Terrified of possible wisdom tooth extraction
 

Hi everyone. I'm, perhaps due to some unpleasant experiences when much younger, terrified of pain and dental complications. I've also recently developed a cyst due to an impacted lower wisdom tooth and have read so many, countless really, horror stories regarding complications due to dry socket. Also, I've some TMJ and sinus issues and my grandmother essentially died of trigeminal neuralgia.

What I'm wondering is this - is there any other way to address/monitor the cyst created by my molar other than removal of said molar? I'm so terrified from all the stories that I cannot bring myself to schedule an extraction.

Hi NervousMess,

Most people are afraid or apprehensive to get in the dental chair. Even those of us who work in the profession don't look forward to it! So fear, anxiety, even terrified are all very common issues that are dealt with in every dental office. So hopefully you will find some comfort in knowing that you are not alone in feeling this way.

I assume you know about the cyst because you went to the dentist and it showed on an x-ray?

There are all kinds of stories to read about wisdom teeth removal on the internet. MOST of the time, the surgery goes fine and there are no complications. Some ways to cut down on post op complications are...... be as healthy as possible going into the surgery.....prepare your post op diet ahead of time with a nutritious soft food diet rich in protein, which you will be eating for about 2 weeks .... religiously follow the post op instructions given to you by the surgeon... and be able to just relax for 2-3 days after the surgery.

The problems with leaving a wisdom tooth in the mouth that has developed a cyst around it is that the area can become overwhelmed with infection which could compromise the adjacent teeth and jawbone. If it is a lower tooth, the infection can cause a huge swelling that could close off your airway. If it is an upper tooth, the infection could infect the sinuses and beyond.

So it is wise to seriously consider the risks associated with leaving this tooth in the mouth. If you are at all in doubt about removing it, get a second opinion from a different oral surgeon.

I know this is scary.... but you are definitely not alone, your situation is dealt with every day in every dental office so we do understand and most offices take your fears and concerns into consideration.

Please let us know how you're doing...

Bryanna

Thank you so much Bryanna for your reply, and I will certainly discuss the comparative risks of leaving the tooth (from what you've said, I'm guessing the OS will almost certainly refuse).

That said, developing dry socket terrifies me. I suppose there's no way to know the "odds", but at 38 years with an impacted lower wisdom tooth, would you estimate the chances at at least below 50%? Failing that, what are the chances of coping with such pain for possibly weeks/months? From what I surmise it's the sort of thing that could drive people far more tolerant than I to shoot themselves.

Hi NervousMess,

The odds of having a dry socket cannot be given in percentage amounts because depending on the individual case, there could be several contributing factors. With that said, people who are reasonably healthy... take little to no medications that compromise the immune system or decrease the salivary flow... do not smoke ... do not drink alcohol during the healing phase.... follow a healthy diet post operatively... and follow the post op instructions... rarely develop a dry socket. Sometimes the condition develops because the surgeon was a bit lax in cleaning out the socket and/or didn't achieve a healthy amount of blood to create a good size clot.

I always suggest that the patient be the one to bring up the subject of dry socket and make it clear that they are concerned about it and want every precaution taken to avoid getting one. In doing this, the patient feels empowered by making their concerns known ahead of time and the surgeon knows the patient has done their homework!

If you should develop a dry socket, do not wait to get it treated. The earlier the treatment, the faster it heals. After a tooth extraction, the first and second day you feel sore, a bit swollen and just tired. By the third day into the fourth the surgical site should be feeling much better. If it starts to become painful after it felt better, then see your surgeon asap.

Some people have a good amount of pain with a dry socket.... others have very little. Generally the acute pain of a dry socket eases up when it is treated, then comes back a little less painful and is treated again.... this may happen 2-4 times. The lengthy "pain" that you have read about can occur in people who did not seek treatment right away or were told they didn't need treatment... or have other contributing factors that decrease their healing ability. Pain can also occur in the TMJ area which can linger for weeks/months, especially in people who already have TMJ problems. That's why it's a good idea to tell the surgeon if you have TMJ problems prior to the surgery.

