Hi John,

I suggest that you see an oral surgeon close to where you are rather than wait.... just in case there is an infection. It does not have to be the surgeon who extracted the tooth. Your symptoms are indicative of an infection, but also mimic a muscular spasm. The canker sore may or may not be linked to an infection. It could also be linked to your gum disease, especially if you've had a cleaning recently.

Gingivitis is the beginning of periodontal disease and with diligent home care, it can be brought under control. If the condition continues, the bacteria will progress further into the gum tissue and bone. It is not normal for healthy gums to bleed more than a few specks during a professional cleaning. If your gums bleed a lot when you have your teeth cleaned, this is a sign of more than gingivitis. It could also indicate a health problem and/or be associated with certain medications that you are taking.

I would suggest that you NOT use the shower head or the water pik on a hard setting to rinse out your mouth or gums. The hard setting is definitely too harsh and can actually injure the gum tissue.

Again, I think it's best to have this checked out and not just take an antibiotic for an undiagnosed infection.

Hope this info helps...
Bryanna

I'm not sure what sort of gum disease I've got actually - at every cleaning, they call out numbers from two to four that measure something, and they tell me to floss, of course, and I've been trying to do so more frequently, but it's possible the shower thing was a bad idea and made things worse than they already were. If the gums are badly infected, what can be done?

Anyhow, I too am wary of taking antibiotics until I know more and will try and make an appointment with the local OS, assuming he'll let me.

Argh.

Thanks,

- John

a two, or three is OK. When the numbers state a 4, that is an area to pay attention to. 5 and above is a problem. I had deep root cleaning for those areas, and it worked right away. This proceedure no longer hurts, as they used a topical gel that works wonders. Hope you get that test to see whats up. take care, ginnie

John,

The numbers that are called out during your cleaning are measurements as to how far down the periodontal probe will slide into the area between the tooth and the gum. There are 6 measurements taken on every tooth and each one indicates the depth of the pocket from the top of the gum line to the bone level. The measurements are in millimeters and they range from "0" to "10". The numbers "0" through "3" are considered a normal depth. Anything deeper than a "3" indicates some bone loss. The larger the number the deeper the pocket.

If you have recession, this is where the gum has receded lower than normal, then the pocket depths may not be deep but the bone loss can be significant when you measure from where the gum line should actually be down to the actual bone level.

If you have normal to slightly deep pocket depths, say 3 to 4 or 5 mms deep and you have chronic gingivitis, you have the onset of periodontal disease which will progress to deeper pockets, recession and bone loss. Gingivitis does not ever stay in that stage of inflammation, it always worsens if it is not brought under control.

It is important to understand that bleeding gums are never normal when brushing, flossing or having your teeth cleaned. Bleeding from the gums always indicates inflammation and usually a build up of bacteria. It is also important to understand what disease process is going on with your gums so that you can learn how to bring it under control. So ask your hygienist next time you see her!

Home care on a daily basis should always include thorough (not aggressive) tooth brushing with a soft bristle brush (change the brush every 3 months), and flossing in between every tooth. There is no need to use a mouthwash if you are thorough with your home care. Mouthwashes that contain alcohol and/or preservatives and/or dyes are actually harmful to your gums, your salivary glands and your digestive system. These mouthwashes are meant to kill germs, which means they kill off ALL of the germs, both good and bad. It is never a good idea to kill off the good germs as they are necessary for the health of your teeth and gums. The mouth is not meant to be a sterile environment.. it's meant to be a healthy one

Try using different types of floss and see which works best for you. Also you can try some different types of dental picks in addition to using the floss.
One really good one is called soft picks...here's a link..
http://www.dentalproductshopper.com/...s-dental-picks.

Don't be alarmed over this... your gum condition is probably controllable at this point. Start being diligent with your home care every day and ask about your gum issues at your next cleaning.

Have a good weekend!
Bryanna

I tried today and over the weekend to get someone to see if I've an infection, no luck whatsoever. I've been prescribed, from 500 miles away, 300 MG Clindamycin 4X(!) a day, and given that I've a rather sensitive digestion I'm not eager to take it. Anyhow, I've no idea how to verify if I've an actual infection or not - no doctor will see me any time soon, saying that I've a dental problem and a dental prescription, and there's no dentist or Oral Surgeon that has time in their schedule to see me to make a clear diagnosis. Also, I'm not entirely sure a dentist is even qualified to determine such things.

Would going to the ER help at all?

John,

Antibiotics should not be used without a proper diagnosis. You could have a muscular problem which would not require antibiotics. Clindamycin can cause major intestinal upset, so it should not be taken without just cause. FYI, taking a probiotic supplement daily would be helpful in preventing or minimizing that upset.

A dentist should be able to distinguish between an infection and a muscular issue. If you were to go to the ER of a hospital that had a dental department, the dentist on call would take an xray of the area to see if anything showed up that way. He would also ask you a series of questions and perform a few muscular tests. If you feel your situation is getting worse and you feel you should not wait.... then go to the ER. Only you can determine that.... wish I could be of more help to you :/

Bryanna

The condition is getting worse, am trying to get an appointment somewhere today. Am also taking acidophilus and eating a lot of yogurt in the event I require clindamycin. Is there a brand (of yogurt) that you'd recommend?

Anyhow, thanks very much again for your help, all this is a bit confusing and I feel a lot of rather conflicting concerns all at play at once. Whee.

Sincerely,

- John

Since you can't get into see a specialist or OS. I would indeed go to the emergency room. At least you could find out what is going wrong. Sometimes the ER docs. can get you into see a specialist faster than you could on your own. so sorry you are going through all this. ginnie

Hi John,

Hopefully you have gotten in to see someone today. Please keep us posted!

Yes, keep taking the probiotic every day. Yogurt is okay so long as it's organic and contains no sugar, sweetener or pieces of fruit. Any of those things will destroy the good bacteria in there. It's best to eat plain organic yogurt and add your own fresh fruit for sweetness.

Will check back later to see if you've stopped by....
Bryanna