I haven't neglected myself quite to that extent, but I don't know what to fricking say to you. I hate myself and I feel horrible and cannot take care of myself. I can take care of others, but I cannot manage to take care of me, either. I am sorry you have this problem also, I will go like maybe a week before I brush my teeth, but I have never gone very long...I guess you will have to find a way to calm yourself down enough to force yourself to go to the dentist and see what's up with your teeth...until then I wish you the best. I hope you can take care of yourself at least in this small way soon. Much love!

That is a really tough one, mostly because teeth are quite a scary area of your body for me. You have to go to the dentist as soon as possible because as with any decay or corrosion of anything, it aint getting any better. They are not going to heal. The sooner you go the less damage to be fixed.
I needed a filling for over ten years. Never went back after they said i needed a filling. Dont like dentists. Amazingly i still only needed the one filing but you have got to brush your teeth. Do it now. Right now, go get your tooth brush. They say that dental health can be linked to many other illnesses in your body.
I am saying these things to you because i have depression and i am neglecting myself. I dont eat. I havent eaten properly in about six weeks. Recently i have gone almost two days without eating. Not intentionally. I didnt realise. Or i just ate a chocolate bar. And smoking. I started smoking a bit too. I am really lucky that i can just stop smoking whenever i want but even still its a bad idea.
We need to take care of ourselves because this neglect is only making us feel worse when we need to be feeling better. I'll make a pact with you. If you go the the dentist i'll stop smoking and try to eat better. Maybe we can do it for each other.
Message me back. Let me know how you get on. But brush your teeth.

Hi Starfire,

It's amazing/scary how messed up our bodies and lives can get because of acute depression. I too have had more dental problems as my depression has gotten worse, reasons include: delaying going to the dentist for regular cleanings, anti-depressants that cause dry mouth, and not brushing my teeth after late-night eating (another symptom of my depression.)

First of all, good for you for recognizing this as a problem. Your teeth and your gums are fundamental for good health. Plaque building up between your teeth can dislodge from your mouth, travel to your heart, and cause a stroke. Not to mention that getting cavities or having a tooth pulled really hurts and will only get worse the longer you wait.

One thing that really worked for me was to brush my teeth and then take a shower or bath- I feel so clean and good after I get out. Depression sometimes takes away my sense of being fully human (because I feel so disconected from other ppl) or from being a woman, but after showering and brushing my teeth, it really helps my self-esteem.

Sometime if you can't get yourself to brush your teeth, at least use mouthwash (you can even do that while going to the bathroom) and then spit it out when you wash your hands. Final mini-idea: try posting a calendar in your bathroom and mark a star every time each day you brush your teeth (I do that for days that I exercise.) Also, drink lots of water- it cleans and hydrates your mouth and body.

Most importantly, please do schedule a dental cleaning ASAP. I had a bad dental appt after my depression got really bad, I'd skipped a few 6 month appointments, and I wasn't taking care of my teeth. This is something I wish I had done/suggest that you do if you're afraid of judgement by the doctor or dental hygenist: when you call to make your appointment, tell the scheduler that you've been neglecting your teeth (your choice to mention your depression or not), but ask her to please make your appointment with a dental hygenist and dentist that are gentle and compassionate and will help rather than judge you. Another idea would be to write a brief note explaining your situation that you give to your dental hygenist and mention that you're nervous being there and that you'd appreciate her support. I GUARANTEE they've seen ppl with a lot worse teeth than yours.

Finally, depression is much larger than teeth problems. I really hope you're working with a therapist and doctor. If you're working with a therapist, talk to him/her about your dental concerns. He/she might have better ideas or could help you make an appointment or even talk to your dentist for you.

My depression still causes me a lot of problems, but my teeth now look and feel great, smooth, and clean. You can do this too! Feel free to message me about anything else. I wish you the best for your teeth and your mental health.

I agree with the last post. I know how it feels to neglect your basic needs because of depression. I use to hate showering, and would go days without it. My face would breakout and I looked like crap. Because I felt like crap inside it didn't matter to me. But one day I realized, if I took care of myself better it might help with my depression.

You realized your teeth is a problem. Don't be afraid of the dentist, they can help before it gets worse. The pain and discomfort will get better after a few brushings and flossing. But the dentist would be my #1 solution to helping your teeth.