When were you last at the Dentist?

Greta_Funberg

Luckily I had a checkup in mid Feb but was relaying concern about a scheduled next one in September, worried that it might not happen. One friend laughed and told how he hasn't been to one in ten years! Another said at least 5 years for him.

I was a bit lazy in my late teens and early twenties but got serious about oral hygiene. Wondering what the split is here? Do you get regular checkups? Or only when something hurts?

ednwireland

havent been in about 10 years went in a couple of weeks ago and need 2 fillings, and another one as a old filling broke last week (he did cr*p on about getting wisdom teeth removed but as ihave no pain form them he can go hang)
i think the electric toothbrush makes you clean your teeth more consistently and i always use mouthwash after (only floss occasionaly when i remember )

harr

About 5 years ago , before that it had been 10 years. Luckily I have a good teeth and never needed any work done apart from a filling when I was about 10.
Dentist was happy at my last appointment and I keep them clean with flossing and the usual dental hygiene.
Not a huge fan of the dentist.
They will need a clean this year as I hope to get them whitened around Christmas.

Gregor Samsa

Went for a scale and polish in May. Hadn't been for about 2 years before that, teeth are good, but tartar had built up, so the clean took 3 appointments. Teeth and gums feel very clean and healthy now. Each time I go now, I'm booking my next appointment as I leave, so that it's done and I don't leave it too long again. I have the next appointment for October, and all going according to plan, I'll go for a quick clean every 6 months. I'm also using the little TePe brushes religiously now.

jester77

I go twice a year for cleaning. Broke a tooth last month and had to get a crown in last week. Have 3 or 4 other fillings, parents never took me to the dentist as a child

Ush1

This gets me thinking......do dentists ever do a full dental clean on their own teeth? Like the way a barber might cut his own hair.

Hodors Appletart

few weeks ago for a check up, no fillings required but they booked me in for a Scale & Polish a week or two later, and I went and had that done

had enough stamps paid so it was €15 in total

I use an electric toothbrush and mouth wash twice a day

I went for the first time in years last month as I finally had enough PRSI for the subsidised scale and polish. Ended up needing a filling, two bondings and a nightguard after that (apparently I was grinding my teeth in my sleep). Almost €600 gone.

But didn't need any root canal or extractions so could have been worse I guess.

Seamai

I usually go every 6 months but am long overdue because of COVID-19. I never need more than a scaling and polishing. The way I look at it is frequent visits help to keep things under control and avoid problems before they get out of hand.

Plasandrunt

I'm going next Monday for the first time since I was 15, I'm 33 now.

completedit

Been once in my life. Need to go back asap. Teeth look good but left side beginning to cause an acute headache

Surreptitious

Got my teeth whitened before lockdown and a topping done on a chipped tooth. Would go regularly as the more often you go the less you would need to pay out long term.

jiltloop

I'm almost 39 and the last time I was in the dentist was when i was around 12/13. Haven't had any issues with my teeth, I look after them fairly well and hate the dentist so I feel no great urge to go. I get complimented on my teeth from time to time so I seem to be doing ok without the dentist.

Apiarist

Normally I go for a checkup and scaling/cleaning once a year in July, but not this year.

Canis Lupus

Gregor Samsa wrote: »

Went for a scale and polish in May. Hadn't been for about 2 years before that, teeth are good, but tartar had built up, so the clean took 3 appointments. Teeth and gums feel very clean and healthy now. Each time I go now, I'm booking my next appointment as I leave, so that it's done and I don't leave it too long again. I have the next appointment for October, and all going according to plan, I'll go for a quick clean every 6 months. I'm also using the little TePe brushes religiously now.

3 appointments for tartar?

JimmyVik

Canis Lupus wrote: »

3 appointments for tartar?

