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Teeth suddenly breaking?

(28 Posts)
Dollymixtures Mon 16-Sept-24 15:32:11

I thought I had strong teeth but we’re on holiday and I’ve realised that two of my teeth have just broken off a chunk! Opposite sides of my mouth, one upper and one bottom. I haven’t got all my teeth as I’ve had a lot of work on them all my life, had a huge bridge in for years which packed up so I’m in the process of having an implant now. Neither of the broken ones are near the implant. I must have eaten something very hard but I didn’t notice the break at the time. Does anyone know anything about this? Am I short of some vitamin? I’m booked into my dentist when we go back but I’m very nervous about even eating crusty bread!

Marydoll Mon 16-Sept-24 15:39:36

My front tooth broke off during the Pandemic. It wasn't decayed and there was no sign of gum disease.
The only expalnation was the many medications I was on and comorbidities may have been responsible.

It was awful as, I was shielding and it was too risky to have treatment initially.

Dollymixtures Mon 16-Sept-24 15:45:01

Well, I am on a lot of medications, I’ll have to enquire when I go home. Because if losing the bridge, I am wearing on my front teeth much more hence paying for an implant. I wish I could have at least two more but too expensive and I’m not convinced at 76 that I would ‘get my moneys worth’. I have to have this one so I can eat more comfortably though.

NotSpaghetti Mon 16-Sept-24 16:17:46

I was told by my dentist that bread is often seen as the culprit as it makes a sort of soft gluey paste as you chew it that basically lifts away anything that is already cracked/vulnerable.

I understand that if your bite is uneaven (through absence of teeth) the pressure on the good remaining teeth makes them prone to cracks.

They said you can "get by" as an adult on just 20 teeth if they are in the right places!
20 does not sound very many to me.

Grammaretto Mon 16-Sept-24 16:37:18

My front 2 lower teeth broke while eating a baguette . Well one did and dentist said the other was wobbly so took that out too.
I had a small denture fitted which I have had to get used to but about 8 weeks ago, I think I accidentally flushed it down the loo!
I am having another one made but even NHS it's costing me a vast amount and won't be ready until next month.
Meanwhile I am trying to ignore it while lisping and spluttering and keeping my mouth closed.
I wish now that I had gone for implants but really I'm reminded of Pam Ayres song, I wish I'd looked after me teeth!

fancythat Mon 16-Sept-24 16:47:04

I had a bug last year, that I was told by my dentist caused decay in my teeth. I am at the end of having 9 fillings because of it!

I have also been put on a prescribed toothpaste that has a lot of flouride in it.

Not sure if any of that helps you at all.
I hope you get it all sorted. And you dont end up paying a whole lot more.

GreyKnitter Tue 17-Sept-24 12:38:33

I think maturity doesn’t help! I’ve had a couple break and my dentist - a charming much younger man - said that teeth get weaker with age and he advised me to give up eating anything too hard eg. Nuts, raw carrots, pork cracking etc. I gave up toffee type sweets ages ago. Sad but trying to prevent more tooth loss.

Granra2 Tue 17-Sept-24 12:42:19

I’ve had three implants and a bridge in the last couple of years. It was very expensive and I am super careful when I eat now because I’d be loth to spend any more money at age 66.

Nicky7of7 Tue 17-Sept-24 12:43:11

Dollymixtures, I am 77 and have started losing all my teeth, broken bridge and loose crowns. I had a 4 in 1 implant procedure last week. It was expensive but I’m hoping it will be money well spent as they say it will last at least 10 years.

J52 Tue 17-Sept-24 12:53:56

Unfortunately, my teeth are subject to breaking. My wonderful dentist has been able to build them up to full size.
However, for some of us implants are not available because of lack of bone density. I have researched bone grafts, if you have dental sensitivity, don’t go there!
I’m not looking forward to my teeth’s future, but dentistry is improving all the time, so fingers crossed.

Baggs Tue 17-Sept-24 13:30:34

20 teeth is almost three-quarters of a full set without wisdom teeth (28). With wisdom teeth, 20 is near two-thirds of a full set of 32.

mollyonamission Tue 17-Sept-24 13:40:06

Good morning everyone and J52. I’m a newbie on here so hope I’m misting on the correct platform! I have had several implants over the years and for the first one I had to have a bone graft. I was given 2 options and chose the Cow option. I have never had any issues and when I came to have two more, years later, I didn’t need a bone graft even though I have issues with calcium. I am now 76 and yes I lost an upper tooth recently so am having to wear a small temporary denture(which I hate) but only until I have my one tooth bridge fitted next month. Hope that helps? I too use that toothpaste and my dentist has noticed the difference!

