how fast do gums return to normal?

[Ohce]

I've got my dentists appointment on Thursday, my first in a few years, with a new dentist.

Long story short; I suffer from OCD, have been unable to brush my teeth for nigh on two years (foul I know. OCD is quite the little scamp; I basically had an irrational fear that cleaning my teeth would make me ill) but began treatment for said disorder a few months back. I've improved immensely and can now brush my teeth, albeit in short sharp bursts.
This is something I will be informing my dentist about.

First, I'm fairly certain I have, at the very least, mild Periodontitis.
I obviously have very swollen gums in around 70% of my mouth, the worst offenders being my bottom front teeth.
I was wondering what to expect basically, treatment wise; I've read and researched but nothing is as in depth as I am looking for. I know you can't tell me everything since you can't actually see the state of my teeth, but I'd really appreciate as much information as you can give so I can prepare myself.

Second, after treatment, how quickly can I expect my gums to return to something resembling normal? Taking into account that I will be taking care of my teeth correctly from there on in (even if my Mother has to strap me down and clean them herself)
I'm not expecting miracle results overnight, but it'd be nice to have a vague idea before Thursday, as a kind of 'something to look forward to' to help me be less afraid.

Third, I obviously have pretty bad breath. After treatment, and with the correct after-care, can I hope for my bad breath to disappear, or am I looking at further problems?

Thank you for you time, take care

 

[Lesley]

Re: Just a couple of questions, please help

Hi!

This is a great, GREAT forum.  So glad you looked in to get some advice - if any one can help you, the lovely people here can.  One of the mods or the dentists will pop in soon to give you all the help you need.



Well done for taking steps to address your problems with your oral health - congratulations!  Some of the archives and help sections on here may be able to help you in the meantime till someone more knowlegable comes along.

I am not a dentist, or any kind of expert - I am an extremely phobic person who has just plucked up the courage to visit the dentist for the first time in seven years myself.   I don't have OCD, but I am completely phobic about the dental chair, so I do understand just how debilitating and awful this condition is.   I hope you can get help for this.  

I got to a point where I knew rationally I was making myself ill by NOT visiting the dentist or taking care of my teeth.  I somehow managed to 'counter brainwash' myself (lol) and began to see that the abcess I knew I had could seriously affect my health.  NOTHING is insurmountable with help and support,  and the sense of achievement after you have conquered your fear is amazing.  

As for your appointment ....try to explain as best you can to the dentist how this condition has affected your life, and your oral hygiene.  Hopefully he/she will be as understanding as possible.  If he isn't....I suggest you keep searching until you find someone who is.

I would imagine he will give you a thorough exam, which will probably consist of checking your teeth for any decay, and your gums for disease.  There may be a hygienist in the practice who you might be asked to make a further appointment with for a thorough clean and further advice on how to maintain good oral health.  I have never, ever found this procedure to be unpleasant or painful.  

You will probably have x-rays taken, to check for decay that is not visible to the dentist.  
In the meantime, perhaps if you struggle with brushing, you could try including a good mouthwash such as Listerene in the routine you can manage?  

Good luck, I sincerely wish you all the best
Lesley
x

 

[fromyesterday]

Re: Just a couple of questions, please help

My situation is similar to yours. I hadn't gone for 15 years because of dentist phobia, and while I brush my teeth many times daily I went to the dentist and he said I had gum disease because of all the built up plaque. That said he scheduled me for a couple of deep cleanings and said that after that's done I should notice results pretty quickly, so the same may apply to you.

The dentist may give you a mouthwash to use until then (if you do need deep cleanings) and after that may want you to see him/her more often. Mine told me that I'll have to come in every 3 months to check the progress and make sure the disease is under control.

Good luck! Please let us know how things go.

 

[Gordon]

Re: Just a couple of questions, please help

There's really not much to add here, you've been given accurate advice so far.

Basically, you've either got gingivitis (which is reversible) or periodontitis (which isn't reversible but can be stopped from getting worse). Either way, what needs to happen is that the plaque which has solidified from minerals in your saliva, needs to be removed, this is called scaling. After this is done and if you keep up your oral hygiene, then things will return to normal fairly quickly, certainly within a few weeks.
Let us know how you get on.