My old dentist did the same. After the first appointment I switched dentist. The new dentist said they were conning me.
He did the rest of the job there and then. He told me that he would never have scheduled 3 appointments and would have done the whole thing in one go for me. Said its atactic a lot of the unscrupulous dentists have been doing the last while.

jiltloop

jiltloop wrote: »

I'm almost 39 and the last time I was in the dentist was when i was around 12/13. Haven't had any issues with my teeth, I look after them fairly well and hate the dentist so I feel no great urge to go. I get complimented on my teeth from time to time so I seem to be doing ok without the dentist.

Similar scenario here, in my mid-thirties and last visit was at the age of 12 for fillings in molars. Still holding up, and the wisdom teeth provided little trouble when they started pushing out. Brush twice a day, other than that I won a prize in the genetic lottery.

Mango Joe

Canis Lupus wrote: »

3 appointments for tartar?

JimmyVik wrote: »

My old dentist did the same. After the first appointment I switched dentist. The new dentist said they were conning me.
He did the rest of the job there and then. He told me that he would never have scheduled 3 appointments and would have done the whole thing in one go for me. Said its atactic a lot of the unscrupulous dentists have been doing the last while.

What about the one where you:

• Have a dental problem
• Make an appointment
• Book time off work
• Travel to the Dentist
• Dentist says he'll need to carry out work on whatever real or made up issues they see
• Won't carry out the work that day - New appointment needed, but still charges you for that day and then next one ????

Its criminal, opinions may vary but I think there's an argument to be made that a lot of people who are Dentists got into a grim and unpleasant job because of the large amount of easy money to be made and no other reason.

These same people are often very poor at resisting temptation to overcharge to a massive degree or carry out unnecessary work.

harr

On the issue of overcharging or saying you need work unnecessarily. The last time I went my dentist was happy overall and said I kept my teeth well and no serious issues ,
but still proceeded to give me a list of work I might need costing about 2 grand Including root canal treatment and new filings, I was shocked because I had no issues something dentist said himself.
I still have no issues 5 years later.
His secretary was nearly adamant I book in the following week to start my root canal treatment and asked if I would like to pay up front or at each session.
I definitely think they do chance it when advising treatments

Gregor Samsa

Canis Lupus wrote: »

3 appointments for tartar?

Yes. 30 mins each quarter of my mouth, although the third one was just under an hour long as she did all the bottom in one go. You couldn't see it looking at me, but I had pretty bad buildup on the molars and the inside of the lower incisors. Gums weren't in a good way. I knew myself going in that it wasn't going to be a one sitting job. I don't think I was ripped off. Certainly happy with the results, and plan on keeping them that way.

Mango Joe

harr wrote: »

On the issue of overcharging or saying you need work unnecessarily. The last time I went my dentist was happy overall and said I kept my teeth well and no serious issues ,
but still proceeded to give me a list of work I might need costing about 2 grand Including root canal treatment and new filings, I was shocked because I had no issues something dentist said himself.
I still have no issues 5 years later.
His secretary was nearly adamant I book in the following week to start my root canal treatment and asked if I would like to pay up front or at each session.
I definitely think they do chance it when advising treatments

Someone I work with visited their Dentist and was told they needed 3 fillings, but not to worry, he has time and she's lucky he can do them right away - big gesture, kind man, you should be sooo grateful.

No, shes says, I've a 21st tonight so I'll have to book in again some other day.....

The lack of any visible decay or pain of any sort got her thinking so she went to a different Dentist..... But never mentioned the supposed 3 fillings needed. After she got an all clear she THEN said she was told she needed 3 fillings, Dentist looked very puzzled and immediately offered to recheck and said 100% there's nothing wrong with your teeth.

Same Dentist had given me a load of fillings years previously and the same with another family member of mine (we were both in school at the time) There were always fillings being done with no pain ever.....

Think he was just crooked as hell throughout.

Name withheld - He's a Limerick City Centre Dentist.

Prick.

Got my teeth cleaned when visiting India last year. Think it cost me 10 euro including a prophylaxis.

