Orrible session at the dentist. Please tell me I don't have the UK's worst teeth

[DamnYouAutocorrect]

TWO abcesses, two big molars coming out next week. Yikes. Have already had one molar extracted on the other side. Looking at either a giant gap in my teeth or implants at £3k per pop! Dentist said ominously 'you have other problems too but we'll deal with those later.'

Feeling like the least hygienic, stinkiest scummer alive. Oh and the antibiotics they've put me on cause bloody awful thrush...

Well, everything can be fixed and at least you're on the road to getting it sorted, well done you. No you've not got the worst teeth, I had to take all the teeth out of a 23 year old once......

How come it's got this bad though (not judging, just curious so don't be cross)? Dentistry is definitely an area where prevention is better than cure.

Thanks grumpy (having to take ALL someone's teeth out - wow)

I think it's partly that I have rotten genes, partly I have a massive sweet tooth, and partly that I avoid the dentist like the plague cos every time I go something like this happens! Have never once been and had them say 'you're all fine, see you in six months'. I know I'm making pathetic excuses for myself, but it's so hard to make yourself do something when you know it's going to end up with you in a chair having something nasty done for what feels like hours on end.

But thanks for the pep talk!

Oh and grumpy, if you're a dentist, could you say whether the NHS does implants? Suspect I know what the answer is but just asking in hope... Is £3k per tooth normal?

Well, I don't work in the sort of area that provides implants (you can't get them on the NHS unless you've had trauma or facial cancer generally-sorry) so I don't know how much they cost (before anyone asks no I'm not a private dentist-I am a dentist though :)) but you don't generally need one to replace every tooth, sometimes they put more than one tooth on each implant post IYSWIM.

Do you think it might be worth just sticking to one course of treatment to get it all sorted and then thinking about your habits (I'm really not having a pop, just trying to help!!) to get on top of it all once and for good?

Remember dentistry is a two way street so find someone you trust and build a good relationship, even implants aren't "fit and forget" and need maintenance.

Start with the basics, before long you'll wonder why you haven't always had a hollywood smile .

I know you're right. I will try to behave more like a grown-up form now on! And thanks for the advice.

Sympathies to autocorrect - I thought it was me with the worst teeth .
They're feeling crap at the moment ,sensitive and rough ....sigh ,though I have finally found a dentist I trust .
Sorry to highjack but grumpy ...can you advise -
floss or those little interdental brushes ?
And if the latter ,are the blue plastic ones ok ?
These www.boots.com/en/Denti-Brush-Wire-Free-Brushes-30-Pack_870727/