Gum disease help :(

[ButtonandTiny]

I have gum disease, I'm really trying to get it under control. I'm using the interdentals, floss, a cordosyl toothpaste and mouthwash (at a different time to brushing). I had a deep clean at the dentist and my gums have shrunk back so I have the horrible black triangles between my teeth.

I'm due back at the dentist in December but I'm not sure what I want to ask about. I've been reading about gum veneers and gum grafts. Has anyone had either of these? What were the costs like?

I also feel a pain in some of my teeth all the time and seem to be producing a real excess amount of saliva. I'm thinking about my teeth a lot and I'm really conscious of them now when speaking and smiling.

Has anyone had gum disease and managed to get it under control?

@TheBookworm88
@PastMyBestBeforeDate

Please, how are we all getting on now? I have just been diagnosed with SEVERE gum disease at 39. I have been googling and am terrified!!! PastMyBB,.. can I ask at what age did you have a gum graft and what level gum disease did you have? I will for sure need a graft - I am yet to see a periodontist but from the recession, I can tell it's bad. Does a graft help keep the gums healthy or make it harder to maintain? I know you cant get rid of GD, but wondering how long it can be managed. Surely as I age and can floss less effectively it will get worse! I am so depressed :(

@Freddofan are you still out there,..? do you know what level gum disease you had? Mine is severe and I am so scared.

Hi Boofy I had my graft in my late 40s. I didn't get told what level I had but I did have some bone loss. After the initial operation I had to use something to help the gum heal and then Corsodyl. It did look a bit red for a while but it settled down and I rarely give it any particular thought any more.

@PastMyBestBeforeDate thanks for replying. I have joined a fb group for gum disease and it's making me feel worse! so many stories of the worst case.. I don't know how much bone loss I have yet - not until the 25th. I really cant believe that this is it now forever! a lifelong issue. Do you have a strict cleaning regime? I am barely eating as food just means disease to me now! I have lost half a stone since Jan and I now under 8 stone. Its so worrying.

I'll be honest and confess I am a bit rubbish at the flossing and mouthwash side of things I did keep it up for a while before and after the graft but it's slid since lockdown. I do have other more serious health stuff going on so it's not my main focus. I must start the flossing!
Try not to panic. I know it feels big but you will have to learn to live with all manner of stuff as you get older. And some of it, you can do nothing except keep it at bay and live with it. Not eating won't help as you need nutrition to keep your gums as healthy as they can be.

Thanks for your words of support.. I just wish this was all sorted. Fingers crossed for a cure soon!

Hi @Winealot - Can you tell us more about the bonding? How long after treatment where you able to get it and where did you get it done please?

@Heidigreen, I had the treatment in about the April/May and then the bonding done over the summer. It was done by my regular dentist (private and the lead dentist with many years experience).
It wasn’t ridiculously expensive I don’t think…maybe £400-500 for 6 teeth.
No regrets at all and fortunately no recurring problems with the gums, but I will always have to be on top of my dental hygiene.
Hope this helps, happy to answer any other questions you may have

@Winealot - thank you, that’s really kind. I was at the dentist last March (I hadn’t been in 12 months - I would typically get a cleaning every 6 months because my gums have always been sensitive). The dentist did an X-ray because of some bone loss. He did a deep clean and put me in antibiotics. (Never said a peep about periodontal disease though)…..We moved house/counties a few months later, then another lockdown. in Feb this year, I registered with a new dentist who said I have PD and had me referred to a periodontist the end of May. In the meantime I’ve had 1 scale & polish, and 1 deep clean under anaesthetic with the hygienist. She was lovely, and said I only needed one deep clean (front teeth) and 1 back tooth. She said it was mild to moderate and hopefully we could stabilise the gums before I see the periodontist. I have another apt with her in 6 weeks. p*@Winealot* - thank you, that’s really kind. I was at the dentist last March (I hadn’t been in 12 months - I would always get a cleaning done every 6 months because my gums have always been sensitive) and the dentist did an X-ray because of some bone loss. He did a deep clean and put me in antibiotics. (Never said a peep about periodontal disease…..We moved a few months later, then another lockdown. I registered with a new dentist 1 month ago. She said I have PD and had me referred to a periodontist end of May. In the meantime I’ve had 1 scale & polish, and 1 deep clean under anaesthetic with the hygienist. She was lovely, and said I only needed one deep clean (front teeth) and 1 back tooth. She said it was mild to moderate and hopefully we could stabilise the gums before I see the periodontist. I have another apt with her in 6 weeks.
Since the deep clean I have black triangles. My hubby and mother and bestmate say they aren’t noticeable unless pointed out, however I’m self conscious of them and they are 100% causing bubbles when I speak. I’ve read about bioclear and composite bonding and hoped this would be a solution. However I wasnt sure how long it takes to stabilise the gums post treatment, and how long you have to be in maintenance before they will start looking at cosmetic procedure. How was it for you?
Also - and this has me really panicking, the front tooth which had the deep clean is still sensitive 3 weeks after deep clean. Last night it bleed with the interdental brush. On every other other tooth I can use the ID in and out 10 times no problem. But the front is still sensitive and maybe a bit swollen - would you go back to the hygienist or should I give it another week? I read it takes a month for healing.
Your post has been the only one that has given me any hope. I joined the FB support group but had to leave it! Wasn’t helping. Really appreciate that you replied already. Thank you xx

