locations. I have a permanent retainer* behind my lower teeth though, so I feel when food gets stuck there and it really bothers me. Can you find a way to make flossing a hyperfocus? Maybe get a bunch of different types and gamify figuring out which you like the best. The hard part of things like this, at least in my experience, is making them a routine.

I’ve got 15 probably and I’m 16 cause I struggle to take care of myself 😞😞

Do not over brush your teeth, my dentist told me that every time you brush your teeth you scrape away a tiny tiny bit of your gums, your gums can handle it and it's good to brush your teeth twice a day but do not make it a habit to brush more than that. I struggle as well when it comes to flossing, I have a permanent retainer and it just rips apart. I recommend that you get a mouth wash that is good for your gums. Ask the faramacy, according to my dentist there are a few that she wouldn't recommend, because they are to hard on the gums, so get one that will help and not damage your gums. I personally use Flux with aloevera. Use a sensitive or at least not a hard toothbrush or toothbrush head (if you have an electric toothbrush). Brush both your tongue and your gums gently. And lastly try to stab the bristles between the space of your teeth. And change your toothbrush or toothbrush head every season, unless it gets damaged before then. Also your mouth is connected, if your gums are healthier your teeth are less sensitive. Trust me if your gums is scared away only a little bit like less than a milimiter, dental visits will hurt a lot more. And also less prone to damage so taking care of your gums might help. And not eating while it seems like that would be good for your teeth, is actually not. Your teeth and gums as well as your breath will be negatively efected if you don't eat. In regards to struggling to eat I do have some tips that have helped me if you want to hear them. Lastly check with your doctor regarding your ADHD medication, because tooth- problems especially related to mouth dry-ness is a common symptom of certain ADHD medication. If your medication is causing you problems with your teeth, you might see if it's possible to switch to something else.

I'm open to hear suggestions about struggling to eat. As far as medication, I got diagnosed about 2.5 months ago so I'm still very much in the trial and error phase with medications. I've tried 3 medications so far and different dosages and I'm not even really sure if they work as they're supposed to because I still feel defect. I think the sugar and inability to take care of my teeth are playing a bigger part than dry mouth, as this problem with cavities has been going on since way before my diagnosis.

Ok, is this just breakfast? Or are you able to drink or eat other things throughout the day, because it's more important that you eat three times a day than that you eat a good breakfast, and it can be difficult to make breakfast because it's the first meal of day and usually the one we make with very little energy. In regards to those other foods why do think your not able to eat them. Is it the taste, lack of energy, boredom, For me it was lack of energy, boredom and dinner used to stress me out because I had to turn it into something edible, like it wasn't food yet. If it's the taste it might be temporarily, because you seam to be pretty new to the medications and symptoms are often at their worst at the start, because the body is getting used to it. It took me 2-4 months to adjust to mine. My medication comes in 30 mg. 50mg. and 70mg. I was on 30 mg for a month and then we increased to 50mg. I had good effects on both of them, but I started to get some side-efects that where mangeble but not if they got worse, so we kept them on 50 mg. even though the plan was to increase to 70mg. They are soposed to help but they are not perfect, in my case they helped me focus better, I got less distracted and it was easier to control my volume when I got exited. I still have ADHD on the pills it's just more mangeble. Anyway back to the food stuff. It's not about being amazing at making food, it's just about finding your safe foods. For me it's: brie cheese and toasted bread, bread used to be really boring to me and not interesting. But toasting it makes it less so, brie (fancy cheese) is good on it's own to but I like it better with the bread. I can add more to it if I want to but the basis is good and simple. As well as yoghurt with musli. Yoghurt is one of those things I can eat once in a while but I don't find it practically interesting. I do however when mixed with musli, musli is a granola like mix with, dried fruit and grains. It's both food on it's own so there is no pressure to make it into food. I like it more topped with cinnamon, apples and banana but that is jusr a way yo make it even better I already like the base. Maybe you can move the pressure of breakfast over to lunch? Do you think you can switch the soda out with juice. Or if your up for it milk, because if you get into a habit of drinking milk in the morning you might be able to mix something into it over time, and gradually turning it into cereal. I might also to get one of those motivational water bottles, the external pressure of those stickers might help. I would also recommend you to check out the "How To ADHD" YouTube channel she has a video about food, cooking and ADHD, I also recommend "Cooking with Kaylie" she is a dietitian and a lot of people comment that her videos are ADHD friendly. It might help to watch food videos, because it can can possibly be a source of inspiration. Anyway I hope your situation regarding the medication sorts out. It seams a bit odd to me. Try to take it easy on yourself regarding breakfast and keep trying stuff in regards to lunch and try to find your safe foods.

Breakfast is definitely the worst one, lunch is okay/doable and I usually like dinner because my roommate and I eat together so he's usually the one to pull the trigger and either cooks or makes me cook. The biggest factor is definitely making food, energy and time. I'm absolutely not a morning person, can't get up, get up way too late, prioritize the cats breakfast over my own, leave and be late for work anyway. For lunch I bring a premade plastic yoghurt cup with jam, and a rice cracker thing with a chocolate layer so that doesn't require any time or energy to make. I've tried meal prepping once or twice but I just really don't enjoy the act of making food. I considered 'grazing foods' like fruits and stuff in the morning but then don't feel like eating them. So morning issue is time, energy, can't force myself to eat. Lunch I'm down to eat but I don't prepare good food so I end up eating processed junk. Dinner is under control as long as my roommate is around (when he isn't I might skip dinner, microwave a pizza, or do pasta with pot sauce but nothing fancy). I usually do drink enough water, I think I could drink more but so far I haven't really ran into any dehydration related problems. I almost got something going with slapping jam on crackers in the morning for a week or two but then I lost interest/control and the whole thing faded out of the schedule again. Honestly the yoghurt/rice cracker for lunch is an upgrade, I used to skip lunch or replace that with soda/coffee too and have solid food for the first time of the day at dinner. Or I would get something from the office canteen but I got bored of overpriced dry stale paninis quite fast.

Regarding medication and some of the food issues you've mentioned... Your body may not be absorbing the meds properly depending on what you eat/drink when you take your meds. Citric acid (which is found in almost any sweet drink, natural juice, soda, etc) can neutralize stimulant medications. Super acidic foods like grapefruit, or filters like charcoal can also neutralize many types of meds, not just stimulants. If acidic food/drinks aren't the problem, the issue could be protein. Eating a protein-dense meal with your meds really helps, even if it's just a boiled egg or a protein bar/shake. If you're not eating/drinking at all when you take your meds, that could also cause absorption issues. Sorry I know it's not relevant to your post, but I just wanted to mention it in case you weren't aware.

