Are my teeth going to fall out?!

freakyogre

Teerah wrote: »

You dont have crap teeth, you are eating/drinking too much sugar. If you are serious about wanting to improve/retain your teeth, you need to bite the bullet and seriously reduce it.

I am serious, that's why I asked for help.

There must be a little truth in some people having naturally worse teeth thn others. For example, I used to work with someone who had 6 sachets of sugar in their tea (probably equivalent to 3-4 teaspoons) and had at least i'd say 8 cups during work. They'd also easily get through a packet of biscuits most days, but didn't seem to have any dental problems. How can it be so different with different people? (I'm not trying to make excuses, i'm genuinely interested)

Is it too late for me now if the damage has already been done?

brook2jack

Sugar free squash is fine but does have sweetners in it.

Smoothies are very high in natural sugars and acid and are responsible for a massive increase in decay in younger health concious people.

Every time you eat or drink something sugary your teeth are under attack for an hour afterwards. 5 drinks and 3 meals a day means your teeth are under attack at least 8 hours a day.

Apart from a few rare syndromes no one has weak teeth. Some people are more susceptable to decay because of dry mouth caused by medications etc but the vast majority of decay will be stopped by changing your lifestyle ie cutting down sugar.

SuzySu

.... and yes, it was by Pam Ayres. Never did like her much....don't know why?

Toothsmith

Oh, I wish I'd looked after me teeth,
And spotted the perils beneath,
All the toffees I chewed,
And the sweet sticky food,
Oh, I wish I'd looked after me teeth.

I wish I'd been that much more willin'
When I had more tooth there than fillin'
To pass up gobstoppers,
From respect to me choppers
And to buy something else with me shillin'.

When I think of the lollies I licked,
And the liquorice allsorts I picked,
Sherbet dabs, big and little,
All that hard peanut brittle,
My conscience gets horribly pricked.

My Mother, she told me no end,
"If you got a tooth, you got a friend"
I was young then, and careless,
My toothbrush was hairless,
I never had much time to spend.

Oh I showed them the toothpaste all right,
I flashed it about late at night,
But up-and-down brushin'
And pokin' and fussin'
Didn't seem worth the time... I could bite!

If I'd known I was paving the way,
To cavities, caps and decay,
The murder of fiIlin's
Injections and drillin's
I'd have thrown all me sherbet away.

So I lay in the old dentist's chair,
And I gaze up his nose in despair,
And his drill it do whine,
In these molars of mine,
"Two amalgum," he'll say, "for in there."

How I laughed at my Mother's false teeth,
As they foamed in the waters beneath,
But now comes the reckonin'
It's me they are beckonin'
Oh, I wish I'd looked after me teeth.

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

Any in the Oral B Range will help, but I went for the most expensive because there were 4 of us and I wanted to make sure DD2 brushed her teeth for the recommended time - the top one included a timer. I still have to use an interdental brush and floss too, but since getting this (half price offer at Boots), they are so white and there is next to no tartar accumulation.

But - the only people I know who have truly rubbish teeth have all said that it's just due to genes - and to a person, have all had loads of sugary stuff/fizzy drinks/beer/whatever and never really brushed their teeth much. Most also smoked. Perhaps the colleague was really careful about brushing and flossing every night and didn't smoke, I can't say for sure. Mind you, they may also have gone on to develop diabetes, go blind and lose their legs, for all I know.

SIL has just completed process of having every single tooth in her mouth removed under general anaesthetic at a London hospital, two a fortnight. She's 40. She had blackened teeth just crumbling and not hurting. They won't give her implants because they say there's no point when every time she goes back, there has been no effort made to improve her diet or dental hygiene. So she's going to have a plate like an old lady.

Her choice, I guess. But I've seen the inward cringe from her OH when she's smiled.

Fork86

freakyogre wrote: »

I am serious, that's why I asked for help.

