Do you still have all your own teeth?

It’s good to know that many of you are looking after your teeth and doing well. This doesn’t work for everyone. I was taken regularly to the dentist throughout my childhood and ate very few sweets. As an adult I go very often and do everything I can. I still have terrible teeth. My mouth is full of fillings, crowns and a bridge. One of my DDs also has very poor teeth. The other one has almost perfect ones. It’s not all about neglect.

We have fluoride in the water which protects our teeth. When I was a child in the UK I lost 2 back teeth but no more since. My children and grandchildren have never had fillings, they don’t know what they are. Lucky them.

We have fluoride in the water in the UK. I don't know since when, but neither of my children (40s) have a single filling and stepson (50s) has one filling.

Not all areas of U.K. have added fluoride in water yet, although in some areas it is naturally present, but I think the government has a bill in progress to do so this year.

The evidence is strong for better children’s dental health in fluoridated areas. Dental health has also improved since fluoride toothpastes became available, but there is an ongoing battle against consumption of sugary drink and food.

I’m 84 and have all my own teeth except for one molar and my wisdom teeth. They seem quite sound, but aren’t a good colour. I blame too much tea!

Of course there was sweet rationing in my early years, which was probably a good thing, but I’ve always loved sweet things. My elder brother, though, has always had much more trouble with his teeth than I have. It’s the luck of the draw to some extent.

I'm 94 soon and have most of my teeth. Had a check up last month and nothing needed doing .From 1939 to 1948 we didn't have much sugar!

Yes I have mine.

I wish! My mother would be appalled if she saw my teeth now, She had one tooth removed during the war, when she was in the ATS and never went to a dentist again, Died with all the rest of her teeth still perfect in spite of doing very little to look after them. Sadly I didn't inherit hers, I got my father's instead. As a child I remember having calcium tablets to try and strengthen them, but it didn't. One by one they have crumbled away over the years. It was a relief really when several came out and were replaced by false ones. At least I knew they wouldn't have to be filled anymore.

Books as a treat?

Yes they all mine I paid for them lol I had an accident and lost quite a few of mine. My dad died at 52 with all his own teeth and not a single filling. I had mine until I was 37 and went down hill since

No, (me and mum). Youngest of 4 girls, 3 of us inherited (we reckon) grandads side of the family knashers!

Mum lost some in a serious 1960's car crash and had them replaced but over the years others have popped out. She's had plates done but hates wearing them and gets lots of abscesses in remaining teeth! Current dentist wants to yank them all out and do a set of false teeth, mum not keen, says she'll manage and gum her food to death!

We 3 of her daughters, all had missing teeth (the one between the front and canine.) NHS dentist fixed first sister (brace, ground down, crowns), same dentist fixed second sister, (brace, operation to remove tooth in roof of mouth and implant into position). Same dentist? For me he decided NOT to start the work, go private etc! By the time we got another NHS dentist (late 1980's early 1990's) NO ONE would do mine, actually the easiest, would have been brace, increase the gap, remove baby tooth, then implant an adult tooth!

That baby tooth fell out when i was 34 eating a banana, i cried! I've had plates done, so uncomfortable I can't eat with them in, so I don't bother with them.

My mum's mother had all her teeth until the day she died at 76. Grandad, had false teeth, I can still see them sitting on the draining board.

My eldest sister, apart from wisdom teeth, doesn't have any missing, she inherited my grans knashers!

Chestnut

You've mentioned your teeth before Kate1949 and it always makes me sad. 💐

My mother had all her teeth removed in 1955 aged 40 which is still very young I think. We had been abroad so that was her first chance to see an NHS dentist. He told her they had to come out because of gum disease, but I find that very hard to believe. A photo of her shows she had nice teeth, I just think it was too much effort to treat her because the dentists had so many people requiring treatment. Since 1948 the NHS had been struggling to cope because so many people had not seen a dentist for years, or maybe never.

A bit of dental history from Wiki:
When the NHS was established in July 1948 dental treatment was free. Demand on the service was enormous. About a quarter of the dentists joined the NHS and by November 1948 83% had joined. Dental health in the UK was worse than that of Germany. In the first nine months of the NHS 4.5 million teeth were removed and 4.2 million teeth were filled. In 1950-1951 65.5 million artificial teeth were fitted.

Obviously, I cannot know what kind of gum disease your mother had, or whether extracting all her teeth was necessary.

I do however know that most gum diseases did result in people being advised to have their teeth extracted in the 1950s and 1960s, my mother too was one of them, and having dentures at the age of forty was quite usual then.

Yes all my own @68. I have always had a fear if false teeth since I saw my gran's in a glass when iwas about 6 in early 60's! 🥺😱. My gran would have been about 60 then... My mum said everyone got teeth out when they were about 40! Mind you pre NHS...going back that way now I think with the crisis in dentistry!!!