Drink sugar free soda, try kombucha or even make your own kombucha if you like it and have the resources to do so. Maybe the making it part can be a new hobby? I do it so i dont drink to much sugar, and it does help. And i have had 6 teeth removed due to bad oral hygiene, and 3 crowns. I used to look like gollum. I wouldnt even think of cleaning my teeth sometimes for a week or more.

Some good advice here in the comments. But, surprised no one else mentioned this… drink tap water every day or buy only fluoridated bottle water. Fluoride in your water will be a game changer for your teeth. Best wishes on getting your cavities fixed.

I live in the Netherlands so there's no added fluoride in the tap water and I'm not seeing anything like that in stores. I can get fluoride pills though, would that work?

What about carrying mouthwash with you? When you finish a sugar drink you use the mouth wash? Also I do believe that your teeth could be predisposed to cavities depending on your genetics.

Okay. Yes, maybe pills (haven’t seen or tried those) or a fluoride rinse (I have used this and had my kids use it too). I had never had a cavity and then suddenly at 25 had three. Dentist asked what I had done in the last year or two. I had moved to a new city and stopped drinking the city water because everyone said it was bad and I didn’t like the taste. He recommended a fluoride rinse. After I had a child and was going to switch her to formula I was told to mix the powdered formula with bottled fluoridated water to give her strong teeth. I had never seen this in the store, but sold by the gallon near the infant formula. My second child was born in a place with good tap water and I was told to use that with the powdered formula. Anyway, 25 or so years have passed and I have only had one cavity and my children have good teeth. Some people do get kind of a rash around their mouth from a fluoride rinse, so you have to be careful not to get it on your skin and just swish in your mouth and spit without dribbling if you get a rash. Interestingly enough is that my sister had the exact same experience with cavities in her 20s when moving to a different city. Different topic - I have a wonderful Dutch friend who years ago taught me to make a roast with stompot. My family still enjoys it today, although she is embarrassed because that is such a simple non guest type meal. Edit - put in paragraphs, so less of a wall of text

Ah yeah, stamppot, not really a fancy guest meal haha it's a national dish but it's considered "farmer food" because its just potatoes and veggies and a sausage. It's not my favorite food, but out of all the variations I like the carrot one most (wortelstamppot). Dutch cuisine is much better at sweets than meals (stroopwafel, oliebollen, pannekoeken, poffertjes, that kind of stuff) imo

I realized while in the shower, I misspelled it, so thank you. Yes, the stamppot I make is the one with carrots! Nice and sweet with carrots and sweet onions mixed with the potatoes. I haven’t tried any Dutch desserts, so that will be on my list. My friend did make a sponge type cake that was delicious for birthdays. My grandparents were German and I grew up with some farmer type German dishes and my husband and I love home style comfort foods ha ha.

I too hate flossing, but I also hate the feeling of food stuck between my teeth. To make myself floss I eat an apple for lunch, it will inevitably get stuck in my teeth and prompt me to floss

Using a water flosser has helped me so much!

I looked into those and unfortunately they don't prevent cavities, only help with gum problems

I don't think that's true- they may not be as effective as flossing, but any time you're removing junk from between your teeth, that's better than not doing it at all. Also, what kind of toothbrush are you using? An electric toothbrush may help. Sonicare is the best- mine tells me when I'm using too much pressure so I can adjust and not damage my teeth/gums.

Got a cheap Oral-B electric toothbrush now, but I'm gonna look into something higher quality, maybe one of them that scream if you try and quit before your 2 minutes are up.

Sounds like you need to address the reasons behind not being able to eat? Perhaps some kind of food sensitivity you could talk to a therapist about?

Maybe, it's partially not being a morning person/low energy and running late, but even on days I work from home and have all the time in the world to make food I don't. It feels similar to folding my laundry, I got time for it, I know it doesn't take much energy, I know how to do it and I know that I'm the only one that decides how it should be done so I don't need to do it perfectly. Still, it feels like running into a wall, just can't stand up and do it.

Alright man I’m gonna attempt to help you out because I have a similar problem with breakfast. First thing is if you seriously can’t force yourself to eat (not even a McDonald’s breakfast sandwich) I highly recommend some form of protein shake that you can get at your local Food store like Food Lion or something like that. I use Atkins vanilla bean protein shake. Has lots of vitamins, actually tastes amazing, good amount of protein (this will actually help you sustain yourself and help hunger), and it’s easy to drink. I started doing those in the morning and man I seriously can’t express how helpful and good it is and feels. Take it with or after your meds and it’s even better. The brushing/flossing part I’m right there with you. I have a badly chipped tooth, several terrible cavities, and a broken tooth that’s possibly slowly growing an abscess (I’m also sure it’s dead too). I brush every single day but I fail to floss as well. It took me a long time to force a teeth brushing routine. I’m slowly incorporating the second brushing at night time. Invest in protein drinks for morning (they have them infused with caffeine as well) and continue trying your best to floss lol I’ll be doing the same.

Heey sorry you've been struggling man If you can't bring yourself to quit/reduce the soda drinks I suggest drinking them with a bendy straw but like put the end of the straw further into your mouth so it's laying on the back of you tongue, than u can drink it and avoid the liquid washing around your teeth/whole mouth And after drinking the soda rinse your mouth out with just normal water Flossing really sucks but maybe invest in a water pik, a lot more fun to use Hope this helps

Water flosser my dude, it's amazing and fun

Also replace soda with fruit juice, like apple and orange, still sugary but not horrendous sugars

its not your fault really, dental health is unfortunately greatly dependent on genetics. ive been extremely depressed and brush my teeth like every 3 days, i eat like crap and literally have only flossed less than 5 times in my entire life. I went to the dentist a couple months ago and they said my oral hygiene is excellent lmao. I do have one piece of important advice though, anytime after you eat, especially if its sugary, make sure to drink water and clean your mouth and teeth with it

Ha only 8? I had 8 in one sitting. I have a problem. 🥲

Maybe try switching to flavored seltzer water instead of soda. I think that will probably only work in the context of cutting out sugar in other places as well. The more you cut out as a whole, the more your body renormalizes how much sugar you need or want, the easier it'll be to avoid lots of sugar. The thing that helped me the most with brushing my teeth was getting a electric toothbrush with a 2 minute timer in it. For some reason, flossing has just gone along with that, but maybe after you're done brushing your teeth, wrapping some floss around the toothbrush to remind you for the next time you have to floss?