There must be a little truth in some people having naturally worse teeth thn others. For example, I used to work with someone who had 6 sachets of sugar in their tea (probably equivalent to 3-4 teaspoons) and had at least i'd say 8 cups during work. They'd also easily get through a packet of biscuits most days, but didn't seem to have any dental problems. How can it be so different with different people? (I'm not trying to make excuses, i'm genuinely interested)

Is it too late for me now if the damage has already been done?

There are a number of factors that can explain why some people have less decay than others. If you have an extremely good brushing technique and spend atleast 2-3 minutes brushing your teeth (add another minute to floss), you will disrupt the formation of decay forming bacteria in plaque, and this is regardless of whether you have had 24 teaspoons of sugar in one day or just 4.

If you eat something alkaline like cheese or drink milk straight after eating something sugary, this will decrease the acidity in your mouth and prevent 'demineralisation' from occuring (the acid produced by bacteria cause the enamel in your teeth to soften). This is especially important when considering the mouth will stay acidic for a few hours after eating something sugary. Also repeatedly eating sugary foods throughout the day will enhance this acidic effect as your mouth hasn't had a chance to neutralise the acidic environment. So reduced snacking is important! Keep to eating just at mealtimes!

Some people have a greater contact with 'topical' fluoride in their lives (through fluroidated water and mouthwashes). This is especially effective after eating something sugary, as this will help the remineralisation process and disrupt bacterial formation.

Also, if you were younger and ate foods that contained a good concentration of fluoride (like fish), or took fluoriide supplements (systemic fluroide) in the form of tablets or even fluoridated water, the fluroide would be taken up by your tooth structure and make them more resillient to bacerial attack.

Some studies have also shown that some people have a greater proportion of certain decay forming bacteria (cariogenic bacteria) in their mouths, while some may have a negligable amount.

People with dry mouths (xerostomia) are also likely to experience decay as the cleansing/buffering affect of saliva is hugely important in fighting decay. This can be caused by certain medication, stones in your salivary ducts from your glands and certain autoimmune conditions.

It is important to remember that decay can only occur when all four of the following conditions exist together:

1) fermentable sugars (glucose, fructose, sucrose)
2) cariogenic bacteria
3) enough time
4) tooth tissue

By altering one of the above factors, you will negate the effects of decay.

As long as you still have your front 5 teeth in each quarter of your mouth, it is not too late (not to say having less is too late, but people have been known to be able to cope without dentures with only 20 teeth). You just need to keep motivated, improve your diet, and improve the way your brush your teeth. If you are only going to brush your teeth once, make sure it is before you go to bed! Try swigging mouthwash at the times you aren't going to brush your teeth (although this is no substitute for actual mechnaical cleaning).

gabyjane

Hi i am the OP's sister and have just spotted this! Sis i thought id'e reply to you on here as not online much anymore!
I know how you feel about your sugar in tea..i was the same remember! i have no idea what changed me but i only now have 1 teaspoon if that and can honestly say more than that i can't drink it..try it you will possibly soon adapt!..sweetners i would imagine are better but excuse me if i am wrong as haven't read all of the thread..but i too don't really like them tbh.
I just brush twice a day for about 2 mins..i have 3 fillings (1 im really not sure should have been done!) (i'm 30 btw to others reading this!) but me and my sis have this ongoing thing where she thinks my teeth are really good and tbh i have as many hang ups as she does as mine aren't white enough..still! my point is i have never used an electric toothbrush for a long period..very rarely floss, eat sweets etc!!..you are not doing anything wrong really just unfortunately don't have model teeth!
Try the tea missus, minus a spoon of sugar and see how you get on..x

freakyogre

brook2jack wrote: »

Sugar free squash is fine but does have sweetners in it.

Smoothies are very high in natural sugars and acid and are responsible for a massive increase in decay in younger health concious people.

Every time you eat or drink something sugary your teeth are under attack for an hour afterwards. 5 drinks and 3 meals a day means your teeth are under attack at least 8 hours a day.

