Did anyone else have their teeth 'ruined' by health board dentists?

tightropetom

I seem to have bad memories of dentists during my shool years during the eighties. I had the wrong tooth pulled out by a dentist - had to go back the next day because I still had the same toothache and she pulled another out, this one actually was decayed, unlike the pristine one she had handed me the day before.

For 15 years, I refused to go to a dentist. It's a wonder my teeth are still in place!

My wife had one of her eye teeth pulled by her dentist as a child, because if she didn't "her teeth would grow crooked". The replacement tooth grew crookedly into the gap. Oh the irony... She also complains of jaw pain - went to a dentist recently and was asked what dental work she had done in the past because it had caused the problem she has now.

I've heard various anecdotes from other friends that seem to back up my theory that these were mini-Hitlers. Treatment was free so we should have been 'grateful' I suppose...:(

Anyone else suffer at the hands of these little Hitlers? Was it just another form of institutional abuse of minors? Or is that a leap too far?

Johnny Jukebox

Yep big time.

All of the above and more.

And it hasn't changed an iota which is why my kids go private in Croatia.

landsleaving

I have had a fantastic service from the dentists, and later Orthodontists, of Ireland's health board. For a free service it was fantastic over the years I was in school. Plus I used to get loads of mornings off when I had to get braces.

Seaneh

I've only ever had one filling which I got about 20 years ago and is still in place.
Put there by a healthboard dentist during a follow up to a routine school dental visit.


So no complaints here.

o1s1n

I had a fissure sealant back in the 80s on my teeth when I was about 6 or 7.

At 29, still no fillings or any tooth complaints

CFlat

Our Health Board Dentist was so bad that if one of the poor lads in your class found out you were going, they'd ask if they could have your books if you didn't come back.

keith16

Johnny Jukebox wrote: »

Yep big time.

All of the above and more.

And it hasn't changed an iota which is why my kids go private in Croatia.

It was far from "Croatia" you were reared.

keithsfleet

I had a horrendous childhood over the healthboard dentist.
Went to a dentist when I was 20 and had over 3k punt in work done after the carnage that was caused by the health board.

IvyTheTerrible

o1s1n wrote: »

I had a fissure sealant back in the 80s on my teeth when I was about 6 or 7.

At 29, still no fillings or any tooth complaints

I had fissure sealants on my back teeth, which cracked and the teeth underneath got cavities which wear difficult to see, so they were left a bit late.

josip

landsleaving wrote: »

I have had a fantastic service from the dentists, and later Orthodontists, of Ireland's health board. For a free service it was fantastic over the years I was in school. Plus I used to get loads of mornings off when I had to get braces.

Me too. I had a great orthodontist in the early 80s who realigned my buck teeth into a Macleans Mouth. Seems like I was lucky.

MurdyWurdy

Not ruined but once when I was young she told me she was measuring my tooth and when I heard the crack it was measured.

She then proceeded to yank the tooth out and when I was screaming she told me to shut up or I'd scare the other patients.

My parents took me to a private dentist after that. Wagon. I'm still terrified of the dentist. I had to get a particularly nasty root canal recently and made a show of myself by sobbing in the dentist's chair.

I have terrible luck with my teeth - from having half a fake tooth, to missing two, with no idea how many that have fillings in them. Dentists are one of the things I hate the most and go to them as little as possible - I cannot even hear dentist drills without getting a shiver down my spine.

A few years ago, during my leaving cert actually, a dentist put a filling in one of my teeth, yet they didn't clean it out properly. The decay continued to eat away at the tooth, until it completely shattered and the filling itself came out, with it then going down into the roots, where I'd feel the pain in my cheek. Given the option between a root canal or having the tooth removed fully, I went with the easiest option.

Johnny Jukebox

keith16 wrote: »

It was far from "Croatia" you were reared.

Tell me about it. Thankfully our education system is better than the health board dentists so now these things are possible...

Gatling

There was a particular one based in tallaght during the early -late 80's who was known as the "Butcher"
Left many suffering fears due to his practices

Hitchens

I often wonder if the Tipperary way is best.............just never go next, nigh or near ANY dentist.........:P

Ihatecuddles

[Deleted User] wrote: »

A few years ago, during my leaving cert actually, a dentist put a filling in one of my teeth, yet they didn't clean it out properly. The decay continued to eat away at the tooth, until it completely shattered and the filling itself came out, with it then going down into the roots, where I'd feel the pain in my cheek. Given the option between a root canal or having the tooth removed fully, I went with the easiest option.

