Confused and scared about gum problem, can anyone help?

[Anxiousgirl]

HI
i recently registered with a new NHS dentist as I was a bit disappointed with the private dentist I was going to. I was paying a monthly fee to cover check up and cleaning, but when I went to have a filling replaced, after he did the filling he said see you in 6 months, no proper check up and only a really quick clean around a couple of teeth, so I was a bit miffed!
The new dentist I saw yesterday said I had a gum problem, and booked me in with the hygienist for this morning.

the hygienist was lovely, she checked all my gums and said there was nothing to worry about. She said my front upper gums were a 0, bottom front a 1, and most of the others were a 2, apart from one isolated spot that was a 3. She then did a thorough scale and polish, spending more time on the '3' area

Im just wondering if its common to have just one spot that is that bad? Also, she said it was all reversible, but had a quick google, and I read that 3 and above is irreversible. Now I'm scared ?

Could anyone clarify this for me, I'm scared I'm going to lose my tooth/teeth

thanks x

 

[Lannie]

Hi there - I'm not a dentist, so this is just my humble opinion, but I wouldn't worry if I were you. The hygenist is trained to know what to look for, and how to diagnose what she is seeing. It's awesome that your gums are in such good condition, and I'm sure they will stay that way if you keep looking after them like they are, same goes for your teeth. I know how tempting it is to Google when we want to know something, but I've found time and again that Googling anything medical is usually a mistake. The internet is fantastic in terms of giving us info, but the internet is not a qualified doctor or a qualified dentist. I read a bumper sticker once that said "Googling a symptom is the fastest way to convince yourself that you are dying" and quite frankly, it couldn't be more true!

 

[carole]

From what I know it is quite correct what you have been told. It is possible to get a 3 down to a o with the right cleaning. It is the gums that come away from the tooth a bit when food gets stuck in there which does happen. That is why flossing and cleaning is so important because healthy gums keep you teeth stuck in your head.

I am glad it went well for you

 

[Anxiousgirl]

Thank you both for replying.

you're right about Dr Google, he's bad news!

The hygienist gave me some tepe brushes to use in the bad area, and yesterday it bled when I used it, today there was no bleeding at all, so hopefully I'm on the right track.

It's funny really, (not that I'm laughing) but when I go on about my teeth, my dad always jokes 'your teeth are fine, but its your gums that have got to come out!'

One question though, the dentist charged me band 2 NHS charge (£49) as I needed a 'deep clean' which is all ok, so I was expecting to have to have anaesthetic for the clean, but it was just a scale and polish with an extra minute or so on the problem area which is one spot between 2 teeth. Does that seem right?

Im seeing the hygienist again in 3 months, so I'm guessing that will be band 2 again. Oh we'll, cheaper than the private dentist I suppose.

thanks again for the reassurance x

 

[carole]

I think looking at this that you may have been charged wrong, read it and you decide

https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/dentists/dental-costs/understanding-nhs-dental-charges/

 

[Anxiousgirl]

Thanks Carole
I read through the info, and on the detailed list it says if you have a periodontal pocket cleaned, it's a band 2 treatment, so I guess that applies whether you have 1 pocket or lots!

I have to go back in 3 months to check that the gums have improved, so hopefully, that visit will be band 1 if I get my gums in good shape!

the hygienist was very thorough with the scale and polish, not like I've had from previous NHS dentists.
Thank you for your help Carole x

 

[carole]

Oh I am glad I just skimmed the three main charges so wasn't sure if it did include the deep clean. I do know people that pay 38.00 every three months for a clean by a hygienist so I wasn't sure.

I am glad that you are happy now that you were charged the right price. Your dentist does sound very nice though so it would have been a shame if a trust issue was there.

I think you are going to do very well with them. Thank you for letting us know

 

[rob wain]

Hi Anxiousgirl
the score 3 refers to a measurement between the top of the gum and where it attaches to the tooth.
The measurement can appear to be larger if the gum is swollen due to some inflammation such as from food packing. The treatment is to clean the area (which the hygienist did) and to keep it clean with careful brushing/flossing (this bit is down to you).
Hopefully at the 3 month review all of the scores will be reduced - zero is ideal.
Sounds to me like everything has been handled just fine.

 

[Anxiousgirl]

Thank you Rob, that's very reassuring. As my previous dentist didn't mention it at my check up a month ago, I'm hoping its not too bad. I'm determined to not let it get any worse!