I feel so let down by my dentist, diagnosed with severe periodontitis

[FuckedFuckedFuckedIt]

2 years or so ago my gums started to bleed when I brushed my teeth, not every time and not a great amount but bled nevertheless. I had a lot of sensitivity around one area in particular and thought there might be a problem with the tooth.

My dentist wasn't concerned about it, said the tooth is fine and assured me that most peoples gums bleed at some point or other.

I've had a handful of dentist appointments since then and on two of them X-rays were taken (I needed a filling, and wanted to replace an old silver filling with a white one)

No mention of periodontitis/gum disease.

Regardless, I mentioned wanting to see a hygienist to my dentist as I had a little stain on my front tooth (i was a big tea drinker). I was told that I don't 'need' to see a hygienist because he (dentist) can do all of that. It turns out my practice doesn't actually employ a hygienist. The dentist did a superficial polish on one occasion.

Still no mention of periodontitis.

Fast forward to a few weeks ago the bleeding has ramped up and upon close inspection I can see there is obvious receding of the gum line. I started researching and drew the conclusion that I might have periodontitis. I looked into what I needed to do to manage it, bought an electrical tooth brush, water pik and learned about interdental brushes. After implementing the new routine for 2ish weeks black triangles started to appear between my teeth! I now understand that this is because the inflammation is reducing.

I booked an appointment to see the dentist and said I'm concerned that I have this condition. Only then does he tell me that yes it looks like periodontitis but not to worry as it's treatable and in my case very mild.

I was gutted, but he said he would refer me to see a periodontist.

I saw that periodontist today. I have severe periodontitis that has advanced to bone loss and I would have had this condition for years slowly getting worse. News to me!

If I'd have known, I would have without a shadow of a doubt gone private to have deep cleans and preventative treatments. I'd have started using the interdental brushes, made more of an effort with flossing, bought the water pik much earlier etc.

The periodontist thinks genetics are a factor in my case due to my age and the fact my dental hygiene is reasonably good, although I do admit I haven't always been great with flossing.

I will now be having two deep, deep cleans under the gum line to try and shrink the pockets but have been warned that due to the bone loss - I'm going to be left with sizable gaps between all of my teeth 😔

I asked if my dentist will have known I have this and she said yes, of course he would.

So why remove a superficial stain whilst telling me I don't need to see a hygienist, when you know I have sodding periodontitis and that was exactly what I needed to do.

Why not advise me how I could manage my condition myself? Why was it me, the patient, having to diagnose myself and read up about what I can do to help myself.

I'm devastated and feel like he has completely failed me. If the funding isn't there to treat perio on the NHS then ok, but jesus christ atleast tell me that I have the disease so I can make an informed decision on how to proceed. I would have found the money somehow and could have stopped it progressing this badly.

AIBU to say he has completely failed me?

I'm so sorry to read this. You have been enourmously let down. I would be making legal enquiries to see whether I could seek compensation. I would also make a complaint to his regulating body.

I'm looking into exactly that. Thank you for validating how I feel. It really is bad isn't it?

I am an ex smoker (smoke free for almost 2.5 years now) so I expect that will be his 'defence' and why it's my fault, but surely even smokers and ex smokers are entitled to know if they have a chronic disease aren't they?

I've only just turned 30. I could have fixed this so long ago if I knew 😔

That’s so upsetting, really poor on your dentists part. Look into oil pulling too, there are some people who report it having an amazing impact on their gum health

Unfortunately smoking masks the symptoms of periodontal disease . It is possible that while you were a smoker the inflammation associated with periodontitis that is the first symptom of the disease doesn’t show up. Nicotine is a mild anti inflammatory.
Carbon monoxide in cigarette smoke also reduces the oxygen supply to your bone accelerating bone loss.
When you give up smoking you often have a flare up as the anti inflammatory effect of smoking reduces.
There are two things when seeking legal address firstly did your dentists ask if you were a smoker and did you admit that you were a smoker. Secondly did your dentist advise you of the risks of smoking.
Dentists keep written records. If those records suggest that you never told them you smoked or that you were advised of the risk it is possible that there is no case to answer.
To be fare cigarette packets have large warnings with gruesome photos of gum disease. I think that you have to take responsibility for some of your problem.

