Severe periodontitis/Receding gums

[etene]

Iam scared to death!!! It´s now 18 years since i saw a dentist. It was for a wisdom tooth extraction. My teeth were in perfect conditon then, but in the process of the extraction the dentist touched a nerve that gave me excruciating pain. My phobia started there and then as i am scared of that pain. My gum problems started about 7 years ago but i was too scared to see a dentist. Now my condition has gotten worse and my gums have receded so badly. The roots of my lower front teeth are exposed. I suspect they are also loosening. I have been living with a broken molar for 2 years. I cannot even imagine how the rest of my teeth look like. Iam so scared still to make that call. Iam stressed out that i might fall into depression. I who used to have beautiful teeth that i got compliments. How did i get here? Please help!!!!!!!!!!

 

[georgec]

You are in the EXACT same situation I was in years ago. Well, my teeth were never perfect at any point, but never had any cavities. But my reply here is basically what I would say to myself back then. For some background, I just got upper and lower partial dentures for all my front teeth. I think a lot these days about wishing I could go back and change things, make different choices. Perhaps I can at least help you avoid my situation.

The result of putting off the treatment is never going to be anything but a worse situation that it would have been had you went in for treatment earlier. And you will eventually HAVE TO face up to the situation and the longer you wait the less options (and the more expensive) it will all get.

They can actually do quite a bit to treat receding gums, even if they have gotten bad. Having regular deep cleanings can help prevent the need for dentures/implants by years. The deep cleanings help stop the bone loss.

At the very least, you need to have a professional assess your situation and give you your options, even if like me, you are just burying your head in the sand.

I know now in hindsight that I was just avoiding facing up to the reality of the worsening situation, but let me tell you the shame and regret of letting it get worse and worse when you look back and realize you could have actually done something to slow down the damage — that is far worse than facing up to the reality. Trust me!

Also, I now look back and realize all those times where I thought things were "so bad" and "beyond hope", I actually could have done something to salvage the situation had I faced the reality and gotten treatment.

I kept thinking the situation would accelerate and force me to face up to it, but instead things got visibly worse very slowly (and I had no major pain), but the unseen damage (bone loss) was getting worse and worse.

You will eventually have no choice but to have this taken care of, but the longer you wait the less options you'll have. And you'll look back and say "if only I'd gone in back X years ago!".

I feel very dumb and ashamed for waiting so long, and for not staying on top of the treatment once I finally did go in. All that avoidance did me no good in the end, and just made the eventual situation I had to face more severe, expensive and left me with less options.

There's a good chance things aren't as bad as you think they are, but the longer you avoid finding out the truth, the more likely they actually will get as bad as you are fearing.

If I would have just gone in each time I thought, "oh man, this is bad", I would have actually been able to get the situation under control. It sounds like you are where I was a few years before I actually went in for the assessment. I would give anything to be able to go back and be able to go in and have things treated back at that stage!

There will still be damage, but the sooner you go in the better they can manage it.

Make an appointment first thing tomorrow. Trust me on this, you will be so glad you did.

 

[etene]

Thank you for your reply and for the tough love. I need to make an appointment. I am already in the regret stage of, i wish i took action 7 years ago. I realize things will only get worse. Crazy thing is, I am not in so much pain apart from some pressure on the worst receded part. Lack of pain makes me avoid making those appointemnts. But i know things are bad. My daughter told me last week that my teeth are now crooked. That has panicked/stressed me quite abit I am not sleeping well. I have to make that appointment asap!!!!!!!!!!

 

[etene]

I have finally made an appointment on 1st March. Could not get sooner due to long waiting time(Sweden) Am so scared!!!

 

[etene]

I go to see the dentist in 5 days for a full evaluation. I have so much fear that i feel frozen and paralyzed. I dont want to cancel the appointment as i feel like its now or never. The recession keeps getting worse. Does anyone know whether teeth with exposed roots can be saved and can recession improve? I need support please!!

 

[explosionsinthesky]

I go to see the dentist in 5 days for a full evaluation. I have so much fear that i feel frozen and paralyzed. I dont want to cancel the appointment as i feel like its now or never. The recession keeps getting worse. Does anyone know whether teeth with exposed roots can be saved and can recession improve? I need support please!!

yes they can. have a look at free gingival graft. it's a treatment with very good outcome and not too expensive.

 

[etene]

My appointment is in 3 hours. Am so nervous, and fearing what i will be be told. Contempleting on not going, but i do realise my condition is only getting worse and i have to pay for not showing up. Scared of the diagnosis.

 

[canadianblogger]

Hey you can do this

I wish I had gone to the dentist years ago when I could- now almost 5 molars gone (which 3 are on the left lower side) and a ton of work to do... I can only tell you that getting the diagnosis isn't that scary. The first step is just the one to your completed journey.

 

[etene]

Thank you for the support. I go in exactly 1 hour 30 minutes. Scared but hopeful. No turning back. This is the first step on my journey. Crying and all......

 

[etene]

My journey has started. I survived the first evaluation. Yep, i have advanced periodontitis. For now
I will need 4 deep cleaning sessions and 2 molars extracted due to the gum infection. After that more evaluation will done so as to continue with the treatment. Shockingly after 18 years no cavities!!!!!!!!

The prices in Sweden are not so bad, the only problem is i have to wait for 2 months to see the dental hygienist and the dentist almost 3 months. The waiting cue is crazy. I really wanted to get started right away.

 

[mylife]

My journey has started. I survived the first evaluation. Yep, i have advanced periodontitis. For now
I will need 4 deep cleaning sessions and 2 molars extracted due to the gum infection. After that more evaluation will done so as to continue with the treatment. Shockingly after 18 years no cavities!!!!!!!!

The prices in Sweden are not so bad, the only problem is i have to wait for 2 months to see the dental hygienist and the dentist almost 3 months. The waiting cue is crazy. I really wanted to get started right away.

How's everything going?! We'd love an update on the treatments and how things are looking/feeling now