Hygienist given me a heart attack this morning …

[EvangelicalAboutButteredToast]

I go every four months. Last time I went my score were all zero and a few ones. Today he tells me they are three in some places and he is talking about bone loss and I assume periodontal disease. Can that really happen in four months?

I have been eating a lot of crap over the last few months and not sticking to my usually very scrupulous routine. So we accepted that I’d had a torrid old time with stress and a lack of self care which could explain the inflammation. Obviously I’m going to cut out the crap and go back to my careful routine. The other stuff just freaked me out though.

I have had an X-ray done recently at another dentist and they looked at it and said everything looked fine. I have asked that the x-ray is sent across but I’m left wondering if I need to book to see a periodontist.

anyone had similar?

I've never been to a hygienist. My dentist always offers a scale and polish at each check up appointment and I always take it up. So I have that done by him every 6 months.

What are the scores you're referring to? I've never heard of any scoring system for teeth.

Was going to ask if you are peri/menopausal as that can wreak havoc with gum health. It sounds like you are doing all the right things though, so I would query just how bad it really is. You could ask your GP for a blood test as you may be lacking in vitamins/nutrients. However, as someone above said, they may just be trying to upsell to you.

Me neither. You don’t need to see a hygienist unless you have issues.

My last visit to the hygienist, I was given skin care advice as my lips were very dry. I work outdoors all summer, I did say I had a dermatology appointment a few days later regards the stuff they had cut out of my back....

my dentist doesn’t do a scale and polish, that’s the hygienist so that’s why I go

But that’s not required every 6 months. Haven’t had one for about 5 years. I have no ‘scale’ and I polish my teeth twice a day!

I go every 6 months as it’s part of my dental plan
its free in that plus I don’t want the dental plan refusing to pay for treatment if I didn’t go
my dentist advises every 12 months for a scale and polish with everyone at minimum

Do you smoke cigarettes at all?
Very bad for the gums and can lead to bone loss?

Can also confirm the prevalence of upselling by dentists.

Slight gum bleeding under a bridge. Dentist
immediately advised either dentures or implants estimate for three implants £8000! at age of 85.

I went to another dentist who managed to fill the cavity without removing the bridge and to see how it goes.

It started to bleed again but doesn’t hurt and I know from other bleeds that careful cleaning with interdental brushes, salt water and perodoxyl rinse controls and eventually cures it.

Prediabetes can cause bleeding gums.

As other posters said. These dentist taken over by conglomerates out to make money, as are medical practices pushing inappropriate drugs treatments and vets , all set targets to make a profit

It’s part of a private plan. It’s not free, you pay for it. I go once a year and pay £27 I think.

No I said it’s free in that - as in it’s included in the plan
a hygienist appointment every 6 months plus 2 check ups is more than the cost of my entire yearly plan so it works out cheapest!

The "3" will mean the pocket has got a couple of mm deeper. True periodontitis is determined by loss of bone- which is assessed with X- rays. If you've had a few stressful months and maybe adhered less to your usual oral hygiene routine this can cause some inflammation, evident in deeper pockets. If you ensure you get back on it hopefully those scores will improve! It's impossible to gauge bone loss without a set of X-rays though.

Hygienists spend 2-3 years purely training to treat gum disease. Dental undergrads do the periodontal side of it very briefly in comparison because they have 5 years to learn ALL of dentistry. Most dentists I know would tell you to trust the hygienist when it comes to gum disease over them!

I honestly think it's fear mongering to make you have endless hygienist appointments.

I’ve been meaning to start a thread about this and ask for advice as I’ve been a very similar situation.

I usually combine my check-up with an appointment with the hygienist. Every single time it’s the same: dental check up is fine, no issues. Then I go to the hygienist with a feeling of dread as the appt is so drama filled. She rountinely gasps, shakes her head, tells me I am on the brink of gum disease, it’s terrible etc. I can’t remember the level/number she gave me last time but it was quite bad (higher than 3) and she said she would have to refer me to a specialist if I “carry on like this”.

I brush with an electric toothbrush per her instructions, floss and take as much care as I can. Never experience pain, sensitivity or bleeding gums. Earlier in the year she referred me back to the dentist for a second opinion after one appt (which I didn’t understand as she is meant to be the specialist) and the dentist said he could only see minor issues with my gum health. However she continued to repeat that my gums are in a perilous state. I don’t know what to think. I have another check up in a couple of weeks and I’m really not looking forward to it.

I’m puzzled as to what is happening with dentistry. Until a couple of years ago, I only knew of one person (my mum, who has always had issues with her teeth and gums despite looking after them) who saw a hygienist. Other people had check ups and a scale and polish about once a year. Now everyone seems to “need” hygienist every few months. It does have the feeling of a racket.

It’s because there are fewer nhs dentists so you have to pay for a private package which includes 2 hygenist visits a year. I still have an nhs dentist and he has never mentioned a hygenist despite me being 54. The only person I know that has to have extra care is a friend who is diabetic and has periodontal disease so sees a periodontist.

But you don’t NEED more than an annual check up- £27.

Your dental hygiene sounds excellent so I wouldn't stress too much.

I use a sonicare toothbrush, but don't actually even remember to brush twice a day every day. Floss very irregularly. Hadn't been to the dentist for literally a decade. Do have an ultrasonic cleaning implement that I bought when my dentist finally went private and there were no other NHS dentists at all within 30+ miles, which I used to use maybe 2-3 times a year.

Went to the dentist a few months ago and everything was fine. Hygienist gave everything 2s which seemed pretty good to me.

I have tried to up my game because I felt like it was a miracle that I didn't need any fillings, but that's setting an alarm so I actually brush my teeth twice a day and flossing maybe once or twice a week.

I do unfortunately due to medication that I’m on that affects my mouth
there is no NHS dentist so it’s not that price for a check up, it’s £43 then £48 for the hygienist
this year I’ve had 2 wisdom teeth extracted plus a filling replaced plus cosmetic bonding so it’s worked out well price wise as that would have been around £600

I've never seen a hygienist but I do have an NHS dentist and have regular cleanings with them.
My gums are fecked though. I have serious gum disease and 60% bone loss in my jaw, so some wobbly teeth. Everything was fine til I hit about 50 then perimenopause came straight for my gob!🙄

Nope. Smoked lightly for a few years thirty years ago. No fizzy drinks, no alcohol.

This made me laugh. It’s exactly the same with me. I’ve actually completely quit anything sugary or refined now. I’m so stressed out I’m literally just eating a couple of times a day and something incredibly healthy, then I’m spending half an hour cleaning and flossing and watepiking my teeth and falling into bed. I’m totally terrified I will lose my teeth and my partner thinks I’ve lost the plot.

There's one dentist I see who always tells me this and gives me big lectures. All the other dentists always say my teeth and gums are fine. I think some of them are a bit overkill about it - honestly you'd think I was a tramp who hadn't brushed teeth for years the way she speaks to me!

me too. I went from no issues to 3 month hygienist and no x rays. 10years later I have peritonitis and getting passed from pillar to post!