to be bereft after a bollocking from my dentist?

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My dentist treated me like someone who rinses with Irn Bru every night before bed. Apparently, I have a 'really neglected mouth'.

"I look in your mouth and it's screaming sugar. Really, you should never have let it get this bad. Do you have a lot of fizzy drinks?"

Whattttt?!!! Meeee?!! I brush twice a day! I am middle class ffs. My children are dressed in Boden and I am having steamed vegetables for supper. No, I don't have a lot of fizzy drinks.

"I can fit you in for root canal surgery first thing tomorrow, and we'll deal with the most urgent issues then." Um, OK, guess so.

So now I feel like the Fairytale of New York guy. But with toothache. Does tonic water count as a fizzy drink?

Hmm, so dentists are a rum lot generally? This maybe it. I did used to live above a dental surgery - the owners kept suspiciously short hours and stored unfeasibly large quantities of mountaineering equipment in the shared hall.

However, I am in a bit of pain. The emergency appointment tomorrow is now a done deal. The dentist is much like the mechanic phoning me up and telling me timing belt has gone. He might be talking bollocks but he stands between me and Resuming Normal Life, and I don't know how to fix this on my own.

I might not have been going to the dentists every single six months...

This is why I only drink wine. Non-fizzy.

Can I urge people to go to the hygienist at least twice a year. Many people get fixated on their teeth and don't realise how essential gum health is to keeping your teeth in your head!!

Look into the health implications of having root canal before you go ahead with it.

Cancel tomorrow and go to a different one. Fruit tea is bad for teeth by the way (am assuming you like fruit tea based on the Boden wearing )

Such bollocks on these threads.

Well the floors yours mrsmorton

Why would I bother given that we're "rum" and untrustworthy. surfsup sounds like they read a lot of peer reviewed science on dentistry, maybe they'll continue to spout bollocks clear things up

Oh do tell MrsMorton please.

MrsMorton, please don't be offended. As you can tell, I thought that buying Emma Bridgewater would mean I'd never have to go through Bad Teeth, so what do I know?

I am utterly at the mercy of you & your fellow professionals and very grateful for all your expertise.

Oh give over.. There are dodgys in every profession. I've lost 2 teeth and one on the way due to crap fillings. He was took to court and I would love to hear what happened to him. My current dentist is awesome.

If you can help then why wouldn't you?

Definitely genes. My mum who is a super obsessive brusher/flosser etc. has the worst teeth ever. My dad is a once a day brusher and has never had any problems.

From experience middle class mothers are often in denial regarding their child's teeth and can be equaly rude.vile and offensive when it is suggested that diet and toothcare is their responsibility. We professionals merely mop up the carnage after so called healthy eating has reeked havoc.
Sugar causes decay in whatever form it arrives in you mouth.
80% of the population are genetically lucky and born with an immune system that when mature is very good at protecting them from tooth decay and gum disease. The remaining 20% are unlucky and have an immune system that is less able to protect them, HOWEVER with preventative measures, fluoride toothpaste and immaculate oral hygiene they will prevent decay and gum disease.
Hint - a good dentist will not start filling or restoring your teeth until they have treated the underlying disease. So don't be worried if they spend the first appointment talking about diet and tooth cleaning. There is little point in filling a tooth if it is just going to decay again.
Rant over... sorry!

Definitely get a second opinion before proceeding. And don't be afraid of dentist who charge fairly high rates for checkups. It means that they don't need to over-prescribe to make their money.

Problem is nobody knows for sure and there are good and bad in all

I would get a second opinion in the OPs shoes especially if they think everything should be ok and generally look after there teeth

No different at all to taking your car for an mot at a garage only charging £30, it will fail on every little thing they can interpret as a fail to earn from it. Take it to a council mot station and it will only fail on genuine failure points as they have no vested interest in a failure to get work

I love my dentist. Yours doesn't sound tactful but if you are actually in pain then there are some things that need sorting.

Why don't you take your iPod and headphones so you have something else to focus on while he is at work?

willdoit is on the same page as me. I'm going to bed now but I'll pm you tomorrow with some points you can raise to mAke sure you're getting appropriate treatment.

My dentist has a large Simpsons poster on the ceiling with just about every character that has ever appeared on it

Gives you something to look at every time and I never get bored of it

I quite like my dentist, even though she stabs me and makes my mouth bleed every time I go.

My dentist as a child was lovely and just used to threaten us with the hygienist if we didn't clean our teeth.

If you weren't in a great deal of pain, I would agree to getting a second opinion.

So when you say you haven't been gong to the dentist every single six months this probably translates as being several years since you last saw the dentist? In which case, you probably have got the severe level of tooth decay of which he is accusing you. However, you do still need a plan of work from the dentist before you let him loose unless you have very deep pockets. Has he actually told you what will be happening once the emergency work has sen completed?

I assume you are joking but, just in case, Boden and Emma Bridgewater are middle-class cliches, not dental decay prevention plans.

/grumpyoldgit - so does mine? Are you in Kent?

How on earth is sparking water bad for teeth? Tonic water I can understand as sugary

Oh, I get a lecture every visit from my dentist who saw me coming.

The DCs see a different dentist from a different surgery. They have the same diet and habits. No fizzy drinks. Only the odd Haribo. Raisins and smoothies are banned anyway. DC1 has appalling teeth, DC2's are fine.

My teeth are awful, my DSis's are strong/healthy. Coincidentally not I have awful weak fingernails, hers are lovely and strong.

The DCs' dentist will concede on a good day that yes, some of it is genetics and good luck rather than diet.

I clean my teeth well. Even when I floss religiously they look like I smoke 40 a day (which I don't).

Well I'm received fizzy water is OK, I drink gallons of the stuff, even after I brush my teeth.

Dp once had a dentist accuse him of drinking lots of fizzy drinks. Dp: 'no I don't'. Dentist: 'what about beer?'. Dp:'erm....'

It's the carbon in sparkling water, it makes little holes in your teeth according to my dentist.