To feel like a minger at the dentist

Tooth shaming is the worst, and is often done by people who are just too squeamish to be in that line of work, or who are trying to make you feel gross and shameful and scared you so you spend more money on unnecessary treatments. I had one tell me I’d have to have all my teeth extracted and get implants - I was only 27 at the time! 20 years on my gnashers are perfectly functional - could be whiter, and enamel’s a bit weak, but no chips or root canals or gym problems or any kind of pain.

I changed dentist and they’re all just nice and don’t give me a hard time. And if they tell me something needs doing, I trust them because they’re not negging me all the time.

Op I'm a dental nurse. I'm sure the hygienist has seen worse. It's their job to tell you where you are going wrong and a lot of people interpret this as being told off and that they are gross but that's not really the intention. Trust me - some of the sights I've seen if you are doing what you say you are they aren't even in the top 10%

Some people do get a bit more plaque build up than others and the back of your lower teeth is the most common area as you have saliva glands there. It shouldn't really calcify if you are removing any food or plaque within 24 hours so maybe it's partly technique? You need to brush along the gum line with the brush angled 45 degrees down into that margin. On the inside this is a lot lower than a lot of people think and they tend to have beautifully clean teeth and a line of build up along the gum. You can get disclosing tablets at boots to double check you are getting it all if that helps?

Is she specifically worried about build up though or more pocketing / gum disease? Once you have pockets forming it can be hard to get them clean without the hygienists help.

Hi Op

I used to get a build up of plaque behind my bottom front teeth and got so fed up with feeling like I didn’t look after myself at the dentist. I then bought a waterpik water flosser from Costco and things have been significantly better. It would definitely be worth a try. Best of luck

You could try brushing up with your diet I don't just mean cutting out sweets and fizzy I mean like eating more nutrious food with calcium and vitamin d.
Other than that some of us just unfortunately have shit teeth genes, I'm one of them tbh

The only thing you could add to your routine would be mouthwash I suppose. My dentists suggested that double layered one, Dentyl. Apart from that, you’re doing it all right.

I would for I different dentist and if your NHS look at private with a dental plan. My teeth are awful and like you I take and have always taken really good care of them. My NHS dentist was useless constantly blaming me and it was getting me down. When I went private they have actually really helped, havnt blamed me, acknowledged that it's genetic (both my mum's and Nans teeth are awful) and my teeth have got a lot better since.

Are you dehydrated or do you mouth breathe or snore. These things can also increase plaque build up I believe. But as pp said, some people are just more prone to it. I have one DD who never gets plaque and one who gets it badly - exactly the same oral hygiene routines, food etc.

A newly qualified dentist once told me that some people do make more plaque than others, just as some people are more susceptible to certain conditions.

Like you, I do as much as I can, but there is always plaque, despite my best efforts. I can’t afford extra hygienist appointments, other than the ones included in the monthly payment.

Read the first paragraph.

It's literally there in the first sentence!

This is something I’ve given loads of thought actually.

as 80s/90s children we were lead to believe that if you brushed, your teeth would be fine. If you didn’t, they’d fall out.

much of dental health is genetic and luck i think, or at least outside of our control. OBVIOUSLY oral hygiene is incredibly important, but it is NOT the only factor. Somehow having poor teeth is seen as a moral failing? It isn’t. I have weak teeth due to medication I had as a child. All the cleaning in the world didn’t stop my molar shattering in my sleep last year. The dentist had actually done x rays just ten days before as an annual thing, and there was no sign of decay or infection in that tooth at all.

If they aren’t bleeding then surely they aren’t getting worse?

I brush twice a day and floss for about a week every year before forgetting again. Whatever the score is they give your gums is - I think I remember this right 0 is the best and is rare and I get it every time. I didn’t see a dentist in a decade and didn’t even need a clean when I did. I live on lemonade and Coke and snack through the day. I am very partial to treacle toffee and make some a few times a month. I feel like I am proof that much of this is luck.

My dentist told me this, too. Despite lifelong, scrupulous oral hygiene, I get a bit of plaque behind my bottom front teeth (nowhere else). My dentist says it's a combination of saliva that leads to more plaque and my very crowded bottom front teeth.

Try a water flosser OP- like you I was on the 3 montly visits to an unimpressed Hygienist despite flossing, interdental brushes etc- when I added the water flosser that solved it! Back to a normal schedule of visits now

Have you tried using disclosing tablets that dye the plaque blue so that you can see which bits you're missing?

This is my situation also. Gum disease, and every few months I have to get areas of my mouth numbed to get deep cleaning done under the gum line. Also had some surgery to really clean and reduce pockets around my teeth. I brush twice a day, electric brush, floss and interdental brushes. Dentist and hygienist are very clear though that I have good oral hygiene, the dentist told me that my mouth reacts badly to plaque and I will always struggle with it. Nothing to do with bad hygiene. I would get a second opinion if I were you OP.

I can’t see how it can be anything you’re doing wrong based on what you’ve said.

I suspect they’ve written poor oral hygiene in your notes to give them the justification to upsell you more pricey/frequent treatments tbh.

Oh yes, and a second opinion from a different dentist (if you can get an appointment) would be good.

Try drinking water after every meal if you don't already. Sounds like it's just the luck of the draw, and perhaps some saliva production issues.

Can you ask for advice on how best to control it?

I would visit another dentist for a second opinion. I had loads of unnecessary work done just so they could make money

I need my teeth cleaned every four months, it’s due to my saliva which means I get build up faster.

I feel for you OP, I'm in a similar position.

I visit the hygienist quarterly and the dentist every 6 months. Brush twice daily, interdental sticks etc. I also have gum disease and some bone loss - difference is my dentist is very clear that they can see I have good hygiene, and it's likely genetics/bad luck that have impacted me.

With plaque, I've found that using disclosing tablets every few weeks really does help, as you can see where you need to specifically target.

I always used to go to an NHS dentist who never really found anything wrong. I now have a private dentist and hygienist included as part of the package and have massively upped my oral hygiene but you’d never guess from the feedback I get!! I’m guessing your dentist is private? As above, I suspect there’s an element of up selling treatments here.

Plenty of people in this country barely brush their teeth let alone floss etc, and many cannot afford/can’t find a dentist to see even annually, let alone see a hygienist multiple times a year. You’re not a minger, your teeth are probably in better shape than most of the nation.

About 30 years ago I saw a dentist in Surrey who said I needed thousands of pounds worth of treatment to save my teeth. Never went back. New dentist never said anything. Get a second opinion.