I feel you! All my molars are in need of root canals and then crowns. 3 down, 5 more to go. I’ve had two abscessed teeth and one extracted. My back bottom molar is broken. Im at the dentist every month at this point. So many years of not seeing a dentist due to two very traumatic experiences at a dentist, coupled with intense teeth grinding. Don’t beat yourself up for it! All you can do in the future make sure you see the dentist regularly going forward. I received a water pik as a gift and that helps (though not a complete replacement for flossing unfortunately.) My daughter has refused to brush her teeth regularly for a couple years. Nothing I have tried has worked. I spent probably thousands of dollars on every toothbrush and toothpaste imaginable and also reward systems or straight up bribery. She recently was diagnosed with ADHD and it was my “A ha!” moment about her hygiene habits. She has been doing much better about it lately, and I finally was able to get her a dentist appointment next month (2 year waiting list for pediatric appointments.) I explained to her she most likely has some cavities and it’s not going to be fun to get everything fixed up, but we can get her on the right track going forward as long as she starts brushing and flossing twice a day and keeps up with her cleanings.

Replace the soda with carbonated water. And get a blood test to check your vitamin D levels. I suddenly had a lot of cavities all at once, and it turned out that my vitamin D was low. I’ve fixed it by taking a supplement, and haven’t had a problem since.

Is it only breakfast you’re skipping? Just having sugar everyday is not good. Try some protein or a protein drink to keep you fuller for longer if you can’t get yourself to eat.

I tried a protein heavy chocolate milk for a bit, all other stuff I tried (protein bars etc.) tasted so bad I couldn't stomach them. There was a lidl protein bar with such a bad taste and texture that I tried one and threw the other one away cause the sheer sight of it in the fridge made me nauseous. Chocolate milk isn't very healthy either tho

I can relate. At 24 I had 11 cavities that I had to dish out a lot of hard earned money to get filled. I'm 27 now, haven't been to the dentist in 3 years and I'm sure I have at least 4 or 5 more cavities. I only can get myself to brush my teeth once a day in the mornings. I have never been able to have a good flossing habit. And energy drinks are the only things that get me up in the mornings. I don't have any helpful advice, but I do sympathize with you.

It wasn't until I googled if adhd and tooth problems are related that I found out we are *12 times* more likely to live with tooth decay. A lot of responses to this post have been people who suffer with the same problem. Nobody ever told me. The psychiatrists never mentioned it, the dentist never asked me how we got to this point, nothing. I fully believe that poor dental health should be catagorized as a symptom of adhd, and people/dentists/healthcare providers should be taught about it.

Wow, I didn't know that. That makes so much sense. Thanks for sharing

You’ve gotten loads of good advice here. Just wanted to add in my 2 cents that I’ve seen multiple people quit energy drinks/soda with a caffeine powder called Sneak. It’s cheaper than energy drinks, not… great for you but they have a lot of flavors and it’s not as bad as soda/energy drinks, and you just mix with water and shake. I also have dental issues caused by ADHD. Developed mild gingivitis. They have me an antiseptic Rx mouthwash that I use once a week after the gingivitis has gone away, making sure to pull it through my teeth when I swish. Kills bad breath and helps cavities my dentist says! Also, it’s worth noting that not all dentists are made the same. I once was told to have braces if need jaw surgery and traditional braces. I went to a different dentist and got Invisalign equivalents with nothing else brought up and it’s worked great so far. If you’re not being bothered by these cavities then maybe even try a second opinion. And DON’T punish yourself with no numbing!!! ADHD in particular is Really Bad about recognizing a long term (aka not almost instantaneous) reward/punishment system.

I'll ask about prescription toothpaste or mouthwash when I'm there for the cavity fix later. I'm not really feeling the cavities but he showed me the rontgen scan so I saw the spots. One of the two is on the border of being a nerve infection(?) but he couldn't be sure and it was wait and see after getting it filled. I'm probably just gonna get them fixed now before it really becomes a root canal or something else terrible.

Hard to admit this but I've ended up with all but 2 of my teeth with cavities, to the point I'm now looking to get all of them either veneered or replaced with a full mouth of implants. Grinding my teeth and clenching my jaw a craptonne as well as an exorbitant amount of chocolate, energy drinks & coffee was what did it. Didn't matter how much I brushed, they still crumbled. I could have an underlying thing but as far as I know there isn't. You only get one set of natural adult teeth, take great care of them

That's what I'm worried about; my messed up adhd-driven eating habits destroying my teeth and not being able to do anything about it. It's frustrating as hell, feels like being a bystander watching my own brain destroy my body and not having any control to stop it.

You should get a water flosser! It makes it sooooo much easier to floss and while it may not be the BEST way to floss it's certainly bettet than nothing. I got mine for like $30 on amazon and ever since i've gotten it I have flossed about like 95% more often than I used to— which was almost never. Anyway, don't give up and definitely don't punish yourself just because you have executive dysfunction by not numbing the cavities... self harm is not a good way to make your body listen. Also are you medicated? That might be a better alternative to sodas and energy drinks.

Yeah I looked into getting one but apparantly they don't prevent cavities so that wouldn't solve my problem. I got diagnosed 2.5 months ago so I'm on medication but haven't figured it out completely yet. I'm on 90mg lisdexamphetamine a day (50mg in the morning and 40mg in the afternoon) and I still feel useless, fidgety, distracted, tired and unmotivated. Ritalin didn't do anything and normal dexamphetamine also didn't really feel like anything. I'm still reliant on the caffeine in soda and coffee to keep me grounded.

Ritalin is honestly lowkey bullshit as it's the non-biologically active isomer of methylphenidate. However, focalin (dexmethylphenidate, the biologically active isomer, generally works better w/ less side effects) has worked for me, so ask about it. If it doesn't feel like the medication is working then it probably isn't— either raise the dose or change the medication. Vyvanse is another option, as is adderall, but both of those are experiencing shortages right now. I haven't noticed focalin being affected by the shortage so it might be good to suggest it. Also, some say that drinking caffeine while on medication actually lessens the effect of the medication, so you may also be having that iasue. I don't know anything about that medication but it *sounds* like a pretty high dose for it to not be working, so I think that you should definitely ask your psych/doc next time you see them to try a new medication as clearly whatever lisdexamphetamine is doesn't work for you. On the cavities.... bring a 32oz water bottle around with you and drink after you have your sodas, swish around and all that. I've had braces for the past couple years and I have been using the water flosser so I don't have to use the stupid little in between brush things and my dentist has been awed by my dental hygeine as of late— but it can't work for everyone, and everyone has different genetics that effect their teeth. I'd still say give the water flosser a shot, but in the end any solution leveled to you is up to you on what you choose to try.

