Periodontal disease... Stage 4. Anyone able to recover from this?!

[Nickname1980]

Just that really. As I've posted on a couple of other threads, my periodontal disease is pretty bad. And I am getting a tooth extracted next week. And have the four quadrant cleanings booked with antibiotic injections.

Are my teeth screwed always?! Anyone recover from it?!

The dentist said they'll look ugly after as the gum shrinks and I'll get the "black triangles". I used to have a good smile! I'm totally gutted.

I didn't see this coming at all! Have been busy producing kids though. I'm so diligent at cleaning my teeth. Dentist reckoned it could be genetic.

I was told by my dentist to uses mouthwash, why are some dentists advising not to use them?

Corsodyl mouthwash defo stains, I didn’t think others did. I have heard that you shouldn’t use mouthwash after using a fluoride toothpaste because you wash away the fluoride. I use it in my water flosser and also to dip the interdental brushes in.

Help2022, try not to panic, it’s a slow progressing condition. Best course of action is to get a full hygiene regime led by your hygienist then be extremely vigilant about following it to the letter. It’s as much about technique as anything, mine told me to be mindful when cleaning, eg do it in front of a mirror and concentrate on cleaning each tooth really carefully. Watch you tube videos about proper technique for tooth brushing, flossing, interdental care and keep doing it the very best you can. You can’t cure it but you can stabilise and manage it if you really want to and can be bothered with all the necessary cleaning!

Also gum disease is certainly highly effected by life style choices/ situations. If you smoke that’s got to go, also there’s evidence out there that regular alcoholic drinks/ lots of sugar exacerbate GD.

Thanks for the replys, i'm currently lying in bed unable to sleep and dreading getting out of bee already. Gonna get an appointment with a hygeneist cause i couldnt live like this, i am generally a very anxious persin and my anxietys through the roof. I seen my dentist in Janurary and he didnt mention peri or anything but why would my gums suddenly look inflamed and my gum recede on 1 of my teeth and he didnt even pick up on it its terrible.

That was meant to be bed not bee, also i dont smoke.

Thank you helpful thread

@Help2022 I have lost a lot of weight since I found out and have actually started on anti depressants - I was so low and having some very dark thoughts. I still am most days.
I have joined a facebook group and found that quite helpful - if not in terms of advice, but just knowing other people are dealing with it too. many women around our age - deffo something hormonal going on if you ask me! The fb group is 'periodontal disease support group'. The thing is that I am trying to remind myself is that many people post when they are in crisis - and as my doctor rightly pointed out - there will be lots of people out there who have this and are not posting online because they have it under control. That gave me some comfort. I think that @Querty123456 has been managing their condition well as as she says in a post above - it can be a very slow progression if we get on top of it. Do you know how much bone loss you have or did they tell you wat your pocket depths were?

@Boofy82 I havent been diagnosed with it yet. I seen my dentist in Janurary and he didnt mention anything about my gums but they have been red around my 4 top front teeth and i've had a bit of gum recession on 1 tooth. This all started several years ago when I just started randomnly having bone loss and i kept going to my dentist crying until he reffered me to a perio who checked my gums and said he couldnt see anything wrong and couldnt explain the bone loss. Since seeing the perio I've had more gum recession and more bone loss on my bottom teeth. I went to a private dentist and had my top teeth filled with white fillings but I didnt get around to doing my bottom cause i had a baby then that dentist closed down during lockdown. I'm going to buy listerine gum defense moutwash and do this in between brushing as i believe your not meant to use it straight after brushing and wait to see my dentist at the start of next month and see if i need reffered to the perio again. Its just the waiting is awful and I'm scared its only going to get worse and the loss of appetite couldnt be good either. I've just came off antidepressants as i had a rough few months with something else and i really dont want to go back on them again.

@Help2022 maybe it isnt even gum disease then?! I hope not for your sake. There may be other reasons for bone loss but I am not aware of them. Gum disease is the pits as you need decent gums to have anything more done to help such as implants or dentures.. so God knows what people are meant to do when teeth start coming out.
I have my super deep clean on the 29th (dreading it). They didn't really say much about what to do in the meantime. I was so upset at the consultation that I just cried and forgot to ask lots of things I had meant to. All I did hear was '50% bone loss' and 'deep pockets'. It was awful. I'm only 39 and never smoked and my teeth are pretty nice. I even had braces years ago so they are nice and straight too. I have been upping my home routine which is tricky with getting to work on time etc,.. but I have to try and do something. So I am using a soft manual brush to go over the mouth, cheeks and gums, then using interdental brushes for each space (I use 3 different sizes as they need to fit snug) and then brush with electric toothbrush for 4 mins. I do this in the morning and evening but better in the evening as I don't have to rush off to catch my bus to work. I have just been swilling with water after lunch as I cant really brush where I work. The perio will school me in brushing at the deep clean appointment, but that is still some weeks away, so this is what I think seems reasonable, who knows. I also got some plaque colouring tablets from Boots what stain plaque so you can see any areas you miss. Its messy and I have done it a couple of times just to see if I keep missing particular areas so I know to send longer brushing those teeth.

