Michelle Asked:
Hi.
Recently, I have noticed that my gums are very irritated and bleed occasionally around my front bottom teeth.
This morning I woke up to pain in my gums and noticed they were swollen. When I touch them, they bleed. I am also concerned that a part of my gums seem to have detached from my teeth. I believe the symptoms are all pointing at periodontal disease.
I have not been to the dentist in several years because my job does not offer insurance but I did sign up for a dental plan two weeks ago because of the irritation. My insurance plan does not start until May 1 and I absolutely can not afford to go without it.
What can I do at home to keep the pain and inflammation from spreading? Ive never had issues with my mouth before and am very scared.
My Answer: Hi Michelle, thank you for your question.
Healthy gums do not generally bleed form normal stresses like flossing and brushing. Obviously, the swelling and what appears to be detachment are problems that should be looked at by a doctor as soon as possible.
It does definitely sound like you have gum disease (however, you must look to your dentist to make the actual diagnosis). And you should definitely be concerned because gum disease is the number one cause of tooth loss in the world today. At the same time, I don’t want to scare you. So you can take some small comfort in the knowledge that as many as 75% or perhaps even 80% of the people walking around this planet have some form of gum disease right now! So, if you do have it, you are not alone. The difference is that you have become aware of it. This is good, because that awareness affords you the opportunity to take action.
Second, I think it would be more appropriate for you to simply go to a periodontist (a dentist with special training in gum health).
General dentists are not always as focused on your gum health as they could be. To be fair, there are some who are extremely focused in this area. However, broadly speaking, it is the periodontist who is the greatest advocate for the health of your gums.
You asked if there are things you can do at home to help while you are waiting for you dental appointment.
There are, I’ve detailed a lot of very good and useful information in the book: What You Should Know about Gum Disease. I also wrote a special report entitled: How To Stop Gum Disease. You can get a free copy here: http://www.HowToStopGumDisease.com.
The primary tool and the one that I found the most useful is the Hydro Floss oral irrigator. You can read about it at http://www.ToothyGrinsStore.com/hydrofloss I have also come to believe that the pocket pal jet tips are very helpful in conjunction with the Hydro Floss. There are also other tools and products that I think are worthwhile at the Toothy Grins Store. There, I explain my rationale for utilizing most of them. So you can gain valuable insight just from reading about the products and tools on the Toothy Grins Site.
Michelle, I hope that answered your questions. If not, write back and let me know and I will add to this page.
David Snape
Author: What You Should Know about Gum Disease
*This post is for information only and does not intend to provide advice, diagnosis or treatment for any health condition whatsoever. If you have or think you might have a health condition, visit your doctor or dentist for advice diagnosis and treatment. The USFDA has not evaluated statements about products on this site. As stated, this post is for information only…
Every day, I remember that I’m glad that I’m an independent thinker that does not need the government to tell me what to think! 