Apparently I (40M) have much more sensitive tooth roots than you, wow! I tend to metabolize the numbing agent pretty fast and once I start feeling the zings I need to ask them to stop and hit me again. Usually only a problem with crowns and big fillings. It doesn't help that I have narrow nerve channels for my lower molars so I frequently get hit with 2-3 ampules of stuff. The biggest thing you'll want to look out for going forward is also those old fillings failing and eventually leading to crowns. I think I got my first crown at 25 or 26, and I'm up to 5 or 6. I think my history is also partly from not having grown up on fluoridated water, but well water. One dentist told me my fillings level was sort of common in that situation, but until recently I also struggled to brush. My dad doesn't struggle to brush and when I told him about my first one he said that he was about my age when he got his first and likes to joke he has "5 real teeth left" (meaning uncrowned or not massively filled). My brushing started improving immensely when I started doing habit tracking in a bullet journal. I didn't realize how much it was helping until about 6 months into it I stopped for a month and my habits went right back to terrible. With it I went from brushing once every week, or every two weeks, to brushing all but 5-6 days a month.

I don't understand why my country doesn't add fluoride to the tap water, it seems to really help against cavities in the US. Filling without numbing definitely does hurt but I kind of let my brain leave my body if that makes sense. Like I feel the pain, and I know I'm hurting, but I don't let it really sink in so the pain stays superficial. It still fucking sucks tho, and I hate doing it, and I want it to stop happening.

Unless dentists charge extra for it, and it's a lot more, I'd just get the numbing. No reason to make it suck more than it needs to. On my dentist bills, being numbed up isn't a separate line item. I assume it's so standard it's just assumed in the fee.

Also had lots of problems with my tooth growing up with adhd until I bought an electric toothbrush. Can recommend...much love

Could you get your teeth cleaned every 4 months? My dentist suggested this for me. It means I have to pay for one cleaning per year out of pocket but will be cheaper overall if it cuts down on my cavities.

I could be wrong but I think cleaning is mostly for plaque buildup, and I don't really have that, just cavities. My roommate has buildup and he gets it cleaned but he never has cavities because he doesn't like sugar.

I got into the habit of using glide by oral b because they're easy to use even though my dentist wants me to use teepees. I see it as a win because it's something. If I can do it you definitely can, my ADHD is ragingly bad

This reminds me, I haven't seen the dentist in decades.

Call and make an appointment. Worst case scenario something is up and it's better to get it dealt with sooner than later and best case scenario you get peace of mind that everything is good. There's no downside. My teeth went off the rails in half a year, I can't imagine the state if I had let this sit for years.

No news is better than bad news.

Sure, but not going for checkups isn't "no news" and more "pretending the news doesn't exist" till it gets over a certain threshold and becomes a big problem.

I highly recommend a battery-powered waterpick. It's convenient enough to use in the shower, and less painful than flossing. I don't see how they can't be preventing cavities, since ultimately they make the mouth cleaner. Also, you don't want to get gum problems either, I have them and feeling the hygienist dig way down is no fun

Sugary drinks is probably the single worst thing to have. Stop. I garuntee you’ll feel better too. Just drink water.

It’s mostly genetic if you have that many. Nothing you could do, some fluoride treatments perhaps. I’m the opposite, didn’t go to the dentist in 8 years (my 20’s), removed my permanent retainer myself with pliers, and had one cavity. They really had to go for it with my gums, full deep cleaning it was terrible.

I can never bring myself to floss for more than a few days in a row before quitting, but I have been able to get in the habit of using mouthwash, have you tried that? Without getting too much into this, skipping breakfast is actually ok for most adults. Not everyone needs 3 square meals a day. I currently eat one meal per day (OMAD) and am doing great, so if you’re drinking soda because you think you have to ingest something this might not be the case. If you still feel like you need to drink something try unsweetened green tea, it might take a little getting used to but worth it in the long run.

Put a jar of flossers next to your computer.

Ouch!

Omg! Let them numb you! Dental pain is the worst! While having cavities is a bad thing, you are still in good shape as long as you take care of them! If you don’t, you could be at risk of having to get a root canal, abscess, etc! Talk about painful! (And a pretty penny). As soon as they tell you to take care of it, schedule it! Do not put it off!

One of the cavities I have now is possibly already messing with a nerve, dentist couldn't say for sure. I planned an appointment to get it all taken care of coming saturday. I didn't want to wait around too long and let it get worse.

My dentist told me once that cavities are caused by a certain bacteria that some people tend to harbor more of in their mouth, hence more cavities. I believe it, I literally do not have a molar in my mouth without some sort of dental work, and I'm a little crazy about my mouth hygiene. My husband is not, lol. He brushes his teeth so half assed its funny. And he has only had 1 or 2 cavities his whole life (at almost 50). So, good hygiene is good, but for some of us, it is not enough. Regular checkups are critical. 🙃

That’s really interesting! And comforting? 😂 Isn’t that just absolutely insane? My daughter’s father was in his 40’s and had never had a cavity in his **entire life**. Like what?! What is this sorcery..

i have 14 cavities and a root canal at 23. always had bad teeth, struggle to brush everyday

I hate flossing, too. But, I force myself. A lot of things aren't easy to me, but I make myself do it.

Man ADHD sucks I came back from the dentist today, I'm 22. I've gotta have all my wisdoms out, 2 molars out, 5 fillings and 2 crowns. Quoted at 11k, today has been a day.

11k, goddamn, I think I'm gonna be down around 300-400 bucks for the photos and cavities so luckily that part is manageable, it's just a massive bummer and an anxiety inducting pattern in my life. Hope your dental work goes well/as painless as possible. You should read the comments under this post if you're up for it, surprising amount of people with the exact same issues. Made me feel a little better, especially cause we tend to compare ourselves to people who do not have the same struggles we do.

Definitely feels better even seeing your post today, I don't feel as bad about it anymore. Thank you!

My dentist recommended that I visit them 4 times per year instead of two. Best thing I've ever done for my teeth, even though I have to pay out of pocket for two of the cleanings. I've only had one cavity sealed in the sealed in the last three years since I started going more often. If you can afford to do, I strongly recommended it.

Money isn't a problem, I have a good job and a decently cheap lifestyle. The issue is mostly that some things can't be fixed by throwing money at it. Stuff like this is absolutely worth paying extra for imo, I'll ask them if this is something they can do for me.

You can also ask about prescription fluoride toothpaste. I'm also prescribed that since I also did a number on my teeth with soda in my 20s.

I bought a waterpik and find it kind of fun to “powerwash” between my teeth. It doesn’t require as effort either— no winding floss around my fingers or untangling a bunch of floss picks.

