Gum Disease Realization after Periodontal Visit
Preface: This conversation ensued after a reader of this site visited the periodontist. I constantly urged her to go.
The reader originally thought that her gum disease problems were minor, when in fact, they were not at all.
Situations like this one are part of why it is absolutely imperative that you visit a periodontist if you have or think you might have gum disease.
My Response to reader’s email:
Ok, let me understand this correctly.
You said that you only your front 4 teeth are affected right?
Did he see more than that affected? In other words, is it more than your front teeth and is it really ALL of your gum tissue that is affected?
This is an important question. If your whole mouth is affected and you have tartar buildup under the gum line - well that could require a root scaling and planing.
That is the point that I started using the hydro floss. That worked for me and helped me avoid the root scaling treatment. However, I cannot advise you to do what I did. Only your doctor should advise you or recommend treatment. Besides, he can see your mouth and I can’t.
If only your front 4 teeth are affected, then I’m not sure about doing your whole mouth. If you are not sure or comfortable with your periodontist’s recommendation, then you should get a second opinion. Otherwise, you are stuck following his treatment plan.
Sounds to me like his opinion is that you have gum disease everywhere and not just on your front 4 teeth.
There should not be stitches involved. However, if they feel you need them then you do.
I don’t know what he meant by hyper sensitive, but it does sound like your problems are worse than you thought and mentioned to me.
Now, you have have to decide wet her you should get a second opinion or follow his treatment plan.
You can’t have it all done at once, it is not done that way. One side needs to heal up a bit before they do the other side.
It takes about 2 hours for each treatment.
I’m glad you went and got examined, it really sounds like it was worse than you thought / said it was.
- Dave
Reader’s Reply:
You are correct! I cannot see them, but I have pockets of red gums in between each and every tooth.
It is much worse than I thought however I do not have bone loss YET!! No loose teeth. I hate to even think of how painful this is going to be but I am tough I will just have him do it!!!
I am not a dentist I though the few red gums were the bad part well he used that long probe to check top pockets and several are more than 3mm
He kept calling them out it HURT!!!
So that tells me there is more going on in there!!! I said heck with doing them al you can see they are mad just schedule me. Good thing in my insurance covers 80% So UNFORTUNATLY in one month unless any apts are xld I go in for the worst cleaning ever!!!
What happens to the gum when they pull them away from the tooth that would mean they are more exposed??? Do you have any literature about how it is done? GRRRRRRRRR. (“BLUNTYLY THIS SUCKS”)
SCARED TO DEATH
My comments: Many people are not aware that they have gum disease or how bad it is until they visit a periodontist. It is estimated that 80% of adults have gum disease. Eighty percent is a lot. Don’t you think you should get checked out as soon as possible?
- Dave
