To be fed up with getting told off every time I go to the dentist?

[ElderAve]

I'm 50 this year and I don't have any fillings. There's nothing wrong with my teeth. I eat a balanced diet hardly any sweets and no fizzy drinks (main because I've never liked them). I'm also probably just a bit lucky with my teeth.

I brush regularly but find flossing really uncomfortable so rarely do it. I see the hygienist three times a year to get rid of any build up.

Every time I go to the dentist or the hygienist, I get another lecture about brushing and flossing. I know technically it's just advice but the tone is definitely "telling off".

Really, I'm a 50yo adult who's teeth are in remarkably good condition, I can't be getting it that badly wrong. And if I do have any failings, I pay these people handsomely to deal with it!

Actually, by this stage in life, I'm not at all convinced such regular visits are necessary, but obviously no dentist is going to tell me that.

Absolutely. Anomalies....but aged 11...no.

Regrowing teeth....apart from baby to adult teeth....no.

@deandra. because it IS a FACT
No.

I suggest you brush up on what a fact is before you lecture anyone about dentistry..

It is reassuring that patients remember the lectures from their dentists. We now have to record that we have given oral health instruction and advice regarding dietary acids so patients can’t sue us in the future for not educating them.
I now advise patients over 50 to wear their reading glasses to clean their teeth. I was horrified about the amount of plaque I was leaving behind without my glasses on. If you need a magnifying mirror to apply mascara then you need it for brushing your teeth.

Orangeshark, I hear you!
It's people like most of them here that make me wonder why do I even bother!
I knew us dentists are most unpopular, but had no idea of the extent of it.
You cant do right for doing wrong which is really sad :(

I work in a dentist (dental receptionist)
Hygienist only tells you this because they genuinely care about your teeth. Flossing is rule number one! Just brush and floss as often as possible and your good to go. Hygienist just love when you floss... not my fav thing to do but I just make sure I have it in my bag and do it after I eat and before bed.
Also agree with another user that if your not happy find another dentist. Your not committed to that dentist there is no catchment area like with your GP.
Plus this service is private and not NHS so I think that’s why some people get peeved off as well as your paying to be what feels like lectured and butchered. It’s not the case but if you want nice teeth that have 0 fillings and gum problems flossing and hygienist is more important that seeing the dentist I would say.

I suggest YOU brush your teeth and LEARN to read properly....I am not lecturing anyone.... just imparting information gained through education. I suggest you educate yourself.

@deandra Please stop. You're embarrassing yourself now.

And if you're a dental professional, I'm the Pope.

The only embarrassing factor is YOU.

This is becoming awkward

I brush and floss daily and never have a had filling either. I left my last dentist because of this she was a perfectionist I think. She used to really get in there with a scraping hook on my gumline, looking for anything
When I said it hurt she said floss more and it won't. I told her I won't be back again after that visit. My current dentist is brilliant and I no longer fear going. He even said I only need yearly visits as my teeth
as they are in great condition even though I don't love my smile I do look after my teeth. I advise changing dentist you don't have to put up with it.

@NemophilistRebel

I'll say it's becoming awkward! @deandra has made a bit of a tit of herself. I'm actually embarrassed for her.

deandra know when to stop. You're busted, everyone on here can see it, and there's no going back. Just give it up FGS. It's embarrassing to watch.

Don't stop going to the dentist even if you change. People do not realise how important the dentist is and how many things the dentist can care for which can affect our mouth and gums health seriously, too longterm

It's one reason I get most dental work done abroad in Spain Hungary or Poland..you pay and they just get on with the task and no lengthy chat or advice unless you ask for it !!

Also everyone on this thread is blaming dentists/maxfacs surgeons

Nope, mostly what you have is people complaining about the appalling communication of dentists and hygienists and relating experiences of poor treatment/aggressive sales.

You can continue to insist that there is no problem and your customers (or paying patients if you prefer) are all wrong or you could consider there is a bit of a gap in training here. If you can't communicate effectively with someone you can't treat them effectively and you can't flog them all those cosmetic treatments.

Out of interest, has anyone on this thread not been offered cosmetic services or products by their dental practice?

I'm the same as you op in relation to the condition of my teeth. The dentist finds nothing wrong so is essentially trying to stretch out your appointment to justify the price in my experience.
You can either change dentist or what I would do is go every 8-10 months instead of 6. I'd also lie to him and simply say that you do floss everyday. He has the flossing note on his computer which is why he brings it up every time. He can't remember everyone's issues.

