Why good dental hygiene is so important.

I love that scene in Pretty Woman where she is using dental floss in his posh bathroom. People learn from good stories as any primary teacher will agree.

Let’s not forget the thousands of people who can’t afford a dentist. ?

I have just lost (another) filling and am dreading the coming expense.
I know I will be charged whatever the rate is for band One which is quite a chunk out of my basic state pension of £115.35.
Tell me, are there really bad dentists and have I got one?
My old dentist used to check around my mouth each visit and say things like 'we'll keep an eye on that one - tell me if it gives any trouble' - but since he retired and sold out to group I feel, as one of their few remaining NHS patients, I get minimal care.
My teeth are a mess, I've had two recently broken off at the gums and one is at the front. The only treatment has been to remove them, no check on the remaining teeth, just pressure to go private as "NHS dentures are rubbish", and I'm given details of Denplan.
I've looked, but cannot find another NHS dentist.

ExDancer I’m up in Scotland, and there’s often people asking on NextDoor about dentists. I’m very lucky, my dentist has said he has no intention of ever going only private. Having said that, he’s no spring chicken himself so I don’t know how many years he intends to keep working.
I had an extraction earlier this year, was in the surgery about 30 minutes, charge was just under £15. I was amazed it was so cheap, it’s the first treatment I’ve had, other than check-ups and cleaning, in quite a few years.

MarylStreep Indeed. Imo, basic dental treatment should be available to everyone on the NHS. But when you see how low the prices are, you can begin to understand why so many dentists only take private patients.

Just seen the Dental Hygienist. She told me she couldn't hope to see cleaner teeth, without any sign of gum disease

Well, I have to have something to boast about!

Grannydarkhair we have free checkups for everyone in Scotland which means folk dont have to wait until they are in pain to get their teeth looked at.Same with eye tests ,free, that waythings that could cause problems further down the line are caught early

paddyann54 Yes, in theory, we have free check-ups for everyone. The reality, at least going by the number of people who post on e.g. NextDoor about not being able to find a dentist who’ll take on new NHS patients, is that not everyone is lucky enough to benefit from this.

We seem to have a fair number of NHS dentists in my area ,practices with 3 or more dentists and they are all advertising they will accept new NHS patients .in this small town there are 5 dental practices that I know of ,or there were before covid

www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/nhs-low-income-scheme
This link may be of interest to some people. It is not well publicised, in my opinion.

paddyann54 Dundee Uni has it’s School of Dentistry/Dental Hospital and is a popular course as far as I know. How ironic then that on it’s own webpage, it advises students to register with a dentist asap but warns that they may have to go private.

Cabbie21 No, I didn’t know about that until someone (maybe yourself?) posted about it previously.

I have always taken care of my teeth and always attended appointments, putting my full trust in my dentist. The dentist I had for years ( since I was at school ) was NHS, then he moved onto being private, thats when I left and have been with my present dentist who is NHS for 15, 16 years.

? ? ? ?

There are no NHS dentists near me. None. There was one advertised on the NHS website, but when I rang they said that they were accepting NHS patients, but the first appointment was in 2 years, whereas they could see me the next day if I went private.

I lost 2 fillings and broke a tooth in lockdown, and knew I needed treatment so made a private appointment. the treatment I need will cost £3000, and this is after a lifetime of paying NI contributions . It is infuriating, when the same treatment on the NHS would cost a fraction of that if I could get an appointment. Wouldn't it be fairer to put up the prices of NHS treatment so that dentists could take more patients?

I've been with my dentist for 45 years and he's just announced that he's retiring at the end of the year. Dreading it. I'll never find another NHS dentist around here.

I'm in Scotland and haven't been able to get an appointment with my dentist since well before Covid! I'm currently in the process of trying to find another NHS one who will take me on, but all the ones in my local area seem to have waiting lists.

I was suffering from bleeding gums and lost a tooth despite always brushing thoroughly using an electric toothbrush and seeing the dentist twice a year.I know pay a monthly payment plan and see a private dentist with a fantastic hygienist who have transformed my mouth and hopefully saved my teeth for a good deal longer.All our family have now done the same and now realise the few minutes in our previous dentist chair and cursory examination and clean were woefully inadequate.It's an expense we could do without but it has to be a priority as my teeth were getting me down.I feel so sorry for those who can't access a dentist on the NHS -or are unhappy with their treatment.

Here in the Channel Isles we don’t have nhs. We have to have to pay, so as we are always affiliated to the the UK tend to insure with companies there. It has been worth its weight in gold to me. I have such weak teeth I think over the years I’ve had every procedure going.

My dentist is great! I was very ill some years back which affected my teeth and I've now got dentures which look like proper teeth - just like my original ones. They continue to fit beautifully too. I was terrified at the time but he was so reassuring and now most of my family goes to his surgery. He's in the next town but worth it

I had always had twice yearly check ups but when I moved abroad and saw a dentist I was amazed and full of disbelief when told what a dreadful state my teeth and gums were in. Went to a different dentist as I didn't believe what I was told but he said the same thing. Ended up having gum surgery, bone implants etc and hours & hours of treatment. The hygienist visits were amazing, teeth had never felt so clean.
Now back in the UK and registered with a local dentist who always tells me what great dental work I've had done.

I never knew the NHS does not cover the Channel Islands.

ExD I'd go to my doctor with your concerns. Lay it on thick - consequences to your general health of not being able to eat properly without functioning teeth - ask to be referred to a hospital dental service. Explain private dentistry is not available to you as you cannot afford the charges.

I pay £15 a month to a payment plan. It gives me 10% off fillings etc & 2 hygiene visits a year. After doing the maths for hygiene alone I am quids I.

I pay £15 a month to a payment plan . For that I get 1 check up a year &2 hygiene visits plus 10% off any treatment. After doing the maths I am quids in.

I am in Scotland and it is increasingly difficult to register with a NHS dentist. I took out a plan with my dentist years ago and was able to eventually get check ups and visit the hygienist after lockdown. The NHS charges must be difficult for anyone who is not on benefits.