Gingivitis Cures
Periodontal Disease Treatment

Periodontitis Treatment

Periodontitis is inflammation of the tissues that surround and support the teeth, including the gums and the bony tooth sockets in the upper and lower jaw. The disease begins as gingivitis (inflammation of the gums, usually due to inadequate dental hygiene) which progresses without treatment. Gingivitis occurs when dental plaque (a sticky substance made of mucus, food particles, and bacteria) and calculus (the hardened deposit composed of mineralized plaque and saliva) irritate and inflame gum tissue, causing it to gradually erode. Over time, the gums recede and small pockets form between the gums and teeth. As these pockets deepen, they trap increasing amounts of plaque and calculus. Bacteria in the dental plaque produce an inflammatory reaction that erodes the bone and ligaments that support the teeth, causing the teeth to loosen within their sockets. Pus tends to form as the infection worsens. In some cases an acute infection may cause an abscess to form. Eventually, bone erosion is so extensive that the affected teeth become loose. Indeed, periodontitis not tooth decay is the major cause of adult tooth loss in the United States.

Some recommended natural periodontitis treatment

Frequently Asked Questions

  1. QUESTION:
    bleeding after periodontitis treatment?
    I went to dentist for to get treatment for periodontitis, it including removing the calculus via sonication (?), however the night after the treatment, my gum started to bleed continuously, is this normal condition after the treatment? how i supposed to do, to stop the bleeding? thank you in advance :)

    • ANSWER:
      Not too unusual. You need to apply pressure to stop the bleeding. Use a wet gauze or wet (clean) paper towel. Put pressure on with your finger (or by biting if possible) and hold for 20-30 min. A wet tea bag would work too. If the bleeding doesn’t stop, call the dentist. If it is gushing and you are unable to contact the dentist, go to the ER.

  2. QUESTION:
    Treatment for periodontitis?
    My dentist informed last week me that I have periodontitis. 32 of the pockets are 4 or 5 mm deep. He recommended that I have a “deep cleaning” done. I am interested in getting the scaling done, although expensive since I don’t have dental insurance, but without the proposed antibiotics treatment as I cannot afford the additional cost of antibiotics.

    In the meantime, I have been educating myself about gum diseases, and I am not sure whether I should get the scaling done since it appears that “flap surgery”, in many cases, follows.

    My question is whether there is some home care treatment I can follow to reduce the pocket sizes without getting the scaling done.

    Your answers will be much appreciated.
    Thank you all for your answers. In sincerely appreciate it.

    • ANSWER:
      Unfortunately, there are no home remedies for periodontitis.

      Periodontitis results usually from the presence of hardened tartar on your tooth roots below the gumline. The hardened tartar are masses of germs, and they are irritating and breaking down the connective tissues in your gums and underlying bone. The only way to stop that would be to get rid of the tartar below the gumline, and there are no home remedies that can do that.

      The only way to remove tartar below the gumline is to scrape it off, and that’s what the scaling and root planing (SRP) does.

      Flap surgery is to reduce the depth of the pockets so you won’t get tartar trapped so far below the gumline. Sometimes it’s necessary if dirty things are still getting trapped below your gumline despite the SRP.

      The peridex rinse mentioned by the above poster works to prevent plaque buildup, but it’s not intended for long-term use– prolonged use can stain your teeth.

      Hope this helps.

  3. QUESTION:
    periodontitis treatment,Insurance coverage??
    I have Aetna for dental insurance. Can I like get a new insurance now and get them pay for it. Which insurance pays atleast a part of the treatment. Please help me with this ..my treatement is costing me more than 1500 dollars

    • ANSWER:
      need more info. Are you gettign surgury?
      Sounds like you are at a specialist usually Insurance pays %50-80. If your getting surgical root planing you may break it up into two years.

  4. QUESTION:
    what is the treatment for periodontitis?
    My dentist said I have periodontitis and x-rays show many pockets. He inserted a probe into my gums and it went very deep. Meanwhile I have inflamed gums that hurt a lot and i experience tooth ache and lot of sensitivity. Dentist said the first thing to do would be “scaling and planing”, which he said is the removal of plaque, tartar and cleansing of the pockets. He said that should hopefully cure the problem. My question is what if that still does not cure it? What if after scaling and planing, I still experience weakening of tooth and loss of tooth bone. What is next then?
    I got half the scaling and planing done of my left side of jaw. I have to go to wednesday again for the right side scaling and planing. My teeth grow tartar very rapidly. I think the problem will not go away still.

    • ANSWER:

  5. QUESTION:
    pictures showing RCT dental caries levels stages of periodontitis crown treatment etc?

    • ANSWER:
      YOU NEED TO REFER TO AN ENDO TEXT BOOK OR ENDO JOURNALS, YOU MAY GET HELP AT PUBMED.COM, SOME JOURNALS ARE FREE AND MAY HAVE PICTURES.

  6. QUESTION:
    Which is the best treatment approach for a diabetic 58yr old man wid degenerative gum disease?
    This is a question for a periodontist-a 58yr old man wid diabetes (in control )and lichen planus(oral and dermal).He gets repeated ulcer like sores in d mouth,he has advanced periodontitis but is under treatment,but can someone help in controlling and relieving the ulcers and sores.Any medication that can provide relief???

    • ANSWER:
      Below is a short summary of food suitable for diabetic patients.