Same thing happened to me. The rest of my teeth are ok, no fillings, probably a few cavities. NEver going back to a dentist though!

sbsquarepants

I once almost came to blows with a dentist who wanted to drill my tooth without anaesthetic:eek: I'll only be a minute, the needle would hurt more than the drill - I don't think so you fúcking sadist. I actually had to grab the buggers wrist as he lunged at me drill in hand. It was a bizarre experience to say the very least.

Ruu

The braces I had for a year or so as a lad looked like they were from the Medieval times. Dentist was also a bully, never anything nice to say only the one time when we heard she was being moved elsewhere.

Thoie

sbsquarepants wrote: »

I once almost came to blows with a dentist who wanted to drill my tooth without anaesthetic:eek: I'll only be a minute, the needle would hurt more than the drill - I don't think so you fúcking sadist. I actually had to grab the buggers wrist as he lunged at me drill in hand. It was a bizarre experience to say the very least.

If he wasn't going near the nerves, then he was probably right. I've had tiny bits drilled without anaesthetic, and other than the noise (which the anaesthetic doesn't help), it was no worse than cutting your nails.

questionmark?

Yep, terriable experience with the health board dentist. Went 15+ years without visiting one. Now i get checked every six months. NHS prices are great as well. Checkup and quick clean costs £18!!!.

SEPT 23 1989

Another Eastern Health Board Dentist Survivor here:mad:

I ****ing told her i could still feel my gum after she had numbed it

then she starts drilling into my tooth i told her i can still feel it

and then she drilled into the nerve, i can still remember the pain 25 years later

put me off going to the dentist for years after

username123

Gatling wrote: »

There was a particular one based in tallaght during the early -late 80's who was known as the "Butcher"
Left many suffering fears due to his practices

I believe I was one of his victims. Where was he based?

bodhrandude

I had a tooth pulled at a dentist in Castlelawn Heights in Galway during the 1990s, I still to this day have the remains of this tooth in my gum, so not a great job done there. :mad:

looking_around

They wanted to remove three of my teeth as a child, and shove braces on them. When asked why, they said because it's the 'simplest' fix >.>.

Thankfully my mom told them to fcuk off. And saved for private treatment. Which meant 2 fillings, one extraction, and I never needed braces. \=

looking_around

SEPT 23 1989 wrote: »

Another Eastern Health Board Dentist Survivor here:mad:

I ****ing told her i could still feel my gum after she had numbed it

then she starts drilling into my tooth i told her i can still feel it

and then she drilled into the nerve, i can still remember the pain 25 years later

put me off going to the dentist for years after

Oh god that pain! I had a tooth that was being cleaned/prepared for filling. And it crumbled to bits
I still 'feel' that pain whenever I hear similar sounds and stuff ~shudders~

sbsquarepants

username123 wrote: »

I believe I was one of his victims. Where was he based?

Could be my guy too!

whiskey_bottle

no but ive had fillings of another kind go wrong ( derma under the eyes )

looks like someone gave me a clenched fist square under each eye

The Backwards Man

Yep, drilled a hole in my two front teeh without anasthaetic. Put me off dentists for years. Cost me thousands to put them right a few years ago.

shot2go

yip ive spent years petrified of dentists as a result of one bad one.
i was having a tooth pulled, she gave me the anesthetic and put me out in the hall while she did the next child, i was brought back in an hour later and she started pulling the tooth - the anesthetic had worn off, i still remember the pain and being held down by a nurse while she pulled the tooth out, my parents could hear me screaming and they stopped them coming in the room.

Professey Chin

Bastards left the fear of god in me for years.
Still not exactly a fan but better then I was before

DeanAustin

I am very suspicious of anyone who wants to take a drill and pliers to people's mouths for a living.

A shower of sadistic f**kers who couldn't cut it as doctors is all they are.

woodoo

Our old health board dentist was an alcoholic and i'm convinced he hated children. Nobody from my generation around here has a good word to say about him.

MurdyWurdy

Was it where the crap, bitter dentists ended up?

Had it been replaced by the medical card now?