I also quit smoking in January - I hope this helps. The pockets where 2, 3, 4,s ( a few 5s and one 6 - these are the ones she deep cleaned)

Since the deep clean I have black triangles. My hubby and mother and best friend say they aren’t noticeable unless pointed out, however I’m self conscious of them and they are 100% causing bubbles when I speak. I’ve read about bioclear and composite bonding and hoped this would be a solution. However I wasnt sure how long it takes to stabilise the gums post treatment, and how long you have to be in maintenance before they will start looking at cosmetic procedure. How was it for you?
Also - and this has me really panicking, the front tooth which had the deep clean is still sensitive 3 weeks after deep clean. Last night it bleed with the interdental brush. On every other other tooth I can use the ID in and out 10 times no problem. But the front is still sensitive and maybe a bit swollen - would you go back to the hygienist or should I give it another week? I read it takes a month for healing.
Your post has been the only one that has given me any hope. I joined the FB support group but had to leave it! Wasn’t helping. Really appreciate that you replied already. Thank you xx

I also quit smoking in January - I hope this helps.

My computer has gone a bit loopy - let me try this again

@Winealot - thank you, that’s really kind. I was at the dentist last March (I hadn’t been in 12 months - I would always get a cleaning done every 6 months because my gums have always been sensitive) and the dentist did an X-ray because of some bone loss. He did a deep clean and put me in antibiotics. (Never said a peep about periodontal disease…..We moved a few months later, then another lockdown. I registered with a new dentist 1 month ago. She said I have PD and had me referred to a periodontist end of May. In the meantime I’ve had 1 scale & polish, and 1 deep clean under anaesthetic with the hygienist. She was lovely, and said I only needed one deep clean (front teeth) and 1 back tooth. She said it was mild to moderate and hopefully we could stabilise the gums before I see the periodontist. I have another apt with her in 6 weeks.
Since the deep clean I have black triangles. My hubby and mother and bestmate say they aren’t noticeable unless pointed out, however I’m self conscious of them and they are 100% causing bubbles when I speak. I’ve read about bioclear and composite bonding and hoped this would be a solution. However I wasnt sure how long it takes to stabilise the gums post treatment, and how long you have to be in maintenance before they will start looking at cosmetic procedure. How was it for you?
Also - and this has me really panicking, the front tooth which had the deep clean is still sensitive 3 weeks after deep clean. Last night it bleed with the interdental brush. On every other other tooth I can use the ID in and out 10 times no problem. But the front is still sensitive and maybe a bit swollen - would you go back to the hygienist or should I give it another week? I read it takes a month for healing.
Your post has been the only one that has given me any hope. I joined the FB support group but had to leave it! Wasn’t helping. Really appreciate that you replied already. Thank you xx

I also quit smoking in January - I hope this helps.

@ButtonandTiny

Thank you all for the replies, it makes me feel not so alone. I seem to be obsessed with teeth and gums now. I have been doing the interdentals dipped in cordosyl and hoping it's making a difference. I went back to the dentist in December and came away disheartened again, she doesn't really say much just there is bad gum disease and I need a deep clean. I think I did sigh that it seemed there had been no improvement and she asked if I wanted a referral to a periodintist but she said she would have to find one and it would be ££££. Then asked if I smoked, which I don't.

I've contacted a different dentist but have had no response so far. My gums have receeded so I can now see brown on each bottom tooth. I'm booked in for another deep clean on the 12th.

You really need a periodontist, most dentists can treat gum disease if it's beginning but will refer you to a periodontist if it's serious.

I lost two molars because my a*e of a dentist kept telling me he could control it. He didn't. I was losing bone mass and I asked for a referral. It's expensive but after 3 years of regular appointments my bone mass has improved and one of the molars that felt loose has stabilised.

A few more things that may help.

I was with moderate gum disease. I don't smoke. By the time I got to the periodontist, he gave me 3 deep cleanings in 6 months. Then for 1.5 years I was having deep cleanings every 3 months until my gums stabilised. Since then I have deep cleaning gums twice a year and will have them for the rest of my life. Gum disease do not go away but it can be controlled.

Some of things my periodontist told me I had to do:

Chuck manual brushes and use only electric ones, they are better for getting rid of bacteria.

Brush your teeth a minimum of twice a day, three times even better: morning, lunch and dinner.

Use a gengivial gel on your gums 3 times a week with a specialist toothbrush after cleaning your teeth. Unfortunately the tootbrush to use with the gengivial gel you can only get it from your specialist, it's extremely soft and impossible to get at least in Australia in chemists and supermarkets.

Try looking at a water flosser aswell its really helped my husbands gum disease 🙂

I’ve had gum disease for years too. One thing that the dentist at the hospital I was referred to made me feel so much better about things and it was this:

This is not your fault. Some people are simply more prone to gum disease and you are one of those people.

