Need general dental gum/tooth advice/help

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tforms1@yahoo.com - 14 Nov 2006 19:03 GMT

Hi everyone,
I hope you all will be able to help me out and offer some advice.

First some background:
I am in my early 30s, had braces when I was in my late teens.
I go and get cleanings done twice a year on my teeth.

Some possible bad points:
1. Short roots - A dentist I had in my early 20s said that my roots are
VERY short, he said it was due to my braces, and that the orthodontist
"rushed" it and that caused the roots to be shorter...whether this is
true, who knows.
2. Red/inflamed gums - I have had red gums for as long as I can
remember, this is probably due to my breathing through my mouth...I am
seeing a ear/nose/throat doctor soon, hopefully he can figure out why I
can't seem to get enough air through my nose. (I also think I have
sleep apnea)
When I get my cleaning done...I do bleed heavily from the gums.
3. Grinding/Clenching teeth - I believe I clench my jaws when I sleep.
But no tension headaches or anything yet. Sometimes, my jaw does feel
out of place when I chew, but thats once in a blue moon.

Anyway, as I get older I am getting really concerned about my
gums/teeth.
I just noticed this week that a piece of my gum is gone!
You know how between 2 teeth, the gum goes upward to fill the
gap...well the tip of it is gone. So there theres a tiny gap between
the two teeth!!

What can I do to make sure my gums stay in the best possible shape?
Since with my shorter than normal roots, having healthy gums is even
more important than for people with normal length roots.

Tooth care regimen:
1. Brush morning and night - but I use a manual brush...should I get an
electric? Which one?
BUT, I travel for work (leave mon morning, come back Friday night) so
the electric brush must be portable and fit in a carry on bag for the
airplane
2. Floss - I admit I dont do it as often as I SHOULD. But I will start
doing it nightly...but I think I am doing it wrong, so its almost
pointless.
I put the floss between my tooth and the gum, and pull up along the
tooth, but I never seem to "pull/scrape" anything off. So its like Im
not doing it at all.
3. Tongue scarpping - I do this sometimes, but I doubt it will have
much use for my gums.

Is there anything else I should be doing?
Rinising with Listerine? Hydrogen peroxide?
Vitamins/supplements?
Electric toothbrush? which one?

Thanks!
-Tony

Reply to this Message

Mark & Steven Bornfeld - 14 Nov 2006 19:18 GMT

> Hi everyone,
> I hope you all will be able to help me out and offer some advice.
[quoted text clipped - 51 lines]
> Thanks!
> -Tony

    Since you have no symptoms stated for grinding, I assume you are told
you grind. Your dentist should check for signs of abnormal wear for
your age.
    Orthodontic treatment certainly can affect the development of the
roots, but this is not uniform. You can not infer that the orthodontist
"rushed" anything--the same orthodontist may well apply the same amount
of force on 2 patients and get 2 different reactions in root formation.
One could certainly argue that root development should be watched more
carefully for signs of disruption and treatment altered accordingly, but
honestly I don't know if interupting treatment will reverse interference
with root formation.
    A certain amount of gum recession with age is just about unavoidable.
In fact, there is a term "passive eruption" which is practically the
same thing for normal increasing exposure of the crown of the tooth.
This does not mean you have a normal situation, and as you've recognized
your mouth breathing may be part of the problem.
    Some form of regular cleaning in between the teeth is necessary. This
can mean floss, proxabrush, and other devices. You should discuss this,
as well as choice of toothbrush and brushing/flossing technique with
your dentist.

Good luck,
Steve

Signature

Mark & Steven Bornfeld DDS
http://www.dentaltwins.com
Brooklyn, NY
718-258-5001

Reply to this Message

tforms1@yahoo.com - 14 Nov 2006 20:16 GMT

> Since you have no symptoms stated for grinding, I assume you are told
> you grind. Your dentist should check for signs of abnormal wear for

well, some of my "canine" teeth are flattened.
And I sometimes wake up with my jaws clenched.

> Orthodontic treatment certainly can affect the development of the
> roots, but this is not uniform. You can not infer that the orthodontist
> "rushed" anything--the same orthodontist may well apply the same amount

Well, the theory about the roots being short because of the braces were
developed by a dentist I had in my 20s.
BUT, I do know that I had braces for many years, and toward the end, my
orthodontest told me "You're going to college soon, I'll make sure to
get them off before you go"

> A certain amount of gum recession with age is just about unavoidable.

Arent there supplements or something that could help?
I dont know...massaging my gums with my fingers to increase bloodflow?
Get a "waterpik" ?
Use those rubber tips (on the bottom of those Gum toothbrushes) to
massage the gums?

