Upset after my appointment at the dentists yesterday. I have a bit of bone loss.

[anonfemale]

@Gordon Thank you. That's very reassuring.. Is 20 to 30 percent moderate bone loss quite bad though?. I keep trying not to worry about the bone loss and keep trying not to blame myself for not using the interdental brushes and the waterpik sooner. I was having difficulty using the interdental brush that the dentist recommended to me between the teeth that are next to my back teeth this morning. The wire kept bending and wouldn't go in between the teeth at all so I used the medium wireless brush that the dentist recommended that I use between the back teeth between those teeth as well and used the interdental brush that had kept bending between my front teeth ( that interdental brush went in easily between my front teeth). The dentist said I could have the bone loss because of my age as well. Can it happen because of age or is it usually just because of plaque?.

 

[MumOfBoys1985]

Try a long handle one from amazon . I can't use the little ones because the wire bends and stabs into my gum but the long handle ones are really good

 

[anonfemale]

@MumOfBoys1985 Are they the angled interdental brushes?

 

[MumOfBoys1985]

@anonfemale yes

 

[Gordon]

@Gordon Is 20 to 30 percent moderate bone loss quite bad though?.

Not terrible. Obviously not as good as 0% but it's OK.

I keep trying not to worry about the bone loss and keep trying not to blame myself for not using the interdental brushes and the waterpik sooner.

Good, there's absolutely no point, you can't turn the clock back. Just concentrate on maintaining things now, which it sounds like you've been doing if the disease hasn't progressed since 2018...

I was having difficulty using the interdental brush that the dentist recommended to me between the teeth that are next to my back teeth this morning. The wire kept bending and wouldn't go in between the teeth at all so I used the medium wireless brush that the dentist recommended that I use between the back teeth between those teeth as well and used the interdental brush that had kept bending between my front teeth ( that interdental brush went in easily between my front teeth).

Just mix and match cleaning aids until you find what works for you, there's no right or wrong about it.

The dentist said I could have the bone loss because of my age as well. Can it happen because of age or is it usually just because of plaque?.

Not from age itself, as far as we know, but bear in mind that there's an awful lot that we don't know about periodontal disease. Even plaque alone doesn't seem to be the main factor, I've seen quite a few patients who didn't clean their teeth at all who had no bone loss whatsoever, just a bit of gingivitis.

 

[anonfemale]

@Gordon Thank you. I'm glad that the bone loss is ok and not terrible. I will concentrate on maintaining things now. I think I will carry on using the blue interdental brush on my front teeth and the wireless medium interdental brush on the back teeth as that's what my dentist recommended. He also recommended using the yellow and green interdental brushes at the front too but they didn't fit between my teeth when I tried to use them. Does the wire on the blue one have to be bent a little bit or can it be kept straight and should I try using the angled interdental brushes at the front teeth and on the back teeth or should I wait and ask my dentist about using those at my next appointment in three months time?. I'm just a bit anxious about using the angled ones as they haven't been recommended to me yet. It is confusing how some people don't brush and floss at all but they don't have bone loss, but some people brush and floss really well and they do have bone loss.

 

[Gordon]

Does the wire on the blue one have to be bent a little bit or can it be kept straight and should I try using the angled interdental brushes at the front teeth and on the back teeth

It's fine to bend them a bit if it improves access. You can try using angled brushes if you like there's no harm in it.

It is confusing how some people don't brush and floss at all but they don't have bone loss, but some people brush and floss really well and they do have bone loss.

It's mad isn't it? If we can figure it out though it'll be a total game changer not just for dentistry but many other aspects of health care.

 

[anonfemale]

@Gordon Thank you. Is it ok to have the wire straight if I have better access with that?. I have pressed too hard a few times when brushing my teeth but I hope it wont keep happening. I have a pressure sensor on my toothbrush. Should I use either the yellow, green or blue angled brushes like the dentist I saw recommended that I use those colours of my other interdental brushes?. It is mad how some people don't brush and floss and don't have bone loss and some people do brush floss and have bone loss?. Does that mean we haven't been brushing and flossing correctly?.

 

[anonfemale]

@Gordon I just also wanted to ask if I might have caused some damage by accidently pressing my toothbrush too hard on the back/insides of my teeth?. I lift the toothbrush up straight after the pressure sensor goes red which means I have pressed too hard and then it goes green most of the time which means I use the right pressure. I still feel anxious about the bone loss. Can bone loss be stopped from getting any worse now and even after decades or is it only slowed down?. I have also had a strange feeling near my back teeth and it made me think about the bone loss.

