I’m a dental hygienist... go on then ask away..

[Heatherjayne1972]

Been a hygienist over 20 years
In lots of different practices

Thank you!

Heather, do you have children and if so do/did you brush their teeth for them? If so until what age? DD is 5 and cannot be trusted :-)

@Generalist
I have three age 16 11 and 9
My 16 year old is taller than me but if I could reach I’d still be checking lol.

My others I still do. Well we alternate really. So they do it sometimes and I check
We have disclosing tablets and fluoride rinse readily available
@Jayfee
Yes it will help to remove debris. Not better than plain water or mouthwash but better than nothing
Definitely not a substitute for flossing or tepees tho

I have read hydrogen peroxide from the chemist is good for whitening teeth. Is this safe? 6% solution btw.

@NannyMcfanny
Ok so the info I have suggests it can be used for gargling and rinsing to reduce inflammation in the mouth and gums
Is it safe yes but You must not swallow it Or you risk internal burns

6% is the strength we use in practice with a mouth guard so for rinsing I would dilute it 50/50 at first anyway
Does it work? The evidence suggests that it can take weeks of constant use to whiten teeth
If you want whiter teeth/ bleaching. You’re far better off getting your dentist to do it properly
But please remember that in the U.K. only people with the appropriate dental qualification are legally allowed to bleach teeth
So hairdressers and beauticians offering this service are breaking the law - they can and they do get caught and punished

Can receding gums and gum disease be reversed?

Is dental floss a no no?

Dammit. I think there’s a piece of rice in one of the sockets!! What do I do?!

Can they really not turn the water temp up?

I hate cold things(but wine/beer) so my dentist always tries to do my checkup as quick as possible as he can.

I love my dental hygienest, she rarely uses the cold water/air shite on me. I mean she does, but does it quick.

I had a filling put in a couple of years ago and it has come out - should I have to pay for it to be replaced or is this classed as normal that it has come out? Thanks

I've done a bit of research and the corsodyl sold over the counter in the UK has half the chlorhexidine concentration of the prescription product Periogard sold in the US (0.06% vs 0.12%) and there is evidence supporting clinical effectiveness of the stronger formulation:

Clinical effects of a 0.12% chlorhexidine rinse as an adjunct to scaling and root planing.

I was using the waterpik water flosser and the Sonicare toothbrush before I added Periogard to the home care routine, so they wouldn't explain the reduced pocket depths. I started after having some gum surgery that I would really like to avoid in the future on the advice of my periodontist.

I used to be a dental nurse about 25 years ago. And whilst it did cure me of my dentist phobia for a while it came back...

Even though I pay my dental surgery for a private dental policy I am not a regular visitor. I am terrified and only visit when something hurts.

However, last year I decided to be brave. I bought a dental pick, interdental brushes, floss and mouth wash. Using my magnifying mirror and bright bedside lamp I set about removing my plaque and really focussing in dental hygiene before my appointment with the dentist.

I was congratulated by both my dentist and the hygienest for my excellent dental care. I'd only started two weeks before!

I've since lost most of my top molars due to weird combination of bone loss and freaky pointy tooth roots that can't properly anchor into the jaw bone. Most people's tooth roots look like a claw. Mine are fused into a point. I have a collection of them in a little pot..

Like this thread, thank you OP!

One of my DC (age 11) has v large adult teeth that look quite yellow in places, we nag them about teeth cleaning etc and they have the usual dental appointments, but should I take DC for a clean up?

A big thank you for the advice and giving your time to advise us. Are the Tepe brushes better than own brands e.g. Sainsbury do 6 for £2.

@Jayfee
Not necessarily. The colour sizes often match tho

@Loopytiles. Adult teeth are yellower than baby teeth so may look darker/dirtier in comparison
Worth asking at your next check up
Most dentists would do the clean themselves tho for kids - in my experience we don’t get many children referred to us for ‘a clean’

june I had a dental implant 18 months ago and have suffered from terrible headaches ever since. Dentist and GP don’t think it’s related but it started pretty much as soon as the anaesthetic wore off and I’ve never had headaches at all before.

I also have a terrible smell and discharge from my right nostril which is the side that had the implant. Again dentist said it was unrelated and I probably have something stuck up my nose . I’ve read several reports of implants working their way into the nasal cavity and causing discharge so I’m seeing another implant specialist later this month.

I regret getting this bloody implant so much. I did so much research beforehand, I’m so fastidious about oral hygiene, I go to the hygienist every month and it’s still just been awful. The worst thing is they’re almost impossible to remove .

OP, should I buy this? And if not what should I be buying? www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B01DY36X6Y/ref=cm_cr_arp_mb_bdcrb_top?tag=mumsnetforum-21&ie=UTF8

I have bad receeding find, esp on my front two lower.. which also are squished and I have plaque behind.

So stressed about them falling out/getting worse/looking awful

My dentist does a whitening treatment for £299, does it actually work? I would hate to spend all that money to not notice any difference. Does it damage teeth?

What's the best toothpaste to buy?

@JcHcks
Yes should work if the dentist is offering it and you follow the instructions they give you
If not you go back and tell them

As for toothpaste there are many brands and specialist toothpastes but for general everyday use I’d stick to your basic Colgate aqua fresh oral b or other major brand- we always recommend toothpaste with fluoride in

@Tractortod
Yeah that’s ok. Same as mine
Maybe you need someone to demonstrate how to use it. Perhaps ask at your next hygienist or dentist appointment

Morning.
Had these teeth out on Friday. The socket is white looking now. And my breath smells awful! Was meant to be at a party today but no way can I go!
What’s going on?

@MotherTruckerHere
Obviously I can’t tell you exactly as I can’t see it
However if it’s painful then it needs the dentist to check it over because it might be a dry socket If it’s bleeding then rest and bite gently on a clean rolled up hanky. Might be sensible to call the dentist tomorrow anyway if you’re concerned
Poor you. I hope it gets better now

The docket isn’t ‘empty-looking’. It’s like the clot has turned a whitish colour. Feeling very sorry for myself

Such a great post - thank you! Have learnt a lot.

I have a few questions, if you don’t mind?

1. Is there good reason to use different toothpastes for different aged kids? (I have a 1 year old and 5 year old.) And on that note, what age is good to start using an electronic brush? We still brush their teeth for both of them.

2. My lower teeth are very crowded and the middle two overlap slightly. I have a little build up along the edge where they meet from the gum upwards (I know, I need to up my flossing game). Can I use one of those scraper things you can buy from Boots to get rid of it, or is that silly to attempt myself at home?

3. I have a gap where I had a tooth out and it’s hard to get in there with my electric brush. Can you recommend something that will help? Tepees don’t seem substantial enough...

Thanks so much in advance! (If you read this!)

@eloid
So ‘childrens’ toothpaste has a lower fluoride content -around 1100ppm ( parts per million) adult toothpaste is around 1500ppm
Then there are specialist toothpastes with a much higher fluoride content but those are prescription only - you can’t buy those
If a small child has too much fluoride ingested it can permanently discolour adult teeth later on so we suggest a lower fluoride but all children should use adult toothpaste from age 9/10
Children can use an electric brush from 5/6 but I’d suggest alternating as they might forget how to use an ordinary one
I still brush my kids teeth and they are 9 and 11!
Please let the professionals clean your teeth you concentrate on the soft stuff we will do the rest
You might get on better with an interdental/ interspace brush
It’s like a tiny tuft of bristles on a plastic handle - ask your dentist / hygienist for advice and a demonstration