@Boofy82 how did u find out u had it? In the past 7 or 8 years since the bone loss started with me i've been 2 my own dentist who insisted at the start there was nothing wrong with my gums but i remember telling him i was getting a funny taste in my mouth and thats a sympton i've recently found out but he fobbed me off with something. I got reffered 2 the perio and he couldnt find anything then 3 years ago i went 2 a private dentist and he didnt mention it either. I didnt get 2 the dentist for 2 years cause of covid so i'm thinking thats why i'm getting proper symptons now. Yesterday and today i've swirled a bit of boiled water with salt in it cause i read thats good for gum disease and i'm going out 2moro 2 get some more supplements 2 add 2 the ones i already take as well as the gum defence mouthwash. Gonna ring my dentist next week and see if i can get a cancellation and he can decide whether i need 2 see a perio or a hygeneist. I barely slept last night with worry i just need my dentist 2 tell me whats going on cause i dont want 2 lose any more bone.

Hi, thanks for asking Boofy1982 - my gums and teeth are unfortunately getting much worse but I am absolutely terrified of getting them checked by the dentist incase they say that I need to have my teeth taken out - it is my worst nightmare, and I know the head in the sand method is not good but I am just so scared and anxious. I took my 12 year old to the dentist yesterday and the whole time I was with him I was in such a state. I really have no idea how I can make this better and I can’t afford to either, I am so depressed by my teeth and gums and literally think about them every waking minute and have nightmares about them when I am sleeping. I used to have such beautiful teeth and now they are so ugly 😢

I know it’s hard but it’s not going to get better on its own, if you get started on a programme of deep cleans you’ll probably be surprised how well you respond to treatment. I’m dental phobic and didn’t go for 10 years because I’m scared and i still am, but I force myself to go because I’m more scared of the prospect of losing teeth.
One thing I would say is that it takes a long time to see improvement in gum health. Do you have to keep the strict cleaning regime up for months and months to see any improvements. It’s only after prob a year of regular hygienist and stringent home care that mine are looking really good. It takes a lot of faith but is defo worth it! Good luck all struggling with this awful condition x

@Help2022 well mine seems to have come on in recent years. Before lockdown I went to the dentist in 2018 - then missed one in 2019 (my fault) so them when I wanted an appointment when things reopened, I found out that I had been taken off their books and had to wait for a spot at a new dentists. It was the new dentist that said I had gum disease and bone loss. So I don't know of it was there for years but never mentioned, or if it has all happened since 2018. Either way - not good! I am waiting for my first deep clean at a perio where I self refered. I think it's going to cost about £1000! But I would pay anything to get this sorted. I just hope that after the treatment I can be stable and keep it that way! I just bought a Oral B io tooth brush which is fancy - I'll try anything.

Hello all!

I'm sorry for jumping on but I'm due to go to a dental appointment today and have all of the tell tale signs of periodontitis. Everything you've all said absolutely resounds with me, and I'm having a very hard time keeping calm.

I'm only 23 but have had dental issues for years. I had HG in pregnancy, which had me hospitalized and didn't help my dental situation at all!

A dentist refused to see me during pregnancy, which was mostly due to it being at the height of covid but I've left it so long now in the Hope's that it could just be swept under the rug 😕

I just wanted to say that this thread has been lovely to read through and has calmed me down some in prep for my appointment today, even if I do get very bad news.

Cozyyellowcardigan - I hope all went well at your dental appointment, sending a virtual hug

Thank you for your kind words!

It's still unclear as to where I stand with my dental situation.

I had a very short appointment with the doctor (around 10 minutes), where bitewing x rays were taken. The dentist didn't mention any bone loss so staying positive. However, they have sent me to the hygienist for a deep clean (appointment is tomorrow) so I'm getting very anxious that they will find something the dentist didn't see!

Just an update from today's hygienist appointment:

I'm still none the wiser on where I stand!

I've had the cleaning which was great, but she wasn't too fond of probing my gums! I had to bring it up to her as the dentist hadn't probed them either and she really quickly whizzed the probe around my gums in about 2 minutes and left it at that.

Would you recommend I get a second opinion as I'm feeling a bit let down and still anxious!

Cozyyellowcardigan - hope you are ok. Well done for going to the dentist and hygienist - you are a million times braver than me! Hopefully the quick probing means that everything is ok but yes I would say to get a second opinion just to check

Thank you! I've been so distraught with anxiety this last week and a half/two weeks and my poor little boy has suffered as a consequence which makes me feel like a horrible mum!

I've spoken to some other dental professionals who explained the process of what the hygienist did and all agree that there's no reason for concern! I do have a little bit of sensitivity after the clean as they did remove some build up but once that's gone, I'll definitely look into getting a second opinion just so that I can rest easy!

I'm the same last stage did you have any luck?

Hi everyone, I know this is a bit of an older thread but am I able to join? I’m 43 and suffered with periodontal disease for years. I currently see the hygienist every 3 months for a clean but I am so down about it. My dental hygiene routine is good, I have an electric toothbrush, water flosser, use interdental brushes and string floss and interspaced. I water floss after everything I eat. My problem is that I should have had braces when I was younger and my teeth are very overcrowded and overlap in places. It’s very hard to keep them perfectly cleaned. I do the best I can and only have the deep cleans with the hygienist at the moment. I’m terrified of seeing anyone else. What I want to know is does everyone with this awful disease eventually lose their teeth? What else can u be doing? Like others on here, and I’ve read the whole thread, I am panicking over it all. I hate talking to people in case they can see my receded gums at the bottom.