It is difficult to anticipate the what if's... but as I said, most people do not have long term pain or complications after wisdom tooth removal.

Try not to be too scared.... I understand how you feel... been there, done that and look... I'm okay ;)

Bryanna

hello nervousmess
 

I too have been in touch with Bryanna a time or two. I feel the same way you do about dentists. I had a terrible time in my youth, and never got over my fear...untill...I talked to Bryanna, and she convinenced me to look around for the proper care and proper surgeon. One that I could relate all my worries too. This happened for me over the course of a year. I went to three different doctors, and found one, that for sure, is helping me to put all the fears and worries aside, and get my mouth fixed. It had been 10 years, and I was in some bad trouble. Today, I have a new smile, yes I had extractions, NO complications, and I do have an immune system problem on top of it all. What Bryanna said to you is absolutely correct. You really don't want that tooth in your mouth. Don't let fear rule you as it did me for so long. This dentist I found is a gem, made of solid gold, who treated me as a human being, and did address my fears and worries first. She made me comfortable before she did anything at all. If you can find this kind of help, the removal of the tooth will be a snap. Get rid of that old infection, and get healthy again. If I could do it, so can you. Find the care your need to feel confident, and then get healthy. Please keep in touch and lets us know how you are doing. I am here for you anytime you need to talk or express your fears. I am 60 years old, and just now starting not to fear the dentist. I have my smile and oral health back. I cannot tell you how relieved I am! Take care of you, and i do wish you all my best. ginnie

thank you
 

Ginny and Bryanna, thank you both. Part of my panic was/is due to not only past experiences but also because I was originally rather eager to have my wisdom teeth removed (in the admittedly naive hope it might ease my mild yet chronic jaw tension) and the sudden shift from anticipation to dread left me reeling. Also, the fact that my dentist in no way suggested that there might exist a quite real chance of serious complications (even aside from the potentially extreme pain of a dry socket) from such a procedure made me question whatever faith I should have in him or really the dental profession in general.

Anyhow, to be fair, I think I now more or less understand why my dentist did not tell me "everything" about the procedure - generally speaking, the more I know the more difficult it is for me to actually make and keep the appointment! That said, I'm going to reschedule the extraction ASAP with a hopefully relatively humane Oral Surgeon and in the meantime try as best I can to whatever can be done to make the experience as tolerable as possible.

Again, thank you both - Bryanna, you should be very proud of how many people you have obviously helped here in times of trouble, and Ginnie, your wonderfully positive spirit should be the envy of anyone of any age.

Sincerely,

- Me

NervousMess,

Dental patients should probably be given more information about their dental problems and a clearer explanation of most dental procedures. However, I believe the details and depth of the information needs to be tailored to the individual patient.

Make sure you tell the surgeon about the chronic jaw tension that you have and if possible, point to the area(s) that are bothering you.

Prepare your post op diet and whatever else you need to alter prior to the surgery date. This way, you will feel less stressed during that time.

Keep in touch....... :)
Bryanna

keep going miss nervous mess
 

I am going to pray you find that person to put you at ease. I will be here for you and so will Bryanna. Keep in touch, I will be thinking about you. ginnie:hug:

Thanks, I'll definitely mention it. Btw, would the fact that I tend to feel tension in both jaws (often near/under/behind the ears) suggest something other than TMJ? I'm also wondering if it might be something vaguely sinus-ish (sinusoidal?) in nature - I once had a deviated septum, and I also might be grinding my teeth due to an overbite, and, ergh, there's probably lots of other stuff that I don't even know about, some of which may not yet be known medical conditions like, er, I dunno, impacted eyebrow herpes, chronic ear scurvy, ingrown tongue, lazy moustache syndrome, total head failure, inability to dance well, Satanic Nostril Possession, etc.

Sorry, I sometimes babble. Anyhow, thanks again, you two.

