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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Dentist in tesco tackled me

345 replies

Spiceb · 08/06/2019 06:23

Shopping with 3 year old yesterday. Stopped by the raisins. Old woman came up to me and said "excuse me but please don't buy them. They are terribly bad for teeth" I must have looked incredulous because her husband stepped in to say she was a dentist

Aibu to think go away and let me shop in peace? I'm a sensible grown adult who can make choices

OP posts:
saraclara · 08/06/2019 08:13

You don't walk up to complete strangers and give them life advice. It's not your business and you know nothing about their lives and why they're doing what they're doing.
It's not hard to keep your mouth shut.

EarringsandLipstick · 08/06/2019 08:15

@EleanorReally

Teeth removed due to prolonged b/f? 🤦🏻‍♀️

Nonsense. Never happened.

EleanorReally · 08/06/2019 08:16

I guess op could have used the word "retired", would that be ok?

EleanorReally · 08/06/2019 08:17

it is true though, about breast feeding, to sleep, bad for teeth

EarringsandLipstick · 08/06/2019 08:19

The advice is correct but only in context.

Dentists suggest avoiding raisins, afaik, because often children snack on them over a period of time so have sticky sugary raisins on their teeth for a prolonged period of time.

If kids eat raisins in moderation, and in one go, and observe proper dental hygiene, that's really the most important thing.

Other posts about the relative health merits of other foods are spot on.

onedayiwillmissthis · 08/06/2019 08:20

As an 'old' woman I understand that my role in life now is not to pass on any advice or information to others...if I must actually venture out in public I restrict myself to just 'tutting' with a small shake of my ancient (58) headGrin

Perhaps this woman had just spent a lot of time treating children whose parents bought into the whole multiple snacks a day...ooh look raisins are healthier than sweets crap that came about over the last decade!

EarringsandLipstick · 08/06/2019 08:21

outreach29
*oh dear - far too late. My kids have been having raisins (and sweets) for years and years. Out of the 3 children - there is one filling.

One.

And that's because he's rubbish at brushing his teeth*.

^^ spot on

Dental hygiene & not continuously snacking are the important things.

LadyMacbethWasMisunderstood · 08/06/2019 08:22

Why is it ok to mention someone’s sex and not their age?

Because generally. In, speech and in writing, one says ‘man’ or ‘woman’ rather than the alternative ‘person’ which by linguistic development is not the norm and sounds forced. ‘Man’ and ‘woman’ are nouns that can be used - and should be used - entirely neutrally; just to give factual information. But ‘old’ and ‘young’ are adjectives which generally have a degree of subjectiveness around their usage and often (not always) are used to display some inherent judgment or criticism.

Ageism isn’t nice and it is commonly directed towards older woman - the implication being that being ‘older’ woman somehow diminishes the woman’s status.

BlueThesaurusRex · 08/06/2019 08:22

@riversdisguise

You win, everyone else can go home now!

Grin
dementedpixie · 08/06/2019 08:22

Raisins and other dried fruits are bad for teeth and it's not just the sugar content. They are sticky and get caught in the grooves of the teeth. Chocolate is better as it dissolves away. Crisps are not great either as they can also gather in the teeth

DuchessSybilVimes · 08/06/2019 08:24

Breastfeeding doesnt damage teeth. Even when feeding to sleep. If it did, the teeth in children's skeletons from the past would show it. They don't. Mostly their teeth are healthier than ours today. Breastfeeding hasn't changed, it's all the other crap we put in our mouths now that has!

SparklesandFlowers · 08/06/2019 08:24

The issue I have is that the woman had no idea why the OP was anywhere near the raisins. Perhaps some for a cake? Or I put some in a spicy couscous dish (with harissa - yum!).

Dentist or no, she needed to mind her own business at that point. Does she think supermarkets are wrong for selling raisins? Does she think no-one should buy raisins, ever?

EarringsandLipstick · 08/06/2019 08:24

Seriously EleanorReally

it is true though, about breast feeding, to sleep, bad for teeth

WHAT are you on? In absolute terms, this could possibly be argued. In a real sense, it's not true. If a baby is b/f to sleep (or toddler), it's for a short period of time & if everything else that matters - diet, dental hygiene, is good, then it's NOT the case.

hormonesorDHbeingadick · 08/06/2019 08:28

Spiceb apparently raisins are worse than haribo as they stick to the teeth.

hazeyjane · 08/06/2019 08:28

Years ago it was very acceptable for older, wiser people to pass on life skills but now everyone hates it. I bite my tongue every day not to say something....Don't worry you will be old some day and will learn to accept that you keep all your life experience to yourself.

