To feel like a minger at the dentist

[Anotherdayanotherusername]

I've always tried to look after my teeth. I brush twice daily with an electric toothbrush, floss & use those little brushes to clean in between. I visit the hygienist at least every 6 months, every 3-4 months at their suggestion at times, but it's pricy!

However, within a couple of weeks of visiting the hygienist the tartare starts building up and is hard to control. I've even tried chipping it off with dentist tools I bought in Boots with limited success. By the time I go back to the hygienist, there's a significant amount to remove & I can tell she's not impressed. I once caught a glimpse of my notes which read "poor oral hygiene" which was mortifying. However, a dentist once told me that some people produce more plaque than others so need to work harder to control it. The gaps between my teeth are also very narrow so harder to reach.

I've just seen the dentist who says I have gum disease and bone loss. She's recommended a "non-surgical treatment" which is basically an hour long hygienist session but if that doesn't work I may need surgery to save my teeth. I'm so upset. She said that while they can do their best, a lot of it is up to me.

I'm wondering what I could've done to prevent this. Maybe brush my teeth after every meal or snack, which is not really practical. Turns out the brushes I've been using are the wrong ones for my teeth so have bought new ones, but probably a bit late. I would add that my teeth don't look bad. They're not as white as I'd like but I haven't needed a filling in years (don't eat much sugary stuff) and the gums don't bleed when I brush which I thought was a sign of gum disease.

Am I just unlucky or actually a minger?

A newly qualified dentist once told me that some people do make more plaque than others, just as some people are more susceptible to certain conditions.

Like you, I do as much as I can, but there is always plaque, despite my best efforts. I can’t afford extra hygienist appointments, other than the ones included in the monthly payment.

Are you dehydrated or do you mouth breathe or snore. These things can also increase plaque build up I believe. But as pp said, some people are just more prone to it. I have one DD who never gets plaque and one who gets it badly - exactly the same oral hygiene routines, food etc.

I would for I different dentist and if your NHS look at private with a dental plan. My teeth are awful and like you I take and have always taken really good care of them. My NHS dentist was useless constantly blaming me and it was getting me down. When I went private they have actually really helped, havnt blamed me, acknowledged that it's genetic (both my mum's and Nans teeth are awful) and my teeth have got a lot better since.

The only thing you could add to your routine would be mouthwash I suppose. My dentists suggested that double layered one, Dentyl. Apart from that, you’re doing it all right.

You could try brushing up with your diet I don't just mean cutting out sweets and fizzy I mean like eating more nutrious food with calcium and vitamin d.
Other than that some of us just unfortunately have shit teeth genes, I'm one of them tbh

Hi Op

I used to get a build up of plaque behind my bottom front teeth and got so fed up with feeling like I didn’t look after myself at the dentist. I then bought a waterpik water flosser from Costco and things have been significantly better. It would definitely be worth a try. Best of luck

Op I'm a dental nurse. I'm sure the hygienist has seen worse. It's their job to tell you where you are going wrong and a lot of people interpret this as being told off and that they are gross but that's not really the intention. Trust me - some of the sights I've seen if you are doing what you say you are they aren't even in the top 10%

Some people do get a bit more plaque build up than others and the back of your lower teeth is the most common area as you have saliva glands there. It shouldn't really calcify if you are removing any food or plaque within 24 hours so maybe it's partly technique? You need to brush along the gum line with the brush angled 45 degrees down into that margin. On the inside this is a lot lower than a lot of people think and they tend to have beautifully clean teeth and a line of build up along the gum. You can get disclosing tablets at boots to double check you are getting it all if that helps?

Is she specifically worried about build up though or more pocketing / gum disease? Once you have pockets forming it can be hard to get them clean without the hygienists help.

Tooth shaming is the worst, and is often done by people who are just too squeamish to be in that line of work, or who are trying to make you feel gross and shameful and scared you so you spend more money on unnecessary treatments. I had one tell me I’d have to have all my teeth extracted and get implants - I was only 27 at the time! 20 years on my gnashers are perfectly functional - could be whiter, and enamel’s a bit weak, but no chips or root canals or gym problems or any kind of pain.

I changed dentist and they’re all just nice and don’t give me a hard time. And if they tell me something needs doing, I trust them because they’re not negging me all the time.

Most dentists don't really recommend mouthwash as toothpaste is higher fluoride and you want to let it sit on the teeth. You can rinse with it at another time of day to freshen and sometimes I'll hear them recommend a higher fluoride one for between brushing if a patient has got a high decay risk, or a short treatment one like corsodyl for certain conditions.