Just wanted to share as I’ve seen uptrend lots of people beating themselves up over it like I did. We are just unlucky to be very prone to this and so we need to be more careful, do more work than most on our teeth and hopefully manage it.

Initially after being referred to hospital I was given a short course of antibiotics to get it under control. And absolute game changer was the dip your interdental brush in Corsodyl trick. I’m still terrible at keeping on top of it but I have the tools to get it under control if I feel it flaring up again.

I have an area with deep pockets that I need deep cleaning every three months!
I went for the first time last month,I was scared but she numbed the area and honestly I didn't feel a thing.
I use the interdental brushes and mouthwash...I remember years ago a different dentist telling me to dip my brush in thr mouthwash to clean between,I will start that again.
I don't have loose teeth or dark triangles but on one of my front teeth the gum has receeded quite a bit and this bothers me.
I spent a fortune on invisalign last year and hope it won't all be for nothing!!

@heidigreen I feel for you because I felt exactly like you do….panicking about every little niggle or something not feeling right. And obsessing about the black triangles and how they looked!! My husband also said he couldn’t notice anything but I could and I was so miserable.
It was my front 4 teeth that were the problem….I didn’t really get much bleeding but the teeth had been feeling sensitive and niggly.
I’m sure within a couple of months you will be able to have some bonding and if you go to a dentist with experience in cosmetic dentistry, they will do a good job.
Maybe try some corsodyl or gingevel gel to see if that stops the gum feeling swollen.
And if you’re really worried, go back to the hygienist.
Even now, I worry about my teeth….every little niggle sends me into a spiral of panic about something being wrong.
One of my front teeth has had a root filling and if I’m tired, ill or rundown, it aches….. I know this but each time it happens I worry my tooth is going to fall out or go black 😂.

Just popping on here after following this thread for a few days. I have struggled with gum disease for many years but made a real effort to keep on top of it the last year with daily flossing which has helped a bit.

However, despite this, I am still getting bleeding in between a couple of my teeth. I tried the trick mentioned on her of dipping the floss into mouthwash. Been dipping floss into corsodyl for the last 3 days and it has already stopped the bleeding! So thank you for that tip.

It is so frustrating when you try really hard with your dental care and still have gum disease. I worry about the other associate risks to my heart in the long term. On the other hand DH doesn’t floss at all and rarely goes to the dentists, and has never struggled with plaque build up or gum disease. I think there is definitely an element of luck.

@EssexLioness - What stage is your PD? Ae you working with a periodontist to stabilize your gums?

Old-fashioned salt water. Gargle for as long as you can twice a day. Do not swallow.

@Heidigreen, no I’m not. Tbh I don’t know much about the stages but after Googling I think I must be pretty early on. My gums have receded a lot (I think she said 3-4mm but I have menopause brain so may have misremembered) and my gums bleed loads when I brush them though being strict on the flossing and cutting out sugar has helped stop this. I used to have a huge dental phobia so didn’t go for about 10 years and my gums were really red, swollen and sore and receded much worse than they are now with a couple of wobbly teeth. I am due to go back to the dentists in a couple of weeks time so will quiz her a bit more then. Embarrassingly, apart from the odd panic all my teeth will drop out/ get heart problems I haven’t given it that much thought in recent years. I am hopeful though that maybe if I am a bit more informed then I can improve things somewhat. I am menopausal atm and been diagnosed with osteopenia so I am concerned about the impact of that on my teeth too.

I have GD, just been to the dentist today for a cleaning and check up. As a dental phobic, there was a long spell when I didn’t go to any dentist - but my DSis, who goes regularly, has the same problem! So in our case probably hereditary. I’ve had various deep cleanings and rounds of antibiotics, now my gums are much healthier and don’t bleed. Dentist advised an electric toothbrush, interdental brushes and professional cleanings twice a year at least. I had to have two impacted molars out at the start, and then later on one more as it was barely hanging on. One thing worth checking: my dentist asked if I had any blood sugar problems as the disease was so aggressive despite my good dental hygiene. Turns out I have prediabetes. Might be worth a check as sugar levels can contribute to GD and vice versa.

Hello those living with PD.....

Quick question - I was diagnosed at the start of the year with mild - moderate PD. I had treatment and went to periodontist who said it was currently stable and and put me on 3 month maintenance.
HOWEVER one area still causes a bit of worry - not all the time, just sometimes. I am 100% confident my dental hygiene is good - but one tooth SOMETIMES bleeds a teeny tiny bit, typically after the waterpik. (No bleeding with brushing or ID brushing). On last visit to the hygienist there was a little inflammation - not PD but maybe some mild gingivitis which she said could be down to hormones.

My question for those who are stable/on maintenance. Is it normal to have ups and downs with PD or is it possible to ALWAYS BE STABLE. Have you seen any changes to the baseline of your xrays annually?

Also - regarding dental hygiene Can you brush too much and damage the gums.

@Winealot - any thoughts? x