- John

John,

Some of the tension you feel in your jaw could be coming from the impacted wisdom teeth.

OR.....perhaps it's from the eyebrow herpes or any one of the other unusual things you may have.........

Bryanna ~'.'~

Update
 

Hi,

I had a wisdom tooth extraction yesterday, but just one - the lower molar (#17, I think) with the cyst, as my OS felt that there were significant risks to my sinuses with the upper.

Anyhow, I've been trying to follow the post-op instruction as carefully as possible, but I recently attempted to eat a very small amount of plain oatmeal at room temperature and it's possible a very small bit of it traveled to my left side (i.e., the extraction area). However, I'm not sure if I should try and get it out, if indeed it still resides there, as that's presumably where a blood clot is hopefully forming. What I did instead was rinse very gently with Peridex (Chlorhexidine Gluconate, IIRC). However, very stupidly, I forgot not to spit it out - the spitting was gentle, but still, I now wonder if I've disturbed things.

Anyhow, as a result of the above I'm somewhat anxious to see if the socket is healing or not, but am also anxious to not screw things up further by feeling around with my fingers or even my tongue. Anyhow, any advice as to what precautions, if any, I should take at this point would be appreciated!

- John, who will stick to Ensure drinks for the weekend

Hi Nervous
 

Yes, I had several extractions this year too. Oatmeal should not hurt. I would use no product other than light salt water to "gently rinse" area. You want that clot to stay in there. Sometimes the top of the area, can appear whitish, so it may not be oatmeal stuck in there. Try Jello, fruit nectar, broth, not hot foods. Rest and sleep alot. Try not to put your tongue into the area. That part drove me nuts as I wanted to do that. It will be OK, take the pain med. relax, keep in touch. Give it time to heal. NT will be here for you. Cool compresses help too with swelling. Try not to be afraid of bad results. It has just been a little while. I had more swelling the third day for some reason, and I just used some cool compresses again. Sleep and rest as much as possible. ginnie

Righto
 

Thank you for your reply - your mood reads "stressed", so I hope you feel better soon as well! Btw, the rinsing product I'm using was prescribed by my OS, so I will probably stick with it, but if it gives me trouble for some reason I'll likely switch to salt water. I'm still confused as to how much of the mouthwash should contact the actual extraction site. I'm trying to be careful, but if the point of it is to clean the area and prevent infections, I suppose I should let it do so?

Anyhow, thanks again for your response and best wishes,

- John

Hi John,

So glad that you had that wisdom tooth removed...yay!!

Now about the oatmeal episode.... DO NOT try to remove anything from the surgical area. Small amounts of food debris is not a concern. Also, do not rinse with the peridex more than you are suppose to. Over rinsing can disturb the clot. Some oral surgeons prescribe peridex, others prefer warm salt water. Do as your oral surgeon prescribes unless the peridex causes irritation, then switch to salt water. Also, it is important to eat nutritiously, so definitely stick to soft healthy foods.... like oatmeal! Do not drink through a straw, just drink normal from a cup. Do not use any cold compresses or ice on the face after the first 24 hours as this could cause swelling as the blood pools in the area. However, warm moist compresses on the outside of that side of the face are soothing and can keep the blood flowing really well which can actually reduce swelling.

What did the surgeon say about the cyst? Are you in any pain?

Bryanna

Thanks again
 

Thanks for your response, Bryanna, it's great to hear from you. The cyst has been taken for a biopsy to determine if it is liable to return. According to my OS, it normally does not, but apparently some types are more prone to a re-occurrence than others.

As far as pain, it's strange - I'm in practically no pain whatsoever today and am taking no pain medication. I was of course in quite definite pain yesterday, and eventually took some sort of codine-esque pill (Lortab) for that. Swelling is noticeable but mild. Could the nerves be numbed still?

