Terrible dentistry experience

[realnico]

I'm a 31 year old female, I don't drink, have never smoked, am vegetarian and generally very health-conscious. However, in my twenties I did have something of a snacking problem and was almost constantly eating tiny bits of food (fruit, chocolate, museli-bars etc) without realising how damaging this was to my teeth. As a result I have some acid erosion (although not so severe as to require treatment other than diet modification) and I also have five white fillings in my teeth.
My problems really began when I broke two teeth on an uncooked lentil in some food (LL7 & LL6) around eight years ago. White composite fillings were placed on these small breaks but around two years ago these 'fell off' and there was lots of decay underneath. I then visited a terrible dentist who placed porcelain inlay restorations that broke off after four months, breaking my teeth with them and necessitating a root treatment of LL7. Gold inlays were then placed on the ever-enlarging holes in my teeth. These kept falling off (around twice a year each) until most recently the gold inlay on the root treated tooth (LL7) became displaced, the dentist re-cemented it incorrectly and a re-treatement was necessary on the root canal.
I'm a very sensitive person and very aware of my health and this problem caused me to clench my teeth at nigth whilst the LL7 was still infected and therefore 'raised' in my mouth resulting in extreme pressure being applied to LR6, which has now cracked and LR7, which is now damaged. I also now have a thin vertical grey line running down my right front tooth that is a result of this clenching when my bite was 'off'.
I've obviously now changed dentists (Harris Sidelsky is now my dentist) and am attempting to get these problems resolved.
What I would like to ask you is: before all these problems I felt like I had pretty 'average' teeth for my age - they are straight with a couple of fillings and a bit of acid erosion; not perfect but OK. However, now I feel devestated about the state of my teeth - I have five fillings, one root canal (retreated) with crown, a cracked tooth, some acid erosion and mild gum recession (I've recently found out I had gum disease at some point although it's not active now). My question at last: do you think (without looking!) that my teeth are more or less 'normal' for my age (31) from what I describe or does this seem like a huge number of problems? I feel so odd compared to most of my friends who only have one or two fillings and am really worried about the future health of my teeth.
Best wishes

[Dr Pav Khaira]

It sounds like you've had quite an ordeal! This amount fo work is not uncommon, I would say that you have been unfortunate and understand how it can have knocked your confidence.

However I can reassure you that you are in very good hands with Dr Sidelsky. The key is to move away from the type of dentistry which has caused problems in the past.

I wish you the very best for the future!

[realnico]

Thank you so much for your reply. I know this might be a silly question, but, on average, what percentage of people in their 30s do you see who have about this amount of work done on their teeth? I just feel really dentally 'old' for my age following this failed dentistry (which, by the way was undertaken by a NHS dentist, not a private or cosmetic dentist).

[Dr Pav Khaira]

The frequency is very much dependent on economic situation, background as well as many other factors, therefore to give a percentage is extremely difficult. I have seen people much younger than yourself with significantly more work done and there are people in their 70's without a filling in their mouth!

Sorry to be so vague but this is a huge topic which has no definitive answer due to the multifactorial components which can contribute to problems. From what you have described I wouldn't necessarily classify you as "dentally old"

[realnico]

Again, thanks very much for your reply and my apologies for pushing the question (!). I'm a fairly middle-class female (my parents were/are both professionals and I'm currently a PhD student and university tutor) and otherwise I look very young for my age and workout etc.

Do you *regularly* see women from this kind of background with my sort of age who have these types of dental problems (not necessarily caused by failed dental work)? I understand that there are younger people with more problems and older people with less but I just wonder if there are also a large number of similar people in a similar situtation to me? Or are the majority of women of my age/background more or less free from dental problems, in your experience?

Thanks for your patience!