Almost all.

My dad had all his out over two days in his twenties, due to his penchant for Guinness.

Casdon - I'm going through the same process. Recurrent infections under a crowned tooth, bottom 2nd from back. Horrific extraction, now have to wsit 3 months for gum to heal before an implant x I'm 62 x Angie

All except one, damaged in an accident and replaced by a bridge.

Over the past 20 years I’ve lost all but 9 of my upper teeth due to a BIG smoking habit ( a little known side affect). I’m 62. On Thursday I had an additional 3 wobblers extracted and 4 titanium screws surgically implanted.
I didn’t feel ready for dentures as with so few remaining upper teeth there isn’t much for a denture to fit into anyway.

I always knew this would be on the cards. Having given up smoking 15 years ago the dental devastation sadly continued.

However only having had one extraction I doubt it will have any effect on your mouth. Although once one tooth is removed ultimately the ones beside the gap can become compromised.

Had I been maybe 15 years older I certainly would have saved myself the HUGE expense.

I have 6 months of healing then the ‘tooth’ bits will be fitted to the implant. It’s an amazing procedure for those of us not yet ready to sleep beside our ‘teeth’ each night. 😣

I needed orthodontic treatment as a child and teenager. My top incisor was growing near the roof of my mouth so when I was ten, I had my baby canines removed to make room for them and so that I could have a plate with a spring to push the awkward tooth forward. I was given an injection, but I felt every painful second of them being extracted. They had roots at least an inch long. The reason for this became apparent when I was fourteen and my adult premolars grew into the space. The baby molars were still there (l was late losing my baby teeth). When I had an x-ray, my adult canines were found to be above my front teeth. I had them removed in hospital just after my O levels when I was sixteen as there was a real worry that they would grow down later in life and push out my front teeth. The baby molars were removed. I think l would still have my baby canines or molars if they had been left alone. I had two bottom premolars (adult) removed to make room for the others. They were perfect, such a shame, but went to the school biology lab. I then had braces. These days, teeth are rarely removed for orthodontic reasons, but it was normal practice in the seventies and early eighties. Since then, I have had very few problems except with one molar, which never formed properly and was damaged by Tetracycline. It was repeatedly filled, then had a crown which fell off last week. I had no choice but to have the remaining part of the tooth removed. It was a nightmare. Two dentists could not completely remove it. It turns out that l have extremely strong bones, which they said was good for me but made things more difficult for them. It was no picnic for me, either. A further x-ray showed that the roots of that tooth were tangled and fused with the two teeth either side and they had to leave some of the roots behind. I am still in pain four days later and I normally have a high pain threshold. There is a certain amount of luck involved with teeth as with anything else, as my old dentist told me once. I am 59 and that is the first tooth I have lost because it was not viable and it was problematic from the beginning for reasons outside of my control. For context, I only have one other filling on the bottom row but have a few on the top. My adult children all have excellent teeth, but a few years ago my daughter had a molar that broke in half. No decay. What had happened was that her wisdom tooth was impacted and growing sideways and had knocked into its neighbouring tooth. The only solution was to remove the broken tooth so that the wisdom tooth could grow properly. A pupil l taught, a doctor's child with beautiful teeth, had a six year molar that hardly grew apart from a couple of little points. The only solution was the removal of that tooth. Teeth are strange things
Kate1949, you suffered terribly as a child. I can only begin to imagine the suffering and pain you had. You are so very brave to talk about it on these forums. It must have been horrendous as you were growing up.🎶

I’ve had one molar extracted and a root canal at 11 years old. I still have that tooth (although dentist says that I should put a crown on it). I’m having another root canal next week. I’m trying to keep my teeth as long as I can.

My Grandfather, Mother and Sister all had their two front teeth knocked out in accidents.
I had both of mine until ten years ago when I had to have one crowned which is going is going to be replaced next week as it has discoloured at the top due to receding gums.
I have also had old fillings replaced with white due to the children asking, 'Why do you have black teeth Grandma?' The funny thing was they didn't even notice the change, until, grinning like a Cheshire cat, I had to ask them what was different about me!

I'm 79 and have had three wisdom teeth extracted and one molar (which had given trouble since I was a child) within the last 5 - 10 years. We had fluoride in the water where I lived as a child, so I think that kept my teeth strong, and I have been using an electric toothbrush for some years now. I certainly noticed the difference when I replaced my last one, so if you think the battery is dying, it's good to get a new one sooner rather than later. I also do a water floss now and again. It does a good job with my close-together teeth.

That’s criminal Kate1949, such an awful thing for you to go through. When I read it I thought I bet you made sure your child/children had perfect teeth.

Yes indeed Sasta. Then to lose all my hair to alopecia is doubly cruel. Not an easy life that's for sure. Somehow I still get up in the morning. I'm not sure how. Or why.