      * Fats and sweets. Fats and sweets can be integrated in a diabetic patient’s diet, but in small amounts only. Please bear in mind that fats and sweets should be integrated with, and not added to, an existing diet.

      * Milk. It is highly recommended that diabetic patients should take in 2 to 3 glasses of milk per day. Choose nonfat varieties as much as possible.

      * Meat. It is highly recommended that diabetic patients should enjoy only 2 to 3 servings of meat per day. Fish and chicken are advised instead of red meat.

      * Fruits. It is highly recommended that diabetic patients should take in 3 to 4 servings of fruits per day. Fruits that have high fiber content are preferred over other varieties. Fiber helps the body break down glucose.

      * Vegetables. 3 to 5 servings of vegetables per day will help complement the body’s fight against diabetes.

      * Grains. No less than 6 servings of grains and related products are advised for diabetics. Grains contain a large amount of fiber, which is the most helpful nutrient for diabetic patients.

      If you are interested in more info on treatment for type 2 diabetes, you may wish to refer to this site : http://diabetic.best-health-remedy.com/

  7. QUESTION:
    What to do about the bone loss caused by periodontitis?
    Periodontitis has been discovered late. I kept delaying treatment due to lack of dental insurance. however the gum infection got severe and i felt tooth aches and loosening. So i was forced to seek treatment now. I paid over 1000 for root planing and scaling. Dental x-ray shows significant bone loss and pockets. I regret having delayed treatment. Dentist said I need this procedure every 3 months. What to do about the bone that has been lost?

    • ANSWER:
      Find a dentist that does LANAP and do that instead of scaling and root planing.

  8. QUESTION:
    What gum infections require surgery or treatment that costs about 00?
    My mom went to a dentist and was diagnosed with a gum infection. The dentist told her the surgery or treatment costs around 00. I don’t think it is periodontitis because my mom is in a lot of pain and the Acetaminophen with Codeine and the Amoxicillin Trihydrate that was prescribed to her isn’t really working. So what gum infection does she have and will the infection get worse if left untreated for 1 more month?

    • ANSWER:

  9. QUESTION:
    periodontitis-how long can bateria stay inside the gum be4 pocket appears?how soon tooth start to fall?
    Due to overnight work in April/May-06, my son missed brushing his teeth on one occasional till the following noon. In late Dec-06, he went to the dentist for his periodical checkup, and was asked by the dentist if he wants to be referred to see a gum specialist for gingivitis/periodontitis and root canal treatments. As there was no pain in his tooth or gum, my son was unawared of it. In mid Jan-07, he went to see the gum specialist who asked him if he wants a “deep cleaning” in the gum, but the gum specialist did not recommend root canal treatment. Will his teeth falls? Since there is no sympton or pain, except the gum is pulled away from his tooth, is “deep cleaning” treatment still necessary after such a long time and will it be too late to undergo the deep cleaning treatment after so many months? Does the bateria still remain in the gum after more than 6 months?

    • ANSWER:
      IT DOES NOT DEPEND ON HOW LONG THE BACTERIA ARE THERE, IT IS THE TYPE OF BACTERIA AND THE IMMUNE RESPONSE OF THE HOST.

  10. QUESTION:
    Anyone with information on K9 Periodontitis?
    Hi. I am looking for more information on Periodontitis in dogs and what is used as treatment for advanced cases.
    Please don’t tell me to ask a vet. All I want is information.
    Was just reading a pamphlet my vet gave me for my puppy and am curious about it.

    Thanks.

    • ANSWER:
      Depending on where you live, dogs and cats can get the same periodontal care as humans. X-rays, cleanings, caps, root canals, and more can be done.

      But the big question is how much can you afford. If your dog’s teeth are really bad your veterinarian will probably recommend extractions. Some teeth can be cleaned up and with regular care may regain their former health.

      Current studies have shown that mostly all over-the-counter dental chews, rinses, pastes, etc. DO NOTHING except cost you money. And Yes, GREENIES are ineffective plus they make really nice obstructions (requiring $$$ surgery) when swallowed in large pieces.

      You can email me if you have specific questions.

  11. QUESTION:
    How long does periodontitis take to result in tooth loss?
    From the time that one develops periodontal disease, what is the length of time (on average) it takes for the disease (without receiving professional dental treatment) to result in the first tooth loss?

    • ANSWER:
      It’s a silent killer because periodontitis doesn’t hurt. Usually I see it in patients in their fifties, but I’ve seen it in patients in their twenties. The chief complaint is that they can’t chew with certain teeth b/c it moves around too much. Or they can’t chew on a certain side b/c they have a massive infection around the teeth. Extractions is the usual treatment for severe periodontitis.

      This is the most frustrating disease b/c it’s 100% preventable and 100% manageable (periodontitis never goes away, you have to manage it if you get it, like diabetes). Regular dental visits 2 times a year even if nothing hurts. This disease won’t hurt in the beginning. Brush and floss and if you don’t know how to do it properly just google it.

      I think many of my patients truly underestimate it because they don’t want to pay for an office visit, check up x-rays, and a cleaning. Their mentality is, if it doesn’t hurt, I don’t have a problem. Once they get the disease, they’re unhappy because I can’t “fix it” for them, I can only tell them how to manage it.

