Well.
I went to the dentists for the first time in like 5 years this year 🎉
Had to get a bunch of work done. But I’m better now. I have gum disease (boo gum disease 👎🏾) due to depression/chronic illness + past struggles with disordered eating + iron definitely.
I also have REALLY really bad teeth genetics.
Gum disease is HEAVILY present on one side of my family while tooth decay to the point of dentures is on the other.
Seeing a family member have to get dentures made me kick my ass into gear!!!
Most of my pockets are unfortunately 3-5s 😩 they’ve healed pretty nicely.
Beside one spot towards the very back that still occasionally bleeds?
I also have OCD so I am very very worried all the time now about my teeth. Sometimes my gums kind of…ache? I had some problems with one of my fillings and they had to shave it down but that side, that tooth specifically feels very sensitive??? Could it be teeth grinding? Or should I bring it up at my follow up in a few weeks? ( pretty sure I have an overbite that’s been exacerbated by my wisdom teeth removal years Ago that’s left me with some TMJ in the jaw and once a very known incident of week long hiccup/air hunger like things because my tongue was throbbing and my jaw was just slightly misaligned enough 🙃)
Do you think a water pik is worth it? I’m unemployed right now but it’s the only thing I asked for Christmas/birthday later this year so 🤞🏾
I floss with the little plastic ones because I just can’t do the other ones. I’ve tried. It’s just not in the cards for me for some reason 😭 nothing humbles you like flossing.
When dentists say to use the C-curve method, how can we better floss the back of the teeth? I feel like I’m not getting it good enough behind my teeth.
Is gum aching normal with gum disease? Especially after flossing and brushing? And not like bad aching? Just slight oh hey that’s there kind of thing???
At what point with gum disease should you be nervous about your teeth shifting and talk to your dentist about gum grafts? I don’t think I’m there yet but I want to be prepared for the worst while hoping for the best.
What toothpaste and mouthwash do you suggest? Also, tongue scrapers??? Worth it? Or is the toothbrush back thing with the ridges good enough?
Lastly, very very strange thing happened last time I had to get my fillings. They gave me the numbing stuff (had to go to the very back) and my mouth got very watery because the flavor was pretty nice ngl 😭 but it got on that side of my tongue and then some accidentally went down my throat when I swallowed out of nervousness (it’s a bit of a tic for me.)
Then that side of my throat got numb and I think my body went into a bit of fight or flight because it felt like I couldn’t breathe ??? (I was on nitrous) it was just a few minutes but I had my Fitbit on and my heart rate was through the roof.
Obviously I’m fine now but it scared the shit out of me. And they left me in the room for ten minutes by myself to let the numbing stuff kick in so I thought the last thing I would ever see was Amanda Bynes in She’s The Man on the tv.
So warning to all, no matter how good that numbing stuff tastes, DO NOT SWALLOW IT .
Anyways, THANK YOU ❤️🫶🏾❤️
hey anon, amazing job going in for your first dental appointment in 5 years!!! that's so awesome and i'm really proud of you!!
lots of really good questions so i'm just gonna tackle them in order:
mild tenderness/inflammation of the gums is pretty common with active periodontal disease, especially in the first 6-12 months after treatment. and if you're having sensitivity on a tooth you recently had a filling done on, i would definitely recommend mentioning it to your dentist!! often times, they can make a few more adjustments to make sure your bite still meets cleanly.
a water flosser is a great investment!! i especially like to use mine with a 1:1 mix of water with mouthwash for a little extra boost of fluoride. using manual floss sometimes is still a good idea, though.
getting around the backside of the teeth is sooooo tricky, and the backside of the back molars is one of the most-missed spots in the whole mouth. this is a great video on the c-curve method that i think makes it a lot easier to understand and copy!!
that soreness you're feeling after brushing and flossing should go away over time as you build the habit and your tissue heals from the periodontal treatment. in the meantime, a warm saltwater rinse after flossing can give you some relief, especially if there's any bleeding.
if you're staying on top of your perio maintenance visits and homecare habits, you may never need more intervention!! it can depend on a lot of factors, but those are the top 2 ways to see perio disease really slow down its effects. your dentist will help advise you if/when you start to show signs of needing something like osseous surgery or gum grafting, as those indicators will generally show up on imaging before you'll notice symptoms at home. but, if you're concerned, please do bring it up at your next visit!! they will be much better able than i am to talk to you about those options in your case.
personally, i really like sensodyne sensitivity & gum and therabreath healthy gums !! and i absolutely love my tongue scraper. i feel like it gets so much more buildup than the grooves on the back of my toothbrush, and i feel much cleaner after using it. just make sure you replace it every 3 months, just like your toothbrush/brush head!!
that sounds scary and i'm glad you're okay!! it's true that the local anesthetics used in dental procedures can numb any tissue in your mouth. it generally doesn't last as long from external contact than when it's injected, so hopefully the numbness in your throat wore off quickly!! that sounds like a very uncomfortable and distressing experience, i'm sorry that happened.
thank you so much for being here, and i hope i was able to answer your questions :)
