The OS Doorstep - a helpful and supportive thread in these tough times

brook2jack

Dental schools will not accept referrals for routine brace work.

[Deleted User]

My younger DD was on the receiving end of some real bullying from the last private dentist we saw, he told her he was going to refer her to an orthodontist because he was concerned over her bite, and then proceeded to explain to her at the age of 12 that it would involve probably breaking her jaw, resetting it and she would be in one of the halo cages for 6 months or so afterwards, he did this with me sitting in the waiting room not allowed in! We went to the orthodontist who said I don't think you have a problem, certainly not anything that needs intervention, why did you ask for a referral!!!!! Upshot of this, she is terrified of dentists and hasn't been near one since. We became ex patients and now have a super NHS no nonsense, practical dentist who does the descale and polish himself every check up, much better. I feel that there is a lot of pressure for procedures from private dentists and feel we are extremely lucky to have found the NHS service we have, Cheers and good luck Lyn xxx.

twofishes

savingqueen, the stress-induced stomach pains sound like IBS to me - I have it so you have my sympathy! I find @sda peppermint antacid tablets helpful - four rolls of tablets for £2ish, and they have peppermint oil which is an anti-spasmodic.

thriftmonster

Ds2 has braces because his bottom teeth were wearing a hole in the enamel of his top teeth. With ds1 our dentist hummed and hawed but decided not to refer him and see what happened. As his jaw grew all his teeth straightened naturally and now he only has one slightly wonky one (much better than dh and me who both have very wonky bottom teeth)

Mrs LW - sympathies to your dd - breaking jaws was also mentioned in connection with ds2 and gave him a real fright - although only ever as a possibility and I was there at the time.

EstherH

Sorry, having read a bit further - not much further though, I realise I had forgotten that someone else had money problems that they hadn't realised about as well as Fuddle with the tax credits. It's good that this thread is so supportive. I love all the recipes I am reading too. Esther x

GreyQueen

auntymabel wrote: »

I always thought the jagged edge cut tomatoes were called Van Dyck tomatoes but I just googled it and didn't find anything so maybe I made it up. (Or I know something Google doesn't)

I think this might have been a visual reference to the "Van Dyck" beard which is a pointy triangle, a bit like the saw-tooth effect you'd get by cutting into the tomato.

As others have said, you can do this with any sharp narrowbladed knife, although I'm blessed if I'd ever bother as I prefer eating to playing with my food. But each to their own.

I'm pushing 50 and when my second set of teeth came thru, they were crowded. Had the same dentist throughout childhood and into my twenties, regular check ups and no mention was ever made about braces.

About a decade ago, I made a decision to move to a private dentist after some ghastly experiences with NHS dentists. I'm entitled to free NHS dentisty because on a low income, but feel that what it costs me to go private (averaging £2/week most years) is well worth it.

The very first appt with a private dentist caused him wonder; had no one suggested I had orthodontistry when a child? I said no, not my knowledge, but if it had cost money, we wouldn't haev been able to afford it. He calculated back from my age and said it should have been free at that time.

Checked with Mum and it was never mentioned by the dentist. I should have had four teeth out and the rest aligned by braces. There's nothing particularly gross about my teeth; they're all there, they're white, they work, they're straight they're just a bit crowded and I feel a tad self-consious. Plus as my dentist said: I bet you can't eat lettuce sandwiches!

I retorted that I loathe lettuce (he was referring to the fact that my upper and lower jaws don't align by about 1/2 cm).

I don't know if what you mean by a mouth guard is the same thing that I have; a silicone-type made-to-measure mold to fit over your lower teeth to stop you grinding your teeth at night? I have one and it's worth every penny of the £75 it cost me as I was busting up my own back teeth and wearing others away by grinding them at night.

Right, time to put something in the oven for supper. It will be a YS pork loin chop and I shall chuck it in a Pyrex with a cook in sauce and see what happens. Add new pots and beans from the lottie and I'm good to go.

Popperwell

I usually just slice or cut my tomatoes in wedges.