  12. QUESTION:
    Periodontitis Question, 21 years old [DENTISTS ONLY PLEASE]?
    Please bear with me through this explanation. Years ago, I was visiting the dentist, when he told me that it appeared as if I had gingivitis. He said I should floss, but I didn’t take it very seriously (I floss a few times a month, and I was in highschool). Over the past few years, I have had exceptional dental hygiene when it comes to brushing – I brush at least twice a day, and I brush very very lightly and with soft bristles.

    I have not maintained good flossing habits – at best I have flossed a few times a month over the past few years. Over the past few years, I have noticed sensitive teeth develop. I went to see my dentist a year or two ago, and they said that my gums had receded a bit from brushing too hard. At first, I believed them, but now, after doing what I would consider “extensive research” (read: Google), I know that I am not brushing too hard. I brush in a circular motion, very very lightly, and yet my teeth are still very exposed, I have chronic bad breath, my teeth are sensitive, and my gums bleed every single time I floss. Out of fear of periodontitis, I have begun flossing more regularly, and immediately after flossing, I use listerine mouthwash.

    I am unable to book a dentist appointment for another month, so my fear is this: I fear that I have progressed from gingivitis to chronic periodontitis, because I have concluded that my receding gums cannot be the result of brushing too hard, and also, my gums bleed without failure every single time I floss. As a dentist, would you, hypothetically, agree with my self-diagnosis? If not, why not?

    And if so, is there anything I can do now? A lot of research has told me that after progressing past gingivitis, and without early treatment, periodontitis is irreversible and can lead too tooth loss, etc. At this point, if my diagnosis is correct, I am long past the stage of early treatment.

    I have come to accept that my gums will never return to normal without surgery, and I will have to live with my long and sensitive teeth for my whole life (I am only 21). What I am not prepared to accept is that this condition will only worsen, especially as I age.

    Assuming I have periodontits – is it true that I cannot cure this? I know that the accepted method is to “treat” it with great oral hygiene, brushing at least twice daily, flossing daily, and using antiseptic mouthwash. I fully intend to do this, and for some time now, I have been. But, as stated, my gums still bleed every time I floss, and my bad breath, when not originating from my throat, leads me to believe that I will have this for life. (I believe I have bad breath because my girlfriend used to tell me that I “probably have rotting gums” because I occasionally had “bad breath”).

    Will my condition worsen? Is there anything else I can do (apart from seeing my dentist and addressing my concerns with him)? When I see my dentist, what can I expect from this? Is “treatment” enough? I am very young and I do not smoke, so I am heartbroken by the possibility that my gums may continue to recede and there is nothing I can do about it. I am a very healthy individual, I eat right, I have a very intense fitness regime, and I take pride in my hygiene and appearance. I do not want to loose my teeth, nor do I want my teeth to become more exposed, or to have bad breath my entire life. This is not a problem anyone in my family has experienced before me, and in case you’re wondering, yes, I use toothpaste for sensitive teeth. I just don’t know what to do with myself – I cannot wait another month under this stress (I have had these concerns for several months now).

    I understand you cannot give me “medical” advice, being online, but any professional opinion whatsoever is anxiously awaited, and I appreciate anyone taking the time out to read and respond to this lengthy question. Thank you. :(

    • ANSWER:
      How about a dental student’s opinion? To diagnose periodontitis, you need to go to your dentist. As I’m sure you’ve read from google, periodontitis is characterised by loss of attachment of fibres from your bone to your tooth. This leaves a pocket around your tooth. When you go to your dentist, he will measure the depth of your pockets, if there is any loss of attachment and if the teeth is moving. This will be done only if he suspects you have periodontitis. If there is any calculus (calcified or hardened plaque), he will remove that by either a hand or ultrasonic scaler. He may also scale below the gum line and onto the root surface. Calculus collects plaque as does fillings which overhang the natural contours of the tooth, so it is likely that he will fix these too.

      In the meantime, address your oral hygiene. You should be using a medium textured brush in an ordered was around your mouth ie left to right inside and out, so as you don’t miss any areas. You should brush your teeth with the brush held at a 45 degree angle to the gum and move from the gum line to the end of the tooth in short gentle strokes. You should always brush the gums and not brush anymore than two teeth at a time. Your gums will bleed due to the swelling. Plaque also gathers between the teeth so it’s essential that you remove it. If you don’t like flossing, you can buy “interdental brushes” which look like little bottle brushes that fit in the spaces between teeth. You insert then in the space and do between 20 and 30 strokes of a backwards and forwards motion.

      If you do indeed have periodontitis and your oral hygiene improves there is no reason why your oral status shouldn’t improve. Unfortunately, without having a look in your mouth, it’s difficult to give a prognosis. However, stop worrying, up your oral hygiene, and book an appointment with your dentist asap, as the sooner its diagnosed, the better the outlook. Best of luck.

  13. QUESTION:
    What is radial treatment?
    ” for toothache due to special diseases of the teeth, such as dental caries, acute pulpitis, periodontitis (…), the radial treatment for such diseases should be given to the patients rather than simple analgesic treatment. ”

    • ANSWER:
      Yes that is correct

  14. QUESTION:
    2nd opinion for Root Canal treatment?
    I had gum problems 6 mths ago-diagnosed as periodontitis. Visited a dentist, had extensive root planing. I now observed strict home cleaning & gd oral hygiene.