> Some form of regular cleaning in between the teeth is necessary. This
> can mean floss, proxabrush, and other devices. You should discuss this,
> as well as choice of toothbrush and brushing/flossing technique with
> your dentist.

Ok, I know its hard to diagnoise anything through the internet.
But what electric brush do you recommend to your patients?
I know it also depends on individual case, since Im sure different
brushes are better for different teeth.
But overall my teeth and gums are good, no major gaps or
anything...BUT, the gums are receding, and inflamed, and there is that
one spot where the gum disappeared. (Anything I can do for that?)
So for my case, what would be a good portable electric toothbrush?
Hell if its really good, doesnt have to be that portable, I'll pack
less stuff in my carryon to fit the toothbrush, if its really good. (Im
that concerned)

Also, does my flossing technique sound correct? Like I said I dont
pull/scrape anything off.

Thanks

Reply to this Message

Mark & Steven Bornfeld - 14 Nov 2006 20:53 GMT

>> Since you have no symptoms stated for grinding, I assume you are told
>>you grind. Your dentist should check for signs of abnormal wear for
[quoted text clipped - 11 lines]
> orthodontest told me "You're going to college soon, I'll make sure to
> get them off before you go"

By the time you're getting ready for college, root formation is almost
complete (except for the third molars), so rushing at that age wouldn't
likely hurt the roots (rushing isn't likely to help the tooth movement
either,but that's another thing).

>> A certain amount of gum recession with age is just about unavoidable.
>
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
> Use those rubber tips (on the bottom of those Gum toothbrushes) to
> massage the gums?

As far as gum recession, a good general diet for your body will be a
good diet for your gums.
The two primary causes of gum recession are periodontal disease and
poor brushing/flossing technique. Other possibilities are traumatic
bite, possibly clenching, and certain anatomical defects called
mucogingival problems, in which the tooth is surrounded by an inadequate
zone of tough gum tissue attached to the underlying bone. Your dentist
should be able to assess which (if any) of these factors are an issue in
your mouth.

>> Some form of regular cleaning in between the teeth is necessary. This
>>can mean floss, proxabrush, and other devices. You should discuss this,
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
> Ok, I know its hard to diagnoise anything through the internet.
> But what electric brush do you recommend to your patients?

I do not recommend specific brushes to my patients. Most of the
studies show mechanical toothbrushes to do a better job than manual
toothbrushes. Most of these studies are sponsored by the toothbrush
manufacturers.
I don't doubt that (on average) mechanical toothbrushes do better. My
take is that the better your oral hygiene is now, the less benefit you
are likely to see with a mechanical toothbrush. I have no objection to
them, but for the record I do not use one myself.

> I know it also depends on individual case, since Im sure different
> brushes are better for different teeth.
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
> Also, does my flossing technique sound correct? Like I said I dont
> pull/scrape anything off.

Think of it this way. You are scraping the surface of the tooth, not
cleaning the space. You may not see any large particles coming out, and
if you are flossing regularly that is what I'd expect. Plaque is hard
to see, and most of it is being disrupted by the floss and being rinsed out.
Again, have your dentist or hygienist show you proper brushing/flossing
technique. Best to show them what you do now, and have one of them make
corrections as needed.

Steve

> Thanks

Signature

Mark & Steven Bornfeld DDS
http://www.dentaltwins.com
Brooklyn, NY
718-258-5001

Reply to this Message

tforms1@yahoo.com - 15 Nov 2006 05:45 GMT

> I do not recommend specific brushes to my patients. Most of the

If you dont mind me asking, why is that?
Is it because you dont want to make your patients feel like you are
forcing the toothbrush on them? But it would be a recommendation not a
"requirement".

> I don't doubt that (on average) mechanical toothbrushes do better. My
> take is that the better your oral hygiene is now, the less benefit you
> are likely to see with a mechanical toothbrush. I have no objection to

in this case, I would probably be better off with an electric
toothbrush, as I think my technique is probably not that good.

After reading some of your posts here, Im considering switching
dentists.
Are you accepting new patients?
Do you have 5 minutes tomorrow? (Wednesday)
I have a few logistical/expertise questions....
Obviously Im looking for someone with periodontical experience, and
some orthordontical experience (I feel that my teeth had shift, and
would like some options to get them back into place)

Thanks

Reply to this Message

Steven Bornfeld - 15 Nov 2006 13:38 GMT

>> I do not recommend specific brushes to my patients. Most of the
>
> If you dont mind me asking, why is that?

Because they all work. Like the old song goes, "it ain't the meat,
it's the motion".

> Is it because you dont want to make your patients feel like you are
> forcing the toothbrush on them? But it would be a recommendation not a
> "requirement".

I would recommend you try the inexpensive ones sold at the supermarket
by (eg.) Colgate. See if you like it. The point is to use one that is
comfortable, with soft bristles, that you can get to all areas of your
mouth with ease.

>> I don't doubt that (on average) mechanical toothbrushes do better. My
>> take is that the better your oral hygiene is now, the less benefit you
[quoted text clipped - 13 lines]
>
> Thanks

My schedule is a disaster lately--mostly due to the frenzy of middle
school selection for my daughter. Today I'm also spending the middle of
the day in the city and have an academy meeting tonight. But feel free
to e-mail or call me at my office. If I can't tear myself away from a
patient, let Kathy know the best time to get back to you.
Please note that I do no ortho, and no surgical periodontics in my
office. I do work with excellent specialists though.

Steve
www.dentaltwins.com

Reply to this Message

Newbie - 16 Nov 2006 19:37 GMT

>>> I do not recommend specific brushes to my patients. Most of the
>>
>> If you dont mind me asking, why is that?
>
> Because they all work. Like the old song goes, "it ain't the meat,
>it's the motion".

Rock the boat ?

Reply to this Message

Mark & Steven Bornfeld - 16 Nov 2006 19:51 GMT

>>>> I do not recommend specific brushes to my patients. Most of the
>>>
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
>
> Rock the boat ?

http://tuwa.blogspot.com/2006/11/roots-canal-golden-age-of-raunch-part.html

Steve

Signature

Mark & Steven Bornfeld DDS
http://www.dentaltwins.com
Brooklyn, NY
718-258-5001

Reply to this Message

Stormin Mormon - 15 Nov 2006 13:19 GMT

As mentioned in another message on this board, I had a terrific
experience by stopping using fluoride, and switch to baking soda for
my dental cleaning use. Improved cleanliness, color, bone density,
etc.

Signature

Christopher A. Young
You can't shout down a troll.
You have to starve them.
.

Hi everyone,
I hope you all will be able to help me out and offer some advice.

First some background:
I am in my early 30s, had braces when I was in my late teens.
I go and get cleanings done twice a year on my teeth.

Some possible bad points:
1. Short roots - A dentist I had in my early 20s said that my roots
are
VERY short, he said it was due to my braces, and that the orthodontist
"rushed" it and that caused the roots to be shorter...whether this is
true, who knows.
2. Red/inflamed gums - I have had red gums for as long as I can
remember, this is probably due to my breathing through my mouth...I am
seeing a ear/nose/throat doctor soon, hopefully he can figure out why
I
can't seem to get enough air through my nose. (I also think I have
sleep apnea)
When I get my cleaning done...I do bleed heavily from the gums.
3. Grinding/Clenching teeth - I believe I clench my jaws when I sleep.
But no tension headaches or anything yet. Sometimes, my jaw does feel
out of place when I chew, but thats once in a blue moon.

Anyway, as I get older I am getting really concerned about my
gums/teeth.
I just noticed this week that a piece of my gum is gone!
You know how between 2 teeth, the gum goes upward to fill the
gap...well the tip of it is gone. So there theres a tiny gap between
the two teeth!!

What can I do to make sure my gums stay in the best possible shape?
Since with my shorter than normal roots, having healthy gums is even
more important than for people with normal length roots.

Tooth care regimen:
1. Brush morning and night - but I use a manual brush...should I get
an
electric? Which one?
BUT, I travel for work (leave mon morning, come back Friday night) so
the electric brush must be portable and fit in a carry on bag for the
airplane
2. Floss - I admit I dont do it as often as I SHOULD. But I will
start
doing it nightly...but I think I am doing it wrong, so its almost
pointless.
I put the floss between my tooth and the gum, and pull up along the
tooth, but I never seem to "pull/scrape" anything off. So its like Im
not doing it at all.
3. Tongue scarpping - I do this sometimes, but I doubt it will have
much use for my gums.

Is there anything else I should be doing?
Rinising with Listerine? Hydrogen peroxide?
Vitamins/supplements?
Electric toothbrush? which one?

Thanks!
-Tony

Reply to this Message

Steven Bornfeld - 15 Nov 2006 13:39 GMT

> As mentioned in another message on this board, I had a terrific
> experience by stopping using fluoride, and switch to baking soda for
> my dental cleaning use. Improved cleanliness, color, bone density,
> etc.

How (and where) was your bone density assessed?

Steve

Reply to this Message

Stormin Mormon - 16 Nov 2006 02:26 GMT

Now, that's a profound question.

How? No clue.

Who? Dental Hygenist.

Where? Dental chair, during routine cleaning.

As you likely guessed, there was no lab or other scientific evidence.

Signature

Christopher A. Young
You can't shout down a troll.
You have to starve them.
.

Stormin Mormon wrote:

How (and where) was your bone density assessed?

Steve

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