Sore mouth.

[Tengu]

At least my mouth isnt that sore...as yet.

Went to the dentist and had a different one.

Normaly they rummage around a bit then chase me off. (Being scared I will bite)

This one has pointed out that yes, I do have gum problems, including patches where it has receeded.

I need to clean my teeth more, and more carefully, and she reccomended I use these things that are called `Easypick` made by a company called Tepe.

She poked one in and made me jump.

I am used to floss but these things look like they will make me very sore. She reccomended a product called `Bonjela`

So I went in Boots. The stuff is a local anathetic for mouth ulcers. And not cheap.

When I have gum boils (we all get sore bits in our mouths at some time or other) I use a strong saline solution as mouthwash...not nice but it heals up quick.

Notice my dentist made no mention of mouthwash...I have Corsodyl in the bathroom coupboard, for gum diesease...should I be using that?

I agree that I do have problems but I am not at all happy with the idea of doing damage to heal it up. I will clean more, but as for doing something that will make me sore...

(Good news; she agrees that a hole I have had years and pointed out to the previous dentist needs a filling...)

 

[Corso]

Money for old rope

very little true science behind it

almost as bad as the price of eye glasses these days

last time I went I was told I should pay 100+ quid for a wisdom tooth pull and a filling - after he spent 10 minutes blowing ice cold air at it to demonstate the pain I should be feeling daily that I wasn't so I slowly walked away.

After I shopped around and studied the options I got it sorted by another dentist who then told me it was essentail I had a deep tooth clean or I might run into trouble real soon.

10 years later no issues and a thrid dentist is happy but has suggested something new...

 

[Nice65]

Warm salt water should be fine. Corsodyl is good stuff, but you don’t need to pay a fortune for it, the main ingredient is Chlorhexidine Gluconate. There’s a version I buy in Sainsbury’s that’s £2 a bottle compared with the £5 cost of Corsodyl.

Either use a soft brush, the bristles are finer and reach further, or preferably an electric toothbrush. I have a Philips Sonicare that cost a fair bit. Copy brush heads are actually better than the tiny Sonicare heads and really do clean teeth far better than a standard toothbrush. After a sonic clean they’ll be no gritty plaque roughness around your gums, your teeth will feel like glass.

 

[Zingmo]

If only a dentist would comment...!


Z

 

[Broch]

Never one around when you need one

 

[Paul_B]

Stopped seeing a dentist about 5 years ago now. My usual schedule was once every 7 years but my local NHS practice used to take new patients every 6 months. Now the practise partners have cashed in and been bought out by a private chain. If you're not on their books you're private patient or not a patient. So now I have no dentist to see. They're all private round here or only maintaining existing NHS patients (which they're trying to switch to b private or denplan).

So now when I feel a little bit of sensitivity in the tooth I use those teepee brushes. I have various sizes and types from metal spined brushes to plastic brushes. I have gaps between my teeth that range from small to large. A normal toothbrush gets most though. I also use possibly the most expensive version of sensodyne toothpaste (other brands are available just not as good IMHO).

I'd use those interdental brushes from teepee but do get the right sizes for your gaps. I believe most dentists and dental hygienists will recommend those brushes over floss. Floss is apparently incorrectly or inefficiently used by most people using it. The brushes are easier to use right .

One thing, if you've got plaque on the inside of your teeth (those locations it's not as easy to get a good brushing to) then if it's built up the interdental brush will knock it out. I thought my first use had broken my teeth. It wasn't much but if you have ever had a teeth clean and polish and felt the grit from the results you'll know how obvious it feels like. I think a majority of people will have plaque.

Whatever the state of your teeth and gums good dental hygiene is important. The less work we need to put the way of those money grabbing dentists the better!

 

[Toddy]

I kind of feel sorry for dentists. They are literally mouth Doctors, yet we treat them as technicians, and expect every modern advancement, and cosmetic enhancement, at rock bottom costs.
The NHS picks up so much, but it leaves many Dentists between a rock and a hard place financially. Bit like Vets really.

