19 years old with gum pocket, bad anxiety

[Former member 29157]

Hi,

When I was between 13 and 16 I would consume An obscene amount of sweets and fizzy drinks, combined with poor oral hygiene which I somehow thought I'd get away with. It's caught up with me now after many fillings and my first root canal due soon.

I've always had some blood when brushing teeth and for some reason, maybe just out of shame, I regrettably never went to the dentist. However, last week I examined my gums and noticed what I know think is a pocket on my lower front tooth. I have been struggling with anxiety since being told I needed a root canal but since seeing this I have been unable to sleep and constantly having panic attacks, and constantly checking my gum in the mirror and staying up until stupid times researching.

Im so worried because I'm only 19 and this is really embarrassing. I haven't eaten anything sugary for almost a year now and am religious with my oral care so was fairly surprised to see it. When I put my tooth between my fingers and move it I can wriggle it slightly, unlike my other teeth, although I've never noticed it.

I just can't stop worrying and it's consuming my life, I don't want to leave my room and I just feel so anxious 24/7. Is there anything that can be done or is it too late??

I'll attach a photo (you can't see my pocket that well - it's worse in person).

 

[Dr. Daniel]

Hi,

Given your young age, I doubt whether you have a severe gum disease. Your gum looks reddish but that is true for 80% of the adult population.
inly by probing the gum with a dental probe is it possible to diagnose the gum situation. X rays are also important. You can not tell much by looking from the outside.
The best way to stop worrying it by making an appointment with a dentist or an oral hygienist. I am certain your mind will ease after.
You are invited to watch my video about The uncertainty factor. I believe it will be helpful.

 

[Former member 29157]

Hi,

Given your young age, I doubt whether you have a severe gum disease. Your gum looks reddish but that is true for 80% of the adult population.
inly by probing the gum with a dental probe is it possible to diagnose the gum situation. X rays are also important. You can not tell much by looking from the outside.
The best way to stop worrying it by making an appointment with a dentist or an oral hygienist. I am certain your mind will ease after.
You are invited to watch my video about The uncertainty factor. I believe it will be helpful.

Thank you for your reply. From the picture yes it just looks red, but when I get my fingernail between my gum and bottom two teeth I can detach it and there is a gap If I have periodontitis this young, what does this mean for the future of my teeth and jaw? It's 8am and I still haven't slept, I've been crying all morning in a dark place and just feel like this will ruin my life I feel so depressed and anxious, mainly because I'm so young to have it and i couldve stopped it. I can't get an appointment for another two weeks so I will have to try to survive this wait, it's killing me.

 

[Former member 29157]

I also notice bottom right of my pic there is a white area, is this bone???

 

[Dr. Daniel]

Also poking with the nail does not tell about the gum health. And besides, please be careful, the nails can really damage the gum.

 

[Dr. Daniel]

I also notice bottom right of my pic there is a white area, is this bone???

The bone is not exposed there, it is simply more visible though the thin layer of gum.

 

[Former member 29157]

I'm still unable to get a doctors appointment until next week I have some better pictures although it is still hard to see how the gum has loosened at the bottom of that bottom middle tooth. I notice that when I brush my teeth it is just my lower teeth that bleed and more specifically the redness isn't mainly around the bottom 4 teeth which is where my teeth have definitely receded. Is this definitely periodontitis or is there a chance it could be severe gingivitis even though the gum has loosened at bottom of tooth? I'm so worried. I have been going to routine dentist appointments every 6 months and even had my last x ray just over a month ago - surely This can't have developed over a month?

 

[Former member 29157]

This is a picture of my top gum which doesn't seem to have any receding or anything.

 

[Former member 29157]

The gum between my lower teeth is also extremely flappy and when I floss it comes almost all the way forward and I can go far down the side of the tooth - is this normal?

 

[Enarete]

Are you sure to floss properly? The floss should get wrapped around the side of the tooth and slide up and down, so it shouldn't really press your gum anywhere. I remember flossing weirdly some time ago and noticing my gum around my lower teeth being 'flappy' as I could move it around. It freaked me out back then but as my dentist never commented I thought it was ok so my first thought was that maybe you just experiment with your gum too much. If your dentist haven't diagnosed anything wrong with your gums than there shouldn't be anything to worry.

Would it be an idea to see a dentist again and ask about this just for you to have peace of mind?

 

[Former member 29157]

Are you sure to floss properly? The floss should get wrapped around the side of the tooth and slide up and down, so it shouldn't really press your gum anywhere. I remember flossing weirdly some time ago and noticing my gum around my lower teeth being 'flappy' as I could move it around. It freaked me out back then but as my dentist never commented I thought it was ok so my first thought was that maybe you just experiment with your gum too much. If your dentist haven't diagnosed anything wrong with your gums than there shouldn't be anything to worry.

Would it be an idea to see a dentist again and ask about this just for you to have peace of mind?

Honestly I never really used to floss and when I did I just went up and down and never round the tooth which I now know is incorrect. Did your flappy gum heal back up? So worried this mean I have a periodontal pocket because I also have a longer looking tooth. Yes I am going to my dentist next week but the wait is driving me crazy.

 

[Enarete]

I never checked again whether it healed. Just told my dentist I was scared I had severe gum desease and he said no, you don’t. We then made an agreement - my part of the job is to see him regularly and his part is to keep an eye on my gums.

It sounds like you never worried about gum desease before and only checked your gums last week. Was there anything in particular that made you start to think of gum desease?

