X-rays would tell more of a story ....... bone loss is part of life in
much of the population. Maybe it needs treatment maybe not.

No way to tell from here.

Joel M. Eichen DDS

Yes, in some respects. Once bone loss occurs the disease is
called periodontitis. The progress of the disease can be halted,
and sometimes (rarely) somewhat reversed.

Keep getting those regular professional cleanings.

Yes, once the disease process is halted.
Meticulous home care and regular professional care is
of the utmost importance if you wish to keep your teeth.

Everyone ? ;-)

--
W_B

wubbabubbazG@RBAGEyahoo.com
Take out the G'RBAGE

(...)

They are very nice now. They figure you are *not* going to improve your
homecare and are looking forward to many many boat payments directly
from your account to theirs.  They like that a lot.

As your homecare improves, they will get increasingly nastier.

Welcome back!

Time to get your teeth clean and your gums back in shape.

If I had been told this at your age, I could have saved enough
money to buy a couple cars. I am quite serious.

Supplies:

 Sonicare toothbrush.  You can use any toothbrush, of course.
  The Sonicare just 'feels' more effective to me.
  If it feels too 'violent', try the Braun.
  Electric brushes are more fun than the manual type.

 Toothpaste (Plain white stuff, not gel).  Most gel pastes don't
  have fluoride.  Fluoride is good.

 Floss
  (Johnson & Johnson waxed. Flat, measures about 0.005" thick)
  (Not the store brand, because that cheap stuff shreds and sticks
  between your teeth, driving you crazy.)

 Hydrogen Peroxide Solution, 3% concentration.
  Found hidden on bottom shelf, near the first aid supplies.
  Often in a dark brown plastic bottle.
  The label will say "For treatment of minor cuts and abrasions."
  And "For use as an antiseptic gargle or rinse."
  Get a couple of the smaller 16 oz bottles.  It becomes ineffective
  over time and / or if it is heated much beyond 86 F.
  Try not to shake the bottle.  Leave tightly capped.

  The bottle may say "dilute with an equal amount of water."
  I rinse with the stuff full strength. No problems.

 Forget mouthwash. Stuff is completely ineffective for longer than a few minutes.
 Forget breath mints.  Most contain sugar, which grows oral bugs like crazy.
 Forget chewing gum like 'Dentyne'. Lots of sugar.
 Read the label first.  You will be surprised at times.

First thing in the morning and after every meal and snack,
 rinse out with an ounce of Hydrogen Peroxide.  The stuff is very safe to rinse in
 your mouth and will not cause discomfort if it comes into contact with
 oral bugs.  Swish a few times and spit. The oral bugs will konk out and be rinsed
 down the drain. Peroxide foams a little when in contact with bacteria.
 The stuff has a delicate 'mediciny' taste.

After rinsing, floss.  Yank about 24" out of the container and wrap the end
 around either index finger.  Saw the floss between each tooth to get the bad
 stuff out.  There will be blood.  There may be pus. This is normal, until your
 gums are back in shape.  After each tooth, wrap the used floss on your finger and
 use clean floss for the next tooth. When you are done with both upper and lower
 jaws, rinse with another ounce of Peroxide.
 The stuff is very inexpensive. You are giving the antiseptic better access to
 the bacteria in the gaps between your teeth. Swish and spit.

*"Brushing teeth" is just a figure of speech.*
 Brush only those surfaces that you want to be clean. So in addition to all
 surfaces of every tooth, you will want to also brush the bacteria off of all
 other mouth surfaces, to slow the bugs as much as possible.
 Feel free to rinse the bristles under hot water and reload the brush with
 a little paste to clean another area.  Toothpaste is cheap.

 Brush all surfaces, including but not limited to:
 * Gums, (tongue - side and outside surfaces. Use side-to-side cleaning motion.)
 * Tongue. Top and bottom.
 * Roof of your mouth.
 * Inside surface of your lips.

 Take your time. This is a lot more pleasant than a root canal.
 Ask me how I know that. Go ahead. Ask. :)

 The first few dozen times that you attempt to clean the rear part of your tongue
 and perhaps the rear part of the roof of your mouth, you will gag.
 Don't worry, everyone reacts the same way to pressure in these areas.

 You aren't gonna lose your lunch. But stay near the sink anyway.
 After a while, you will react with much less enthusiasm.

 Soon, you may not gag at all.

Want to know what your breath smells like to others?
 1) Sniff one wrist to get a baseline.
 2) Lick that wrist and allow it to dry.
 3) Sniff that wrist again.  This is pretty much what you are radiating.

That is about it.
When you have kids, please show them the dental litany every day, follow up
with them as they grow up because they are not going to think to do this
themselves.

They will grow up to be much happier people.

Best to you.

--Winston