It's probably not going to help op that much as it doesn't sound like a decay issue as much as a plaque build up / gum problem.

OP I could have written your post myself

It's very disheartening and I'm a bit too old to feel scolded by a dentist in her 20's

I have my check up and hygiene together and am still out within 15 minutes but I'm always left feeling like I could have done better

I use dental silk tape mornings
Interdental brushes evening
Elec brush twice a day , mouthwash after lunch at work

Don't feel like I can do much more apart from reduce sugar etc

You’re not a minger. My dental hygiene routine is the same as yours, and every check up, the plaque has built up again - the last time within a couple of weeks! I had a virus a few months ago, and it seemed to attack my salivary glands so I’ve suffered from dry mouth since then. What has been helping my dry mouth is Oralieve gel and luvbiotics oral probiotics. I’m hoping in turn, they might reduce the build up. I’ve had the same said by dentists, assuming I’m not flossing etc but it’s not true. I tell them I am and they don’t really know what to say. I guess they assume I’m lying.

Mine has suggested it for gum issues, to get rid of remaining bacteria between teeth.

I found this interesting- a lot of information I never knew abut real health. It might be worth listening to. Andrew Huberman is a professor at Stamford University.

https://www.hubermanlab.com/episode/how-to-improve-oral-health-its-critical-role-in-brain-body-health

Some people are more susceptible to gum disease and plaque build up. You clearly have very good oral hygiene. The hygienist is rude. They are meant to find it satisfying scraping it and cleaning it off. My dentist always says that anyway. And they would never write or say I had poor oral hygiene. Just tell me how to fix the issue. Even though I definitely have done. They need a nice bedside manner. Get a new hygienist.
Did they say in which teeth you have gum disease? The deep cleaning is great. It's really the only treatment to keep gym disease at bay, so take it.
And don't ever brush just after eating. Don't rinse your mouth out with water after brushing, just use chlorhexidine mouthwash. You can also use cosodyl gel on the diseased gum.

There is a special kind of shame attached to not looking after your teeth correctly, isn't there?

But, take heart OP, I have talked to a dentist who was doing research into the heritability of the oral microbiome. It's definitely a thing. Some people just have a more difficult job to do when it comes to keeping on top of oral hygiene, through no fault of their own.

You sound like you are trying your best. Keep your head held high, you are not a minger!

I've heard using Xylitol after each meal can be helpful

I’m in my 50’s and luckily have always managed to hang on to nhs dentists even though I’ve moved a lot….never once have I been referred to a hygienist, I do wonder if it’s become a thing because of private care?

I had an NHS check up a couple of years ago with a dentist at the surgery I go to and as soon as I walked in and sat down he was talking to me about the teeth whitening procedures that they offer there.

i had the same problem no matter what I did plaque would build up. I was getting upper dental implants and the surgeon said needed treatment for my existing teeth for a better outcome for the implants.

I had a periodontal treatment that was like and extreme hygienist treatment I needed to be numbed and the cleaning went well below the gum line. Since that course of treatment I rarely have any plaque in fact my hygienist is always impressed with how good my teeth and gums are.

So perhaps that’s what would help you?

You haven’t done anything wrong and you aren’t a minger. “poor oral hygiene” is something that has been lazily written if you told them that you brush twice a day and use floss tools etc.

say to the hygienist at the outset - I am meticulous with brushing and flossing and do not know why I have so much plaque.

Not a minger just unfortunate. Sadly gum disease runs in my family. I have to go to the hygienist every 3 months. Our practice has a scheme where you pay monthly for the 4 visits a year which makes it more affordable than £60 a time. Might be worth asking if yours does something similar.
Make sure you are using the biggest interdental brushes for your gaps this might mean using different ones for different gaps.

Do you sleep with your mouth open? Learning to put your tongue in the roof of mouth during the day and keeping it closed will prevent your mouth drying out which causes plaque. At night you can use mouth tape to keep your mouth closed and stop the saliva drying out

Certainly, many dentists but not all are pushing the upsell these days.

I changed my gum disease from a 4 to a 2 by using a water flosser, not a posh one, just a £50 from Amazon job.

I have often wondered if - the more often you see your hygienist, the more often you NEED to see your hygienist. I now go twice a year instead of 4x. The only difference seems to be an extra £180 in my pocket.

Thank you for the replies, made me feel much better!

I too recall the dentist who told me some people were more prone said it was related to saliva. I do seem to produce quite a lot. DH doesn't do anything like I do and doesn't have this problem. He's never seen a hygienist and doesn't floss - no need apparently as his teeth are quite gappy.

My dentist is NHS but some of their services are private.