Anyhow, my chief concern is, as ever, for the socket itself and will try to keep away from it as much as possible. Is talking a bad idea? The whole jaw stills feels a little funky and I'm a bit loath to exert it much just yet. Also, I guess I've gone overboard with the mouthwash - I've used it about three times today (maybe twice, I forget exactly), but my written post-op instructions are to use it twice a day - somehow I got confused by something else I was reading online which encouraged more frequent rinsing. I suppose this means I should avoid using it until tomorrow? Also, if it did mess up the clot, would/could I know by now either from A) the typical symptoms of ridiculously large amounts of pain, or B) visible signs of something amiss in the general area? And, if the latter, is there much point in having a professional examine it tomorrow?

In any event, thanks so much for your helpful advice and support.

Love,

- John

Hi John,

I'm glad that the surgeon is having the cyst biopsied. You will probably get the results at your post op appointment.

Talking is okay.... just go with your instincts on how much or how little to use your jaw. It's good that you are comfortable and if there is no need to take the pain meds, then don't. If within the next few days you develop sudden pain or a throbbing pain that requires meds to relieve it, then you should consult the surgeon. Otherwise, you may not have any further discomfort..... just some weird sensations as the area is healing.

Use the peridex as prescribed only. After about a week, you can rinse with warm salt water twice a day also.

Glad to hear you are doing well!

Bryanna

Hi John
 

Hi John,
Yes I am stressed, but I try hard not to let that rub off on others seeking comfort. I have to sell my home, and I do have a bunch of medical troubles. I come back here on a regular basis to help myself, and to help others. I just know what it means, to be afraid, in pain, and facing some icky things. If it were not for all the good souls here, my mood would be alot more serious than stressed!
How are you today? do you feel better or about the same? I guess the reason why I stated salt water, as my surgeon said, no mouthwash at all for my healing process. Bryanna said something about that at one time also.
I do hope you are better today.
I am on the gulf coast, and it is wet and wild down here. We had some gusts, which I hollered over! The storm doesn't yet know where it is going. Much like my own life. Have a good day, take care of yourself. ginnie

thanks ginnie and Bryanna
 

I'm terribly sorry to hear about your troubles, ginnie, and it is with much sadness that I see yet again how medieval my country's approach to medicine can be. When good people like you are treated badly it shames every one of us.

Anyhow, it's been nearly a week since my extraction - I'm probably going to try and be careful for another week with obviously sketchy foods (popcorn, etc.) but I figure I can eat most things at this point, eh? My jaw is still somewhat sore on my left side and doesn't seem to want to open very far, but I suspect that will gradually improve over time.

Thank you both again for your help, and hang in there, ginnie - I hear the Gulf is a crazy place this time of year, but, hey, it ain't boring!

Love,

- John

Hi John
 

Yes, your jaw will feel better day by day. Sure, eat, slowly carefully. Sounds like you are on the mend.
Yes I am ashamed of the way our country treats health in general. That is the reason I am loosing my home. I don't get enough from disability to keep my paid for home. Don't get enough for taxes. No clause around for the disabled to get a break, unless paralized neck down. I have no idea what I am going to do and that is the truth.
I had pre-existing conditions, excluded me altogether from the insurance pool. when I got sick, there went what two generations saved for....
Dental is not covered. I just got blessed when I found a dentist who will let me pay what I can when I can, even nothing....I make sure I give her regular payments because of her mercy.
I don't know what the new health care clause will mean for any of us. My housemate, has no health insurance. She just doesn't make enough for an $800 per month policy, the cheapest I can find. She is in the same boat I was in, lacking any health care, just as scarry.
Lets hope that this new health care offers some kind of improvement, and not turn into a disaster for the poor. After all they are the ones that can't afford it to begin with.
Keep getting better, I think you are over the hump now. Keep taking care of your oral health, I sure am now! ginnie

Hi John,

Glad to hear you're doing okay!