Talking of teeth. have kept my until now but will need full set of dentures and lots of work when I decide to go...blaming medication and...ginding of teeth when asleep(not knowing I did it)did not know of a guard and was never offered one...too late now...sadly...oh well...virtually no molars and virtually just a few front and bottom teeth remaining...not caused because I ate sweets...

shegar

jem132 wrote: »

Well I don't know what's happening in think I must have a rocket up my !!!! I ventured into the cupboard of doom (my massive understaire cupboard ) and pulled it all out. I've listed a few big items on local fb selling Page. Hope they sell. Rest is off in the bloody big how many bin bags of crap can one house have lol.
Tea breakers over bk to work I go x

Is that the sea kelp affect.??

FairyPrincessk

Glad for the good news and glad you're feeling better SQ!

GQ--the dentist was suggesting a more rigid version of what you're describing, said it would run between £500-£800. I was probably entitled to NHS treatment as the age is higher in Wales where I was living at the time, but it took me months to even find a private dentist who was taking patients, and I was still fairly baffled about the way the NHS works and what I was allowed and not allowed. I was always wary of people thinking I was an immigrant milking the system so terrified of asking if there was any way I could get help with the cost.:o He made it sound as if I would wear holes in my teeth within the next couple of months if it was not sorted urgently. I was pretty terrified at the time, but I was still covered for certain dentists in the states because I will still on my parent's health insurance at the time, so I was hoping to wait and see their dentist. Seeing as I have had regular dental care throughout most of my late teens/adult life, I found it a little surprising that this dire problem had never been spotted before. My current dentist, who is lovely and has a very affordable insurance plan checks for it regularly (primarily because I worry about it!) and says she sees no indication of it at all.

As for horror stories, this one is mild and veering on funny...well, my mum teaches primary school on military bases, so one summer during holidays from Uni I was visiting the dentist on base as I hadn't found a private one near my Uni yet. As a dependent I was entitled to any medical care under her insurance, and they would send me to visit my parents once a year. However, my limited experience with military medical staff is that they frequently aren't used to having to pull out their bedside manner and can be quite brusque. A little background--I do not like needles of any kind and I faint at the merest mention of that sort of thing. I have also never had anything more dramatic than a scale and polish as I've never had cavities etc. So, I'm sitting in this dentist's chair and he is getting my medical history and I tell him I'm prone to fainting with needles but that it shouldn't be a problem at the dentist because I don't need them there. He starts looking very alarmed and says "you've never had a needle at the dentist????" I get terrified and say..no? Am I going to have to have one? and he says, "well, it is standard procedure!" At this point he is looking at my xrays and I'm preparing to bolt, thinking an injection must be imminent. Just as I'm gathering my bag he says "Wait! You've never had a filling?! And you have all your teeth?" I finally realize the issue and realize he thinks I'm saying I've never had anaesthetic for actual work, not that I need an injection for a simple check up. I made it a priority to find a civilian dentist as soon as I went back to Uni! If there had ever been the merest mention of touching my jaw bone I'm pretty sure I would have made a run for it. I really feel for those with dental phobias.

GreyQueen

Sounds terrifying.

One of my pals has a stand-up routine about the dentist. People who saw it 20 years ago are still shuddering at the memory. It's brilliant and very very scary..........

I busted one of my back teeth to beggary a couple of years ago; some of the oldest hands on the toughies thread might recall me going thru a very stressful time but we won't revist the details. After I had the tooth rebuilt as a crown from the gum upwards, no way was I going to risk it happening again.

It's great, stops you grinding and destroying your own teeth and seems to stop headaches too. My dentist said they have them made at just about cost as they prevent so many other problems. The mold was taken at the dentist with an impression made in a kind of gel made from seaweed, sent away to be cast and then it came back again. You mustn't clean them with hot water because they are formed with heat and will distort out of shape.

Not the sexiest bedtime accessory, but there you go. I always tell people I have all my own teeth and I have the receipts to prove it............:rotfl: