Is there a reason for my teeth going bad?

[UpYaKilt]

Not looking for excuses here, but it seems that my dental health has suddenly worsened and I'm wondering if there's a reason?
Always had great teeth, 1st filling in late 20s then nothing till post ivf and pregnancies. Now had 2 pregnancies and 3.5 years of bfing in total. Also been diagnosed coliac in last year. Might have some menopause symptoms too at 43.
Since start of ivf have had anothet filling, root canal, Crown and Crown has recently broken so looking at an implant. Most of this to one tooth!
I've significantly improved my dental regime in the last few of years as have had many more comments from new young dentists about tartar build up and gum recession. Before that had old school dentist and 6 monthly scale and polish and no issues. Always brushed twice a day, standard toothbrush, no problems.
I recently got a new sonic electric toothbrush and have been using wee brushes for the last 18 months to do between teeth. Got the same comments about regular cleaningvand tartar build up at the last dental check up - I was really expecting much more positive comments.

Is this just a change in style from my old school dentist? Am I just getting old and my teeth are falling apart? Is it pregnancy/breastfeeding /ivf/menopause related. Is it something to do with coeliac diagnosis?

I dont know what else to do to keep my teeth healthy and am getting fed up of the disapproving looks at dental check ups!

It sounds like you are doing everything right. I sympathise with a run of problems - mine have literally been cracking up due to clenching/grinding at night caused by stress. My dentist said she frequently has people who are problem free for years on end, then go through a run of needing a load of treatment. Something I hadn't realised was that when a tooth gets a filling - what my dentist called the cycle of restoration - it is essentially on borrowed time, although this could take decades. I had a similar scenario to you where a filling cracked, I had it redone, a month or so later I had a root canal because it didn't settle, the root canal didn't settle, and I finally had the tooth extracted last month. (Fortunately a back one.) I hate my teeth just now!

I am facing the exact same thing upyakilt! And have been trying to figure out why. I just had a horrific hygienist appt where I was muttered at about tartar build up and recession. My dental hygiene has been brill for at least a year now - I've cut out sugar in the last few mths too and was genuinely hoping for more positive comments. I've had 3 chn in the last 5 years and breastfed them all so do wonder if that has had an effect? My teeth have always been perfectly fine until a year or so ago (hence the improved dental hygiene with little brushes and an electric toothbrush)
If anyone knows the answer, I too am intrigued! Or are dentists just harsher these days?!

Almost all tooth issues are to do with diet. A very small number are to do with issues such as acid reflux or grinding but this is rare. Say a handfyof patients a year when I worked in general practice. But really genuinely, it's very likely to be diet followed by cleaning if it's decay etc. If it's gum disease then multifactorial.

Can you be more precise about how the issues have presented? Like pain or holes and so on.

It won't be any of those things that have caused it as teeth don't work like that but (as an example) if you had a dry mouth during menopause and started taking frequent sips of something or sucking sweets to help... that could cause problems.

When I read the thread title the first thing I thought was check for coeliac disease. Unfortunately that has a massive effect on uptake of calcium and thus dental health. Ask your GP if you should have your levels checked. And vitamin D while you're at it. Also have you had a DXA (dexa) bone scan? Low bone density is common in Coeliacs and bad teeth may indicate a deeper issue.

Calcium absorption in adults doesn't affect the health of the tooth enamel hello it just doesn't. In children it's very important but once the teeth have formed then it has no effect.

If you have coeliac disease as a child and it's not diagnosed then the enamel can be affected as it is still forming. OP said her problems have only recently started so unless the diet has changed as a result, the coeliac disease in itself won't be at fault.

Thanks for all the replies - getting old is rubbish :-(.

I've had lots of bloods due to recent coeliac diagnosis and all vitamin / mineral levels are OK apart from ferritin so am on iron and it's coming back up. Also taking a general multivitamin.
That's interesting about a filled tooth being on borrowed time - it's the one tooth thst has had a filling, root canal, crown and now coming implant, plus the one next to it has a filling.

Mrs Morton - do you think dentists attitudes towards your teeth or cleaning regime change you age? I swear they were generally more positive a few years ago and now I don't feel like I can do anything right! (And feeel like a kid desperately looking for a gold star sadly). But I never get positive feedback on what I'm doing but can't think what else I could do.

I think they're all worried stiff about getting sued if there's any question that you weren't clearly informed of any problems. So maybe.
I don't see patients anymore so I couldn't really comment but it doesn't look too much fun!