Dentists keep written records. If those records suggest that you never told them you smoked or that you were advised of the risk it is possible that there is no case to answer.

That is simply not true. This is not about whether the gum disease is OP’s fault or not, it is that she was not told she has it despite seeing the dentist regularly.

I think that you have to take responsibility for some of your problem.

I’d say researching her condition, self diagnosing, buying and implementing use of interdental aids, very much shows her taking responsibility.

Sorry OP. Hopefully the gum disease has not progressed so much that you have lasting consequences.

I’m so sorry, OP. That’s really bad and I hope you recover quickly. But I also wanted to give you a massive “Well Done” for kicking the smoking!! That’s really bloody hard to do. You’re a rockstar!

OP, I'm so sorry for what you've been through, I would be very upset.
Please consider adding salt to the water in your water flosser (around 1teaspoon per 500mls) I find it's a little kinder to the gums than plain water

Request a copy of your clinical notes (don’t need to give a reason why). Written letter of complaint to Practice Manager and Report to GDC!

I was always upfront about my smoking status, I never felt the need to conceal it. I had a baseline understanding about how smoking is bad for your teeth / staining, just through common sense, but it's not something the dentist has ever spoken to me about no.

It's only me who ever raised the topic of smoking (I let him know when I had quit and he said he was pleased to hear it, but that's it)

As for his records, I'm certain there will be something written down about the perio and bone loss as he took two loads of X-rays, he just didn't share that information with me.

If he claims there was ever a conversation about the risk of smoking, perio, what I need to do etc then it's an outright lie.

Go to a no win no fee lawyer and sue

Similar to you OP I began to suspect my dentist was actually ignoring any problems and just waited until he could extract my teeth. Any concerns I managed (difficult when you're in the chair) to raise were brushed aside.

At my last check up in December I asked if I needed any fillings and was told no. It certainly looked like I had a cavity forming between 2 teeth and this was later confirmed when I visited a dentist hundreds of miles away.

I've also discovered that when treating NHS patients, because of the fee structure, it's actually more cost effective for the dentist (nb: they earn more) to leave teeth to rot until they become infected and need extracting. They can also reach their NHS UDA qouta quicker that way.

Legal advice will be taken because it's going to cost me a lot of money I don't have to be able to function without looking like I belong to the underclass. My dentist clearly thought that's where I belong.

Thank you for the kind replies, it means a lot. I've been so sad today.

As for taking responsibility for the problem - I've been incredibly proactive in taking responsibility, thank you very much. As soon as I diagnosed myself I threw myself into treating it and have done such a good job I've managed to reduce a lot of inflammation in just 2 weeks.. something I would have done long ago had I known.

What I can't do, is the invasive treatments I now require, which I wouldn't have needed if I was made aware of the problem beginning.

Fair enough smoking can mask the symptoms of perio but I haven't smoked in a long time, I've also been seeing my dentist regularly since cessation. I've had active symptoms of perio ignored.

I'm so sorry, that's just ghastly. I had no idea about that.

Please, please do seek legal advice because you deserve better than that, we both do.

It's really upsetting to put your trust in a HCP only to be let down miserably.

I feel like such a fool because I was singing my dentists praises not too long ago, talking about what a lovely caring man he is. What a joke.

I'm not surprised people are flocking to Turkey these days if this is the standard of care you get with the NHS. People (including me in the past) laugh about "Turkey teeth" but the alternative here isn't much better is it?!

I was where you are just over a decade ago and I will only ever see private dentists now. The first I knew of my aggressive periodontitis was when I was told by my NHS dentist that my teeth were 'more mobile on the right side'. He went on to say it was pointless referring me to a periodontist because he'd just be told to manage it in his practise. I went to a private dentist who referred me to a private periodontist for root scaling and planing (and I also need a wisdom tooth extracting and a filling replacing). My gums were a mess. How it wasn't spotted is beyond me and I am still angry about it to this day.

My husband wanted to sue the NHS dentist but I was so upset about the whole thing - for a couple of years I honestly thought I'd loose about 9 teeth - I couldn't even think about going down that route.

I hope you're getting good treatment now. If you want a positive story, I've managed to keep all my teeth for over 10 years and I'm determined to keep them for another 10. It's cost me a small fortune though.

