Why good dental hygiene is so important.

Unfortunately, most of us don’t have wonderful teeth. We were of the generation where we were given a packet of Spangles and told to make them last! I certainly did all my exam revision sucking Polos. My teeth obviously aren’t wonderful, but my 40+ son doesn’t have a filling. We’ve learned about acid attacks and to keep those to a minimum. I’ve got to say that we’re lucky enough to have an NHS dentist who is pretty positive.

Aneeba How much you pay will depend on the private dentist assessment of the state of your teeth. Dental care insurance is just another form of medical insurance and that depends on the condition your health is in when you take it out. So someone may tell you how much they pay, but you may pay twice as much or half as much. There is no telling.

I have an NHS dentist, after unsuccessful root canal treatment, I needed 2 extractions. My dentist refused to do these as I have an infusion for osteoporosis, which could mean necrotic bone in the jaw after an extraction. As the waiting list for our dental hospital was 6 months, I was referred for private treatment at a different dental surgery, where one of the dental hospital consultants does private work. Because I was in agony with the pain, I paid to have the extractions, which cost £900. Even if I had been on a private scheme it wouldn't have covered the two extractions due to the risk involved. God only knows how people without money manage.

I went to boarding school with no resident dentist, so after every holiday we had to have a signed letter saying we had had a check up and any necessary work had been completed. I’ve never missed a six monthly appointment and hygienist appointment since. My sister who was at school with me and I still have all our own teeth and just a couple of fillings. Of course, perhaps the lack of sweets may have had something to do with it! I do wonder how people are going to afford dentists with this looming recession. I’ve never had toothache but it sounds terrible.

Elaine1 our checkups (examinations) aren't free - they're £23.80 - band 1).

Aneeba.. my dental plan was not dependent on the state of my teeth. You can look online at the private dentists in your area and they should show how much their dental plans are.. I live in Brighton and have a wonderful private dentist and she is significantly cheaper than other dentists here,and so is her dental plan. It's really worth checking what they all offer and their prices.

Dentists years ago warned that the way they were being paid via nhs was not viable to keep them solvent. Government said meh. Dentists went private. We pay the price via health and wallets

We have no government dental plan in Canada. I do believe children in families receiving benefits are covered for basic dental work, which is good.

There is a new plan to implement a government paid system for lower income families, but it will not come fully into effect until 2025. I believe there won't be separate dentists, you would just go to your regular dentist, and they will bill the gov't instead of you.

It's about time, I say. Dental health is very important, and some on lower incomes will leave it until it becomes a medical emergency and end up at the hospital. Most people working at full time jobs have coverage through an insurance plan, but many with part time jobs do not.

Nanna29 And any one else who can’t afford dental treatment, have you looked at Cabbie21s post re. those on a low income?
ExDancer I had a crown about 9 years ago, can’t recall the exact price but was between £50-60 (I think). That included the original appointment, plus two more to fit it.
The £15 I paid for the extraction this year included the original appointment, plus he gave me a scrip for antibiotics. So, considering the time for both appointments together was 45-50 minutes, the £15 charge was far too low imo.
CatLover123 My daughter bought a water pik, finds it very messy to use, now uses it when in the shower ? I asked my dentist about them, in his opinion if you use an electric brush, floss and interdental brushes (all of which I do) then a water pik will make little difference, so I’ve not bothered to get one (but may do yet).
Sueki44 Totally agree about the sweets for our age group. My daughter and g’son have lovely teeth, not a filling between them (48 and 19 respectively).

ExDancer I had a crown about 9 years ago, can’t recall the exact price but was between £50-60 (I think). That included the original appointment, plus two more to fit it.

I had a crown on a back molar earlier this year - the total bill was just over £600 and that was with a discount through Denplan.

It may have been cheaper to have it out.

Yes, at that cost, I think I would have been tempted to opt for an extraction. My crown is the second premolar so I also presume easier to do?

I'm not sure but I think mine is the first molar on the bottom?

So yours would be even further forward than mine.
One problem I’ve had over the years with different dentists is the size of their hands. I’ve often been told to open wider but I literally couldn’t. The best dentists I’ve had hands size-wise was a woman (she married and moved out of Dundee) and my current dentist. I dread him retiring.

My dentist is a woman.

I suppose one consolation is “it’ll see you out” ? or you hope so at that price.

I hope so!

If not, shall ask for a refund

I did hurt more to pay for it than having it done.

I have no problem with people on benefits getting free dentistry, but it's yet another of those situations when the 'Just About Managing' who are slightly above the cut off level for benefits are hit in the pocket, and things like that (aside from being unfair) are a disincentive for people to save or to have aspirations. There will also be people on good salaries getting massively subsidised treatment whilst others struggle to pay privately as there are no spaces left on NHS lists. It should be free for everyone and paid for out of taxes, like it used to be.

Totally agree Doodledog, free dental care and treatment should be free for everyone, even if only to a certain level of cost. Come the revolution! ?

Has anyone else tried ‘oil pulling’? Basically I have 2 teaspoons of coconut oil in my mouth whilst I’m showering, as it melts I swish it around and then spit it out into a small container so that I can throw it in the bin (never down the sink). It completely cleans your gum line, taking any bacteria and impurities with it when you spit it out.Since I’ve been doing this my hygienist has said my teeth and gums are the best they have ever been, in fact she has started to do it herself she was so impressed. There’s lots more information on Google.

I've heard of that, but haven't tried it. I think I would gag.

I’ve never heard of that. Silly question, is coconut oil very coconutty? It’s one of the few foodstuffs that I never eat as I hate the flavour.

CBBL - like you I am living in the North of Scotland where it is indeed very difficult to find a NHS dentist. There seems to be a big difference between where we are and the Central Belt in the provision of many services.

MerylStreep

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

Cant afford and even if i were well off enough simply wouldn't be bale to find without travelling over 100 miles and paying through the nose for a basic check up!

grannydarkhair

I’ve never heard of that. Silly question, is coconut oil very coconutty? It’s one of the few foodstuffs that I never eat as I hate the flavour.

Yes, it is pretty ‘coconutty’ . It is a bit weird to begin with but I’ve got used to it and my gums are certainly healthier since I’ve been doing it.