    But 1 molar had deep periodontal pocket, and the worry is that infection may occur. Last week, I had an infection with a pus pocket above this tooth. I revisited the dentist, she drained the pus with a session of root planing.

    She told me the molar is slightly loosened due to loss of bone (from x-ray), she also claimed that the nerves could be dead. Hence, she suggested a root canal. Else, the tooth will go due to loss of bone.

    I am 35 and am I too young for a root canal? Its like killing a tooth, moreover, tooth can break due to brittleness over time. Its also not a permanent solution as she added that a RC tooth would go sooner or later due to my loss of bone.

    Does periodontits lead to the need for RC treatment? Should I get a 2nd opinion?

    • ANSWER:
      YES PERIODONTAL DISEASED TEETH CAN NEED RCT.

      UNFORTUNATELY YOUR BIGGER PROBLEM IS THE BONE LOSS, IT LOOKS LIKE YOU HAVE A GRADE 2 TO A GRADE 3 MOBILITY ON THAT TOOTH. CHANCES ARE HIGH IT WILL BE LOST. THE TOOTH CAN BE RCT BUT IT WILL COME OUT SOONER THAN THE RCT MAY FAIL. PERHAPS ASK HER IF SHE CAN PACK BONE IN THE AREA, YOU CAN ALSO SEEK THE OPINION OF A SPECIALIST PERIODONTIST.

  15. QUESTION:
    Is a dental hygienist qualified to diagnose periodontitis?
    Basically I just want to know if someone with a 2 year associates degree is qualified to make a medical diagnosis and prescribe a treatment.

    The reason I care is that I started going to a new dental office and went in for a cleaning this morning. After the cleaning, the hygienist said I have periodontitis (a type of gum disease). She then said I would require a follow up treatment that would require anesthesia…

    Under normal circumstances, I’d have probably just taken her word for it. However, that was my first visit and they have none of my dental records. This means she no idea what my baseline is for the measurements she claims are indicative of the disease (I looked it up when I got back and I’m actually just marginally outside normal values on 2 teeth). When I mentioned this fact to her, she just gave me a blank stare like she had no idea what I was talking about or why it was relevant. Furthermore, this same hygienist literally said “mouthwash only benefits the companies that make mouthwash” and “you should rinse your mouth with lemon juice to alkalize your saliva”…

    Taking all of that into consideration, I’m inclined to believe she’s just a fucking moron over stepping her bounds. I just wanted to be sure that is the case before making a fuss to my dentist there (it’s a large office and I don’t believe the two are associated aside from that they work at the same place).

    In her defense, she claims she’s been a hygienist for about 30 years so she should know what she’s talking about. Still, it all just seemed a little fishy to me though.

    Thank you for your feedback and have a wonderful day!
    I appreciate your answer, but I just wanted to throw my two cents in before choosing it for best.

    You seem to assume she diagnosed this correctly and I am not convinced she has.

    When she told me about this, I was a little taken aback because I had been there to see my dentist the previous week and he said my teeth were more or less fine (just one cavity). When I asked her about what the symptoms were so I could understand my situation better, she said that there are pockets between the gum and the teeth and because she could stick her measuring stick in deeper than on a “normal” person that meant I had periodontitis.

    When I asked her how she knows that’s not normal for me, her ONLY response that she kept just repeating without elaborating was “these are objective tests”… Never giving ANY indication why the condition required special cleaning procedures or what other symptoms there are for the disease that would point to me having it. Aside from the two completely asinine co

    • ANSWER:
      I am also a dental hygienist. I went to school for 4 years and have a bachelors of dental hygiene. It is the job of the hygienist to diagnose periodontal disease. The dentist focuses on the teeth and the hygienist focuses on the health of the gums. Any dentist would agree the hygienist is very qualified, usually more than the dentist to diagnose gum disease. It what we do! I would be more mad at your previous office for being to lazy to diagnose it. Un diagnosed perio is the number one dental lawsuit. And only the first cleaning usually requires anesthesia and that’s only because you have build up under your gums that need to be cleaned. Only the first cleaning is like that. If you keep up on your cleaning it wont be like that every time. Good luck

  16. QUESTION:
    Can recessed gums grow back at all?
    I have to have non-surgical debridement to treat pockets in my gums caused by periodontitis, gum disease.
    The dentist told me I will have a degree of gum recession after the treatment and I’m freaking out as an area in the front of my teeth/gums is the worse!

    Has anyone experienced this? Do gums grow back, even a little bit?

    Any help appreciated!

    • ANSWER:
      Gums do not grow back, sorry to tell ya. Ask your dentist if you need surgical gum replacement. Good Luck!

  17. QUESTION:
    How much $ is this Periodontal treatment?
    Last week I had a new patient exam with a new dentist, and he did a “probing” test on me which measures my gum pockets, and he said I had “big trouble” because there were some big numbers. The worst is 8mm, which apparently is Advanced Periodontitis. He said I’d have to have cleanings done 4 times a year but nothing about treatment.

    When I went to see a hygienist (new as well), he said I must go see a specialist – a Periodontist to get my teeth fixed or I’d face losing many in 1-6 years. He said I needed surgery on a few of my teeth, and periodontist would also have to do deep cleaning where they freeze all my teeth. He says the surgery costs 00 per tooth, and made it sound like I had 4 or 5 that needed this done. He said it would cost 0 more to get an injection in my arm to make me asleep during the surgery.

