I hate going to the dentist because I'm always treated like a child who doesn't know how to take care of my teeth.

When I was in middle school, my dad refused to take me for anything medical related. I needed my teeth fixed and I needed glasses, but he always said I was fine. I don't know what changed his mind when I was in in my last years of middle school--first year of high school, but he was shocked about how bad my eyesight was and how many cavities I had. My wisdom teeth were taken out, I got a crown and root canals. I was pulled aside and taught how to floss properly and just how to take care of my teeth.

Fast foward to university, I went to my university's health center and was told about a cavity I had and how others were forming. I felt horrible because I thought they wouldn't find anything, I had been taking care of my teeth how I was told. And I hated how I was treated like I wasnt taking care of my teeth.... I was!

I didn't have the money to get my tooth with the cavity fixed. But yesterday I felt a crunch and when I went to the bathroom, I saw the tooth with the cavity lost color. Today, I felt the crunch again, and I know the tooth chipped. I can feel it being sharper.

I'm scared and really sad.

Google has not been my friend and i remember someone on here is a dentist so im hoping she sees this, or anyone who has gone through something similar and can help me answer these:

1--Why are my teeth going bad when I brush, use mouthwash, and floss?

2--Why did my tooth lose color? It looks darker but still white (like the inside has gone bad?) Is it the dentin?

3--If my tooth has to get extracted, can it be replaced with something else? I'd hate to have a gap between my teeth :(

4/5--It doesnt hurt, that's why I never realized I had a cavity before I went to the medical center. And it still doesn't hurt...when they opened to tooth to see the damage, they left a gap between my teeth. I grow my nails long, and I could slide in my thumb's nail in. But it has since then, it has gotten smaller and I cant do that anymore. Someone said it was because my tooth had remineralized, is that true? Why did the gap close itself?