so ashamed of teeth!

There was no fluoride in the water, or fluoride toothpaste, when my generation were young - I'm sure these have made a big difference to younger people's teeth. People are also much more conscious of too much sugar. Flossing and the little interdental brushes weren't at all common either.

Mind you I'm sure some of it's down to genes. My mother's teeth were never brilliant at all and yet her younger sister - same upbringing, same diet etc. - had practically perfect teeth until she died in her mid 80s.

My mother finally lost nearly all of hers - which she'd been grimly hanging on to - but that was down to dementia, since she would no,longer brush her teeth or allow anyone else to, so the build up of plaque and consequent gum disease finished them off. However she was into her 90s by then and had advanced dementia, so was past caring.

what chance did we of our ages have as youngsters? All dentistry had intervention then, many of us have mouths like battleships with the edges of original teeth hanging on by a wing and a prayer. We were so glad to have sweetness back into out lives when small, sugar sandwiches and toddlers sucking on rosehip syrup in a dinky feeder.

Don`t blame yourself anyone, I don`t blame myself, wish I had a good row of teeth but such was life. Dentistry today is very different and is all about being gentle and pain free.

Er, Brenda Blethin - old I've had NHS treatment all my life and she is not that much older than me.

Well done filly - you did good

apologies for slow update, I went straight to bed when got home thursday as felt very shaky, however for any of you who may have to have the same the actual experience was quite pain free it was more my reaction I sort of went all shocked and trembly, my mouth today still feels a bit raw but the plus side is I can smile properly which is wonderful. I have always envied people who can throw their heads back and laugh now I can do just that.

Thank you all so much for your kind replies, I felt supported and so much more normal as I rather thought before other people would think I had poor hygiene I realize now that was stupid!

young 'uns
(bloody auto-correct)

The actress Brenda Blethyn had all her teeth out at age 21: it was a 21st birthday present from her parents. It happened a lot in the old days - not that she's all that old. I have a sister in law who also lost all her teeth at 11, 'cos her Mum gave her too many sweets, soft drinks, and sugary things, so she's had false ones since then.

I eventually lost all mine, starting at age 48 and ending at around 60, so I've had partials and now a full set. They look great, and save a huge amount on dentist bills!!! What's even better, when I need new ones I get them free under the Australian system for us oldies.

I did feel ashamed when I lost the last lot: I was finishing my late-in-life degree, surrounded by mainly young 'us with terrific teeth, but I soon realised no-one had the slightest idea about my lack of real teeth. Anyway, my adult teeth always had soft enamel: the school dentist warned my Mum I would probably lose them all in middle age. He was right.

I used to be a smoker and that caused one of my front teeth to loosen and move - it kind of twisted in the socket and stuck out at the front. Looked awful. No pain, but I was so self-conscious, couldn't smile with my lips apart and so on. So I took the plunge in my early fifties and went to the dentist. I'd never been very good at looking after my teeth, always phobic about dentists.
Also, during two pregnancies with only 5 months between them, my teeth really suffered and I lost 6 of them. In those days dentists received a standard payment per tooth, regardless of the treatment, so it was obviously more cost effective for them to remove the tooth than to fill it.
So, trip to the dentist to have front tooth looked at resulted in it and one other bad tooth near the front being removed and a partial denture being fitted. The dentist suggested I have 2 additional teeth added to the denture to deal with other gaps in my smile. I am now 65 and have had this denture for around 11 years with no problems. Very few people know about it, only close family. It is an NHS denture, fits very well and looks very natural.
It really is not the worst thing in the world and we shouldn't have to feel ashamed of it. I do hope your experience has been a lot less traumatic than you feared, fg

I was so ashamed of my teeth as my gums were receding and they looked like tombstones! I smoked too so they were yellow. I now have full dentures top and bottom and can smile again, of course I chose the whitest shade
The top teeth are great and fit like a glove due to a full plate but the bottom ones are a different matter....After having the last 7 teeth removed from the bottom I got an infection called dry socket, I can't even describe the pain but toothache doesn't come close, it took 6 months to be able to wear the teeth which are not a good fit as I still had some of my own teeth when I had the fitting so the next set should be much better...I hope so anyway. I knew my confidence was knocked when I had my own teeth in and I am so much happier now with dentures, I can smile again :D
I hope all goes well with whatever you decide to do about it but I recommend gaining your smile again as you will feel so much better.

filly hope it all goes well for you tomorrow. Teeth can be a trial! Also can just be luck rather than quality of care. You cannot be ashamed of something that you have not caused!

My mum was fastidious about her dental care/check ups and ended up with bridges/dentures whereas my dad just brushed his teeth 2 x a day and never had any problem!