Older doesn't always = wiser.
Older doesn't always mean you have some awesome "life skills"
There is a time and a place to share knowledge, wisdom or an opinion, and commenting on the contents of someone's shopping basket in the middle of a supermarket is is not the time and place.

Barbarafromblackpool · 08/06/2019 08:33

Years ago it was very acceptable for older, wiser people to pass on life skills but now everyone hates it.

I suspect it has always been unpopular, but now people are less willing to smile and nod.

Esspee · 08/06/2019 08:37

I wouldn't have considered raisins to be bad for teeth and would have thanked her for pointing it out to me.

Hoppinggreen · 08/06/2019 08:38

Sounded like she was very polite and if she is/was a dentist then she must know what she is talking about
A bit inappropriate to just butt in like that but no need to be so horrible about her and the ageism is unnecessary as well.
I would have probably just said “ I didn’t realise that, thanks for the warning but he does love them so maybe we should just cut down and be extra vigilant with the teeth cleaning”
No need to fill the trolley with raisins or speculate about her mental health (or post about it on MN) really

BlueCornishPixie · 08/06/2019 08:40

Raisins are pretty shocking for your teeth tbf, it's the stickiness and all the sugar and the fact they are often a snack. Snacking on sugary, sticky foods rots your teeth, and of.

I'm a dentist and sometimes I really cringe when I see children eating loads of raisins. I wouldn't say anything(in a non-clinical setting), because that would be out of order but it gets me.

Maybe she remembers all the children she's referred for GA extractions, or the 9 years olds she's had to take adult molars out of? Or children she's done GA extractions on.

The first child I ever extracted on, was 3 and under GA. I remember how tiny she was, her little hand flopping and her little head head moving, and all the blood over her face. I'm not squeamish at all with blood and extractions but it really upset me, it's one of my most upsetting memories.

I'm not saying that OPs children will end up having GA for extractions, or that this woman is right. But a "lol my kids eat Haribos" attitude is pretty shit. Sure all children eat sweets, and controlled access to sugar is better than none at all, but it's that throw away attitude.

Every parent always has an excuse for why their child has fillings, and its never too much sugar or not brushing their child's teeth. Except it almost always is that, and if you can prevent your child need fillings or extractions why wouldn't you?

werideatdawn · 08/06/2019 08:41

I can't believe people find it offensive to state someone's age but maintain it is acceptable to randomly comment on someone's parenting choices in a supermarket. Ridiculous.
I have only ever had stupid unwanted advice from older female strangers, usually in supermarkets. When I'm "old" I will aim to mind my own business and actually have a life outside of badgering members of the public.

BlueCornishPixie · 08/06/2019 08:44

Also you can't say "be extra vigilant with toothbrushing". Or brush your teeth better after having sugar. It gives the message that you are normally lax, or the DC can normally be lax

We should be vigilant everyday because everyone diet contains sugar in some form, we should be aiming to remove 100% of the plaque everyday, you can't remove more than 100%.

You can't outbrush a bad diet.

YouJustDoYou · 08/06/2019 08:46

"Elderly" is relevant. I've had and seen more silver haired men and women think they can tell younger parents what to do than a different age group. I've also had more elderly ladies take the time to come over and help me/ask if I'm ok than any other demographic, I assume because they've had kids themselves/grandkids? Can't help that that's what's happened over the years. But go ahead with your "ageism" agenda. Jesus.

Ivestoppedreadingthenews · 08/06/2019 08:47

Oh Lordy! I’ve had people pile on me on here that my children eat too much fruit and should probably be taken away by SS for having too many apples.
I’m not saying we shouldn’t be careful about sugar and teeth but I think you have to be some sort of supermum robot to meet with approvals these days. It’s all the flipping patriarchy.

OP- Ignore. Ignore. Ignore. I find a long and lingering smile with no words is very disconcerting for interfering types.

EleanorReally · 08/06/2019 08:51

Why so quick to take offence op?
Take on board her comments, ban the raisins.

RiversDisguise · 08/06/2019 08:56

In all seriousness, dental hygiene really is important and I do wish my mother had paid more attention to it.

I try do better for my children, incl. using the magic timer app, electric brushes and an array of mint toothpastes we chats to in pirate voices ("Morning me minties" sez I)

Thanks to this silly thread, I'll stop offering them raisins as snacks. Smile

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