to think some people are just destined to have bad teeth?

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I don't eat tonnes of sugar. I brush my teeth two or three times a day. Floss. Use mouthwash. Use an electric Toothbrush. I really look after my teeth, but they still have cracks in, I have had a few abscesses, 5 fillings, yellowing etc. Are some people just doomed to have bad teeth whatever they do?

Yes. I have a genetic condition (Dentinogenesis imperfecta) which has led to horrendous dental problems over the years. I got my first set of crowns at the age of 14, which have since had to be replaced and I am on a certain path to full dentures by the time I'm 40, perhaps 45 if I'm lucky.

It doesnt matter how much I brush, floss, mouthwash, my teeth are wasting away at a horrendous rate and its a case of preserving rather than saving.

Outwardly, I have a beautiful smile. My crowns (replaced approx 5 years ago) are gorgeous and I regularly get compliments on my lovely teeth. I never tell people they are crowns, not anyones business. Praise be to the NHS!
If I was in the US, just as an example, I would probably have had full dentures by 17, or just walk around in agony with horrendous teeth, more than likely.

Thanks for sharing. I do wonder if the fact that I am vit d deficient and probably have been for a long time have something to do with it. I also have hypodontia. I would love to be able to afford crowns.

I think so - DH and I look after our teeth to a similar degree, but mine are “perfect” and his are “awful” - I’ve never seen a hygienist in my life, didn’t even see a dentist for over a decade, in an ideal world DH would go a lot!

My theory is that perhaps my saliva is less acidic/more protective somehow. All DH’s family have awful teeth.

Lots of dentist do monthly payment plans now if you could afford that easier. Nice teeth really make a massive difference to your confidence

Yes some people are more prone to dental issues. When i was a child (im from europe) we used to have fluoride tablets and me a 4 of my sibs have ok teeth. My youngest sib was born in the uk and never had them and has had more dental issues than 4 of us put together.

Yes I think a lot of it is out of your control with teeth tbh. Obviously everyone should take care of their teeth! But some people will have bad teeth even though they take good care of them, and others will have good teeth even though they don’t really look after them.

I might try flouride tablets for DH, his teeth are poor, and his parents' are horrendous.

I've read quite a bit about psoriasis and gums/teeth.

My brother is gross and only brushes his teeth in the morning. Lives off full fat cola and sweets. He goes to dentist once a year and has never needed one filling!

Definitely. I know someone who grew up in utter poverty. She didn't own a toothbrush until she was a teen. She has the most beautiful teeth you could hope for. I had an ex who was meticulous about his dental hygiene but he had lots of problems with his teeth as did his family so I assume a lot of it is down to genetics? It used to really get him down.

When we were children my sister and I used to play a 'game' where we would each take a sweet and see who could keep it for the longest without chewing (awful looking back!). Without fail mine would go quickly, while hers lasted ages. As adults I follow a very basic dental routine and have no issues, strong teeth, zero fillings etc whereas my sister is the opposite. I have thought before that the two might be linked, and because I have saliva that dissolves food more 'aggressively' there is less bacteria, food debris etc around my teeth/gums.

I also have Dentinogenesis imperfecta, vit D deficiency, and a genetic flaw (?) where my roots are twisted as most teeth have double the roots. I have a fucking nightmare with them basically. I am mid 20s and am on the brink of losing -all- my lower back molars.

Multiple dentists have told me some people just genetically have weaker teeth and are more susceptible to cavities. My DP/friends use bog standard brushes, never floss, drink loads of sugar all day, never seen a hygienist etc. and they have never even had a filling!

My sister has never had great teeth. We had exactly the same diet as a child she was even breastfed for longer than me. But she has to have lots of work on them. 3ven now she has more issues. She eats less sugar than me and does eat a good amount of veg so I boubt its a deficiency. Dentists have always said to her it's just how she is. So yes I think some people are just unlucky.

I think you have a point OP. I worked with a chap who ate sugary boiled sweets at his desk almost all day and another who never cleaned his teeth in the way that most of us do - he 'freshened' them and didn't have bad breath either. Both had perfect teeth without a single filling and were as skinny as whippets. Life is indeed unfair.