NotSpaghetti Tue 17-Sept-24 13:41:28

Thanks Baggs - I assumed 32 was "normal" - but yes, or course some people don't get all their wisdom teeth.

20 of (say) 30 is ⅔. So you can "safely" lose about a third.

nanna8 Tue 17-Sept-24 13:52:25

They put fluoride in our water which helps. I have my own teeth but never got all my wisdom teeth. Probably not a wise person I suppose. I had a lot of fillings when I was a child living in London and some are still there all these years later. My dentist laughs at my ‘antique silver’ back teeth. They did a good job,though, to last this long. The dentist was an Australian, I still remember him. National Health. We have to pay here, it costs heaps every time.

grandtanteJE65 Tue 17-Sept-24 15:24:47

Surely, this is one of the normal effects of getting older?

I have taken reasonable care of my teeth, which are strong, and my sister-in-law has also been careful of hers, but both of us have broken teeth on pieces of bread (not from the same loaf or on the same occasion.)

Juniper1 Tue 17-Sept-24 17:09:22

Grinding your teeth at night

Madmeg Tue 17-Sept-24 17:18:50

I have always taken care of my teeth but due to having a small mouth (though some would argue with that!!!) as a child they were very bent and I needed four removing. My wisdom teeth grew through rotten, so they also went. About ten years ago the three front lower teeth almost fell out, so I needed something to fill the gap. Unfortunately I have a lot of bone loss so I could only have a denture. I paid about £400 for this.

Unfortunately I've since had oral cancer and the radiotherapy has further affected my teeth. I had to have two molars removed and due to leaving my denture out a lot (you had to take it out during the therapy, and my mouth was too sore to put it back) it no longer fits. The NHS won't pay for a new one, so I am looking at £1,000.

However, for the past 8 months I've managed perfectly well with only 19 teeth (no lower front ones).

tattygran14 Wed 18-Sept-24 18:35:05

I had a tooth removed, when the anaesthetic wore off I couldn’t bite on the other side. I think that the dentist in pulling one out knocked the opposite crowned one, and I didn’t feel it. The crown fell off and the tooth underneath was broken,
No way of protesting. But very expensive for me.

TakeThat7 Thu 19-Sept-24 11:07:28

I lost all my teeth at 39 I'd had loads of fillings crowns root canal treatment operations on the gums It was traumatic at the time but I'm glad now False teeth have improved so much I've had people convinced I must have had implants You just use the dental glue if needed and look better than other people who have stained and uneven teeth I wouldn't waste money on more treatments in your seventies they would not last long and without teeth you don't have all the pain

Cardashian Fri 20-Sept-24 19:24:33

There was a lot of unnecessary drilling done on children’s teeth in the 1960s (mine included). I even got a contemporary dentist to admit that dentistry wasn’t up to scratch then. The result we have now is our teeth are cracking and breaking after all these years. Years ago as an adult. if I had toothache my dentist used to drill and fill after X-rays. Nowadays they can’t locate decay just telling me it’s minute cracks in my teeth!

Grammaretto Sat 21-Sept-24 06:17:47

TakeThat I agree that today's dentures are improved. I asked about the cost of implants when 4 lower teeth had to be extracted when I was c 70 yrs. It was not recommended partly the hefty cost but also invasive surgery.
I had a small discreet denture made costing around £500.
This is the one I have lost.
I think I accidentally flushed it away as it was just too small and easy to lose.
I am now in the process of having a new one made and looking forward to being able to speak and eat properly again. This will cost £1000 because the one I chose isn't available on the NHS. I will need to wear it all the time! 😬😒

ExDancer Tue 24-Dec-24 08:51:52

Even in bed Grammaretto?

Dollymixtures Sun 29-Dec-24 21:15:50

I was the OP and just to report, I have now had my implant all completed - brilliant! I just wish the rest of my teeth were alright. Just today found that a very back tooth (which lives in splendid isolation) has some kind of crack or fissure suddenly so I’ll probably lose that one too in time. I was very careless with my teeth in my youth and 20’s so it’s just karma but I really wish I’d been more careful plus not letting rogue dentists just drill and fill or just random extractions. I couldn’t get between two teeth (never heard of flossing then) so despite starting a new job that evening, he persuaded me to let him take both teeth out! Started new job bleeding like mad as it takes me ages to stop bleeding. What an idiot I was!

Natthas Mon 13-Jan-25 12:56:51

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westendgirl Mon 13-Jan-25 13:04:46

My dentist says they have noticed more teeth/ fillings cracking since sour dough bread became popular. the edges of sourdough toast are really sharp.