Oral Care Advice

They wanted me to submit to a ‘root scaling and planing’ procedure. They said it would not hurt because they would numb my gums before proceeding. Did I want to get started today?

NO! I don’t want to start today. I wondered why I needed this procedure all of a sudden!

As I looked further into the situation, a larger picture began to reveal itself. It became apparent that I was the victim of gum disease, the silent epidemic that stalks most people who don’t usually realize it until it is time for a costly and potentially painful treatment and recovery.

What I think is disturbing is that a condition doesn’t get this bad between office visits. Why did I suddenly need this treatment? Why wasn’t this mentioned before? How come I wasn’t told how to prevent it? In fact, gum disease often develops slowly over a period of years. More importantly, it is preventable.

Gum recession and tissue that is lost won’t normally return on it’s own. The gum recession remains permanent unless you go to a Periodontist, who can rebuild that tissue by inserting bone matrix or by utilizing other similar procedures. This is also an expensive proposition.

As I mentioned before, I declined the root scaling and planing. The response from the hygienist was that she wanted me to sign a paper that it wasn’t their fault if I lost my teeth. My satisfaction came six months later when the hygienist looked at my mouth and said that I didn’t need that root scaling and planing any longer.

My frustration, however, lingers. I’ve visited the same dentist’s office for about 8 years now. This didn’t happen overnight. Why wasn’t I ever told how to stop gum disease from getting worse? Going back even further why was I not told how to prevent it? The gum recession doesn’t reverse by itself. The gums may be healthy again, but the tissue loss remains.

Here is a quote from the Mayo Clinic website, “nearly 80 percent of American adults have some form of gum (periodontal) disease.” Therefore, dentistry must know that people either have or are developing the disease. The question begs to be answered, “how do I prevent this in the first place?”

Unfortunately, you may get an answer suggesting that brushing and flossing are important. I agree they are important, but you can not tell me that 80% of Americans are not brushing and flossing. Just thinking about the numbers leads to the conclusion that brushing and flossing are NOT enough to prevent gum disease for most people.

I found a combination of materials that I could use to stop gum disease from getting worse. It was a great discovery for me personally. The last time I visited the dentist, there was no bleeding. My gums are a healthy pink now. Unfortunately, getting the lost tissue back would involve some expensive treatment and potentially painful recovery time.

Fortunately, I can prevent further problems. I wish that I had an article like this one in my hands 15 years ago. That way, I could have kept the gum tissue that I had. My teeth and gums look fine, even when I smile. It’s when I look closely that I notice just how much tissue was lost. It didn’t have to be that way. If things had gotten worse, I could have lost teeth over this disease. Don’t lose yours.

The Gingivitis Killer site tells the story of how I stopped the progression of the disease. Special Note: If you have gum disease or suspect you might, visit your dentist for diagnosis and treatment.

David Snape is the author of What You Should Know about Gum Disease – an important book considering that the majority of adults suffer from some form of gum disease. David also answers questions on any health, fitness or wellness topic at his blog: http://tobeinformed.com – David believes in oral irrigation to help fight against gum disease and that the premiere oral irrigation device on the market is the Hydro Floss Oral Irrigator.

Disclaimer: This article is for information purposes. It does not intend to provide advice, diagnosis or treatment. If you have or think you have an oral health problem, visit a periodontist for advice, diagnosis and treatment. The USFDA has not evaluated any statements about products in this article.

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