Plek Trum

Isn't it funny how a significant amount of this could / should have been avoided if everyone took responsibility for their own teeth and took good care of them?

Not in all circumstances, but certainly if people needed so so much work done then it could have been avoided? Just saying.... I see it everyday in work - everyone else is to blame for your own lack of effort. *rant over*

Edit: Not everyone but definitely SOME!

dazberry

Because I was low in iron as a child, the awful medicine I had to take rotted my teeth, and in the end I had to get 9 baby teeth out. The last 8 were under gas in James Hospital so I slept through it and it wasn't a bother (beyond puking up afterwards because of the gas).

The first tooth however was taken out by a local health board dentist - and I will never forget that mans angry face - leaning over me threatening me to shut up, pushing me back down into the chair, and me screaming my head off - as an anemic 4 year old I could cry for Ireland. Finally they let my mother in, and I calmed down and he took the first tooth out. Thing was he dropped it and while he and the nurse were looking for it on the floor I was choking on it. Luckily my mother spotted this and grabbed me, ended up swallowing it - tooth was never seen again!!

D.

SEPT 23 1989

Plek Trum wrote: »

Isn't it funny how a significant amount of this could / should have been avoided if everyone took responsibility for their own teeth and took good care of them?

Not in all circumstances, but certainly if people needed so so much work done then it could have been avoided? Just saying.... I see it everyday in work - everyone else is to blame for your own lack of effort. *rant over*

Edit: Not everyone but definitely SOME!

we were kids ffs

walshm800

yes- I had a similar experience and am only 25 and have had to have a root canal!

sullivlo

The health board dentist told me one of my baby teeth wasn't falling out and that it was causing crowding in my gum so he pulled it.

Roll on 20 years and the tooth that supposedly couldn't come down never did. He pulled one of my adult teeth.

Now I am left with a missing tooth. It's not that noticeable, except that I have a gap in between all of my upper teeth. I can't get braces to close the gap without getting an implant in the place where the non-baby tooth was pulled.

Aestivalis

I think those primary school dentists we were all sent to were the absolute worst. They're the #1 reason why I have a fear of dentists. they were so rough and just wanted to get you in and out the door as fast as possible.
I had so many painful experiences.

But not all dentists are like this. I went to a private dentist a few years ago and it was a wonderful experience. It was such a relaxing and calm environment and they were so gentle.

Compare that to the dreary grey cold office of the primary school dentist....I'm getting upset just thinking about it

Unfortunately, Its too expensive for me to go to a dentist these days.

username123

Plek Trum wrote: »

Isn't it funny how a significant amount of this could / should have been avoided if everyone took responsibility for their own teeth and took good care of them?

Not in all circumstances, but certainly if people needed so so much work done then it could have been avoided? Just saying.... I see it everyday in work - everyone else is to blame for your own lack of effort. *rant over*

Edit: Not everyone but definitely SOME!

Yes youre right. At 5 years of age I should have been taking responsibility for my own teeth!

You are aware that some people have genetic predispositions that cause dental problems, or that some medicines do too?

And that plenty of bad work is done by dentists that sometimes doesnt have effects til years later?

MurdyWurdy

Aestivalis wrote: »

I think those primary school dentists we were all sent to were the absolute worst. They're the #1 reason why I have a fear of dentists. they were so rough and just wanted to get you in and out the door as fast as possible.
I had so many painful experiences.

But not all dentists are like this. I went to a private dentist a few years ago and it was a wonderful experience. It was such a relaxing and calm environment and they were so gentle.

Compare that to the dreary grey cold office of the primary school dentist....I'm getting upset just thinking about it

Unfortunately, Its too expensive for me to go to a dentist these days.

In NZ they have school dentists and everyone calls them the murder house. Very apt

Also, some people naturally have worse teeth than others. I'm sure we all know someone who eats loads of sweet things and doesn't care for their teeth well but has never had a filling. Growing up my brother and I had the same diet and teeth cleaning routine but I had terrible teeth and his were always perfect.

Gummy Panda

Eastern Health board was alright. It was the private dentists afterwards who ruined my teeth.

One did a rear upper filling without the help of a dental nurse. A year later i went to a really good dentist and he said the tooth was severely damaged as it was sealed properly. He tried saving it with a filling but I ended up with a root canal. I found out the previous dentist had caused the same issues for others and destroyed their teeth.