Look on it as repair and service costs and really it's a bargain. I know I'm fortunate and our local Dental Practices all still offer places for NHS registrations and we get bi-annual check ups, etc.,

I wish I'd been a lot more careful of mine in my youth. I pestered my sons, and now even as adults in their thirties they have all their teeth and no fillings. It can be done, and it's not a hassle to do it. Just basic hygiene and a decent routine.

Best of luck sorting things out Tengu, but if age teaches us anything it's that we change. Our bodies slowly wear regardless of how careful we are of them, and our mouths suffer the same slow process. Just keep it clean and healthy and it's about as good as you can do.

 

[oldtimer]

Tough luck. Although registered as a NHS patient, my wife has just had to pay £1600 for a replacement bridge. This compares with the first house we bought for £500 less.

What about a holiday trip to the Cayman islands? You might negotiate a BushcraftUK full members' discount!

 

[Janne]

Sorry not to have commented before, I am busy trying to do as much as I can on our house before we fly home on Sunday.

First of all, it is impossible to give exact info and associated advice, as I am unable to get an exact diagnosis.
Bone and gum recession ( parodontitis) mainly have several causes.
1: due to hard plaque ( tartar) builtup.
Only cure is to have the tartar removed, then increase the hygiene
After the professional cleaning, the gums will get sore. Likewarm salt water rinses are the best.

2: due to overbrushing. The first symptom is sensitivity due to exposed roots, as the gum ( and bone below) retract.
Treatment: brush more gently, with a soft/ extra soft tooth brush, use a non abrasive tooth paste ( want to go cheap? Do what they did in the past - dip your wetted tooth brush in standard household baking soda!)

Sensodyne toothpastes are the best to lessen the sensitivity.
If those do not help, it is best to cover the exposed root with a kind of filling ( think ‘false nail’). Several groups of materials exist.

3: bone destruction and recession ( and abscesses) due to dead ( necrotic) teeth, of failed rootcanal treatments.
A new rootcanal treatment, or extraction.

4: age related bone loss. Well, this is unavoidable. Our skeleton does decalcify with age.
5: bone loss due to a traumatic oclusion - tooth is basically to high, and the bite/ grinding trauma resorbs the surrounding bone support.
Treatment is to adjust the tooth.

Many other conditions can cause boneloss too of course.

Different diagnoses and treatments from different dentists?
Yes, of course. We are human, many diagnoses are based on previous experience, how we actually diagnose, and so on.
Some dentists ‘under diagnose’ and some ‘ over diagnose’.
Human nature.

It is advisable to have an exam at least one every two years or so, even if you do not have any symptoms.
We do not check only for ‘holes’, but for other problems too.
Cancers. Tumors. Precancerous conditions. We can see start of many diseases in the mouth , face, eyes.
About 1% of all cancers are oral cancers. Plus a several more % are cancers in the face, nose, neck.

During my 32 years, I have discovered 5 cancers, two ( non lethal) tumors and dozens of other diseases and conditions.
I am most proud of discovering a severe malnutrition due to a very bad veganism and Scurvy ( Vit C deficiency)

I refrain to comment on posts like #2.

 

[Janne]

Flossing: I personally ( the only dentist in the world?) do not recommend flossing, unless you have very healthy gums, bone and teeth.
Why?

Flossing is very, very technique sensitive. Easy to push ‘stuff’ into the proximal pockets ( most of us above age of 30 have at least one) which can cause an infection, and worsening of the pocket, even creating a localized gum disease. Easy to cut the gum bit ( papilla) between the teeth.
Never with toothpaste.
Triangular wooden toothpicks are much easier to use. But NEVER together with toothpaste!
Proxi brushes are excellent if you had a perio problem, and have wide spaces between the teeth.

I recomment a Water Pik.

