Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To wonder where am I going wrong,ds has really bad teeth?

73 replies

FreakinRexManningDay · 10/10/2013 14:06

Ds was at the dentist for a check up and it turns out he needs 5 fillings. He is 12. The dentist was asking me about what we eat,brushing etc and I could see by her face that she thought I was lying but I wasn't.

Breakfast is porridge or cheerios with milk.
Teeth brushed.
Lunch in school is brown bread,turkey,butter sandwich,apple,banana and a special K yoghurt bar thing (low in sugar).

Dinner is usually homemade,things like savory mince,cassaroles,pasta bakes etc. Sauces are homemade.

Snacks are usually things like nuts,carrot sticks,a yoghurt.

Sweets or cakes are a rare treat and he always brushes before bed. He is only allowed fizzy drinks at parties and he's not the type to buy sweets and junk foods in the shop,he's very sporty so saves his money for new sports gear. I really wasn't expecting his teeth to be so bad,I feel like a shit parent.

OP posts:
Lemonylemon · 10/10/2013 14:45

My DD has had a filling and she's only 5. We've recently found out that she has acid reflux, but I don't know if the reflux has affected her back tooth. She drinks watered down juice or squash, milk or water.

DS (16) has only just had his first filling after years of absolutely no trouble....

I recently got some disclosing tablets from Boots which show old plaque and new plaque in difference colours - there was nothing showing in the colour for the old plaque, so I'm at a loss.....

angelos02 · 10/10/2013 14:47

DB has great teeth. Mine are pretty rubbish - had loads of fillings when I was a kid. DB had none. We were brought up eating/drinking exactly the same. Apparently something to do with saliva.

maddening · 10/10/2013 14:48

Ask for fissure sealing

Wilding · 10/10/2013 14:50

I had that many fillings by the age of 12 and my parents were uber-strict about sugar. I just inherited crappy, weak thin enamel, nothing I can do about it and the dentist said the same! It may be that your DH's crap teeth are partly genetic and that he has passed this on.

Dahlen · 10/10/2013 14:50

I do think a lot of it is genetic. I am slightly obsessive about my teeth. I have always looked after them really well. Hasn't stopped me needing 2 lots of root canal surgery and one tooth rebuilt. I have teeth that fracture easily. This may have been to do with my mother's long-term illness affecting me while in the womb, I don't know, but I certainly think there is a genetic element. My dentist agrees with me (although I guess he could just be humouring me).

angelos02 · 10/10/2013 14:53

Definately think it is genetic. I have my DM's weak teeth. DB has DD's strong teeth.

Rufus44 · 10/10/2013 15:07

Great idea from maddening

My 11 year old and 14 year old have this done,

Crinkle77 · 10/10/2013 15:19

Could it be that he is not brushing his teeth properly? Fruit is also high in natural sugar and the acid in some fruit can also erode the tooth enamel

firesidechat · 10/10/2013 15:43

I would also agree with the poster who said to get a second opinion. If you go every 6 months then that is a huge change in a very short time.

I'm fairly sure that I had some unnecessary filings as a child and the only treatment I have now is when those filings break down due to the length of time that I've had them.

Fruit juice is a killer to teeth though. Mine had watered down juice sometimes, but mostly milk and water. They are adults now and haven't had any filings.

Original poster
FreakinRexManningDay · 10/10/2013 15:52

He is brushing fairly thouroughly but I will check again.
Fluoride treatment and fissure sealing is beyond the budget of the HSE I reckon. We had to pay for dd to get braces as her teeth were not bad enough to warrant HSE braces. If she closed her mouth her teeth stuck out over her bottom lip and she was bullied because of it. I reckon it was down to budget cuts again.
The school are very strict and do have lunch box inspections for sweets or chocolate.
He had his last check up in 2011 and had his back teeth sealed as everyone in his class had.

OP posts:
Original poster
FreakinRexManningDay · 10/10/2013 15:55

He hasn't been since 2011 because unless he requires emergency treatment that is what he is allocated.

OP posts:
MrsGSR · 10/10/2013 15:59

I was told brushing your teeth within half an hour of eating can weaken the enamel. Maybe try and leave it as long as possible between breakfast and brushing?

HexU · 10/10/2013 16:05

Supposed to see an ordinary dentist every 6 months. Though with 5 filling I get a second opinion as well to be sure they are needed.