My DD1 has poor enamel allegedly caused by having an antibiotic for an ear infection when her teeth were developing! Or maybe she just takes after her grandmother! I drank gallons of milk when pregnant! DD2 has excellent teeth! She & I are like my dad.

My DH's grandmother lived to be 97. She always used to make a point of telling everyone that she still had her own teeth until she sneezed one day and the top set shot out

well oops I got it completely wrong, arrived at the dentist today all worked up ready to have the teeth out, I thought it was an hour appointment so sent my dh away to supermarket for coffee, anway I had misunderstood and today was taking impressions which took about 10 mins so the long appt is tomorrow. I am now realizing I have no need at all to feel sorry for myself ... still do a bit though.

@Falconbird - I sympathise with your poor mother... but for some reason your story reminds me of Goon Show, in which the wonderful Valentine Dyall, as Doctor Longdongler, was hitting old folks on the head with a rubber mallet, and catching their dentures in a bucket... For why, says you? Well, he was then painting the gnashers black and giving them to the cabaret turn at the Café Filthmuck, for whom he had certain moist feelings, to use as - castanets! ¡Olé!

My mum used her false teeth as a rattle. She used to sort of click them in her mouth when I was a baby.

One day, so the story goes, I grabbed them out of her mouth.

She had all her teeth taken out at 21 because of psoriasis. It must have been traumatic for her.

I'm in the middle of an exhausting and expensive round of dental treatment to save the teeth I have.

One of the worst things about it (among many) is the way you now have to lay so far down in the chair. It's to save the dentists' having back pain apparently but it makes me feel quite ill.

Feetle

I love your posts Feetlebaum

I was in my mid-forties when the Aussie dentist gave his prognosis...
"It's a bloody disaster area, mate" he said. At that time I was a musician, among other things playing saxophones, clarinet etc. There was no way I could continue sans choppers... (Mind you, if I had been able to carry on I would probably still be in debt today, whereas 'the day job' with its regular money saw me straightened out in a matter of a few years - swings, roundabouts... )

I live at peace with my dentures, thanks to Fixodent...

That new way of doing the impressions sounds great. Hope it becomes widely available before my last two useable chewers give up the struggle. Like johanna, that's the bit I dread.

Soon be over and done with now fillygumbo and you will be able to munch away to your heart's content. No more of the dreaded toothache, ever.

Hope it all goes well for you Fillygumbo.I Have no problems with my teeth,
Which is just luck really, but do have other health issues, so we all have something one way or another.Nothing to be ashamed about at all.

Teeth! I can remember my old Granddad cuddling my baby girl who was teething and in pain.

"They're trouble when they come and trouble when they go" he said to her.

Isn't that the truth?

I do empathise with you fillygumbo as over the years I've lost most of my teeth and what's so annoying is that I have always looked after them and, because my mum lost her teeth quite young, she made me go to the dentist which I think is part of the problem. When we were young dentists didn't get paid unless they did work and I think I've had teeth removed and filled that would never have happened these days. DH, on the other hand, never went to the dentist or cleaned his teeth much as a child and has all his teeth. As Teetime says '.. some people got lucky and some people didn't'. I think there are more people around with dentures than you think it's just something you don't broadcast. Once you get your new dentures I'm sure you will look better and, hopefully, you will feel much more confident.

What a time to be reading this thread - I have a dental check-up in less than an hour!!! I am lucky enough not to have needed dentures - yet - but I didn't realise how yellow my teeth had become until my three granddaughters wanted to know why they weren't as white as theirs! They made up for it as when I said "because I'm an old lady and I've had them longer than you've had yours" - they replied "you're not old Nanny"!!!! Bless them!

Oh you poor love. All the best with the treatment. Mr brother in law had to have his teeth out when he was about 40. He'd been terrified of the dentist and only went when he was suffering extreme pain. That's all in the past - he has amazing dentures and looks years younger both from the point of view of his wonderful dentures which look so natural and the fact that he doesn't EVER have to go through all that again. I note some folks have said that NHS dentures are OK, but he had NHS dentures to start with and then paid for private dentures and the outcome is fantastic. I think lots of people do eventually go for the private option - if you can afford it - not cheap however. Anyway, just thinking of you and sending good vibes for your speedy recovery.

Victoria08 - I also have low self esteem due to having my teeth removed as a child. I have found it hard to forgive my mother for letting a mad dentist take all of my teeth out when in fact there were only a few at the front that were rotten. Times were different then and my mother was a downtrodden woman married to a violent man. She would never have questioned a dentist/doctor or anyone in authority. I try to forgive her but it's hard. A few years ago I lost my hair too so that didn't help the self esteem. Doubly cruel but this is my life and I have to get on with it. Good luck fillygumbo.