Apart from a few rare syndromes no one has weak teeth. Some people are more susceptable to decay because of dry mouth caused by medications etc but the vast majority of decay will be stopped by changing your lifestyle ie cutting down sugar.

So are sweeteners as bad as sugar? Again, not trying to be awkward, but I [STRIKE]can't[/STRIKE] won't just drink water, so I need something inbetween! I love milk, but i'm sure someone will now tell me that is bad for me.

I tend to make my own smoothies and use fruit, plain yogurt and a small amount of fruit juice or milk, surely that's got to be better than some things?

Jojo_the_Tightfisted wrote: »

Any in the Oral B Range will help, but I went for the most expensive because there were 4 of us and I wanted to make sure DD2 brushed her teeth for the recommended time - the top one included a timer. I still have to use an interdental brush and floss too, but since getting this (half price offer at Boots), they are so white and there is next to no tartar accumulation.

But - the only people I know who have truly rubbish teeth have all said that it's just due to genes - and to a person, have all had loads of sugary stuff/fizzy drinks/beer/whatever and never really brushed their teeth much. Most also smoked. Perhaps the colleague was really careful about brushing and flossing every night and didn't smoke, I can't say for sure. Mind you, they may also have gone on to develop diabetes, go blind and lose their legs, for all I know.

SIL has just completed process of having every single tooth in her mouth removed under general anaesthetic at a London hospital, two a fortnight. She's 40. She had blackened teeth just crumbling and not hurting. They won't give her implants because they say there's no point when every time she goes back, there has been no effort made to improve her diet or dental hygiene. So she's going to have a plate like an old lady.

Her choice, I guess. But I've seen the inward cringe from her OH when she's smiled.

Thanks, i'll have a look around for one.

As far as I know, his legs are still there He smoked as well...lucky sod (not for smoking, I never have and never will)

Fork86 wrote: »

There are a number of factors that can explain why some people have less decay than others. If you have an extremely good brushing technique and spend atleast 2-3 minutes brushing your teeth (add another minute to floss), you will disrupt the formation of decay forming bacteria in plaque, and this is regardless of whether you have had 24 teaspoons of sugar in one day or just 4.

If you eat something alkaline like cheese or drink milk straight after eating something sugary, this will decrease the acidity in your mouth and prevent 'demineralisation' from occuring (the acid produced by bacteria cause the enamel in your teeth to soften). This is especially important when considering the mouth will stay acidic for a few hours after eating something sugary. Also repeatedly eating sugary foods throughout the day will enhance this acidic effect as your mouth hasn't had a chance to neutralise the acidic environment. So reduced snacking is important! Keep to eating just at mealtimes!

Some people have a greater contact with 'topical' fluoride in their lives (through fluroidated water and mouthwashes). This is especially effective after eating something sugary, as this will help the remineralisation process and disrupt bacterial formation.

Also, if you were younger and ate foods that contained a good concentration of fluoride (like fish), or took fluoriide supplements (systemic fluroide) in the form of tablets or even fluoridated water, the fluroide would be taken up by your tooth structure and make them more resillient to bacerial attack.

Some studies have also shown that some people have a greater proportion of certain decay forming bacteria (cariogenic bacteria) in their mouths, while some may have a negligable amount.

People with dry mouths (xerostomia) are also likely to experience decay as the cleansing/buffering affect of saliva is hugely important in fighting decay. This can be caused by certain medication, stones in your salivary ducts from your glands and certain autoimmune conditions.

It is important to remember that decay can only occur when all four of the following conditions exist together:

1) fermentable sugars (glucose, fructose, sucrose)
2) cariogenic bacteria
3) enough time
4) tooth tissue

By altering one of the above factors, you will negate the effects of decay.