About 8 years ago my girlfriend at the time convinced me to go for a checkup. Why not she said, its cheap. Herself was Polish and suggested during our holiday in Poland we go to the dentist together. Initial appraisal for the two of us cost 25 euro. Not each, combined.

The dentist suggested I needed a filling, and I really dont like needles in my gums so she, the dentist, agreed to fill it with no anaesthetic and I'd tell her when it really hurt and she would anaesthetise. It hurt, but not enough for the needle, and to this day the filling is fine.

Said girlfriend has long since left, but I'm considering going back to the same dentist for a checkup. I just need a Polish, prefarably female, friend to accompany me for translation.

JimmyVik

JimmyVik wrote: »

My old dentist did the same. After the first appointment I switched dentist. The new dentist said they were conning me.
He did the rest of the job there and then. He told me that he would never have scheduled 3 appointments and would have done the whole thing in one go for me. Said its atactic a lot of the unscrupulous dentists have been doing the last while.

I doubt this is true, and if the second Dentist did say it, I would have more concerns about him than the first.

Most tartar/plaque is supragingival and relatively easy to see/remove, the part that is under the gum is what does the damage though. When the gross deposits are removed, the soft tissues reduce as they heal, often exposing more of the subgingival deposits. By bringing you back for treatment/review, your first dentist would have been able to assess healing responce and remove the remaining plaque deposits, all the second guy did was send you off out the door, hoping for the best, see you next time.

Under treatment of periodontal conditions is now one of the most common reasons for litigation.

Mango Joe

Mango Joe wrote: »

What about the one where you:

• Have a dental problem
• Make an appointment
• Book time off work
• Travel to the Dentist
• Dentist says he'll need to carry out work on whatever real or made up issues they see
• Won't carry out the work that day - New appointment needed, but still charges you for that day and then next one ????

Its criminal, opinions may vary but I think there's an argument to be made that a lot of people who are Dentists got into a grim and unpleasant job because of the large amount of easy money to be made and no other reason.

These same people are often very poor at resisting temptation to overcharge to a massive degree or carry out unnecessary work.

If you have a problem, how would it be an issue made up by the Dentist?

All Dentists are required by law to display prices, so I’m not sure how you are overcharged.

If you have evidence of Dentists doing un-necessary work for financial gain, contact the Dental Council immediately, the Dentist will be severely reprimanded and will probably lose his/her licence to practice.

JimmyVik

Dav010 wrote: »

I doubt this is true, and if the second Dentist did say it, I would have more concerns about him than the first.

Most tartar/plaque is supragingival and relatively easy to see/remove, the part that is under the gum is what does the damage though. When the gross deposits are removed, the soft tissues reduce as they heal, often exposing more of the subgingival deposits. By bringing you back for treatment/review, your first dentist would have been able to assess healing responce and remove the remaining plaque deposits, all the second guy did was send you off out the door, hoping for the best, see you next time.

Under treatment of periodontal conditions is now one of the most common reasons for litigation.

You must be a dentist if you are trying to justify that

Slaanesh

I suffer acid reflux AND grind my teeth. Had a lot of work done a couple of years ago due to massive wear.

I'm 39 now and didn't go due to Covid. Had a clean last week and I'm going back next week for 14 fillings (lots of repairs, I had a Daal appliance which has worn too). Nasty ****. Was also due for a Barium study and scope that got cancelled during covid. This was prep work for a Nissen fundoplication to try sort the reflux.

Mango Joe

Dav010 wrote: »

If you have a problem, how would it be an issue made up by the Dentist? I'm speaking of additional bogus issues/inflations of problems conjured out of thin air for fraudulent purposes.

All Dentists are required by law to display prices, so I’m not sure how you are overcharged. Imagine if you went to McDonalds for a Hamburger and they charged you for a Hamburger but said you had to come back in 10 days to eat it, and then charged you again for the same Hamburger.....

