to wonder how tooth decay isn't much more common

[Pixi47]

So many people I see/lived with never floss and spend about a minute quick brushing their teeth. So many of my mates say they never floss either.I meticulously brush my teeth[at least 3 minutes each time] twice a day with electric brush and floss as well as rinsing an hour after brushing. What's your routine?

Always floss here too.
I've had a filling to protect a small crack (that'll probably be the healthy nuts or granola then) but no decay and I'm late 40's.
I pay for hygienist every year.

I wonder this too. I had great teeth as a child (mum was vigilant about it), had some fillings in my 20s but nothing else, but now in my 40s I've there's something new going wrong every year it seems. My teeth seem to be so much weaker now.

I also wonder about people who say they never see a dentist, their teeth are a mess, have cracked and broken and brown teeth etc, but who haven't suffered from toothache. I don't understand how people can not take care of their teeth and have "bad teeth" but without it going to the tooth ache stage, which would drive even the most reluctant dentist-goer to the dentist.

Genetics usually although things like enamel hypoplasia or Sjögren’s syndrome can have an impact.

My dentist told me flossing was unnecessary, as is mouthwash. Maybe he’s feeding me a pack of lies. My teeth are alright though and I drink a lot of sugar free fizzy drinks.

I have to be extremely careful with what I eat and drink as my teeth are terrible. I brush really carefully and use prescription fluoride toothpaste. I have 4 fillings and have had 6 extractions and am only 35. I had my first fillings as a teenager and now 20 years later they are starting to fail and I’ve had one extracted recently.

I am paranoid about my children’s teeth and really try to limit the sugar they eat but it’s difficult they their friends all eat “normally”.

I had loads of fillings in the 70's, went 7 years without visiting a dentist, terrified. when I finally went to the dentist he said I had great teeth, due to protective saliva. I have 3-4 hygiene appointments every year, only have a check up when the hygienist suggests it, about every 6 years. I go to a posh dentist, my DH goes to one that insists on a check up before every hygiene, total money making scheme.

Fluoride.

I'm in my mid 20s and have never had a filling despite having a childhood where I would only brush my teeth once a day, if that and would eat lots of sweets and fizzy drinks.

Since adulthood though I have maintained a good dental routine of brushing twice per day with a Sonic Care toothbrush and making sure I don't rinse the toothpaste out of my mouth when I'm finished so that it can coat my teeth, making sure I don't brush my teeth until at least 30 minutes after eating, flossing every evening and I chew a lot of chewing gum (a bad habit that's a bit of a faux pax but I'm very discrete about it and at least it's good for your teeth).

I also understood it was largely due to colonisation with a particular bacteria.

As a child I took decent care of my teeth (brushing, no flossing or mouthwash). Didn’t eat very many sweets as was raised by my nan. By 17 I had had an adult tooth pulled and fillings in over half of my teeth. I now do the whole she-bang including prescribed toothpaste and have new issues every time I go for a check up. It’s shit.

My half-brother lived on fizzy drinks and energy drinks, rarely brushed until adulthood (well, I suppose we just don’t talk about toothbrushing anymore), and is yet to have a filling.

I really do think it is luck of the draw, as well as general health I assume. I was always a sickly child, never enough vitamins, always coughing, etc.

Every time I see the hygienist ( part of my dental package) I get told that I'm flossing incorrectly and using the wrong product.
So far , I've been offered various colours of floss brushes and tapes, floss string, plastic floss gadgets and so on.
I've also been recommended various different toothpastes , including a 'natural' paste that costs £12 a tube!!!
Every single time!
My actual dentist, when I complained, just rolled his eyes.

All three of my kids have hypoplasia, and all my Niblings as well.

All had fillings in primary school. I was heartbroken but my very lovely dentist (who I’ve seen for the last nearly twenty years) has always said it’s genetic. We’ve always been really hot on dental hygiene.

I have 5.5mm pockets so fairly advanced gum disease. I brush and floss (well, teepee) twice daily but I also smoked for years and obviously had multiple pregnancies. My teeth actually look lovely but under the gums is a different story.

Some people are just really lucky with their teeth I think.

)BelleClapper

All three of my kids have hypoplasia, and all my Niblings as well. )

I’m sorry - hence the brackets - I know it was a typo. But I desperately want a “Nibling” now )

(Seeing it like a sibling, but comfier)

Oh! I actually meant Nieces and Nephews. That’s what we call them, now I’m not even sure if it’s a real thing

I do all the things they tell you to do. Teeth fine but my gums just won't stop receding. I'm makes me sad! I hate them.

DH just brushes and has perfect teeth and guns. He use to be a smoker too and drinks more alcohol than I do.

*gums

I think a lot of it is genes

Completely agree with those saying genes. Neither of my parents had great teeth. Mine aren't great - two root canals / crowns and some fillings before I was 30 - though at least daily electric brushing and daily use of mouthwash has helped slow the deterioration.

My wife has strong teeth, no fillings even, despite much less careful care and much more sugar consumption.

My DH has terrible teeth, looks like Metal Mickey, as do his parents. I've never had anything done except a scaling, so I think childhood has a big impact as we have a similar oral hygiene routine now.

My husband has a whole rigmarole of flossing, mouthwash and has had to go to the dentist for fillings and teeth out several times. I have never flossed, don't use mouthwash and for most of my life only brushed in the morning, but have hardly had any teeth issues.

Vitamin D, vitamin K and calcium can rectify teeth issues and improve saliva. This plus cutting out sugar and refined white carbs in the short term can really turn around dental health. The people I see with great teeth were raised on a much better diet, mine until my 20s was very junky and not really nutritious and full of sugar - think Frosties or syrup on toast for breakfast, jam sandwiches, two chocolate bars and crisps for lunch, and sausage and chips for dinner 😬 So have had to do a bit more work to care for my teeth. But I've got no fillings still

Dental health is mainly genetic. Probably largely to do with what bacteria happen to live in your mouth. And flossing is about preventing gum disease not tooth decay. I don't think there is clear cut evidence that flossing is actually beneficial anyway.
Applying fluoride to teeth via brushing and water, and avoiding too much sugar between meals is enough to prevent tooth decay in most people.
Tooth decay mainly affects children and teenagers anyway.

Wow, how old are you? No fillings is great.

Agree with genetics too: my mum, 81 has had 1 extraction and one filling. I’m 58 with none and our kids, 26 and 18 both needed braces but no fillings.
My husband and his family have pretty bad teeth.