Tell me your experiences with periodontal disease

[Julias21]

So I’m 22 and have severe periodontal disease and have had it for a few years . I always read about it being linked to heart disease, cancer and diabetes. I have really bad health anxiety and every day I am convinced I have one or the other of those conditions. I get numb feet (diabetes symptom apparently) heart palpitations etc and every symptom I think I have cancer . My dentist only takes emergencies atm unless you’re a plan member and therefore get a check up and a clean 2 times a year . They told me periodontist won’t see me till I do that . Anyone out there reassure me ?

OP periodontal disease is caused by a build up of plaque around the teeth and gums. Bacteria leads to inflammation
https://www.cdc.gov/oralhealth/conditions/periodontal-disease.html

The other things you mention while risk factors are not the main cause.

Periodontal disease is not something that goes away with meds you just take home it requires deep cleaning of the teeth. That's why your dentist won't see you unless you have a cleaning plan in place?

How have you managing the disease so far...?

So why not become a plan member?

@Paradise404
i have been using corsadoyl mouth wash and toothpaste as the dentist told me to and brush in between the gaps of my teeth with a brush. Gaps have formed in my teeth 😭 everytime I have an emergency appointment for pain (wisdom teeth have decayed and have been falling out in pieces need taken out) and need multiple fillings and most teeth are decaying , I don’t know what to do :( it’s the wait for all these appointments, what if it gets worse while waiting ages for appointments is my worry

@MintHmmbug i am, but appointments are back logged and il still be waiting ages regardless and what in that time it’ll get worse ?

just book the appointment, this is one thing you dont want to leave and hope it goes away

i have peridontal disease and im in my 40s and now losing bone and have receding gums, all down to years of not looking after my teeth and smoking - ive lost a tooth and due to the gum disease theres no point in me getting an implant as if things carry on it wont last so the dentist wont refer me until it improves

If you are already paying for private dental plans and still can't get be seen then what other practices are available in your area? Maybe you need to change practice?

@chipsandpeas I know but my worry is booking the appointment could be a long time away and gets worse while waiting .
@C8H10N4O2 there’s a few but referrals from different dentists can take a while too

That's not enough you need to floss between your teeth and have regular hygienist visits.
You sound like you're on NHS rather than private?
You don't need a 'referral' for a new private dentist you just register yourself. Unlike a GP you can be registered at multiple dental practices at the same time.

Some dentists don't take you on as a regular unless you sign up to the plan, if yours doesn't have space even for private you need to go elsewhere and take their plan

@Paradise404 is flossing better than the wee brushes ?
how regularly do you have to see a hygenist for severe periodontal ? Because with the plan it’s only 2 times a year

I have periodontal disease. It’s a disease of the gum which means I’m prone to deep pockets and receding gums. My dad has it too so it’s hereditary. I started in my mid 40s. It’s managed and I believe you can’t get rid of it but I might be wrong about this. (Yours might not be hereditary).

I was with a private dentist and never had pain but prone to bleeding and food getting trapped behind my molars. I now see a periodontist once every year and have 3 hygienist visit at the periodontist. But as I said it’s a managed disease so I have to use tepe brushes between my teeth and another brush along the gum line in front and behind my teeth. All of these are under the periodontist recommendations. You will need to be diligent about using the brushes to keep the pockets under control. If not kept under control, I was told I could lose my teeth. I however still have all my natural teeth so it’s not all doom and gloom.

Private periodonist vists cost quite a bit of money. Not sure if it’s available on the NHS. I can’t remember what the lead time is to get registered with them either.

Oh I was referred to the periodontist by my private dentist.

I think you need to do what they say. Sign up to a plan and have twice yearly hygienist visits. I do think they need to rule out it’s not lack of care that led to gum disease before preferring you to a periodontist. Like in my case where it is due to me being vulnerable to it.

@ReadyForPumpkins unfortunately mine is due to neglect . I had an eating disorder which ruined my teeth and depression which made me neglect myself
what difference does that make that they won’t refer me if it wasn’t hereditary?

what Your dentist is saying is to have your teeth regularly cleaned and checked up first. They do the same at a periodontist. Difference is they are more specialised with periodontal disease. They don’t actually have any drugs or gels to stop the gum receding. It’s all managed by good brushing and regular hygienist visits. Your dentist sounds sensible and I assume he doesn’t want to refer you unless it can’t be controlled with regular dentist and hygienist visits.

I am much older than you so have lost a few molars as a result of my periodontal disease.

I tried a periodontist but they weren't particularly helpful and were very expensive. I have been told now to have my teeth cleaned every two months by the hygenist and I was shown how to clean my teeth better myself and use the tepee brushes.

I do have heart disease so know that the two are related but my dentist said that they think it may be partly due to the medication I take for my heart rather than a real link. My gums bleed a lot because I take aspirin. I know I will probably loose all my teeth eventually but I am getting old so it is less of a issue and my heart is more likely to give out first!

I also have this, although I’m over 60 and have lost molars. Other than that I am exceptionally healthy, so no links to other conditions. I try to keep my teeth as clean as possible, do you use a water pick? It jets water along and between the teeth to remove debris.
i have been told that it is often a hereditary condition, but I also think that I have in the past had awful dental care, despite being a private patient.
I’m about to join another dental practice, it will be interesting to see what they say. I find it all very depressing.

