My short stories about teeth:

My sister had a boyfriend years ago who used to get holes in his teeth and then they will fill in with enamel again over time, his dentist found it fascinating and kept records and x-rays of it.

My ex did not ever brush his teeth and never ever ever had a filing in his life. Thank goodness for Listerine.

Some of my husband’s teeth are enamel all the way through with no nerve – yes I am jealous.

Me – I brush religiously and always have. And I have had most of my teeth capped at huge expense because of how often they have fallen apart. I grew my 6th wisdom tooth 4 years ago. I want that anti-biotic!

I read awhile ago about how amazing baking soda is, for everything.

My daughter had good teeth until she went to some free Aussie dentist about a year ago for one filing, now she has many holes and how they did the filing is making the other teeth go out of line but you have to go on a waiting list for ages.

In Wellington we had fluoride in water and kids (in general) with good teeth, in Christchurch the most pure drinking water in the world – kids (in general) teeth were bad. This is about parenting though and not water.

My last foster child here where there is fluoride in water had 7 baby-teeth removed and four stainless steel caps – too much junk food I think. My last foster child in NZ with bad teeth where no fluoride in water had four rotten baby-teeth removed – too much junk food I think.

In NZ (private is half the price for dental work by the way) I have no idea what the greyish white filling stuff is…? I didn’t think to ask because over the ditch you are given white stuff but can ask for mercury if you prefer.

Professor – how do I get in to this student program please?

“Supertooth can reduce this burden of DK.” What does this mean?

Interesting story Pied Piper.
Ues all tooth decay (DK) comes from acid forming foods like junk foods left on teeth where saliva and fluoride toothpase have little access to remineralise tooth.
Always start and finish a meal or snack with tooth friendly foods to prevent or reduce acid forming food being left on teeth.
For more information. log on to www.supertooth.org and register for updates of the latest research from time to time. Ask your friends to do the same.

Some comments about teeth.

I've always religiously brushed my teeth from a young age, mostly because my mother was always at me to do it. I can vouch for it as I have good teeth. When I was given a dental checkup after joining the Army Reserve, the dentist said she was amazed. So all the credit goes to my mother.

OTOH, my father who was born in Europe before the war never had the opportunity or right environment to properly brush his. No matter how much he brushes now, he'll always have bad teeth.

The moral to this story is to brush teeth regularly from a YOUNG age. When you can't brush and you feel that furry feeling on your teeth, have an apple, scrape the plaque off your teeth with your fingernail or poke your tongue into the pits of your back teeth to dilute the acid buildup. The worst food for generating plaque is sugary food like cakes and manufactured jams, so never go to bed without brushing your teeth after eating the stuff.

I never thought about Listerine, but that sounds like it works. It's a rather expensive option though. But if it works, do it. A better option is probably just to have a quality, balanced diet with plenty of fruit and veg.

Have regular checkups and get some insurance to pay for it.

professor-au
What 8.5 years wait? Do you try to make me crazy? I have huge problems with my teeth, I thought within 2-3 months I will everything!
I do not understand why we voted this kind of politicians!
Do you think if monkeys govern us we could wait more years?
We take so many billion of dollars from foreign students why we do increase the number of dentist students in our universities?
Why temporary we do not bring some thousands of Cuban dentists? They have plenty doctors and dentists!
Are we idiots? The cost for the health system of cause the bad or no teeths is many times bigger from the cost of the basic dental needs.
NEXT ELECTIONS I WILL VOTE MY CAT FOR THE PARLIAMENT! May be the animals understand our dental needs better than our politicians!
Antonios Symeonakis
Adelaide

Hi All,

Previously, I included an URL that will lead you to the mid May 2009 European High Court decision, on fluoridation. It has implications for Australia, unless Australian authorities choose to ignore the recommendations. Decisions of this High Court has weight worldwide.

However I would like to bring to your attention how badly our Australian dental care service had deteriorated. One of my advocacy clients is a young mother with disabled children. Like most mothers, her children take precedent over her own needs.

I saw her tonight, saw she was unwell, and asked what was wrong.

She said she was in pain as her wisdom teeth were playing up. I suggested she go to Barwon Health to have them attended.

She told me she would receive no treatment until the infection cleared. From previous experience, she would be put on an antibiotic course. Only the tooth causing the problem would be treated if pain persisted, the rest would be ignored.
If the pain cleared, it would no longer be an emergency.

She received advice that they could refer her to a private clinic where she can get immediate attention.

The unofficial waiting lists get longer and longer for low income or pensioners. Conveniently, applicants seem to fall off the list and have to be put back on, thus keeping the official waiting time shorter.

Perhaps I am a cynic. Seems this appears a tidy arrangement for the government. The government does not have to invest. The private clinic gets a stream patients referred; that is of course, if the patient can afford to pick up the option.

My advice has been the department no longer does general dental work, only emergency treatment and refer the rest to the private sector.

This means low income families are unable to use the service, as they cannot afford to pay for the treatment.

The most vulnerable continue to suffer pain until it becomes an emergency requiring major treatment. Had this mother originally received an appropriate and timely level of treatment the rest of her teeth would now be in better condition.

Professori_au