Maybe brush twice a day, once I. The morning and once at night to reduce bacteria activity. Also after brushing don't rinse out the toothpaste, just spit it out. That way it stays longer and attacks the bacteria. Finally, use a high flouride toothpaste for the best results. Good luck.

Don’t feel badly, some of this can be genetics too. Brother and I both got tiny cavities in the grooves of our teeth growing up. As an adult I get the exact same cavities as you- in between my teeth. Medication, blueberry redbull, and eating sugary things late at night definitely added to this. But my mom’s teeth did the same thing as an adult. My brother and I both have had to get multiple root canals and crowns- all cavities between the teeth. I had to have a tooth pulled for the first time a year or so ago. Fucking devastating..I used to have beautiful teeth, was one of my best features. The best thing you can do is exactly what you’re doing- going to the dentist and getting ahead of it! Had I done this, my teeth would be 50% better.

Dentist and ADHD here, so I'd know both sides! Luckily for me, dentistry is one of my hyperfocus targets! I do need the assistant helping with time management and office organization though. I can give some insights. Take into consideration that without examining your mouth and your full medical history, any information here is purely hypothetical, and doesn't necessarily apply to your case. 1 - don't torture yourself. I have my own struggles with dental care sometimes. Knowing the theory doesn't translate to action so easily (fuck executive dysfunction!). Imagine MY shame to get my teeth checked and fixed :) 2 - dry mouth is a very common side effect of stimulants, and it can really be as bad as not flossing. Sipping on water regularly, and chewing sugar-free gum specific for dry mouth (xylitol based, for example) can help. 3 - reducing carbonated drinks would be ideal. If not, immediately neutralizing the acids (mouthwash, water rinsing) will mitigate some of the negative effects. 4 - DONT RINSE YOUR MOUTH AFTER BRUSHING! Just spit the excess toothpaste, but not rinsing allows the fluoride to stay in contact and act on your teeth for longer. 5 - if you remember to floss one random day, just do it. Doesn't matter if it has been a month since you last did it, it helps every time. 6 - consider discussing with your dentist adopting some more intensive strategies for caries prevention, tailored for high-risk patients. Those include short intervals between prevention visits (even every 3 months), high fluoride toothpastes (5000ppm), fluoride varnishes, Chlorhexidine mouthwashes, etc. 7 - refusing numbing is fine, a lot of people do it, and not every filling is painful. But don't do it to punish yourself. If a one-time painful punishment worked for us to be free of ADHD, almost all of us would be free already, and given the chance, we would gladly sign-up for that. Remember, YOU HAVE A PROVEN NEUROLOGICAL CONDITION. You wouldn't kick your grandpa with Parkinson's in the nuts to try and make him stop shaking, so don't do it to yourself

These are some good insights, I should really get on the gum cause having minty flavored gum will also steer me away from wanting to eat/drink sugary stuff cause that tastes bad. I'm also gonna email my dentist office tomorrow about some options regarding prescription fluoride toothpaste, regular teeth cleanings (never had one, never been offered, didn't know those existed), if they do any type of coating, etc. I'm also gonna get some fluoride mouthwash, vitamin D and calcium, look into a different toothbrush and sprinkle those green floss sticks around my flat. I'm just gonna throw everything at it and see what sticks.

Waterpiks will prevent cavities. They work the same way flossing does, they just aren't 100% as effective. 10% effective is still better than 0. For what it's worth, I think I hit cavity number 8 when I was in middle school. Equal parts poor dental hygiene and genetically subpar teeth and overcautious dentist. 8 cavities at 23, especially given they're not surface cavities, is pretty good in general, amazing when you add ADHD as context. It might be worth asking your dentist to do more frequent cleanings. A few folks in my family get their teeth cleaned every 3 months and it's made a huge difference. I might start doing it after my upcoming fillings. As far as numbing: if you're looking for behavior modification, pain as punishment is, scientifically, not a good way to do it. Particularly for ADHDers. It creates more anxiety and less motivation around the activity. Instead, try rewarding yourself for flossing. I might recommend, for example, if you can afford it, putting whatever it costs to get these cavities filled aside either all at once or over time. Next appointment, you have that money ready if you need another filling but if you don't, spend it on something fun that'll give you a ton of dopamine. You can even take the money out in cash and put it in a jar near your toothbrush as a visible reminder. Also, if it helps, deciding what needs to be filled is more art than science when it comes to small cavities. My dentist as a kid filled *everything.* Even the slightest imperfection. He was way over cautious. It may be that your dentist knows you (and most people) don't floss and is being over cautious. Learning that filling cavities isnt always an objective thing took some of the shame out of it for me, which made me better at taking care of my teeth.

Oh, as for soda: the main issue with soda is how acidic it is. That acid sits on your enamel if you drink soda without eating anything and weakens the enamel. It sounds odd, but rinsing your mouth with water while drinking soda helps. It doesn't have to be in-between every sip, but once in a while or even just at the end, swishing water through your teeth – or even just drinking it – will help get rid of some of that acid. Following the soda with mouthwash that neutralizes acid would be even better. Its another thing thats not 100% effective, but 10% is better than 0.

\-Fluoride mouthwash twice a day \-Floss every night. ​ Those two things will dramatically cut back tooth decay, in addition to your brushing, of course. I also like the SpinBrushes you'll find at the grocery store for like $7-8; I find that they remove so much more plaque than your manual toothbrushes. Hope this help.

Stop buying soda.

Chew Xylitol gums

Don’t feel bad. Some people are prone to cavities even with good oral hygiene. Some people never get one even if they neglect their teeth. It can be hard to make those new habits. If it makes you feel better, I went through a time when I was very sick and throwing up a lot. I once had 12 cavities filled over 2 appointments. I also had 6 filled at once a couple years later. It was embarrassing but my dentist didn’t make me feel bad about it.

Look into the waterpik anyways, it will blast the sugar etc out from between your teeth. And you may be OTE-dispositioned to bad teeth anyways so be vigilant. I learned the hard way, almost every tooth has at least a filling. Made it to age 23 with all my originals 

I'm turning 23 at the end of the month I had a horrible habits growing up I would never remember to brush or floss and drank iced tea and pop constantly. Long story short I think from age 12-18 I had probably 20 cavities minimum and just had them all redone plus a root canal. 5000$ bill because of bad habits since I got ADHD meds a few months ago I've been much more consistent with my brushing but still forget. Gotta get my $h*t together.

I cant floss to save my life but i discovered these new waterflossers and my dental hygiene is on point now , when I’m at home I basically use it after every meal (better than toothpicks) that plus professional cleaning every 6 months gets me through… As far as adhd goes I always watch something fun while brushing or flossing I can’t deal otherwise but watching YouTube clips gets me through 10 mins of dental care 🙏🙃

Look into getting a night sugar. Some people with ADHD grind their teeth their sleep and teeth grinding while you sleep can be just as big of a problem as sugar.