I’ve struggled with it for years and my mum had all her teeth removed due to it in her 40’s - I’m just going through process privately for new dentures. That plus Crohn’s disease and acidosis have destroyed most of my natural ones

Sorry, yes. Interdental brushes are fine I misread and thought they were normal brushes.
I don't know. It depends on the cause and severity of the disease.

I have periodontal disease too, a couple of pockets are 4 or 5 and a couple of teeth are loose. My hygienist said that if I see a specialist and get the plaque scraped from under the gum line, I may be lucky and save my teeth. It won't be cheap.

I have an appointment with a different dentist in the new year who specialises in periodontal disease.

I'm a nervous patient and suffer from needle phobia but I regularly go so I'm rather frustrated that due to covid lockdowns it has got worse. Before covid I was reversing it and actually getting past my nervousness. Lockdown happened and that was it (think I spent a year without going).

I'm in my 40s and have had so many problems with my teeth that I'm seriously considering going to a dentist in Serbia who I know & trust to extract them all and put in All-on-4 implants.

Some of my problems are due to a history of poverty and self-neglect but a lot of them are also unexplainable and I suspect I have something systemic going on that just ruins my dental health.

I'm just so tired of the constant worry, and tired of the twice-daily brushing + floss + interdental brushing + excellent diet + quitting smoking doing nothing to stabilise the periodontal problems.

Periodontal disease is complex. It is associated with heart disease and diabetes, it is very likely to be a genetic fault in the immune system and is seen in less than 10% of the population.
When most of us neglect our teeth it results in the build up of plaque ( not the hard white calculus but the soft fluffy build up of food) this can cause general inflammation resulting in red swollen gums which bleed easily. This happens over a period of weeks it does not necessarily cause gum loss or bone loss. But if you have the underlying genetic fault then the immune system over reacts to the plaque deposits creating a huge inflammatory reaction causing bone destruction and leads to gum loss and pocketing. The real problem is knowing whether you have the underlying fault with the immune system so we treat all early gum inflammation as if it does.
There is a simple solution, removing all plaque from your teeth daily prevents it maturing and causing the inflammatory reaction.
Regular visits to a dentist and hygienist will help by monitoring your ability to clean your teeth but just having a clean will do nothing if you are not meticulous at home.
In order to give you the best possible chance to control your periodontal disease, a thorough clean/ root debridement is needed. So it’s worth investing in the initial deep clean but after that it is really down to you the patient.
Having a regular hygiene appointment will have no effect if you are not working in them at home.
And yes you are correct that once you have gaps, using the tiny brushes are more effective than floss. In addition using a water pick can help.
Concentrate on your daily cleaning, there are plenty of online videos to help you with technique.
OP you may also be right in thinking that your past eating disorder may have caused damage and that your perio disease may be the result.
It’s never too late to turn things around but it will take hard work and be a life long task.
Don’t give up it may be a wait until you can have treatment but cleaning your mouth efficiently even when you have decay and cavities will stabilise it until you can have the necessary treatment.
Ask if you can book an appointment with a hygienist privately and ask that they spend the time showing you how to clean your teeth effectively rather than just cleaning them for you. You can usually see them as often as you want so they can monitor your progress. It may be costly but it is money well spent to save your teeth.
As a dentist I find that changing people’s attitude and habits to improve their dental health gives far more job satisfaction than cleaning a dirty mouth every 3-6 months or repeatedly filling decaying teeth.

Anyone who does have periodontal disease should be aware of its link to diabetes and heart disease. It is worth periodically having your blood sugar levels tested and blood pressure measured to pick up any early changes.

Perio can be hereditary or can be due to not cleaning the teeth properly. You need to make sure you are having regular scales (every 3 month with perio) brush twice per day and you must clean between your teeth every night with interdental sticks. (Floss is better than nothing however it is less favourable due to the motion you could actually push food into the gums), perio due to not cleaning properly is caused by plaque building up around the teeth and it grows beneath the gum causing the gums to shrink back and the loss of tissues and bone

Mouthwash isn’t really necessary as it will wash away all the benefits of the toothpaste however you do prefer to use it, use it at a seperate time to brushing.

Unfortunately with perio, the damage won’t repair however you can monitor it and prevent it from getting worse.

Im a dental nurse 😊

@PinkLemonade23 I’ve had it for a few years and not once was I offered or told that I need regular cleanings . Will it be too late ? As far as I’m aware , I have no loose teeth , they maybe move if I wiggle them myself slightly , although all 4 wisdom teeth are all decayed , holes in them due to them coming out in parts. I also had to get cavities in most teeth when I was younger although I never gotten round to it (have forgotten and just left it) so I have cavities , decay and periodontal , what do u suggest ? Do u think this can still be managed

Hi how did you get on with this?
My dentist put I had this in my notes but never told me or referred to the hygienist etc
I now have to have intense periodontal therapy before I'm ready for an implant so I am taking it further

My ex lost all teeth from this.
Are you using interdental brushes? Youll probably need few sizes..but you do need that plan