One of my DC has hyper mineralization of some of the back teeth - probably due to antibiotics as baby - and some people just don't luck out with genetics and teeth however careful they are with diet.

Electronic brusher - our dentist wanted all our DC to use these as they are better than by hand- you can get them with built in 2 min timers length of time they are supposed to brush. They get rid of more plaque - and then children mouthwash as an added protection.

fruit, dried fruit, fizzy drinks, crisps , fruit juice - are all potential issues and should be limited.

HexU · 10/10/2013 16:07

I was told brushing your teeth within half an hour of eating can weaken the enamel.

heard that as well - though morning and breakfast timings does mess up some days and make it hard for this to be achieved for our household.

Same with fruit teas - they are bad for teeth and as they are acidic shouldn't brush straight after these either.

mumofweeboys · 10/10/2013 16:15

I have mine at the dentist every 6 months for check up as both me and oh have terrible teeth which is mainly due to genetics (well m one anyway) so I'm determined they won't go down my route.

Original poster
FreakinRexManningDay · 10/10/2013 16:16

HexU I can't afford the dentist every six months. Its €40 for a check up and €60 for a filling,€40 for a fissure seal.

OP posts:
bearleftmonkeyright · 10/10/2013 16:19

There was a program on recently with cherry healey. Apparently it takes twenty minutes for the ph of your mouth to change back to normal after drinking fruit juice. One way to bring the ph back to normal very quickly was to eat a piece of cheese. If you brush your teeth during that time you are brushing acids into your teeth.

Dahlen · 10/10/2013 16:23

Freakin - that sucks. I was one of those who suffered in the UK during the period when it was nigh-on impossible to get an NHS dentist. It hurt. I still have to pay now, but at least at a fixed rate and the DCs are free. It's made such a difference. God alone knows how I'd have felt if I hadn't been able to access free dentistry for the DC and was unable to afford private. I really empathise with you. Sad

Beastofburden · 10/10/2013 16:23

How weird, I though kids went free every six months.

Anyway if he has inherited terrible teeth then he probably does need to go every six months even though its expensive. Perhaps the NHs will fund it in the circs. Are these adult teeth? I would want a discussion about strategy for the future. Your dentist clearly doesn't believe you as she wants a food diary. If you absolutely know he is not blagging stuff when you are not looking, then get a second opinion. But I'd make him keep the diary, in case there is stuff he is eating at school and not thinking to mention to you. But TBH I can't think of much he could be doing, apart from necking fruit juice, that would case this level of decay in someone with normally strong teeth. In which case you need a strategy to protect his teeth in the future.

Cheer up, OP. There are worse things than fillings. You have a healthy kid who loves sport and eats a decent diet. He could have perfect teeth and be obese and diabetic and that would be a lot worse.

Dahlen · 10/10/2013 16:25

I think the OP may be in Eire.

MoominMammasHandbag · 10/10/2013 16:27

I had quite a few filings in one go when I was about 12 and went to the dentist without my Mum. I have never had one since in 30 years. I am not convinced my filings were necessary, I remember my Mum being really cross (though perhaps she should've come with me in the first place).

Beastofburden · 10/10/2013 16:29

I don't know about Eire but surely children with non standard risk of decay would get allocated more frequent visits? If not, if its 40Euro every six months for just the one with crap teeth, that's less than 2 Euro a week, I expect it would be manageable just for him?

HexU · 10/10/2013 16:33

HexU I can't afford the dentist every six months. Its €40 for a check up
and €60 for a filling,€40 for a fissure seal.

I agree that that is a huge problem. Perhaps you could try for once a year? It just if they can catch issues early they can avoid then escalating to fillings.

Though if you haven't got the cash there is not much you can do really.

HexU · 10/10/2013 16:35

I don't know about Eire but surely children with non standard risk of decay would get allocated more frequent visits?

It's every 3 month for my DC with hyper mineralization - for coating and check-up. But that's under NHS - which is great though when we move other side of UK fuck knows how I'll find another NHS dentist.

Unexpected · 10/10/2013 16:37

It might be only 2 euro a week broken down but in Ireland you have to pay for doctor's appointments as well. My nephew has just had croup and my brother paid 100 euro for two visits to the doctor. The 2 euro per week for dentists is stacked up alongside money for all other emergencies as well - it's dreadful over there!