Over 55, Can I ask about your teeth?

[PersephoneParlormaid]

Since reaching a certain age I’ve needed 3 crowns, having only had my childhood fillings redone in previous years. And now I’m having 3 monthly cleans (at a cost to me) because I’ve got pockets in my gums apparently. I am good with my teeth I think, but I’m wondering what the future holds. Should I expect to have teeth removed in the future, do you have implants these days rather than bridges and false teeth? It’s not something I’ve thought about before.

My dentist told me that common dental problems are largely genetic. Dental hygiene is obviously important but some people are more prone to dental problems despite good oral health, simply because it may be hereditary.

I go to see my dentist every four months to manage gum health. It's just as important as the health of your teeth.

I'm 66...have had no fillings etc for over 35 years. I had an awful dentist as a child who filled teeth willynilly....he was struck.off eventually.
So my back molars are pretty well filled. I do have a dodgy gum pocket and go to hygienist 4 times a year, dentist twice.
Teeth are straight and white...I'm lucky.

I absolute dread going to the dentist now I'm over 50.

Despite religious dental hygiene I have gum disease and my front crown has moved due to this.

I see the hygienist every 3 months but it seems this still isn't enough. Yesterday's visit ended with a suggestion I have a deep clean at a cost of nearly £1000 which i have to have done privately as my NHS dentist wont do it.

I'm fed up literally to the back teeth of it all so going to get a second opinion in the new year.

You could be me! My childhood dentist was a charlatan as well.

My husband is 77 next week and has had one filling and one extraction in 77 years, me on the other hand in my 60s . . . root canals, crowns, and broken teeth from my wonderful hobby 🙄

Same here- 1970s dentistry was horrific.
Am not faring too badly now- one porcelain inlay and a few of my ancient amalgam fillings have been replaced. Visit the hygienist every six months and gums in decent condition and dentist annually.

Unfortunately, through years of childhood sweets, most of my teeth had fillings. In my 20’s I had my first crown, now 64 I have 3 crowns. I see hygienist every 6 months and also have pockets of gum disease, despite regular cleaning and flossing. Dentist has suggested I may have to see someone who specialises in gum disease, but hygienist said it wasn’t that bad. I wish someone had recommended straightening my teeth when younger, as I am sure my problems are due to inefficient cleaning as my teeth overlap. DH, 67 has had the same bridge for over 15 years.

I also regret not having my teeth straightened as a teen. I recently enquired about Invisalign but was told no due to a problem developing with a tooth.
Sounds like 3 monthly hygienist visits is quite common.

I’m 53 and definitely a victim of a childhood ‘drill and fill’ dentist.

I had massive ugly amalgam fillings in all of my back teeth until my late 30s. Always really embarrassed about them. They were at least straight, thanks to years of braces as a teen.

I now have a mouth full of what looks like perfect teeth - I get many compliments. But the reality is I have white fillings, 3 implants, a crown, a bridge, 2 front veneers and I’ve had them whitened. I haven’t at least had to have any work done in the last 8 years.

My children (in their early 20s) have never had even a tiny filling, and for that I am very grateful.

I bloody love my hygienist!

Another victim here of the 1970's 'drill and fill' style dentistry.
By adulthood, I had a mouth full of fillings. But apart from the occasional replacement of old fillings, (I'm sure they've all been done now) I just get told "everything is stable" when I got to the dentist. So clearly not a problem with genetics or my mouth care.
I'm in my 60's and although I've had a couple of teeth removed (rather than opt for root canal), you can't see the gaps, nor do they cause a problem.

My teeth are fine. Never had a filling!… my gums on the other hand!

I’m 41 and have pockets around almost all of my teeth. I had a molar taken out last week as it was so loose. I have a loose crown which I’m likely to lose in the next 5-10yrs.

I blame genetics and that i had a shit dentist in my 20s so never went!… i skipped the dentist for around 15yrs.

But now I go to hygienist 3 monthly to stem any further loss

Another child of the 60s/70s here who suffered the drill and fill era.
All those fillings whilst young but nothing at all done since. I've always really looked after my teeth, electric tooth brush, flossing, regular dentist and hygenist visits.
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I'm at a stage now where the fillings are starting to fail and one by one I'm having them replaced by white fillings. Oh the joy of looking at a white tooth that has been filled with metal all these years. If I had the money and was brave enough I'd have them all replaced in one hit.