 

[Former member 29157]

I never checked again whether it healed. Just told my dentist I was scared I had severe gum desease and he said no, you don’t. We then made an agreement - my part of the job is to see him regularly and his part is to keep an eye on my gums.

It sounds like you never worried about gum desease before and only checked your gums last week. Was there anything in particular that made you start to think of gum desease?

Thanks for your reply! No I don't think I ever really would look at my gums, I guess I just assumed it was fine. I think it's because I noticed that bottom tooth that looks longer and the gum looks like it's come away from tooth at bottom - you can slightly see in picture. My bottom gums also look swollen and red, and bleed, so when I googled this I freaked out. I thought it would be severe gum disease because apparently gingivitis is not destructive and because my gum looks damaged at the bottom of that tooth, I guess I'm just assuming the worst.

 

[Enarete]

Did you know that there are several things that can cause gum recession? For example grinding.. or too much pressure when brushing.. Looking at your picture I can't see too much difference to how my bottom teeth look like. Periodontal disease is more about bacteria and about bone loss, not about gum recession and as Dr.Daniel said, at your age it would be really really unusual. Also dentists look at gums during a check-up so if everything was fine at your last one, then it is ok now. Anyway, it is good idea to get it confirmed, just for you to get peace. If your gums bleed and are red, a cleaning will take care of it.

 

[Former member 29157]

Did you know that there are several things that can cause gum recession? For example grinding.. or too much pressure when brushing.. Looking at your picture I can't see too much difference to how my bottom teeth look like. Periodontal disease is more about bacteria and about bone loss, not about gum recession and as Dr.Daniel said, at your age it would be really really unusual. Also dentists look at gums during a check-up so if everything was fine at your last one, then it is ok now. Anyway, it is good idea to get it confirmed, just for you to get peace. If your gums bleed and are red, a cleaning will take care of it.

I don't know if the dentist has pulled my bottom lip down during examinations though to check gums as that is where I'm most worried about. The gum isn't just swollen but there is a gap at the bottom and sides. Yes hopefully my dentist will make me feel better but I'm so worried he'll say I have pockets around that tooth because the gum definitely looks almost baggy around it and whenever I try to move that tooth I can actually wriggle it slightly:/

 

[Gordon]

Ah, at last a usable photo!
You have fairly well developed gingivitis in that area. Note, there are 2 kinds of gum disease, gingivitis and periodontitis. You can have one without the other. Given your age, you are extremely unlikely to have the latter.

There's some calculus down below the gum line, see the brown area showing just at the neck of the tooth as it exits the gum?
The gum is swollen due to the gingivitis, which is why it's feeling odd.
That's going to bleed heavily when a toothbrush gets to it, don't panic about this, it's just an indication that you've not been cleaning well enough.

Get the calculus removed, get some instruction on how to clean properly between your teeth, then get started cleaning properly in there, and you'll be fine

Please do not stick your fingernails in there!!!

 

[Former member 29157]

Ah, at last a usable photo!
You have fairly well developed gingivitis in that area. Note, there are 2 kinds of gum disease, gingivitis and periodontitis. You can have one without the other. Given your age, you are extremely unlikely to have the latter.

There's some calculus down below the gum line, see the brown area showing just at the neck of the tooth as it exits the gum?
The gum is swollen due to the gingivitis, which is why it's feeling odd.
That's going to bleed heavily when a toothbrush gets to it, don't panic about this, it's just an indication that you've not been cleaning well enough.

Get the calculus removed, get some instruction on how to clean properly between your teeth, then get started cleaning properly in there, and you'll be fine

Please do not stick your fingernails in there!!!

Thank you for your reply! Yes I'm hoping it is just gingivitis and not periodontitis:/ youve made me feel a bit better thank you! Just need to anxiously wait until my appointment now!

 

[Former member 29157]

Ah, at last a usable photo!
You have fairly well developed gingivitis in that area. Note, there are 2 kinds of gum disease, gingivitis and periodontitis. You can have one without the other. Given your age, you are extremely unlikely to have the latter.

There's some calculus down below the gum line, see the brown area showing just at the neck of the tooth as it exits the gum?
The gum is swollen due to the gingivitis, which is why it's feeling odd.
That's going to bleed heavily when a toothbrush gets to it, don't panic about this, it's just an indication that you've not been cleaning well enough.

Get the calculus removed, get some instruction on how to clean properly between your teeth, then get started cleaning properly in there, and you'll be fine

Please do not stick your fingernails in there!!!

Do you think the gum where it look a damaged will ever go back to looking healthy? And also how do you know if it's periodontitis or gingivitis? How do you distinguish between them - I can't stop panicking! Is it weird that my top gums seem healthy and don't bleed?

 

[Gordon]

1) Yes, probably
2) It's not possible to tell the difference between gingivitis and periodontitis from a photo as has been explained to you before. However, given your age, it's very unlikely to be periodontitis
3) No it isn't, it's much easier to clean the uppers and you tend to get more calculus around lower incisors due to where the saliva ducts are.

 

[Former member 29157]

1) Yes, probably
2) It's not possible to tell the difference between gingivitis and periodontitis from a photo as has been explained to you before. However, given your age, it's very unlikely to be periodontitis
3) No it isn't, it's much easier to clean the uppers and you tend to get more calculus around lower incisors due to where the saliva ducts are.

Due to that worst tooth feeling slightly loose - I can wriggle it a bit - does this mean it is periodontitis? Like can you even have a wriggly tooth with gingivitis or does that automatically mean I have periodontitis?