    I don’t have insurance. Is it really this expensive? How much would this cost?

    My sister has had open flag surgery before and she had some done for a total of 00. She did it with a dentist, though, not a gum specialist.

    Can any dentist properly do these procedures? How much would it cost me with the periodontist? Should I go do this in the States (I’m Canadian)? THANKS
    I called up the periodontist’s office and explained my situation, but the receptionist wouldn’t tell me how much it would cost, she says it varies too much.

    Basically the hygienist said 00 per tooth, x 4 or 5 teeth. Plus the deep cleaning. Is it really this expensive?

    • ANSWER:

  18. QUESTION:
    How to calculate epi rates?
    Here is a question that is from the textbook. Its driving me crazy!!! if anyone can show HOW they got the answers-that would be most helpful.

    We undertook a concurrent cohort study with intervention to determine the association between periodontal disease
    and preterm low birth weight. Two groups of pregnant women were used. The first group was women with periodontal disease who received no periodontal treatment during pregnancy. The second group was women with gingivitis or mild periodontitis who received periodontal treatment before 28 weeks’ gestation. For the objective of the current study, to determine the relationship between periodontal disease and adverse delivery outcomes, women with gingivitis or mild periodontitis treated before 28 weeks’ gestation were considered periodontally healthy and without periodontal infection, and were used as the comparison group.

    Although 722 women were initially enrolled in the study, 83 (11.5%) were excluded for various reasons. Of these, 53 (11.5%) were in the group of periodontally healthy women and 30 (11.2%) in the group with periodontal disease. Of the excluded women, 60 were lost to follow-up, 14 had a spontaneous abortion, and nine had medically indicated preterm delivery due to pre-eclampsia, gestational diabetes, or polyhydroamnios. Because on the exclusions, 639 women finished the study. Of these study participants, 406 were in the group of periodontally healthy women and 233 in the group with periodontal disease.
    The total number of preterm births was 18 and the total number of low birth weight cases was 12. The number of preterm births was 6 among periodontally healthy women and 12 among women with periodontal disease. The number of low birth weight cases was 4 among periodontally healthy women and 8 among women with periodontal disease. Overall, the total number of preterm low-birth-weight (PLBW) cases identified in the study was 30. Of these, 18 were preterm births and 12 were low-birth-weight infants. The number of PLBW cases was 10 among periodontally healthy women and 20 among women with periodontal disease.

    here are the questions:
    7. Calculate the incidence of PLBW in the exposed group -
    8. Calculate the incidence of PLBW in the non-exposed group -
    9. Calculate the relative risk -

    it seems like it too much info in the problem so I just want to make sure I did it correctly. Thanks!

    • ANSWER:
      #7. I(exposed)=20/233

      #8. I(non-exposed)=10/406

      #9 RR=(20/233)/(10/406)

  19. QUESTION:
    Periodontitis question?
    I went to a dentist and he said there is dirt underneath my gums that is eating away my bone structure, etc. For treatment he can slice open my gums, clean the innerward, and stitch up the gums afterwards to fix the inflammation problem for about 2000 dollars; however, he is not a periodontic, but he to be knowledge.

    Should I go ahead with the periodontic surgery or should I seek a specialist (which I think would cost more)?

    • ANSWER:
      If you feel more comfortable going to a periodontist, by all means do.

      In any case, periodontal flap surgery is actually basic technique that dental students have to do during their clinical training (3rd and 4th years), and most general dentists can do them.

      Basically the practitioner detaches your gums from the cortical bone underneath to gain access to the areas around the tooth, then scrape them clean using scalers. Sometimes defects (cratering) in the bone would be recontoured if necessary (osteoplasty) and sometimes medications such as atridox placed. The gums are then repositioned and sutured shut for proper healing.

      By the way, oral surgeons don’t do such periodontal procedures. They do things like extractions and jaw / face surgery. Basically anything that involves picking up a hand scaler, oral surgeons don’t do. :-P

  20. QUESTION:
    managment of localized juvenil periodontitis?
    cases and new treatment

    • ANSWER:
      have a dental check up and your dentist would perform oral prophylaxis, scaling or root planing you should be back there after two weeks for evaluation, your dentist would prescribe you tetracycline ( antibiotic good for periodontitis )
      and to maintain your good oral health brush your teeth every after meal, have your teeth flossed and mouthwash will do.

  21. QUESTION:
    Share experiences with LANAP – laser dental surgery for periodontitis?
    My husband has periodontal disease with a lot of bone loss. His teeth were loose, and his gums bled a lot.
    His initial dentist did scaling and root planing- never mentioning that his teeth were close to falling o out of his head. We were unable to finish their prescribed treatment b/c of money issues.

    We went to the NYU dental clinic where the sutdent doctor and supervising doctor strongly suggested removing ALL his teeth and installing implants. We had heard about LANAP, but very little unbiased information was out there – most was from the dentists and lanap machine companies. There were a couple videos on youtube that seemed believable. When I mentioned this to the dentists (who wanted to extract all my husband’s teeth), they actually laughed in my face- they were VERY condescending and said nothing can regrown bone, and the laser probably wouldn’t regenerate soft tissue either.