I'm mid 50s. We didn't go to the dentist in my childhood. I had an excellent diet and took care of my teeth in childhood and was lucky with what I inherited, unlike a lot of my family. In my early 20s my molars were still battling to come in. That was a painful time, off and on over several years, but it never occurred to me to see a dentist. One tooth is a little out of place due to the fight for space. Also in my 20s I developed a fondness for sweets and pretty quickly developed a few cavaties, had an awful dentist. I dropped the sweets. Teeth have been a reasonable colour and straight, but I find I'm very sensitive to acidic fruit now, and a little sensitive generally to sugar and cold. I've been to the dentist about 3 times in the last 30 years because others put the fear in me. And I have a dentist friend. They've all commented on my good teeth, healthy, free of plaque, etc. My dentist friend never goes to the dentist herself, saying she knows how to look after her teeth. I'm sure that's a part of it, but also fortunate genes. I dread a time in the future when I may need dentistry.

Have had 2 crowns and a tooth removed.
Like the idea of going to the hygienists every 3 months. Last time I went though the smell of hers gloves was awful and has really put me off. I obviously need a solution to this though!

I had a long held fear of the dentist due to a 70’s dentist, seems like we all went to the same one!
I’ve found a lovely dentist who is very patient, and he helped me through my first crown. It wasn’t as bad as I thought, and I’ve since had another 2. Will probably have to have a wisdom tooth out in the future, and I don’t fear it due to him.

I'm 55 and so far very fortunate.

I never had any fillings as a child but we didn't eat much sugar and ate a lot of wholefoods.

I had one small white filling when I was pregnant with DS1 and that's it. And I had 2 wisdom teeth out in my early 20s.

I use an electric toothbrush and floss daily. I don't eat refined sugar and have a good diet.

Last time I went to the dentist I was told they were very clean and I didn't need any cleaning done.

However, I do have gum sensitivity and use toothpaste for sensitive teeth. We have a family history of this and receding gums so I have to be careful to brush gently.

I agree with pp that it is largely genetic. I have no problems with my teeth at all. Dodgy childhood dentist did one unnecessary filling and took out my wisdom teeth for no reason whatsoever, i had one filling due to pregnancy and literally no other dental work my whole life. Hope i haven't just jinxed it!!!

My teeth and gums are shocking. It's partly heretary and partly antibiotics. My teeth never look white. I've got 2 crowns, 2 extractions, a really bad upper gum and tooth and a not great wisdom tooth. I see a hygienist every 3 months. I'm probably going to have a veneer in the next couple of years and lose the wisdom tooth.

My teeth were never great. I wish I had nice teeth.

It all depends on the individual. If your gum disease is advanced, and particularly if it’s affecting the bone, then implants won’t be appropriate. Although some private dentists can do some quite complex procedures for £££.

Somebody above mentioned that some dental problems may be hereditary, my mum still had all her own, straight teeth when she died, just a couple of fillings. My dad had dentures top and bottom for as long as I can remember, with just a couple of his natural teeth left. Sadly I think I take after my dad. I would say my dental hygiene is good now, but not so much in my younger days and I used to eat a lot of sweets in my 20s. I have had to have a few deep cleans (a step up from the normal) and have lost quite a few teeth already.

Nearly 58 here.
Loads of fillings (another 1970s victim).
I have a bridge where I lost teeth due to Trigeminal Neuralgia (removed unecessarily) and had my first root canal a month ago... which now has to be redone on Monday as a bit of nerve was missed...ouch.
Lots of my old fillings have disintegrated and we keep patching them up. I can't have implants due to the Trigeminal Neuralgia (can't afford them either!) No loose teeth yet tho!
I have always brushed, flossed, done my best, but they are crappy teeth and my gums are receding. My Mum has had nothing but problems with hers all her life so I suspect it's genetic.

My kids somehow have really good teeth (even DS1 who didn't brush them unless forced as a teen until he discovered girls😂)

Around ten years ago I ditched the sonic/electric toothbrushes on the advice of my dentist and use children’s soft tooth brushes to clean my teeth manually. I like the bamboo ones.

Before bed, I ‘oil pull’ using coconut oil.

I use Biomed Calcimax and Biomed gum health toothpastes, both are fluoride free.

I have healthy teeth and gums.

Unfortunately it's the menopause. Excess cortisol causes gum disease according to my dentist.

Mine too! He also had big hands and the fillings are huge and messy. Sides of teeth too. Think my mum felt really bad, wasn’t her fault though.

I'm 70. Lots of fillings in my molars as a child and no suggestion of orthodontics, so my teeth were quite crowded.

Since I was 45, I have lost three wisdom teeth and four others through a mixture of inaccessible decay, abscess and failed root canal, but it's all at the back thankfully.

I visit my dentist every three months and am basically now hoping for the best and to retain the teeth I have and to keep them in good condition for as long as I can.

Most of my contemporaries seem to be in a similar situation. It is my DC's generation who have no fillings in their 40s.