As for your diet..... stay on a soft food diet for another 2 weeks if you can.... eat nothing with seeds or anything that requires a lot of chewing like almonds or steak, nothing sticky like raisins or anything else that would stick in your teeth. It is important to not over use your jaw muscles.... the limitation with the opening is telling you to take it easy and not rush into regular eating yet.

John, you have been a good patient..... gold stars for you sir :)


Bryanna

Hi John
 

How are you doing? I am glad to see you still have some humor. How is the jaw doing today?
I go to my new dentist this coming week, to finish up a crown. Believe me I was a chicken, scared, panicked too, when after 8 years I decided I have to take care of my teeth. This one dentist, turned me around so where I am not afraid any more. I also came here before my extractions for the comfort I received from Bryanna. She helped educate me on many issues.
I do hope you are doing OK, and that you continue to heal. Keep in touch. ginnie

Update and thanks
 

Hi Ginnie, Bryana,

Sorry, haven't been in touch as much lately, though I suspect no news is generally good when it comes to teeth, at any rate. :)

Anyhow, my mouth feels more or less "normal" again, but there were a few bumps along the road a few weeks ago when I wound up with some sort of infection around the extraction site. Hard to go in and have it dealt with in some not terribly fun way, and then for the next two weeks that area and my lower left TMJ area ached like mad after eating or sometimes even after talking. Only really in the last week has that subsided and I still even now instinctively tend to favor my right jaw for chewing, but I really can't complain anymore - or, rather, I can, because I can talk lots again!

Thanks again for your help and advice here, you both are just gems and great help in at times somewhat stressful month.

Sincerely,

- John

Hi John,

Thanks for checking in!!
If that area acts up again with what seems like an infection, it is best to have the surgeon take a look at it. But hopefully that won't happen and you will be chewing on that side again before you know it!

All the best to.... have a good week :)
Bryanna

Hi John
 

So glad you are doing better. any time we have to deal with teeth, it is kind of a pain in the back side. I hope that your surgeon was kind to your through all of it. I was happy to hear that you were doing OK. Hopefully the bumps in the road have smoothed over, and that you can continue on now to have good oral health. Sorry I have been absent for so long. I have my house on the market, and boy oh boy am I busy. Take care of yourself, ginnie:hug:

Thanks
 

Hi Ginnie,

Thanks, yes, I believe my OS (Dr. Humble in Portland, OR) was excellent. Btw, I don't know if this is useful, but I recently was researching a legal case involving a housing company that was exploiting sellers who were under duress due to foreclosure, etc. I hope (and expect) that your sale will not involve any unscrupulous buyers but if you run into trouble or have questions there's a chance I might be able to help, or at least share what I've learned so far about the matter.

Sincerely,

- John

Hi John
 

How kind of you to reply about the sell of my home. That meant alot to me, as the whole sitautiion is very scarry and upsetting. I picked a realtor here near me, who has been here for 30 years. He is 84 and still wants to work. He has a heart, and knows all kinds of people down here. I picked him after asking about various realtor all over. His reputation was sound. The showing of the house with all the realtor went just fine. Now I pray for the sale to happen, and that I get what I need to move on.
Thank you again John for caring about me. your friend at NT ginnie:hug:

Ginnie,
 

Have been praying all goes well,


(Gerry)

Thanks Gerry
 

Gerry, I miss you too. Forgive me for not being around much. My life is so hectic it is silly. I am taking care of what I need to do to get this young new son I have aquired some help. going to go to vog re-hab for training, and we are going to the food bank. His parents are just awful. Offered to house him in their garage, with baked potatoes to eat. No kidding. Being a christian isn't in what you say, it is in your actions. I hope my actions are pleasing to my God above. I do all in his name, and pray for mercy for all of us. Love you Gerry. Keep in touch, I will respond in time. ginnie:hug::D

Sounds like a good start, and I wish you the very best - a neighbor here in Portland had a problem with a housing company that agreed to a sale but then backed out at the last moment, essentially forcing the owner to make a much lower offer in order to avoid imminent foreclosure. I'm not an expert in real estate, but the lesson I think from that was to try and make sure that your realtor secures sufficient "earnest money" (basically a deposit, I think) from the buyer to cover such an eventuality. In any event, good luck and hang in there, this forum needs you!