That's so encouraging, thank you. I'm really sorry you had to go through all of that in the mean time. It's devastating to find out when it's already severe isn't it?

After telling my dentist I was certain I have it and him finally confirming that I did, he assured me it was very minor so I wasn't at all prepared to be told just how bad it really is today. I was in floods of tears at my appointment and probably made a total twat of myself.

She (the periodontist) seemed very thorough and professional, didn't downplay anything but tried to reassure where she could. Unfortunately I'll have a bit longer a wait before she can do the treatment though.

She said she needs to write to my neurosurgeon first to make sure he's happy for her to go ahead. I had brain surgery in October and have a history of sepsis which apparently means I'm at higher risk of complications and will probably need antibiotics in advance. I'm hoping she gets a response from the hospital soon, but you know what the NHS is like at the minute 🤦🏼‍♀️

PP who mentioned oil pulling - I've just been reading up about the benefits and have ordered some, thank you!

You're an ex smoker with additional conditions who didn't floss or do other interdental care. I don't think that there is much likelihood of a successful claim on the basis that 'My dentist never told me that not flossing and smoking is bad for dental health, so it's his fault I didn't do it'.

I feel bad for you, OP. It sounds like you’ve had a rum deal.

our nhs practice went private post covid. The level of care I now receive vs before is immense. I was happy with my nhs care at the time but now I wouldn’t go back. My dentist now has so much more time to spend with me, and we have proper conversations about the approaches to take with my (bad) teeth. I’ve never smoked by I have receding gums and almost a full mouth of fillings age 40 but I actually have the best teeth in my family. My mother says we have poverty teeth (more like childhood neglect teeth!).

if I could live my life over I’d go to the dentist as a child and learn to swim!

He still should have told her the presence and extent of disease.

Are you being deliberately obtuse or are you just a shit dentist and feeling defensive?

My 'other condition' is nothing to do with the periodontitis.

I also do not have poor dental hygiene. I brush my teeth twice a day, always have, and see the shit dentist regularly. I floss - but not as frequently as I now wish I had. That said, I was at risk of this disease regardless as the periodontist has expressed the opinion that it is genetic in my case.

My upset with the dentist is because he did NOT inform me that I have periodontitis.

You have picked out one part of a post, which was actually in response to a question I was asked, and have spectacularly missed the point.

I'm not on here moaning about not being given advice on smoking.

Do you think it's acceptable for a dentist to withhold a diagnosis of severe periodontitis? Why?

He should have told you. I’ve found with dentists it’s best to get a second opinion even if it costs you.

I went to a new private dentist about ten years ago who told me I needed a filling, considering I’d got to 30 and never had a filling and always clean my teeth, use the water pick and interdental brushes and always been told my teeth were excellent I felt a bit uneasy about it so I went to another dentist and they didn’t mention a filling at all, and in the ten years since I’ve never been told I need a filling, they were just trying it on to make a bit of money.

Thank you 🥺

It's definitely pause for thought!

Would you mind sharing roughly how much you pay for your dental treatment privately? I'm looking at taking out a dental plan, if I can find one that will accept me in spite of the perio.

The annoying thing is if I'd have known about it I could have and would have found the money to get it all sorted privately, it would have been my top priority.

I’m 59….I have some mild bone loss on upper right teeth…..I have been having twice yearly deep cleans ( I’m nhs) for 3 years now…..no further deterioration ..all stable since …..I see the practice hygienist for these cleans

i pay band 2 nhs twice a year….this includes 1 check up ( X-ray every 18 months) and 2 hygienist appts for the deep cleans ( once appt for right side and one appt for left side…..it’s about 70 quid twice a year

That's really helpful thank you. I could definitely afford that (and more, to a degree)

I was under the impression that the NHS bands don't really apply these days and that you can only get the absolute bare minimum so it's good to know that some treatments are still accessible that way. Does it depend on the dentist?

A friend lost two teeth in a car accident and was told she couldn't get bridges on the NHS, can't get implants etc.

This is awful to read. I would sue to cover the cost of the treatment you now require.

Try oil pulling, it has really helped my gums. In the mornings I rinse my mouth (5-10mins) with coconut oil then brush it. My gums feel and look a lot better. This is of course alongside flossing and brushing twice a day.