I had always had great teeth. They were straight and white and I got compliments all the time. I took good care of them and brushed and flossed like I was suppose to. I didn't even have a cavity until I was 21. Now I am 32 and a mess. I had my last child when I was 25 and things have went downhill rapidly from there. They started getting dark at the gumline and then they started just disappearing. It is like the outer casing comes off and all I am left with is the ugly inside. Most of my back teeth are either completely broken off or in pieces. The enamel is gone off of my front teeth and they are black and they splinter like a piece of wood. I can't figure out why this happened and why so fast. I know people that have had bad teeth for many more years than me and there are not as bad as mine now. I haven't been able to afford any dental work until now. My husband just got insurance from work and I was finally approved for a dental financing plan. I saw the dentist today and of course none of my teeth are salvagable. I have to go back friday and get my treatment plan. I am completely terrified of having all of my teeth pulled and both lower and upper dentures. Has anyone else been through this? If so please give some feedback. :eek:

I haven't been through this but can totally sympathise with what you have had to go through. Pregnancy really seems to treat some people badly in certain areas, whether it's teeth, hair, stretch marks. I think pregnancy affects different people in different ways and perhaps you needed more vitamins or calcium during your pregnancies. I have only known one person who had 3 children and her teeth ended up quite bad, but not as bad as the scenario your have described. Then i've heard of others who had wonderful heads of hair to virtually lose most of it. Best of luck with your dental procedures.

I can totally sympathize with you. I lost my teeth along with the birth of my second child. I too had healthy teeth and gums going into the pregnancy and things changed rapidly for me. So fast the dentist could not keep up.
I had the remainder of my teeth pulled 10 weeks after the baby was born and have been successfully wearing full dentures now for 6 years. It is a very scary and emotionally devistating event in anyones life.
A few words of advice- stay positive and stay informed. Dentures are not the end of world. If you someone who has dentures, take them aside, explain your situation and ask them to share their experiences with you. Ask the dentist if they could put you in touch with someone near your age who has dentures to talk to. Be open with your family and trusted friends- you never know who has dentures and who might be willing to share with you. I found several people at work and in my community who have dentures and we became very close. By having them to bounce things off of and to discuss things made my transition so much easier.

Also, get a second opinion.

Feel free to ask questions,

Sandy

Every dentist I have asked said that pregnancy can weaken already damaged teeth but that pregnancy does not make teeth turn bad.All my back teeth cracked somewhere between my 3rd and 4th child so who knows,some of them had fillings some didn't have any work ever but they cracked anyway.I'm opting for the replace the teeth slowly with implants route and if they fail before I can replace them all just having 2 implants on top 2 on the bottom and getting denture supported implants.Good luck on your dental venture I know it's awful to have something so vital and expensive fail all at once.

Every dentist I have asked said that pregnancy can weaken already damaged teeth but that pregnancy does not make teeth turn bad.All my back teeth cracked somewhere between my 3rd and 4th child so who knows,some of them had fillings some didn't have any work ever but they cracked anyway.I'm opting for the replace the teeth slowly with implants route and if they fail before I can replace them all just having 2 implants on top 2 on the bottom and getting denture supported implants.Good luck on your dental venture I know it's awful to have something so vital and expensive fail all at once.

Every dentist I have asked said that pregnancy can weaken already damaged teeth but that pregnancy does not make teeth turn bad.All my back teeth cracked somewhere between my 3rd and 4th child so who knows,some of them had fillings some didn't have any work ever but they cracked anyway.I'm opting for the replace the teeth slowly with implants route and if they fail before I can replace them all just having 2 implants on top 2 on the bottom and getting denture supported implants.Good luck on your dental venture I know it's awful to have something so vital and expensive fail all at once.

I am 32 myself and I have 3 beautiful children!!
I would not trade them for the world but alas it seems that I also have traded in most of my teeth in the process.:eek:

While pregnant with my first son, 12 yrs ago, my teeth seemed to deteriorate quite rapidly and was even worse with the second and then the third.

From what my dentist has told me, pregnancy CAN take their toll on otherwise healthy teeth.
Not only previously cracked, chipped or unhealthy teeth but ALSO healthy teeth.

The reason for this simply being that your body is giving all the nutrients and good stuff to the growing baby so you are left quite "stripped" (only word I can think of at this late hour, lol) of them yourself.
And although your body will tell you (cravings) during pregnancy what your body is needing at the time, often times you will have not eaten enough of the "craved" food to keep up with the demands of your body or the baby's.

To simplify it like my dentist did for me.
There are stages in life where we need more of certain things at certain times because our bodies are always changing, so to keep up with it we need to ingest enough good stuff to keep our bodies healthy.

So what if your body was needing a certain nutrient while you were pregnant but yet your growing baby did as well?
Well most of it would go to the baby which would leave you with not enough.
That's why prenatal vitamins are so important.

Pregnancy only makes our bodies work harder because we are providing nutrients not only for our own bodies but that of a whole other person (the baby) as well!
Now don't forget that this new tiny person is going through the biggest, and fastest changes of its life so it will take a LOT out of you.

And what does the baby need among other things?
Calcium!!
The skeletal frame and the teeth buds grow quite fast so your body will be giving this in large part to the baby.

So while your body IS getting calcium and stuff, most of it will go to the baby leaving your own teeth unprotected and weakened during this time.

This is why mommies to be should stay away from caffiene, soda, sugar, acids and other things which could potentially harm the teeth in their "unprotected" stage.
I was even told by my dentist that too much brushing could also wear away the enamel during pregnancy, not that you shouldnt brush, but just to be gentle,
AND that the "bad" foods/drinks combined with overly vigirous brushing will take a huge toll!!

So if any other mothers out there have the same problem, this is more than likely why.

Hope that helps!!