    We decided to go to a dentist for a consultation anyway. The dentist herself seemed honest and trustworthy, but the office financial person really hit us with the hard sell. I’m a very skeptical person, and I was totally turned off b/c of the financial lady’s tactics. My husband, on the other hand was so scared of loosing his teeth that he insisted on taking the leap out of desperation. It cost us about 00.

    In early May, they did half his mouth, then the other half the following week. he went back in 2-3 weeks later and had a stint (a support for his loose teeth) installed, then again for the occlusal guard- a plastic insert that sort of snaps onto the teeth. He has a follow-up in august.

    It didn’t seem like there was a LOT of pain, but he’s a man, and acted like he was dying. there was some bleeding for a day or so. After the initial bleeding stopped, my husband hasn’t bled at night- at all.

    He also says his teeth feel ‘tighter’ and more secure. He wasn’t able to bite down on anythign w his front teeth before the procedure, and now he can. He does have a lof of sensitivity to sweets and cold stuff.

    We don’t have the long term results not, but, it seems to be doign what the doctor promised so far.

    I’m wondering 2 things – will he need more treatments in order to regenerate the bone?
    What are other people’s experiences??

    • ANSWER:
      Hi,
      I feel your pain. I lost a molar because of periodontal issues, and had another molar rotated and loose. I decided on LANAP and have had one side done. I think the molar I was the most concerned about is firmer in it’s socket. The side treated is still sore but gradually getting better. I intend to treat the other side when I feel confident that the first treatment is healed. I paid 00 per side for the LANAP.There’s a severe recession, and I found Dr’s are more likely to negotiate fees. My Dr came in on Saturday to help pay his taxes. I was quoted up to 00 per side locally. Your doctor will evaluate, and decide if you need further treatment. My doctor said bone attachment maximizes at 18 months. You may look into joining yahoo groups called something like”periotherapist”to ask further questions. Good luck!!!!

  22. QUESTION:
    treatment for gum disease?
    my cousin has a huge problem with his teeth atm. i think it is a either the effects of gingivitis happening or periodontitis. she said her healthy gum layer is almost deteriorated they’ve become “straight” instead of that shape you see gums hold teeth into (they have receeded?). he’s got black stains all over with cavity holes and it’s only until recently that it’s begun to hurt.

    he’s never been given candy or fast food, so i believe it is in his genetics that her teeth are in this condition. he’s going to check the dentist soon, but it’s quite expensive right now unless he can get the benefit from his school. what are some ways he can ease the pain or help fight the disease? O_O; thanks!

    • ANSWER:
      SADLY, THIS IS TYPICAL WITH PERIODONTAL DISEASE. THIS CONDITION IS CYCLICAL. IT HAPPENS IN VARIOUS DEGREES THROUGHOUT LIFE. THIS IS NOT A GENETIC PROBLEM, BUT IF EVERYONE IN THE FAMILY HAS POOR ORAL HYGIENE THEN THE RESULTS WILL BE SIMILAR FOR ALL.
      FOR THE PAIN HE CAN TEMPORARILY TAKE ADVIL (IBUPROFEN), HE REALLY NEEDS TO SEE A PERIODONTIST TO BEGIN TO TREAT THIS CONDITION.

  23. QUESTION:
    How much is periodontal treatment?
    I’m seeing a periodontist soon for the first time. I think I have gum disease, if not periodontitis. My gums bleed very easily and they are red. I’m trying to prepare myself for the worst financially. My insurance covers periodontal surgery once in 36 months, periodontal scaling/root planing 1 time in 24 months, and periodontal maintenance 4 times in 1 year, all 80% coverage.

    They said they were going to do a cleaning on my first visit and I’m seeing the hygienist and the dentist afterward. Is this going to be considered periodontal scaling or is this going to be periodontal maintenance?

    Do people have periodontal scaling usually more than 1 time every 2 years or is my insurance going to be okay covering it the way it does… once every 2 years?
    please answer my entire question.

    i know cost varies by locations, that’s not even necessary to mention. just give me ballpark for your area if you must, i don’t care.

    • ANSWER:
      To be totally honest there is no way of really telling just how advanced your gum disease is without a proper diagnosis. It can be as simple as gingivitis (inflammation of the gums) or periodontitis (disease of the bone supporting the teeth).
      As far as scalings go, or periodontal maintenance the best way to check it out is to have your dentist send a pretreatment in for the work that needs to be completed. This will warn you ahead of time just how much everything will cost you out of pocket.
      When you go in for your cleaning I am sure that the Dentist or Hyg. will take xrays and perform a full mouth periodontal probing. The xrays will help the Dentist see if you have bone loss and/or tartar on the roots of the teeth. The probing tells the dentist if you have any bone loss or inflamed periodontal pocketing. Usually when you have tartar on the roots of the teeth (which happens from improper homecare/ lack of dental cleanings) you need to have scaling/root planing. Thats just a fancy word for a very deep cleaning. Most of the time the Hygienist will numb you up and do a quarter or even half of your mouth at a time.
      Your cleaning will most likely be considered periodontal maintenance. (Again, this is all about insurance codes though. The lines can be a bit blurred depending on the insurance company).
      Periodontal scalings aren’t usually done more than once ever 2 years. As long as you see your Hygienist regularly (2, 3, or 4 times a year) then tartar problem should be kept under control.

      As a hygienist we are taught that EDUCATION is number one . It is our responsibility to explain everything to our patients and make sure they completely understand what is going on! I’m sure if you ask your Hygienist he/she will have no problem answering any questions you may have.