If you have evidence of Dentists doing un-necessary work for financial gain, contact the Dental Council immediately, the Dentist will be severely reprimanded and will probably lose his/her licence to practice. Oh cool, sounds very easy to collect and furnish this evidence, wish I'd been aware when I was 15 and being defrauded by some crook

Same Dentist used to make you hold the suction tube while his pretty young Dental Nurse/Assistant faffed about with her filing cabinet and then he'd occasionally shout at you if said tube was not angled correctly!!!!

May he die roaring.

JimmyVik

JimmyVik wrote: »

You must be a dentist if you are trying to justify that

I am a Dentist, that how I know what you posted isn’t true.

manlad

Deleted User wrote: »

Similar scenario here, in my mid-thirties and last visit was at the age of 12 for fillings in molars. Still holding up, and the wisdom teeth provided little trouble when they started pushing out. Brush twice a day, other than that I won a prize in the genetic lottery.

Your opinion of healthy teeth may be very different to the Dentists, regardless of how good they look to you or others it doesn't mean you could have an underlying issue that is not visible. You won't get anywhere near the same level of cleaning by brushing twice a day as you would from a yearly clean at the dentist.

Its always worth checking these things anyway, a car can look great from the outside but the engine could be in bits, unless you get a mechanic to check it over you're not going to know.

Gregor Samsa

Gregor Samsa wrote: »

Yes. 30 mins each quarter of my mouth, although the third one was just under an hour long as she did all the bottom in one go. You couldn't see it looking at me, but I had pretty bad buildup on the molars and the inside of the lower incisors. Gums weren't in a good way. I knew myself going in that it wasn't going to be a one sitting job. I don't think I was ripped off. Certainly happy with the results, and plan on keeping them that way.

That's called a deep clean where they go under the gum line to get stuff out.
Had it done once and it's not a great experience. Hurt quite a lot compared to a normal scale.

ArnoldJRimmer

Went 12 years without going to the dentist from mid teens to late 20's, and ended up having to get almost a new set of teeth. However, I got the whole lot (2 root canals, 3 crowns, 11 fillings) for around 800 euro as I was living in India at the time I decided to get my teeth fixed. Some excruciating pain, but also some incredibly strong painkillers

I then stupidly went around 7/8 years before going again. No major surgery this time, just a few fillings, but there was a pretty bad build up of tartar that would have caused problems down the line. The initial cleaning took two visits, each around 45 minutes, so I don't think the three visits mentioned above is unreasonable if there is a large build-up. And since then, going every six months for a clean and a checkup without an issue (knock on wood)

JimmyVik

Slaanesh wrote: »

I suffer acid reflux AND grind my teeth. Had a lot of work done a couple of years ago due to massive wear.

I'm 39 now and didn't go due to Covid. Had a clean last week and I'm going back next week for 14 fillings (lots of repairs, I had a Daal appliance which has worn too). Nasty ****. Was also due for a Barium study and scope that got cancelled during covid. This was prep work for a Nissen fundoplication to try sort the reflux.

How many miles to the gallon does that do?

JimmyVik

Dav010 wrote: »

I am a Dentist, that how I know what you posted isn’t true.

So no dentist in the country would ever split work into more appointments than necessary?

SCOOP 64

1999 I think, last time I had a tooth ache

Gregor Samsa

Deleted User wrote: »

That's called a deep clean where they go under the gum line to get stuff out.
Had it done once and it's not a great experience. Hurt quite a lot compared to a normal scale.

You're right. Not fun. Anesthesia, digging and blood. But I can feel the benefits.

JimmyVik

JimmyVik wrote: »

So no dentist in the country would ever split work into more appointments than necessary?

Jimmy.

Firstly, the second Dentist was taking a huge risk, knowing that another Dentist diagnosed you with a perio problem, just doing a quick scaling and sending you out the door. Secondly, he would have to be monumentally stupid to also accuse your previous dentist of both over treatment and profiteering, while at the same time exposing himself to an allegation of under treatment if you had problems in the future. That is why I would be far more concerned about your second dentist than your first, Dentists in the main are not prone to committing professional hari kari. Like the old “knee on the chest”, you’ve made this up just for effect.