As long as you still have your front 5 teeth in each quarter of your mouth, it is not too late (not to say having less is too late, but people have been known to be able to cope without dentures with only 20 teeth). You just need to keep motivated, improve your diet, and improve the way your brush your teeth. If you are only going to brush your teeth once, make sure it is before you go to bed! Try swigging mouthwash at the times you aren't going to brush your teeth (although this is no substitute for actual mechnaical cleaning).

See, now you're saying that it doesn't matter how much sugar you have as long as you brush your teeth, whereas other people have said it does?!

I always snack (not always junk) but I can't have 3 meals a day (unless on a cruise before my sister says anything ), I don't think that will ever change as I can't always face 'meals'. I don't eat breakfast and tend to have something mid morning. Today for example I had a packet of crisps at 12pm, then a cup a soup at about 1:30. Later in the afternoon I had an apple and a banana (SUGAR!!!) so I suppose my teeth were busy all day...?

My title was a bit of a joke about them falling out, but it is a worry. I have all of my teeth except one (and a half). The missing tooth came out many years ago and I honestly can't remember why, I think it just came loose. I suppose i'm better off than some people with loads of missing teeth.

I do brush my teeth now, but when I was younger I didn't at bedtime which has probably added to the 'problem', stupid really, but I can't turn back time.

freakyogre

gabyjane wrote: »

Hi i am the OP's sister and have just spotted this! Sis i thought id'e reply to you on here as not online much anymore!
I know how you feel about your sugar in tea..i was the same remember! i have no idea what changed me but i only now have 1 teaspoon if that and can honestly say more than that i can't drink it..try it you will possibly soon adapt!..sweetners i would imagine are better but excuse me if i am wrong as haven't read all of the thread..but i too don't really like them tbh.
I just brush twice a day for about 2 mins..i have 3 fillings (1 im really not sure should have been done!) (i'm 30 btw to others reading this!) but me and my sis have this ongoing thing where she thinks my teeth are really good and tbh i have as many hang ups as she does as mine aren't white enough..still! my point is i have never used an electric toothbrush for a long period..very rarely floss, eat sweets etc!!..you are not doing anything wrong really just unfortunately don't have model teeth!
Try the tea missus, minus a spoon of sugar and see how you get on..x

I had 2 cups of tea at work today with no sugar. It was vile. I also had 2 glasses of water which I don't mind as long as it's chilled. Water makes me pee more (I thought you'd like to know that). There were biscuits in the office all day and I avoided them (easy really, they were custard creams...eww!)

I actually don't mind sweeteners, I bought some ages ago and had them in a cuppa last night, but had 2 so would that have helped?? (tried with one but didn't taste of anything, so pointless trying it with one again) No one seems to know the definite answer on sweeteners so I think i'll ask the dentist.

You have got lovely teeth, but I know everyone has little hangups about themself. I would love to have teeth your colour, but it's not going to happen and to be honest the colour doesn't particularly bother me. My main issue is my wonky front tooth, but unless I have braces now, there's not a lot I can do.

(In case anyone queries the above, one of my front top teeth is crooked as the tooth to the side of it pushes it, not sure if I have too many teeth? Anyway, my dentist (the one who mangled the other one) didn't suggest braces when I was younger and only brought up the subject when I was 19 - a bit too old to have them without being bullied and also out of the range when it was free/cheaper. I would have jumped at the chance had she suggested it when I was 15 as everyone had them and it was no big deal.)

I better remember to do the lottery tonight, then I can buy a new set of fangs

brook2jack

Smoothies are both acid and very sugary even home made ones. Yoghourt on it's own sweetened with fruit or sugar causes decay really easily. There has been an epidemic of tooth decay caused by smoothies.

We are not saying never eat or drink anything with sugar but accept that if you want to change your dental health you have to change your diet and limit sugar attacks to three a day.

Artificial sweetners do not cause decay in fact for xylitol there is some evidence to say it helps prevent decay.

However the big message is sugar causes decay.Not brushing/ flossing properly causes gum disease and will encourage decay but if your diet is poor no amount of brushing will stop decay.