 

[Gordon]

Is it ok to have the wire straight if I have better access with that?. I have pressed too hard a few times when brushing my teeth but I hope it wont keep happening. I have a pressure sensor on my toothbrush. Should I use either the yellow, green or blue angled brushes like the dentist I saw recommended that I use those colours of my other interdental brushes?

Yes, whatever suits you. Pressing too hard is not an issue with an electric brush, they have a pressure sensor which cuts power if you lean too hard. Don't get hung up on colours, just use whatever fits best between the teeth.

 

[anonfemale]

@Gordon Thank you. That's very helpful. I am used to using the blue interdental brush on my front teeth and the medium wireless one on my back teeth so I will just keep using those. I'm glad that pressing too hard isn't an issue with an electric tootbrush and that the pressure sensor cuts power if I lean too hard.

 

[anonfemale]

@Gordon Does plaque build up more over night?. I'm just wondering if it's better to use the interdental brushes at night?

 

[anonfemale]

I'm still worried that I might do my best with the brushing and flossing and the bone loss could still get worse because I have heard of that happening to some people who have thought they were brushing and flossing really well and I worry because I have a cough and cold at the moment and not much appetite and I worry that not eating or not eating as much will make the bone loss worse. I am going to have soup and soft food this afternoon and a meal replacement drink later and drink water. I would usually have milk too but I'm not sure if I am having that today. I have also just seen a post saying gum disease makes your teeth fall out.

 

[Gordon]

Does plaque build up more over night?.

No. But saliva production shuts down, so theoretically you would rather not leave plaque overnight. Really not important though.

I have also just seen a post saying gum disease makes your teeth fall out.

Well, yeah, that's the end point if it goes on untreated for long enough. But you're managing yours.

People who get gum disease but have excellent plaque control are sort of like reverse lottery winners.

I'm more likely to get a date with Scarlett Johanson and Charlize Theron simultaneously... it could happen, but it's not likely

 

[anonfemale]

@Gordon It made me laugh when you mentioned having a date with Scarlett Johanson and Charlize Theron. I like their films. I'm just wondering if I still need to use the interdental brushes and the waterpik if I haven't eaten because there won't be any food between my teeth?. I have a cough and a cold and haven't been eating for a few days. I have just had fluids. Could my gums get worse from not eating?. I have been having meal replacement drinks that have vitamins in them and had water and milk. I also find it difficult to do my teeth when I have a cold. Would it be ok if if I just used my toothbrush while I am unwell?. Or should I still use the interdental brushes and waterpik because of the plaque?. Does inflammation go away for good when using interdental brushes and a waterpik or can it still come back?.

 

[Gordon]

Would it be ok if if I just used my toothbrush while I am unwell?. Or should I still use the interdental brushes and waterpik because of the plaque?.

Yes, if you can manage to use them then do.

Plaque forms without you eating anything, but you're feeding it with your milk and drinks... anything you eat and drink the plaque bacteria help themselves to as well

Does inflammation go away for good when using interdental brushes and a waterpik or can it still come back?

Yes, 99.9% of the time it does.

 

[anonfemale]

@Gordon Thank you. I will still use the interdental brushes and water pik while I am unwell and because the plaque bacteria still forms even when I just have drinks. It's good to hear that inflammation goes away when using interdental brushes and the waterpik and the toothbrush.

 

[anonfemale]

@Gordon I haven't been able to brush and floss since Friday morning. I have just been so tired and weak and sleeping a lot because I have the cough and cold. How long does it take for plaque to form in to tartar?. I'm worried that if I do have tartar, the inflammation might come back or the bone loss might get worse, but it takes decades to get meaningful bone loss so I'm not sure if bone loss can get worse in just days. What about if you brush and floss twice a day a few times in a week and miss brushing and flossing a few times that week?. I am hoping to start brushing twice a day again and flossing once a day again from today.

 

[Gordon]

It takes a few weeks for tartar to form. Just missing the odd day won't hurt. I hope you get better soon.

 

[anonfemale]

@Gordon Thank you Gordon. I'm not worried about it now that you have said it takes a few weeks for tartar to form and that missing the odd day doesn't hurt. Hopefully the cough and cold will go soon.