• Guest - w'd love to know what you think about the forum! Take the 2026 Survey »

Type 1: Visit to the dentist..

LauraC27

Well-Known Member
Messages
96
Location
London
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
I was diagnosed type one july 2015 aged 26.

I went to the dentist yesterday.. first time since my diagnosis.. on the part of the form that asks if you take any medication.. i wrote down insulin. Anyway the dentist noticed this and said to me..

"You have never mentioned this before".. i said oh actually the last time i came here i wasn't diabetic.. She then says...

"why have you been diagnosed so late".. I looked confused i told her i had symptoms for a couple of weeks and was diagnosed in A&E last year, so yeah ive been type one for almost 18 months now.. what do you mean so late? .. she then said ..

"Well how did you not notice for all those years that you had diabetes?" ..

I told her i didn't have it for years, my dad was diagnosed at the same age as me, so its genetically carried in my case but something triggered it. I didn't understand what she was getting at.. she was basically implying that i've had diabetes since i was a young child and just never noticed? Haha.. I tried to explain i wouldn't be alive if i didn't notice i was diabetic for 27 years!? She then started giving me stern advice on how to look after my teeth because now i've FINALLY realised i'm diabetic i am prone to problems with my teeth!

What on earth?! I really don't mind people not understanding diabetes especially when somebody has no to reason to know about diabetes or what it is.. but she was quite rude and was implying that i was strange to have never noticed i was diabetic and basically did not listen when i tried to explain that i haven't been diabetic literally my whole life without knowing because that wouldn't be possible!!

She was so confident in her words that she knew what she was talking about... when infact she didnt have a clue! (SIGH)! I walked out very confused but also found it quite funny!
 
I have the exact opposite scenario - I suspect that I have been at least prediabetic for ages but when I go to my dentist I will not have any medication change to report - the statins made me confused and the Metformin is really nasty to my innards.
 
Your dentist is obviously lacking in education about diabetes and seems to have confused you by her thoughts.
I expect she thinks that all Type1s are diagnosed in childhood
 
I was diagnosed last year at 27 so I know where you're coming from and have had similar conversations. My initial reaction was to get frustrated and annoyed, but the more I deal with it the more patient I become. I try to remember that aren't a whole lot of us (type 1's) out there and even fewer were diagnosed later in life and it would be unreasonable to expect everyone to know everything there is to know about T1D, and especially when it's still referred to as "Juvenile Diabetes."

Take it as an opportunity to educate those who are ignorant, and remember that some people will continue to be ignorant. It sounds like you handled yourself very well. It certainly won't be the last time you have that same conversation with somebody. I can promise you that.
 
Exactly! She didn't annoy me..although she was unwilling to listen to my side of the story! Haha. If i'm unsure of something i am willing to learn, she believes she is right and that's fine! you are right.. not the first time and won't be the last! It would be completely unreasonable to expect people to know about diabetes unless they have to know.. including myself.. a year ago i was pretty clueless! But if i didn't understand i wouldn't push my incorrect facts onto someone else! I suppose not everyone is the same!
 
She's a dentist... They do teeth..? You may get a little more "sympathy" from a periodontist.. They tend to ask "what your diabetes control is like?" Like they know all "dat *****." But they do gums and oral hygiene....

Don't ask a mechanic!
 

well she maybe thought that she would be more of an expert than you on the subject, but obviously she is nothing but a dentist
 
Dude. America has the best dentists in the world.. You look fantastic. (Though not my type.) why waste these "brilliant minds" educating on something they have no "vocation" for....?
 
Jaylee said:
Dude. America has the best dentists in the world.. You look fantastic. (Though not my type.) why waste these "brilliant minds" educating on something they have no "vocation" for....?
Click to expand...
I think the Irish might argue on who is the best, the the Australians will jump in meanwhile The Scots will just be aaahh
 
you tried, you held it together when she wouldn't listen, shrug and walk away, she's probably one of those that thinks you give a diabetic insulin to treat a hypo.....
 
mahola said:
I was told by my GP's receptionist on Monday that I have diabetes because I ate too many sweets as a child. I think "ripped her a new ar*ehole" is quite apt in this instance.

People are idiots.
Click to expand...
"Thank you for your opinion Doctor, but unfortunately you have no idea what you are talking about? "

The less people actually know, the more they think they know.
 
mahola said:
I was told by my GP's receptionist on Monday that I have diabetes because I ate too many sweets as a child. I think "ripped her a new ar*ehole" is quite apt in this instance.

People are idiots.
Click to expand...
Had my blood taken this week ready for my diabetic review. The NURSE was surprised at me being a diabetic for so long as she thought it was something you grew out of after childhood. Not sure where she got that idea from!
 
Oh i love these conversations lol I was diagnosed 'late' as well, and for that first year it was full of these. Going to the eye doctor, the denist, for a massage or even a gym membership. People always wonder why I never told them they answer "I didn't have this problem last year" always baffles them.
You'll learn to have some fun with it - I toy with people a bit now.

"No i didn't have this last year - but then I started lots of fast food from that place down the street, and all of sudden I have diabetes, I dont know if its related - do you eat fast food there?"
 

Should have given her a good slap and told her to mind her business and do her job..
 
Dodo said:
Had my blood taken this week ready for my diabetic review. The NURSE was surprised at me being a diabetic for so long as she thought it was something you grew out of after childhood. Not sure where she got that idea from!
Click to expand...
Good grief!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Menu
Log in
Register
Cookies are required to use this site. You must accept them to continue using the site. Learn More.…