Gum Disease

rachbc

I went to the dnetist for the first time in 4 years yesterday. I knew this would be a problem as I have had bleeding gums since my dd was born (She's 5). He xrayed my teeth and I was horrified at how much bone loss they showed - I'm shocked and ashamed. I know I can't reverse the damage but obviously I am now committed to stopping it getting worse.

I'm booked into some appointments to get everything thoroughly cleaned and am buying an electric toothbrush, interdental brushes and goign to start using chlorehexidine mouth wash.

What else if anything can i do?

Toothsmith

Listen carefully to the advice you're going to be given on toothbrushing and follow it religiously.

The interdental cleaning regime is just as, if not more important than the conventional toothbrush cleaning.

Chlorhexidine M/W is important for the first few weeks whilst everything is being cleaned up, but long term use isn't really necessary.

Time spent cleaning is the key. The longer you spend with the brushes, the better chance everything has.

tesuhoha

As someone who used to suffer from horrendous gum disease and who now has pink healthy gums, I have sent you a pm.

HannahIOW

tesuhoha wrote: »

As someone who used to suffer from horrendous gum disease and who now has pink healthy gums, I have sent you a pm.

Can you send me a PM too please? I have periodontitis and no dentist. No NHS ones taking on in my area and there's no way I can afford to go private for what needs doing. Throw a TMJ and bruxism into the mix and you can imagine the state my teeth are in

tesuhoha

Will send you one with advice.

positivelymummy

please dont panic too much, following a proper oral hygeine routine can do wonders....i too had gum disease years ago, partly damage from smoking and poor oral health (like never flossing etc)....i have managed to improve my gums so much, the gum disease was under control within 6 months, and i have had several gum tests (where they measure in MM how far the depth is) the last one i had was only weeks ago (for an orthodontic app) and i was amazed to hear them reading out 1's and 2's...the highest was 3mm...whereas it was 6 and 7's at one point...

the first thing i did was get an electric toothbrush and a very soft tooth brush...i wish dentists would emphasise how important it is to gently brush the gums aswell as teeth as it makes a difference:D...and i can guarantee you, once you start flossing morning and night it will get to the point where you cant go 12 hours without the urge to floss!!...

for me i think the soft brush made the most difference, soft gentle brushing is much better than scrubbing the teeth with a hard brush,...just take your time, and try and brush 3 times a day if possible.

you sound very committed to making changes, i'm sure you'll make great progress..good luck:D

Citygirl1

Hi, I have gum disease which started in the early nineties after I'd avoided the dentist for years but then I got terrible toothache (wisdom tooth needed taking out) so I had to go. After a terrible phobia of the dentist, it no longer bothers me going now. I go every three monrths for a scale and polish, use an electric toothbrush and interdental brushes, my gums are not perfect but much better than they were and I still have my teeth after the fear years ago that I would lose them. I know its not easy but try not to panic as gum disease can be easily remedied these days.

McKneff

tesuhoha wrote: »

As someone who used to suffer from horrendous gum disease and who now has pink healthy gums, I have sent you a pm.

Why send PMs, your advice may help hundreds of other posters on here.

Tippytoes

I had trouble with my gums and couldn't understand why. I'm so fastidious when it comes to oral hygiene.

The hygienist took the trouble to ask about my brushing technique etc. When I told him that I used a sonic toothbrush as opposed to an "ordinary" electric toothbrush, he advised me to change straight away. I did, from a full size brush sonic, to round brush normal.

Within 6 months, the pockets in my gums had shrunk and I needed no scale/polish. My surgery even had a notice on the wall advising patients not to use sonic brushes. I paid a lot of money for mine and it seems they are not all they are cracked up to be. What does everyone else think?

tesuhoha

McKneff wrote: »

Why send PMs, your advice may help hundreds of other posters on here.

gu

Okay. I will tell you my story.

I was first told I had gum disease by a dentist who told me to floss my teeth and have them cleaned regularly.

Many years later the gum disease got progressively worse until I was experiencing severe gum infections with intense pain, bright red extremely swollen pus filled gums. These infections made me feverish and generally unwell. My dentist treated these with extreme urgency prescribing very strong antibiotics and Cordosyl mouthwash. I had a couple of molars removed and gum surgery all to no avail. My dentist told me I had large pockets of bone loss and that I might be able to keep my teeth for ten years or so but I would eventually end up with dentures. (Ten years on I still have all my teeth, and pink healthy gums)

I was not prepared to accept this and I was also alarmed by reports that I was reading about the bacteria in gum infections being dangerous to the heart. So I started to do research on line.

Before I go on can I just say that my dentist is very good and that the dental treatment should be used in conjunction with what I am going to tell you. Regular hygienist appointments, interdental brushes (that do not go through the gaps easily) twice a day and floss all play their part in combating gum disease as well as using Colgate Total toothpaste. Antibiotics are necessary for infections but with this advice you should be able to avoid all that.

I read reports that Co-enzyme Q10 supplements were very effective in treating gum disease so I started off with a low dosage (about 30mg per day). For a long time that did nothing very much for me. Also my dentist disputed the usefulness of it. I then read another online report that said a higher dose was needed. I ordered some 100mg Q10 capsules from justvitamins online and it was then that the magic started.

It took about three weeks of me taking one 100mg capsule per day for me to notice that the redness was fading from my gums. As time went on my gums became pink again and they lost their sponginess and became firmer. They stopped bleeding apart from when I was very rough with the interdental brushes. At first I had the occasional flare up which I treated with Cordosyl. Also Cordosyl Gel is very good as it clings to the gums more. After a while I stopped having flare ups and do not get them at all now.

The other major thing that I did was to buy a really effective electric toothbrush. The Phillips Sonicare Clean and White gives a clean which I think is as close to the dentist's clean as you can get. However, it is the Q10 which has given the greatest benefit.

During this time although I had been having hygienist appointments it had been about 18 months since I visited the dentist. I finally made an appointment for a check up. My dentist was literally stunned by my level of bone. He took an X-ray and was amazed at how much regrowth had taken place. He said my bone levels were normal and kept going on about it. I told him about the Q10 and he grudgingly acknowledged what I was saying and said whatever I was doing was working wonderfully. He said he no longer thought I would lose my teeth and he no longer insisted on hygienist appointments for me. Nowadays I hardly ever go to the dentist but when I do my dentist just gives them a basic clean. This is because my teeth are so very very clean from the toothbrush.

I take the Q10 religiously every day and as far as I am concerned it is a wonder drug. I cannot praise it enough. If it stopped working I would not hesitate to up the dosage to 200mg but so far so good. It also stopped my heart palpitations.

So I would say to anyone with gum disease you have to work out the dosage you need and if what you are taking is not working then up it until you see an improvement.

Everything I have written here is true but if you want some further reading please see the link below for more explanation of what it does.

http://www.mbschachter.com/coenzyme_q10.htm

Good luck and if this benefits one person it will make me happy.

McKneff

Ive an appointment early May with my Dentist and I'll ask about the Sonic toothbrush, Ive been using one for many years.
Thanks for the Pm and the above