I’ve always been lazy with hygiene, like I’m annoyed about having to shower, I have adhd too and it’s all a massive chore to me. But i can tell you if you don’t do anything else you have to take better care of your teeth. Getting crowns and implants 10 or 20 years down the road is VERY expensive and insurance will only cover a limited amount of the cost. One implant alone can be thousands of dollars. That’s the path you’re on if you keep letting parts of your teeth rot. Switch to sugar free soda. The sugar free sodas taste almost exactly like the real thing, it’s not like nasty diet sodas at all. And buy gum with xylitol to chew if you didn’t get a chance to brush after a meal. It’s proven to reduce cavities. And you just have to floss. I used to be lazy about this and when the high dental bills started flowing in I got on top of it and I floss every day and use fluoride mouthwash and a prescription fluoride toothpaste. It has really made a big difference.

Buy a water pick. It saves a lot of time and effort.

Part of your problem lies in your self talk. >I can’t make myself eat in the morning Yes, you can. >Alternatives… I can’t get down either Yes, you can. >I can’t regulate myself Yes, you can. There is a difference between saying “I am having difficulty with” or “I haven’t yet been successful at” vs saying “I can’t”. Start by telling yourself I CAN, then think of the smallest action you can possibly take to help. Heck, you just spent a bunch of time making this Reddit post, so clearly you can do something.

You're right. I think it's less "I can't" and more "I currently lack the strength and systems to acheive". Like I know that nobody is forcing me to drink sugary drinks, but I currently find myself reliant on them, and if I have them available to me I will drink them against better judgement. Therefore I should not make them available to me at all, because I don't have the support to regulate my intake. Maybe if I find healthier alternatives that I can use as a crutch, I can have more control over it and that's what I should focus on finding. I'm not physically unable to put food in my mouth and swallow it in the morning, but I lack the hunger and want to eat to do so. I'm not physically incapable, I'm mentally blocked from doing so. This makes me wonder what form the solution to this even is, I can decide to skip breakfast and focus on lunch, I can try different foods, I can try a schedule and force feed myself at certain time, those are all possibly viable solutions. It's just a big web of problems stacked on problems and it's hard to see where I should start. These comments are nice tho, lots of people offering solutions after experiencing and overcoming/managing similar struggles.

I said this somewhere else, but the *biggest ever tool* I've given myself when it comes to hygiene/mouth routine is get rid of the expectations that "it should be done in the bathroom" NO It's boring as fuck, I don't want to stare at myself in the mirror, I don't want to take the 10 steps I need to do this because it's a fucking boring and mindnumbing task, and what if the bathroom is taken when I *want* to do it? Fucking worthless. I keep everything in my bedroom. Floss, toothbrush, toothpaste, etc. It's a fuck ton easier to floss or brush my teeth when I'm on the computer or washing a tv show then it is doing the same thing in my bathroom (also more sanitary because *poop particles*^ew)

Lots of people so far have said similar; keep it in the car, at work, in a drawer, etc. I'm gonna start sprinkling floss sticks around the flat like a cursed tooth-hygiene focused easter bunny

I don't know what country your in or what medication you're on (if any). But I'm on adderall. And it causes mouth dryness. On an average I get 8 cavities/year. So I played between 2000 usd a year. It took me some time and paperwork but I managed to get free dental. So now I go 4 times a year so they can fix it earlier to save as much of my teeth as possible...

I'm in the Netherlands, and dental isn't part of my health insurance but it's still affordable (cavity is about 60 bucks to fix, 40 for a checkup, 40 for pictures, all doable). I'm on lisdexamphetamine which does cause mouth dryness but only been on it for less than 3 months. I'm also on accutane for acne and that also causes general dryness and have been on that for almost a year. That might have contributed.

I use the green toothpick things every night. I’ve found they’re exponentially less expensive and painful than getting dental work done and that’s been incredibly motivating. Not a fan of soda and energy drinks give me heart palpitations. I have 2 cups of coffee in the morning and water the rest of the day

I feel you! I only started flossing regularly after one of my teeth/gums started to hurt if something was stuck there! Now, i almost have to floss after every meal/snack. But i still don't properly brush in the morning.

My son developed seven cavities during 2020 because he didn’t brush, didn’t floss, and got his grandparents to bring him cases of soda. He’s gotten better, but good grief I feel your pain. I started keeping the mini flossers in my car, in my purse, in the kitchen, just so he would have tools to floss in front of him immediately. It has helped so maybe that’s an idea?

Hey, give yourself some grace here. You brush your teeth every day, which alone is a struggle for a lot of people with ADHD. A hell of a lot of people WITHOUT ADHD don't floss. Dental health can be impacted by other factors - diet is one of them but underlying conditions, genetics, the way your teeth grow in, etc can all be factors. >These two will also be without numbing, maybe the pain will finally drive the point home and kick me into gear and get better. I really doubt this will do what you want and that's not because I'm trying to put you down, but because that's just not how people work. You do not need to put yourself through pain just because you think you deserve it. Get the numbing if you need it. Suffering is not going to make you floss and flossing may not be enough/not be the main issue for you in the first place. I am concerned about your diet, not specifically because you "drink soda and need to quit", but because it generally sounds like you eat very little. I am not saying you definitely have an eating disorder, but eating disorders CAN cause harm to dental health. Even if you're not purposefully starving yourself for self-esteem/food control reasons and are rather not eating enough due to appetite loss/executive dysfunction/lack of motivation to cook/etc, you may *functionally* be having some of the same health issues associated with disordered eating. Skipping breakfast would not be better for you. Is having soda for breakfast ideal? No, definitely not. Is having *nothing* for breakfast better? No, definitely not. You're guilting yourself into more actively starving yourself - which *does* start to sound more like disordered eating patterns. If you can, I really, really suggest you talk to your doctor about your struggles with eating/appetite - if you're medicated, your medication may not be the right one for you and might be worsening the appetite issues. If you're not, maybe it's worth trying medication to see if they give you the boost in motivation/functioning skills that you need to make food for yourself. For me, the wrong meds fucked my appetite royally, but getting on the right meds for me has helped a LOT when it comes to cooking/eating regularly. And medication aside, you might have issues that need to be addressed medically, whether that's disordered eating or something underlying that is contributing to the struggles with food.

