Harassed by dentist?

I would change dentist. Wouldn’t trust this one.

Op maybe it’s worth asking then if the hygienist is happy to do the full pocket chart and any perio treatment required without a treatment plan from your dentist. If not then you will probably need to pop back in for a pocket chart (although if it’s nhs I would be surprised if the dentist did this due to the time it takes)

A dentist checks around 50 different things on a check up , including doing a BPE (basic periodontal examination) which gives a general idea of gum health.

If this gives a score of 3 or 4 then a 6 point pocket chart , which takes a seperate appointment and takes a long time , should be done. With all the writing up, investigations etc it can be easy to forget to make the patient an appointment to come back for the 6 point check . This is why records are reviewed so things are picked up that are easy to miss.

Because unless the hygienist is happy to do independent prescribing any treatment plan or referral will have to be done by the dentist .

Yes I know but the hygienist is qualified to do a full pocket chart so why can’t it wait until then

I would answer the phone if they call and ask them if they think it's perfectly ok for a dentist to "forget" to check a patient's gums? That it doesn't sound very professional and it will wait until the next check up.

BPE is just a general scan of gum health. If any areas are a 3 or 4 then a full 6 point chart should be done, which is what , I imagine , the dentist has called the OP in to do. The BPE will already have been done in all likelyhood.

Just move to another dentist and don't take her calls. If she does manage to get through to you then log everything in case you need to report her for harassment. You can always make an excuse like you have moved to a dentist near your work for convenience.

I would phone and ask can the hygienist do the basic periodontal (BPE) instead

How gum disease can affect general health https://www.bsperio.org.uk/periodontal-diseases/periodontitis-and-general-health

Have you ever been a smoker OP?

Gum disease cannot be cured it can only ever be controlled and 90% of that control is in the patients hands , 10% is in the dental teams hands .

So stopping smoking/vaping , controlling diabetes ,if present , is crucial. Then effective cleaning by the patient , as most people do not clean effectively.

The dental team will remove tartar and make it easier for the patient to clean . If , after initial therapy and really effective cleaning by the patient , there is still active gum disease then there may be surgical and other treatments that may help. But the majority is getting rid of any factors that will make gum disease worse and effective cleaning. https://www.bsperio.org.uk/assets/downloads/Patient_Information_Leaflet.pdf

@Lollygaggle What treatment/s can be done for gum disease please?

The gum disease scoring is different than they do normally at a dentist or hygiene apt. I have gum disease, and it is only with 15 years of specialist periodontal treatment that I have kept all of my teeth at 45. I don’t have bleeding but I have bone loss and have had root planing and I see the hygienist every three months. Most of the time I would be oblivious that I had gum disease as really you only get visible symptoms when it is really bad.
I would be thankful you have a dentist who is on it but of course get a different opinion if you are worried they are harassing you. Good luck. :)

Complete waste of time , no peer reviewed research , whereas disrupting the biofilm by physically removing plaque with a brush , inter dental brush etc has plenty of evidence.https://www.nature.com/articles/sj.bdj.2018.281

Google oil pulling

Periodontal disease (gum disease) is the number one reason for a dentist to be sued in the U.K. and dentists are more likely to be sued in the U.K. than anywhere else in the world.

Most people will have some degree of gum disease. The problem is that you rarely get pain or symptoms until a lot of damage has been done .

The normal gum examination (CIPTN) only gives a rough idea of the prescence of gum disease. If there is a history of gum disease or high CIPTN score or 3 or 4 then a much more thorough 6 point gum chart should be done , which takes a lot of time.

Gum disease, not decay , is the number one reason people lose their teeth.

I find it interesting that if a doctor told you they wanted to make further checks on a treatable disease that is potentially disfiguring and can have further health consequences (increases risk of diabetes, miscarriage, heart disease etc) most people would be very keen to proceed . But a dentist , who is an oral physician ……..

I would change dentists and if they called again I'd tell them, exactly that. It does sound harassing

I would make sure that your next appointment is made with a different dentist at the practice TBH!

Book in with another hygienist local to you, and ask for them to complete and send you a copy of your pocket chart. Many places offer direct access hygiene now.

This sounds really suspicious. Your hygienist would of brought up concerns if there was any. Don't avoid speaking to them, just say firmly clearly " I will not be coming back in and will wait until my next appointment, please do not contact me about this matter again. Ask your hygienist at your next appointment if she has any concerns. If they continue to harass you. Put in a formal complaint and find a new dentist.

Is it possible to change your dentist? This sounds very odd.