Gregor Samsa

Gregor Samsa wrote: »

You're right. Not fun. Anesthesia, digging and blood. But I can feel the benefits.

I got it done without numbing. Ouch!

Obvious Desperate Breakfasts

ednwireland wrote: »

havent been in about 10 years went in a couple of weeks ago and need 2 fillings, and another one as a old filling broke last week (he did cr*p on about getting wisdom teeth removed but as ihave no pain form them he can go hang)
i think the electric toothbrush makes you clean your teeth more consistently and i always use mouthwash after (only floss occasionaly when i remember )

You're right. They're always trying to sell other treatments. If the wisdom teeth aren't causing any problems, no need to remove them.

Obvious Desperate Breakfasts

Last week and my jaw has been aching ever since. He attempted an extraction but I need dental surgery because the root is curved and near a bone. He basically put all his weight on me trying to get it out. Owwwwww.

Thelonious Monk

I actually like going. I go about twice a year, but up until a few years ago I hadn't been going in years. My teeth are tip top shape now though.

Tchaikovsky

Are Irish people still visiting dentists in Hungary or was that a fad?

Cina

Yesterday, to get my braces tightened. Was supposed to be getting them off (after 16 months) but the front one was still slightly crooked so.. here we go, four more weeks.

Obvious Desperate Breakfasts

Thelonious Monk wrote: »

I actually like going. I go about twice a year, but up until a few years ago I hadn't been going in years. My teeth are tip top shape now though.

Actually, until my experience last week, I generally enjoyed going to the dentist. Once the numbing stuff is in, I get a bit sleepy.

ceadaoin.

Been at the dentist tons over the past 5 years. Including just last week. I'm in the US and jaysus if they arent gleaming and perfect like most other people you feel so self conscious. Invisalign, whitening, replacing metal fillings and a few crowns (and lots of $$$$) and now they are up to scratch

My parents generation were more of the mindset that you only go if you're in pain and I paid for that. I always make sure my child gets her checkups and cleanings every 6 months and that's been continuing even during the pandemic.

Plasandrunt

So dentist today for the first time in nearly 20 years. Deep clean and extractions today with Fillings and further extractions to come.

Delighted I finally did it though

Jenneke87

Five years ago, I really need to go, but it always hurts soooo much!

Pistachio19

I was at the hygienist in July. I see the dentist once a year (January) and the hygienist twice a year. However I think I will only go to hygienist once a year from now on as they have added a €20 covid fee to the visit.

jrosen

Didnt go for years. Started about 5 years ago back with regular checks and cleans. Have spent close to 10K since.

Sometimes I wonder if im being had.

A friend of mine went for a check up and clean 2 weeks ago dentist told her she needed a partial crown on one tooth. She had no pain but tooth had an old filling. She went back 2 days later to have the partial crown down. Costs her over 500. She was in agony the next day. She went back to the dentist about 4 days after and he told her the tooth had completely died and shed need a route canal. Referred her to someone else. Quote is 900. So for someone who had zero pain?

howyanow

Went yesterday.Hadnt been in 3/4 years.
I find its never as bad as it seems once you get there.
Quick check up and polish with the PRSI allowance.
Dentist didnt find any issues so happy with that
Was very impressed with all staff I encountered and will try go back more often.a

cannotlogin

October but didn't go to my March appointment to Covid and haven't been back since.

I was terrified of dentists for years and use to have to really built myself up for weeks in advance until I found a dentist who works for me and basically td me that if have a choice. I can be a €100 patient a year by calling to him every 6 months for a check up or I can let issues built up and costs me more long term. One of those appointments is free from prsi contributions as long as I go at off peak times.

Basically kicked my ass in terms of the level of fear and overreaction I was having. I still have going but love the real clean teeth feeling afterwards.