Stepping Stone

Yeah, one decided to replace my fissure seal which meant drilling it out. She gave me anaesthetic, it didn't work, told her this, she tried again, still didn't work, then she started drilling. Cue crying with pain, she decided to inject me directly into the root, so she drilled some more.

It never took, I ended up with a filling. Ended up getting a root canal because of her butchery. Dentist couldn't believe what I was telling him.

She was notoriously **** though. She managed to stick a syringe through a child's cheek one day. His mother reported her to the HSE but I doubt anything was done. The screams you would hear while you waited... She was obsessed with pulling teeth suddenly without parental consent/ knowledge.

My current dentist is lovely, such a gentle and kind man. He specialises in children and terrified adults.

On a side note, I lived with a dent student. She said never to go to a female dentist. They simply don't have the upper body strength for the job. Not just pulling but if you need a filling and they have been working all day, it may not end well. I have horrific memories of a female dentist, so it will be a cold day in hell before I go near one again.

Plek Trum

username123 wrote: »

Yes youre right. At 5 years of age I should have been taking responsibility for my own teeth!

You are aware that some people have genetic predispositions that cause dental problems, or that some medicines do too?

And that plenty of bad work is done by dentists that sometimes doesnt have effects til years later?

Yep - I am well aware of it. Thing is that maybe your Mum or Dad (parents in general) should have been keeping a closer eye on kids diet & teaching good oral hygiene habits to their five year old. Would help avoid a whole number of issues down the line.

Im aware yes, too that medical conditions and genetics can determine the quality of peoples teeth.

Not having a go at anyone personally but the amount of times I hear parents complaining about the cost of dentistry yet leaving the practice they are happy to treat small Johnny to a can of coke and sweets for being 'such a good boy' despite the fact he has 3 fillings and maybe extractions required too. :eek:

I wont say where I am located but I constantly listen to parents who swear blind their child doesn't drink fizzy drinks, or eat horrendous sweets, they cant fathom why their small childs teeth are in such a bad state. I meet them in the supermarket, 3 year old slugging from a bottle of lucozade with a gobstopper in the other hand.

Sometimes to me, it boarders on child neglect. Why would you subject your small child to avoidable dental treatment all because you have neglected to control their diet or care for their teeth properly first at home.

As before, not all - but definitely a significant amount of people like to complain and give out. Truth be told, if they were taking responsibility for their own mouth and that of their children there wouldn't be any issues in the broad general scheme of things. Its not rocket science. :rolleyes:

Rant definitely over now!

Gatling

username123 wrote: »

I believe I was one of his victims. Where was he based?

Millbrook lawns across the bridge from HWilliams at the time

username123

Plek Trum wrote: »

Rant definitely over now!

Yay, my parents were probably too wrapped up in my fathers alcoholism to be worried about our teeth

username123

Gatling wrote: »

Millbrook lawns

Yep - that was him. We lived in Walkinstown then, I can remember the Greenhills Road (the cigarette factory - think its gone now) on the route to him.

MurdyWurdy

Stepping Stone wrote: »

Yeah, one decided to replace my fissure seal which meant drilling it out. She gave me anaesthetic, it didn't work, told her this, she tried again, still didn't work, then she started drilling. Cue crying with pain, she decided to inject me directly into the root, so she drilled some more.

It never took, I ended up with a filling. Ended up getting a root canal because of her butchery. Dentist couldn't believe what I was telling him.

She was notoriously **** though. She managed to stick a syringe through a child's cheek one day. His mother reported her to the HSE but I doubt anything was done. The screams you would hear while you waited... She was obsessed with pulling teeth suddenly without parental consent/ knowledge.
.

Where was this dentist? It sounds like the one I had. In Loughlinstown, South Dublin.

ShaShaBear

Yup, went for braces when I was 14 - 3.5 years I had to wear them! The glue they used on the brackets meant I had to get a total of 11 fillings, all of which were black, despite me being promised white ones by the HSE. They then gave me a retainer which hadn't been moulded correctly, so my teeth started to move, and by the time I realised it, I would have needed braces again to fix the damage.

Gatling

Wonder if you could be entitled to compensation for pain and suffering at the hands of a HSE dentist ,seems so many have suffered or still suffer the effects of poor dentist's

Holsten

Yep, they gave me a great fear of dentists for years.

Thankfully my teeth are perfect now.