Yes, I agree. I have very strong hair and nails - can grow my nails as long as I want and have thick, shiny hair, but my teeth are awful. I have fillings in nearly all of them. My mum said it was because I had measles, mumps and rubella all before I was three (I was born late 50's), so that might be something to do with it. Also in the 60's & 70's the way dentists were funded was different and the emphasis was not on prevention so much as removal or filling.

My husband has not been to the dentist in 25 years and has no issues with his teeth. Whereas in the other hand, I need to get some treatment done every few years, big things like root canals and crowns too.

I once told my dentist that my husband had not been to see one for 25 years and my dentist replied ‘I bet he has great teeth’.

100%. I have 3 siblings that live off energy drinks, chocolates, sweets-- I don't think any of them brush regularly to be honest. All three have perfect teeth.

I drank my first fizzy drink aged 14, had 50p a week pocket money to spend on sweets. By 11 I'd already had 2 baby teeth removed and had fillings in around half of my teeth. That was despite that fact I rarely missed a day of brushing.

I'm a grown woman and still my dentist thinks I'm lying to him when I tell him I don't eat much sugar. I feel like I spend my life worrying about my teeth sometimes It all seems so simple for everyone else.

My dentist reckons so. Like pp, I do the whole hygiene routine but still have rubbish teeth. DH has only recently upgraded to an electric toothbrush, doesn’t floss but does keep up with the hygienist and never has a moment’s trouble 🙄

Absolutely! One of my kids teeth haven’t come in well at all. It’s a shame.

I’m sure your adult teeth are formed in utero too so it’s nothing that anyone has done. Different if they go from being ok to terrible.

I completely agree. I'm blessed with pretty strong teeth as is one of my brothers who has always had pretty poor dental hygiene. I don't think he's been to the dentist for 20 years and has had no issues ever. My other brother has horrendous teeth despite taking good care of them, he's spent a fortune on dentistry over the years.

My son and daughter have very similar diets - son has amazingly strong teeth and no fillings, issues ever. My daughter who is only 6 has had a couple of abscesses, fillings and will need to have a couple of baby teeth removed. She's meticulous about brushing, rarely eats sweets and drinks mainly water. The shame I feel when taking her to the dentist (regularly) is awful.

@YaYaWoahWoahYaYa just want to say I sympathise with you so much there and I believe you when you say you don’t eat lots of sugar. I’ve been in tears multiple times over the last few months worrying about my kids teeth and have lost a lot of sleep over it too so I honestly do know how you feel

Some people are just unlucky

I think so. DH times his brushing, uses mouthwash, flosses daily, goes to a hygienist and needs regular work done. I brush for a short time (till mouth feels fresh) aaaaand that's it. Love eating sweets during the day. I go to a dentist maybe once every two years for a check uo, I never need work done. Teeth in great condition. He loves seeing me when he is running late. He'll tell the waiting room that he'll be back in 5 minutes since I won't have anything for him to do anyway (the guy has known me for 35 years).

I did have my wisdom teeth pulled but that was because they were horizontal and stuck under another tooth and started causing an abcess.

Oh I also don't brush electric. My dentist told me not to fix what isn't broken.

I have tetracycline teeth. I'm allergic to penicillin so was always prescribed tetracycline instead and it yellowed my teeth. No whitening treatments seem to work. My teeth could be a lot worse - I otherwise have good mouth health - but it's depressing.

I brush (electric toothbrush), floss, avoid fizzy drinks, don't smoke, and have had no end of trouble with my teeth (including all my wisdom teeth coming through sideways at the same time). Every time I go to the dentist I get a lecture about brushing or x-rays and a filling, or warnings about problems in later years.

DH, like my Dad, brushes with whatever toothbrush is cheap and easily available, sometimes remembers to floss, spent most of 20s living on hot curries, fizzy drinks and fags, and gets comments every time on how obvious it is that he has always taken excellent care of his teeth

Git