Toothpaste - any, as long as it contains Fluoride. Sensidyne brand only if you have sensitive exposed roots.
Whitening toithpaste - does not work, waste of money.
The whitening agent does work, but not in that concentration, and the teeth are exposed only a short time.

 

[Janne]

Mouthrinses:
Salt water is excellent. Lukewarm. Rinse, gurgle.
Beneficial the days after surgery on an extraction.
Chlorhexidine if you have a bacterial infection. Does stain teeth with prolonged use.
Excellent for the first week after a proper deep scaling.
A deep scaling, properly done, takes about 30-60 minutes per quadrant ( about 6-8 teeth)
Mouthwash: useful ONLY if it contains Fluoride.
The rest are just ‘cosmetics’. Taste good, your breath smell better.

 

[Janne]

You guys, gals and others ( very PC here!) are very welcome to ask anything dental, I will answer as truthfully as I can.

Unfortunately, like in any business, sometimes ( a lot?) a recommended treatment is one of several possibilities, but the more profitable one.
I always have tried to be ethical. Patients interest come first.

Also, sometimes a ‘gold standard’ treatment is in fact not needed.
For example, you do not have to replace a missing tooth.
Or, if you do want to replace it, there is no need to opt for an implant.
Sometimes, simple and cheaper does exactly the same job!

 

[Chainsaw]

I understand (but Janne can verify) that fluoride mouthwash contains much less ppm of fluoride than toothpaste so don't wash all that toothpaste loveliness away with a mouthwash after brushing.

 

[Janne]

100% correct.
It is a technique ‘discovered’ by a guy at my faculty, bottom. Prof. Dowen Birkhead.
I was in fact one of the test subject where he verified the usefullness if it.

After brushing, do not rinse, but take about one soupspoon of water into mouth, then swish around fir a minute or so.
Then spit. Next - do not rinse, but swallow. Fluoride in these very small amounts is beneficial for the bones.

 

[Janne]

Tengu, next time you go for a cleaning, ask for some Topical Anesthetic to be rubbed onto your gums.
If you are very pain intolerant, you can ask to get a local anesthetic injection!

With topical before!

 

[Broch]

Great stuff Janne and thumbs up for not rising to the bait

 

[Tengu]

Thank you Janne for sage advice.

Two things this dentist did not talk about; MOUTHWASH and DESCALING.

I have had cleans in the past, with the waterjet. I do not like metal in my mouth.

This dentist in the past has told me that the water jet will cost me extra! (I have no idea why)

Im going for this filling at the end of next month (I asked her if it would be resin as I have other resin fillings...they have done me good service) and she said she would do what she thought best....I do not like this answer...I will ask about a good clean then.

I have very little scale on my teeth but I will say they are very wonky. There is one place where three teeth are together (and threatened by gum retreat) No doubt I have lots of fiddly bits.

And a gum cover One of my incisors has a root exposed to the bone. (I think, I am too nervous to look properly)

I am not that sensitive, I will add. I might have a twinge if I bit hard on a hard object, but that is all.

Dare I say I am scared of dentists?

 

[Corso]

Thank you Janne for sage advice.

Two things this dentist did not talk about; MOUTHWASH and DESCALING.

Because the science is vague at best and damaging at worst

find me one scientific peer reviewed paper that descaling teeth has a health benifit that wasn't paid for by the industry...

 

[Janne]

Well, most UK and Scandinavian research is indeed paid by the State. Do not know how the rest of Europe does it, but my guess is that the various States pays for most uni based research too..

It is well researched that descaling and healing periodontitis stops tooth loss.
Also, since about 30 years, evidence ( research) show that periodontitis is a factor in heart health.

Corso, are you implying that dental treatments are damaging? Really?

Nobody is forcing you to believe in sound research, or even to visit a dental clinic, Corso.

Stay away, and take care of the problems yourself, when you get them. Easy. Just watch Youtube.

 

[Chainsaw]

Corso, are you serious? I am genuinely asking.