      I work in NYC. We charge 85 for a cleaning/prophylaxis 50 for an exam. 0 for periodontal maintenance. 0 per quadrant for a total of 00 for scaling and root planing.
      Hope this helps!

  24. QUESTION:
    dental pain and sensitivity persists even after getting treatment by dentist. Why?
    I have periodontitis and significant bone loss. Teeth 24 and 25 feel very weak and they hurt a lot. These were the same teeth I complained about to dentist. Dentist did a procedure called “root planing and scaling”. It brought me lots of relief from pain and sensitivity. Now few weeks later the pain and sensitivity has returned. Teeth 24 and 25 are extremely sensitive. And sensitivity toothpaste doesn’t help at all. I have used all kinds of sensitivity pastes but no relief. I just paid over 00 to the dentist for the root planing and scaling. I think the bacteria is back and eating the bone away. What to do now? I brush daily twice with sensitive paste and floss daily 3 to 4 times. Use listerine mouthwash once a day

    • ANSWER:
      If you had significant bone loss then most likely you have exposed roots, which is the cause of the sensitivity. Not all toothpastes for sensitive teeth are the same; different companies have different formulations so if one brand does not work, try another. But if you have already done that then another option is to have your dentist prescribe a high concentration fluoride toothpaste to use and/or a prescription fluoride rinse. Fluoride is a natural desensitizer and will also help prevent root caries. Scaling and root planing is an effective procedure to stop the progression of periodontal disease but the pain you have now is not likely from the same cause as before you were treated. Periodontal disease is painless and cannot be wiped out entirely but it can be controlled. The bacteria that causes periodontal disease is present in the mouth all the time and proper oral hygiene is used to control their harmful effects. Ditch the Listerine; it contains too much alcohol and that will dry out oral tissues. Don’t believe all the hype from their ads because that is all it is, hype. Extreme sensitivity from receded gums with exposed roots is a common problem in patients who have had severe periodontal disease but that does not always mean that the bacteria are back and eating away at the bone again.

  25. QUESTION:
    What am i going to have to deal with at the dentists? ?
    I think i have gingivitis/periodontitis what is the dentist going to do? what are the treatments? is it going to hurt? I have a checkup and deep cleaning tomorrow? what should i look forward to? please help, i’m really nervous/scared!

    • ANSWER:
      Ok-there are all kinds of pain relievers for people who have to go to the dentist. Take a deep breath and focus on something pleasant. After the first initial shot-it;s all ok. Also, in the long run, would you prefer the pain of corrective action or nasty, infected teeth and gums?? It really will be ok-many people share your same fear.

  26. QUESTION:
    I was wondering if anybody knows of any financial assistance programs in NY State for periodontal disease?
    I am a 27 year old woman who has been suffering from severe periodontitis since I was 21. I am a newly single mother, and this has affected my life tremendously. I am extremely depressed because of this situation and don’t know which way to turn. I don’t think I can afford the expensive fees for the work I need, but I don’t know what to do. I have even been having trouble finding somebody local that performs full mouth restoration as well as periodontal treatment that would be willing to assist with a reasonable payment plan. Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I need to make a positive change as soon as possible.

    • ANSWER:
      I don’t know of any programs in New York State. I would contact OHA, Oral Health America, to find out if they can assist you at all. Or check out their web site.

      In the meantime I have found that there is a fair amount I can do for my own gum health. I had terrible gums and they have improved a lot by using Biotene dry mouth products.

      Has anyone ever checked to make sure there is not another underlying cause of your gum disease?

      I also found another web site (see below) that might help.

      Good luck!!

  27. QUESTION:
    Where do I file a complaint against an incompetent dentist?
    I went to dentist for extreme tooth ache. She charged me 0 and said dental x-ray shows nothing wrong. Then she gave me antibiotic and pain medication and sent me home. Tooth ache got worse and worse. I made 2 to 3 more visits there and all 3 times they said, “nothing really wrong. no cavities seen in x-ray”. When i pressured them that I am not getting any relief they said, “you have to use night guard and that will solve the problem”. Unsatisfied I went to second dentist. The second dentist took dental x-rays too and told me I have periodontitis. He also said dental x-rays show clear pockets and bone loss. He further confirmed periodontitis by poking my gums with a probe and said that the probe digs deep into the gum indicating periodontitis. Then he explained to me what periodontitis is saying that its infected gums which untreated will lead to weakening of tooth and tooth loss. Treatment plan for periodontitis was made and i got extensive dental work done yesterday. However, the first dentist said, “nothing wrong. x-ray really doesn’t show anything wrong”. This is pure incompetence and I want to complain against him. If I listened to his advice i would have lost teeth for sure as there was lot of pockets shown in x-ray

    • ANSWER:
      wow, yeah, i;ve been to a quack dentist before, not fun!!!

      i was in a ton of pain after having fillings done, i kept going back, same bs, nothing wrong, then BEFORE that i went to this other quack who would charge 300 bucks for two surface filling, this was like six years ago too, unbelivable!!!