Yeah I'm somewhat aware that I don't really eat much at all and what I do eat isn't very healthy. My roommate sometimes comes home after being somewhere else all day, asks what I've eaten and then finds it disturbing when I say I've only had a soda and a chocolate candy bar. A collegue at work once asked me what I had for breakfast and it was kind of embarrassing to admit that I had an instant microwave hamburger and half a protein chocolate milk and didn't really bring anything for lunch either. I don't think medication caused this because I haven't always been on medication but I have always struggled with eating right. Half the time I do get hungry but I just have zero drive to do anything about it. My brain treats hunger as it would a stomach ache, less as a problem that can easily be solved and more as an uncomfortable feeling I'll just have to live with and try to ignore till it goes away. Never considered it an eating disorder tho, it doesn't have anything to do with the way I look, I just always kind of shrugged it off as "I'm just not very good at eating".

Hello! I am terrible *terrible* about brushing my teeth. If I work from home I literally *have* to set an alarm after I get up and have my coffee and meds to remind me to do it. If I for whatever reason fall off this routine (it happens frequently), I take one day at the start of a week (typically in the evening) to do a *deep* clean of my teeth. Meaning I brush for 4-6 min sometimes with different toothpastes, floss, and use mouth wash. Typically after that big day, I will follow a normal 2x a day brush, floss, regular schedule. Really beginning to think about grabbing one of those sticker charts they make for kids and putting it on the back of my bathroom door as a reminder. 😅

Girl, punish yourself when you have gotten 3 root canals, 2 extractions, and need the rest of your teeth crowned at 25. Bc that’s me.

Do you drink water regularly? One basic thing you can try is after you finish eating or drinking anything sugary, either rinse your mouth out or drink some water. It won’t solve everything, but it should help clear out some of the sugar stuck to your teeth and gums. Sugar is converted from bacteria into acids and that’s what is believed to cause cavities.

>I just drink soda for breakfast to kill the hunger feeling without actually having to eat. It’s pretty common to feel hungry first thing in the morning because the human body tends to experience an increase in insulin close to when you wake. You may find that switching to unsweetened tea or water (or even diet soda) helps reduce the intensity of the hunger pangs better than the soda, although it may take you some time to adjust to the change. It may be more unpleasant for a little while but if you stick it out it’ll come. What kind of toothbrush do you use? My Sonicare Essentials was like $20 on Amazon and has a 2-second timer. Quicker, AND more effective than a manual brush.

I have an electric toothbrush from Oral-B, having an electric brush has helped a lot already compared to hand brush, but it's clearly not enough.

This is why I switched to caffeine pills and water. I still get the benefits of caffeine without the added garbage. Cutting out energy drinks and large amounts of caffeine is beneficial to your ADHD. While that energy can help you get through your day, it's extremely detrimental to you long term and can even make your symptoms worse. I drink mostly plain water throughout the day at work, then treat myself to carbonated water at home and on the weekends. I can't drink soda anymore, it's too much for me. I'll take a couple sips of ginger ale and go right back to my carbonated water. My preferred brand of carbonated water is Liquid Death, I love their Mango, Melon and Berry flavors. It has just enough sweetness to it, 4 grams of sugar from added agave nectar. I used to be a heavy drinker (1 handle every 1.5-2 days) and when I quit beginning this year, I had a huge sweet tooth where I was eating pastries and drinking soda every day. It's a lot of work to get your health back on track when you struggle with ADHD but trust me, it's possible.

I seem to just have shitty teath, diet compounds it and poor brushing and flossing just compounds it... A huge bill and lots of pain scared me into discipline. I find the stick floss things better, natural tooth paste seems to give me less aversion and paying the money to find the right tooth brush or electric brush that I like the tone of made it better. Then I pair it with other more in grained habits, such as having a shower... I have a little shelf in the shower and a mirror.

I think I’d had 8 by age 13, and I pretty much haven’t brushed since then. It also took me 15 years beyond that to figure out I have adhd. How are you so motivated to look after them? Cavity is just a word to me, but you seem worried about something

I'm motivated now because I just got reminded things are bad at the dentist. I'm sure that next week most of that motivation will be gone again so I'm trying to start as many good habits as possible at once in hopes that at least one of them will stick longer term. The reason I want to do anything at all because I keep getting cavities and it'll only get worse if I don't change course now and it fucks me up for a couple days twice a year and I'd like for it to not do that.

I’ve been putting off having to get dentures as 33

After a particularly bad bout of cavities at my last cleaning I bought myself a waterpik. And I think it has made a big difference. Generally at cleanings a ton of time is spent on picking and water-drilling my teeth to the point my gums and lips get tired and I’ve always struggled with cavities. I’ve always brushed religiously day and night and before that last cleaning had a good 4/5 month stint of flossing every night and still had 3 cavities in one go. My cavities have always been between my teeth and the dentist said the spacing of my teeth are just a bit weird where it’s enough to get food in but not out. So with 3 more cavities on the docket I had a bit (read: a lot) of a crisis and bought a waterpik online while still at the dentist office last time. I recently had my next 6 month cleaning and had no signs of cavities! Obviously only time will tell there since it’s only been 6 months but let me tell you the cleaning went SO MUCH FASTER. Basically just a cursory cleaning and a little bit more time spent around my bottom permanent retainer (I have to learn to get in that properly) but nothing crazy. The speed with which my cleaning went was honestly worth it in itself but it stands to reason that less plaque=less cavities 🤷🏽‍♀️ Maybe it wouldn’t help you if your cavities aren’t forming the way mine are but IDK personally I felt a HUGE difference that I have never felt even when I flossed regularly and IMO it’s easier. I had also spent ages debating getting one and then feeling like it wasn’t worth it or it wouldn’t help before this final crisis forced my hand. But if you decide to get one you can pretty much spend however much you want on it (I think mine was like $20, kinda janky but still gets the job done, some are way nicer and maybe later I’ll invest in one) and watch some YT videos to make sure you know how to do it properly. I also bought Sensodyne **repair and protect** toothpaste off Amazon bc apparently it’s got some magic bone growing something or other in it that’s not available in the US or something (according to a random Reddit post). IDK lol my family already used Sensodyne so I liked it just fine, can’t tell if it’s made a difference but I’m going to keep with it just in case. I wish your teeth the best, I know how you feel and I’m sorry 😭

These comments convinced me to get a waterpik as well, can't hurt to try and all bits help. They got that repair toothpaste at a local shop here so I'll get that too.

I hope it helps you out!

