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Re: Gum disease and beidges

Posted by cs on 11/6/2009, 7:09 pm, in reply to "Gum disease and beidges"

Hi, Jerry . . . You did not mention where you envision having that bridge. To replace the missing eye teeth? . . . Or is there some problem with one or more front teeth that will require their removal? More importantly, what does your dentist recommend? I'm not a dental professional . . . just a fellow patient — but it doesn't make sense to me to arbitrarily remove healthy teeth. Then again, if your gum problem is a severe as you've described and your dentist has mentioned a bridge, maybe s/he i feels removing teeth proactively might help your gums in some way. Another issue involving bridges is the health of the teeth that anchor the bridge, which sometimes develop cavities that weaken the those teeth and require extending the bridge and creating a longer span. I hate to mention it, but if your teeth are prone to cavities, at some point that bridge might become so long, it becoms impractical to sustain it. Just off the top of my head, I think this would be a good time to stop and consider your long-term goals. e.g., . . . Do you really want a bridge? . . . or do you believe that's your only option? Would it make more sense to wait until the need arises and deal with the loss of each tooth as it happens? If so, maybe (removable) partial dentures would be a better choice than a fixed bridge. If your teeth and gums have become so problematic that you are ready to throw in the towel . . . would it make sense to throw it in and get full dentures? Finally — is it possible that putting even more effort into your teeth could ultimately save them? By that, I mean . . . if you are now following the full routine you described in your post only at bedtime . . . how about an extra session in the morning? . . . That sonicare toothbrush and waterpik are useful, but you didn't mention either flossing or using a dental pik, as well. If you haven't tried them, I can tell your from personal experience, they can make a world of difference. These days, the dental industry is turning out products so rapidly, it's hard to keep up with them. But some of the new mouth rinses that claim to attack various dental problems might be worth a try . . . although I found that when my gums were still prone to infection, my dentist's suggestion that I simply rinse with 3% hydrogen peroxide made a big difference in my dental health. Also, while I haven't tried them yet, maybe one of the new toothpastes that claim to remineralize teeth or fluoride gels that prevent decay might be helpful. While it's true that some of the manufacturer's claims may just be hype, I'd still be willing to give them a try if I thought they could save my teeth. But I also would schedule n appointment with my dentist to discuss my concerns and hear what he has to say.

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Responses: Re: Gum disease and beidges - Jerry 11/9/2009, 7:54 pm « Back to thread

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