Love,

- John

Update and Question
 

Hello,

Something strange and unpleasant seems to be happening to the area where my tooth was extracted last July - basically, my jaw hurts in an increasingly nasty throbbing way a few minutes after chewing anything at all "chewy" and continues to hurt for about an hour or so after. Mind you, this was something that was occurring after the extraction and also when I had an infection that was lanced two weeks later, but it seemed to be going away and by August felt practically nonexistent. Now, however, it seems to have returned with a vengeance and I'm not sure what it actually is. I went for a cleaning with my regular dentist last Tuesday and he said it was probably "scar tissue" that needed to be removed by my OS, which is confusing since I don't quite understand why scar tissue would suddenly and rather randomly get so much worse. Could there be still be an infection that simply never quite healed? I also wonder this because I've gingivitis and therefore probably some infection in my gums (they bleed profusely during the cleaning) that I might have made worse recently when I returned home last September in an odd way: my apartment was very high water pressure and I sometimes try to, while showering, blast my teeth with the forceful spray. I thought this might help things, but now I suspect it could be forcing bacteria deeper into the gums and possibly jawbone.

Anyhow, I'll try and contact my OS and so forth, but figured I'd share this with you guys as well just to see what you think.

- John

P.S. -> I don't know how much this rules out, but I should mentioned that my teeth seem to be doing reasonably well as far as my dentist is concerned (or, as the case seems to be, not concerned), and this pain is clearly brought on by chewing or possibly clenching (I woke up with it this morning).

P.P.S. -> I should also point out that it is really quite painful at times now, though. Throbbing in a sort of deep, radiating king of way, centered somewhere near the now absent tooth.

Hi John
 

Hopefully Bryanna will respond to you on this one. I don't like how this sounds. May be infection still in your jaw, at the site of the extraction. Usually water pics, are good for the gums, so I don't think the shower hurts. However any remaining pain is something to get checked out. Bone itself can become infected especially if the initial infection, did go into the bone. Pain like that is not normal. If your OS does not take an active investigative roll, I would see that other opinion. Better to be on the safe side, and try and get rid of that pain. Is the empty socket all closed up nicely? Any swellings at the site? ginnie

No swelling, temperature is fairly normal, and my dentist says the site has healed very well. The pain feels sort of muscular in nature, like a sore joint that throbs like mad after chewing anything at all chewy.

Am going to try and get hold my OS as soon as feasible. Am terribly busy this week, so timing is awkward. Argh. In the meantime, I way try some sort of Vicks heat balm thing in the I suppose unlikely event it might help...

Thanks,

- John

Hi John
 

Is there any bad taste in your mouth? I hope that your OS will actively take a look and do the tests to get this resolved. Bryanna will post at some point. I know her, she really does care about these dental issues. I know just a little bit. Actually studied to be a hygentist way back in my 20's. ginnie

No bad taste. Tried taking an aspirin (or tylenol, I forget) and it seemed to help some. Still hurts though. Kind of difficult to describe the exact location of the pain, though - sometimes I feel it in my lower gum near some sort of canker-ish sore, other times it's closer to my TMJ. My OS is about to prescribe some sort of antibiotic, I think.

Also, an awkward aspect of this, other than the usual problems I associate with dental disorders, is that my OS is 500 miles away (I had the extraction in Portland over the summer, but I work in Northern CA during the school year).

Re: about sores
 

Canker sores are one thing, but something different in regard to possible infection. I would feel better for you if your OS would take a complete film, to realy look at the bone. antibiotics are fine for mild infections, but for bone involved infection, ask him to do it. You would have peace of mind, knowing it wasn't a real problem. Just my take, as I am a wuss when it comes to dental proceedures. ginnie

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

Re: in general
 

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?