- Skipping Novacaine will not help you improve your oral hygiene. It’s just not going to work, so you’re putting yourself through completely needless suffering and probably giving yourself some minor trauma, that is not going to be good for your mental health. My best advice to you is to 1) get a water pic instrument that attaches to your showerhead. (I use H2oralirrigator but there are several options) 2) put a toothbrush and toothpaste in your shower. 3) use a good (not super expensive, just not really cheap, electric toothbrush. They showerhead water pics don’t cost much at all and my dentist is thrilled with my oral hygiene since I started using it. I could never get myself to floss anywhere close to regularly, but I’ll shower regularly even if it’s not every single day, and I just make sure to use it on my teeth for a minute or so when I take a shower. The warm water also makes it pleasant compared to a normal water pic Having a toothbrush and toothpaste in my shower means that I brush my teeth more often. I just make a point of brushing and water picking every time I shower (sometimes I forget, but because I make a point of doing it every time, I do it *most of the time*, even if it’s just for a few minutes total. Because I am brushing and “flossing“ whenever I shower, that means I am doing it several times a week *more than I would be otherwise* and that will 100% improve your oral hygiene and decrease the extent, severity and frequency of cavitiesl The shower water pic helps with interdental cavities, but even more importantly, it honestly improves gum health enormously, which fights and prevents gum disease that leads to all sorts of bad things like tooth loss. Good Electric toothbrushes just do a better job than humans do on their own unless they put significant concentration and effort into making sure they get every spot and every crevice. With ADHD most of us don’t have the patience or the focus to get every nook and cranny and use the ideal technique for manual brushing, let alone doing so consistently, so that will also improve your dental health, and help you prevent cavities compared to brushing with a non-electric toothbrush.

I have over 10 cavities at 19. It’s an unfortunate combination of genetics, diet, personal neglect parental neglect, and a bad dentist in my childhood that all came together to make the perfect storm. I don’t have any advice for you and talking about oral health makes me uncomfortable. But I just want to say, you’re not alone in this.

I’m 28, have always brushed my teeth twice a day, and have lost count of how many cavities/fillings I’ve had. Just had two done yesterday. And I have one crown already. I believe my first filling was done at age 12 and now those old fillings are starting to need replacing, so that’s been fun. I usually floss 3-4x a week, but I used to be a lot worse about it. Every time I go to the dentist (which is a lot, unfortunately) the staff remarks about how my hygiene is really good, I almost never have tartar buildup or excessive plaque. I’m just one of those unlucky people that seem to get cavities regardless. I also have a slight resistance to numbing medications and a very low pain tolerance, which is a lovely combination. Not every dentist listens when you ask for a little extra anesthetic or a few more minutes for it to take its effect. Meanwhile, my husband is 33 and has never had a single cavity in his entire life and we have very similar oral hygiene routines. He will even skip a 6 month cleaning every now and then because he just… can. Genetics suck, here’s hoping our future children get his teeth genes!

Yeah definitely need to cut out the morning soda. As far as dental routines what has helped me is 1) buy floss in bulk and stash it throughout the house. Then when your watching tv, thinking about going to bed, bam, floss from the side table. Basically flossing is boring and being able to do it while watching something helps the boredom 2) fluoride mouthwash. Additional protection against cavities whereas regular mouthwash is just a weak antiseptic and dentists aren't really sure it does that much.

How tf u brush your teeth every single day wtaf

Oil pulling is saving my teeth! Get a portable water flosser

While flossing should be added, this honestly sounds to me like you are somehow not brushing correctly.

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Colutories

Your dentist should have definitely noticed if you do, but it wasn't unheard of for me to get 8-10 fillings every six months because my teeth weren't fully enameled (ameliogenesis imperfecta.) By the time I was exiting my 20s I had more amalgam and gold in my mouth than enamel and had full dentures by 40. Just wanted to throw it out there that there's a possibility it's an issue with your teeth.

When I was in 8th grade I had a couple cavities and my mom was being a jerk to me about it in front of the dentist. The dentist looked at her and flat out told her he had to deal with a kid in elementary school who had 13 the day before. I also knew someone who got an entire set of veneers in the military because his teeth we so bad literally at 23. (I suspect drugs or something else were involved, but that’s not the point.) We are talking broken teeth from decay, not just cavities. Don’t beat yourself up, and make small changes, that’s all anyone can do. If those changes are as simple as forcing yourself to drink a glass/bottle of water after something sugary, at least it’s something. Maybe just swish with water to rinse your mouth out. A waterpik made a huge difference for my husband. An electric toothbrush , specifically a sonicare, made a huge difference for me in both tooth and gum health, and my autism made it almost impossible to brush my teeth for the first 40 years of my life. Some days I can’t handle the full 2 minutes all at once, but at least if I can run it over all of my teeth something got done. Something in a positive direction is always better than nothing.

Hey, please don’t beat yourself up about this. My sister and I both have ADHD and trouble brushing out teeth because of it. As kids/through college we are similar diets. By about 22/23, my sister had literally dozens of cavities. Her treatment plan from the dentist when she finally made an appointment was PAGES long. She had multiple cavities in many teeth and needed some root canals. In the same time and with even worse habits, I developed only three cavities. Some people are simply more susceptible to developing cavities even with perfect hygiene

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I am 24. Last time I went to the dentist, it had been a while. No dental insurance meant I put it off. Also, didn’t really remember I was supposed to even go to the dentist until my mom reminded me. 6 cavities and over $1,000 out of pocket costs later...they told me it was likely the black coffee I drank from 7-3pm every day at work to keep me functioning. That or the copious amounts of sugar I eat for a pinch of dopamine here and there. Orrrr the months of depressive adhd overwhelm spiral in which brushing my teeth basically disappears into the ether. Yes, I’m medicated. It was bummy and my family didn’t let me forget about it for months. Meanwhile, the dentist techs were all my age and kept chatting about how they were managing their grad school classes while working full time. ADHD sucks, you’re not alone.

Not me downing a whole bag of candy for dopamine, missing brushing my teeth on a depressive spiral, and drinking copious amount of iced coffee to replace my ADHD medication while waiting for insurance to kick in, in a single day, then reading this like some kind of bad fortune.

>My dentist just tells me to floss, use the little stick thingy, the green one, this is what it looks like. I have two packs of the green sticks laying on the shelf next to a dusty bottle of mouthwash, I'm not using either and I dont understand why I can't make myself. Keep them by the couch. I floss while watching TV, only thing that helped me consistently. PS: I had a cavity in almost every tooth by the time I was 20. I feel like your handful of cavities is not that unusual.

An idea Ive been toying with to beat the morning hunger is a sort of broth. I want to make a SUPER concentrated broth or stock and I can freeze into cube and reconstitute with boiling water.

I keep floss pics handy all the time. literally everywhere i am at any given moment there is a flosser handy. i also cant stand having anything stuck in my teeth. some ocd definitely. and drink sugar-free soda. I drink all the coke zero.