If you're already feeling a bit mentally bruised and battered, as many are, it's really easy to hear a cross "Your teeth are terrible. Obviously you eat too many sweets." (I don't really like them - no sweet tooth) "And don't floss." (I do). "Why do you have so many fillings?" (Soft teeth, as I was told in childhood) as basically being told you're a fat lazy slob who doesn't do any self-care. The other dentist at that practice insisted on doing an extraction, filling and root canal in the same appointment in different areas of my mouth so it took 12 numbing injections. There are some really terrible dentists.

I also changed dentists for this reason. The practice started off NHS but eventually turned completely private. Hygienist appointments were originally £35 or so for 20 minutes. Over time they became 45 minute appointments for £125. The first 15 minutes was spent painting teeth with a disclosing solution and calculating a % showing how poor your dental hygiene was. I absolutely hated this.

The final straw was when my twins needed 4 teeth out each prior to (NHS) orthodontic treatment, and I was going to be charged £150 per tooth. £1,200 to save you doing the maths. I changed dentists then and have never looked back.

I use an electric toothbrush and a teepee brush daily and visit a hygienist about every 4 months as my gums get inflamed very easily, so react more quickly than the average.

I think for those of us of a certain age, the damage was done to our teeth with the drill and bill culture of the 70s. Since I became an adult, I have had one small surface filling done. All the work I've needed has been repairs to old fillings/where teeth have crumbled around old fillings etc. I was really bad at cleaning my teeth as a child, but so was/is my son and he is now 17 with no fillings. I don't know how, he's so lazy.

When I was about 22 I went to see a new dentist as mine had died suddenly of a heart attack and she asked me if I was a chocoholic - and then said I had decay in every teeth. I was pretty shocked and went off to a different dentist. As mentioned above, I've had one new filling since then (now nearly 48). Some dentists are either incompetent or fraudsters - or both.

My dentist is so miserable and comes out with such BS

I am nearly 60 and haven’t had a single filling.

The last time I went I really did give up going back to the dentist

He berated me that my gums were receding and my teeth were loose and were about to all fall out

I said they were always movable. And my receding gums were the result of having a brace in my early teens

Not believing me he said he wanted to X-ray each tooth at a cost of £100s

I said no.

Eventually he said he would do a single X-ray.

Then came to the conclusion that there was nothing wrong with my teeth.

He has really undermined my parenting.

Apparently, according to the dentist fizzy water is much worse than Coca cola.

My dc always wanted cola but I gave them fizzy water instead.

Ds refuses to go to him as he was always getting told off.

Dd was very upset because she wanted a white filling and he refused to give her it and now she has this filling that stands out and she is conscious of when she talks to people.

Unfortunately there are no NHS dentists in our area that have places on the books.

Like everything we are looking at private to do anything

My new dentist is lovely
She never chastised me over my teeth. She'll give you a run down but is kind and warm. He practise partner OTOH is a demon on the earth to scold anyone without perfect Pearl's.
It is usually a 3 week wait for her, he often has free appointments. All private.

I think they do scale and polish because there, are bits you simply cannot reach. Thing is, however well you look after your teeth you can get gum disease if you don't get rid of plaque... My teeth were fine till I was 53 but now I have a wobbly one due to the gums. I now use a water pick thing. And I use little brushes. It's not to do with sugar it's ermmm old age 😂

I have good teeth but terrible gums, combined with dental phobia. Thankfully I found a sympathetic dental practice and they have halted the progress of my gum problems though I need regular cleanings, including under the gum (which last time gave me a panic attack). My dentist told me some people just naturally have the type of bacteria in their mouths that leads to a rapid buildup of plaque and tartar. I use an electric toothbrush, a tepe brush, floss and mothwash but they still need to chip away at my teeth at regular intervals. I don’t smoke, don’t eat sweets and don’t drink pop. Just unlucky. On the plus side, I don’t get lectured, she talks to me like an intelligent human being who wants to keep her teeth. It is a practice in an area with a high number of refugees and immigrants from countries where good dental care was not so readily available, so my situation is not too bad compared to some peoples’.

My NHS Dentist is lovely but says she ‘is not allowed’ to clean my teeth, despite a scale and polish still being listed under the basic NHS charge and insisted that I make an appointment with the hygienist. Talk about a money making scheme, it’s £50 to see the hygienist at my practice - I went a few years ago and was only in there 10 minutes (if that!). Went expecting to come out with a smile like Simon Cowell but alas I was ripped off.

It's a Power Over The Patient thing. Dentists are covert megalomaniacs and their assistants are their henchwomen......