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?