What's your oral hygiene routine to prevent / reverse gum disease?

[Kweeni]

How long does it take to get better? Did you see a specialist (heard a radio ad today) - or can I manage this at home?

Periodontist to reset gum health. Daily routine of interdental brushing + electric brush and not had any problem since 13 years.

I'm not sure you can reverse it? But you can probably slow it down. I had several treatments with the dental hygienist for deep cleans.

3 monthly hygienist appointments, teepee brushes and electric toothbrush.
Ive reversed it from pretty bad to almost gone now.
Has taken about 2.5 years of steady improvement….

Also don’t rinse toothpaste away after brushing.

Really good springflowers. My teeth not great. However Im doing better cleaning. She said get two deep cleans a year and helps gums. My gums werent great. Its improving.

That's pretty much my regime, I have an array of the teepee brushes of all sizes and use them every day. The shortish time gap between hygienist appointments stops me getting slack. Things aren't getting worse at any rate if not improving - it's a bit of a slog but worth it to hang onto my teeth!

Just to add-floss and use tepes before brushing.

I think once you've got it you just need to be really fastidious about tp-ing using electric brush twice daily and seeing the hygienist and dentist regularly.
I've been told I've got pockets of bacteria in some teeth so I'm having a full deep clean with anesthetic tomorrow.
I used to have a really bad dentist phobia so only turned things round in the last few years. I'm so glad I have though as prevention is better than cure with teeth.

Six months ago I told my dentist that I wouldn’t go back to the hygienist because she was extremely rough and I found the whole thing traumatising. He cleaned my teeth and got rid of all the tartar (?) for me. He then told me to continue to brush twice a day with my electric toothbrush remembering to brush where my tooth meet my gums, start using interdental brushes and corsodyl mouthwash. I saw him earlier this week and said the difference was great he changed my records from high risk of gum disease to having good gum health. Its amazing how much we miss even with an electric toothbrush.

I am use TPees and standard tooth brush - but need to start using floss under the gums - I think? And get an electric toothbrush? Do I need a water flosser as well?

I go for clean and polish quarterly with dentist but it is £90 a session - do I need a dentist to do this - or can I use a hygienst eleswhere which may be cheaper?

I'm not sure it's much cheaper with a hygienist rather than a dentist.
I'd take their advice about what to use floss Vs Types. It'll depend on the size of the gaps.
No dental professional has ever recommended a water flosser. I'd stick with electric toothbrush floss and tepes.

What is your dentist saying OP? If you have gum disease you need a deep clean, this is usually done by a dentist with pain relief, usually over at least two appointments. Has this happened?

Then after this it’s a good idea to use corsodyl for a period. And to maintain, good dental hygiene (brushing gum line, tepes and/or floss) and 3 monthly hygienist visits until it’s stable/no active gum disease when you can probably move to 6 monthly.

Where are you in that process?

Note that if you have advanced periodontitis you will normally need specialist treatment from a periodontist and can vary and is much more involved.

I saw a perio specialist for a deep clean last year. It was expensive(and long), but it gives me the chance not to lose my teeth. But I have periodontitis. You may not need it if you just have gum disease. Your dentist should advise you what treatment you need.

Now I have to see the hygienist every 3 months, she's very gentle and very happy with my teeth. Also use teepe brushes and have an electric toothbrush. Although I stabbed myself with a teepe brush the other week and was in agony and took a week to heal.

My hygienist told me not to use corsodyl as it stains your teeth. She said Listerine is okay.

Gum disease is reversible. You just need to take action before it goes from gingivitis to periodontitis.

I don't get on with teepees or floss, and my dentist suggested I get a water flosser. I've got one on order. I hope it helps.

I have 3 monthly scale and polish with hygienist. Use an electric toothbrush, flossers and also a water flosser. The hygienist nags me every time to use the interdental brushes but I detest them and find it impossible to do. I feel like I am doing the best I can.

A water flosser is very good. Mine is a Waterpik, water flosser, the most powerful one you can buy. It's amazing the debris that is removed from your teeth at night even after brushing. There's a knack to using it to prevent you getting soaking wet! I've tried the cheaper ones but the Waterpik is the best

I have 6 monthly hygienist appts. I use an sonicare brush twice daily (new head every couple of months), interdental brushes (hygienist will tell you which size/you need) at night, high fluoride (5000ppm) toothpaste on prescription which I don't rinse. I am prescribed the toothpaste as a protective measure because I am more prone to cavities thanks to a medication I have to take which reduces saliva production (dry mouth = increased risk of caries).

If you have progressive disease, you may need 3 monthly appts, follow their advice on how to manage and care for your teeth in between visits. Visiting a hygienist regularly and following their advice is lifechanging in terms of dental (and overall health).

My dentist recommended using a waterflosser so I got one and use it in the shower ! My dentist also recommended that I get him to deep clean my teeth under the gums. He said the hygienist only has a limited time to clean, and it’ll be cheaper if he did it.

I read that a waterflosser is not as good as flossing and interdental brushes, but better than nothing for those who don't regularly floss.

Waterpiks are great if you have deep pockets that trap food. The recheargeable ones stop working quickly, but the plug in ones are more reliable, but as PP have said, dentists prefer floss and teepees. You can flush out a three course meal that your floss won't reach, or pushed further in

I have weakass gums and always use an electric brush, dental floss, the bottle brush teepees, the silicone teepees and corsodyl (generic version, same concentration) every day. Hygienist 4x a year.

Floss, teepee, Waterpik, tongue scraper every day.
Electric toothbrush at 45 degree angle held for a second on each tooth in turn, with gum overlap. No scrubbing. Front, back and edge.

My dental hygienist was amazed at the difference between one visit and the next in the reduction of gum recession.

I have regular hygienist appointments.

I reversed my periodental pockets with a few visits to the hygienist (expensive but worth it), good brushing and flossing.

I was advised by a periodontist, and also by my dentist, that it’s really important with the Tepe brushes to use the correct colour for the size of the gaps between your teeth. The larger the size of the brush that you can manage to push through the gap the better. I have to use an assortment of 4 different colours to fit snugly into my various sized gaps.
A regular interdental brushing regime plus cleaning my teeth with an electric Sonicare toothbrush has been a real game changer for me and my gums are now in perfect health.

Im 66 and have reversed my pockets with a flosser and 3 monthly hygienist visits