  28. QUESTION:
    Will general cleaning of gum prevent loss of tooth and loss of bone? Kindly advise.?
    My cousin was diagnosed periodontitis on his upper teeth. During the consultation, the periodontist told him there’s a loss of bone shown in the x-ray, he can save his teeth -deep cleaning . He needs 3 visits at 3 wks intervals.
    During his appt 3 days ago (40 day after his consultation), my cousin feared, the periodontist gave him a general cleaning on his gum in his entire mouth instead of deep cleaning & told him he need not have to come back again. Will general cleaning prevent loss of tooth and loss of bone? On 1st & 2nd day after general cleaning, he still feel inability to chew his food on the affected tooth. He can feel the nerve of the affected tooth when the lower tooth touches the affected upper tooth while chewing. It’s uncomfortable. IS THIS TEMPORARY? On 3rd day, he felt his tooth a little better & stronger, however, will his affected tooth regain its strength & when can he eat solid food again? Does he need root canal treatment?
    Can anyone please help to advise.Thk You.

    • ANSWER:
      If your cousin has bone loss, then he has small pockets between his teeth and gums that can trap small particles of food, or other things. Things that get trapped in the pockets will cause the gums to become quite sore and are extremely painful while chewing. A general cleaning probably didn’t remove the contaminant in the pocket, because general cleanings don’t go that deep.

      There is a way for your cousin to clean the pockets in his teeth by himself, though. He can get an oral water jet, such as Oral B Water Pick, or even better an Hydro Floss. Those things will rinse particles from beneath the gum line, and quickly eliminate the pain that your cousin described. They are a bit painful to use, at first (especially on the affected tooth), but the gums quickly get used to the rinsing and after a few uses they are completely pain free.

      It helps when using a water jet on infected gums to use hydrogen peroxide with the water. That not only reduces the pain while rinsing an infected gum, but it also helps to eliminate bacteria. Salt is another good additive, but when using salt, be sure to rinse the unit by pumping hot water through it after using it (to remove salt buildup on the internal pump).

      I hope this helps your cousin.

      Regards,

      Chris

  29. QUESTION:
    what would be a good conclusion for this essay?
    Without proper care of the teeth and the gingiva, periodontal disease could easily take over anyone’s mouth and could possibly mean the end to the teeth. This serious disease can be prevented or treated at an early stage by simply brushing and flossing.

    Periodontal disease is an infection of the structures that surround the teeth. It begins with food debris and plaque not being brushed or flossed off and they turn into bacteria that worsens and leads to puffiness in the gingiva. Plaque must be taken off the teeth by brushing and flossing twice a day to prevent infection, but it only takes 24 hours for plaque to build up again. A few things that can lower your defenses, and help cause some form of periodontal disease, are: smoking, diabetes, stress, medicine, pregnancy, puberty, AIDS, HIV, cancer, and even diet, to name a few. Soda and certain types of food can also affect the teeth.

    Gingivitis is the first stage of periodontal disease. Most people do not find out they have this condition until a dentist advises them of it. Signs of gingivitis are: red gums, inflamed gums, bleeding while brushing and/or flossing, sensitive gums, possible bad breath, or bad taste. Gingivitis can easily be treated by brushing, flossing and using a mouth wash and no real pain is usually associated with gingivitis, which means that gingivitis is easily reversible with good oral home care and professional treatment.

    After gingivitis is left untreated, it can turn into mild periodontitis, moderate periodontitis, and finally advanced periodontitis. With time, plaque can build under the gum line and toxins can spread. The bacteria causes puffiness and redness, which is the body’s way of warning you something is wrong. Signs of these forms of periodontitis are: more pronounced bleeding, longer looking teeth, gum boils, abscesses, periodontal pockets, and mobility of the teeth. When some of these signs are reached, there might still be a chance of keeping the teeth if the person see’s a dentist as soon as possible and gets treatment, but this is when the structures that support the teeth are broken down and pretty much destroyed. After the disease is continually untreated, the teeth may become so mobile that they might have to be removed. This disease can affect anywhere from one tooth to all thirty-two teeth. After the age of 35, three out of four adults have some form of periodontal disease, which can lead to tooth loss.

    If treatment is needed, a root planing or a scaling might be the procedures to be considered. Scaling is a procedure to remove plaque and calculus around the tooth surfaces and root planing is the smoothing of the tooth surfaces to promote re-growth and reattachment of the gingiva to the tooth.

    • ANSWER:
      It is quite evident that taking good care of one’s teeth by routine brushing and flossing will prove to be beneficial to him or her in the long run. By taking pride in the teeth at an early age, tooth loss and other unpleasant, unhealthy situations of the mouth can be deterred.

  30. QUESTION:
    is this good so far for my essay? be honest please.?
    Without proper care of the teeth and the gingiva, periodontal disease could easily take over anyone’s mouth and could possibly mean the end to the teeth. This serious disease can be prevented or treated at an early stage by simply brushing and flossing.

    Periodontal disease is an infection of the structures that surround the teeth. It begins with food debris and plaque not being brushed or flossed off and they turn into bacteria that worsens and leads to puffiness in the gingiva. Plaque must be taken off the teeth by brushing and flossing twice a day to prevent infection, but it only takes 24 hours for plaque to build up again. A few things that can lower your defenses, and help cause some form of periodontal disease, are: smoking, diabetes, stress, medicine, pregnancy, puberty, AIDS, HIV, cancer, and even diet, to name a few. Soda and certain types of food can also affect the teeth.

    Gingivitis is the first stage of periodontal disease. Most people do not find out they have this condition until a dentist advises them of it. Signs of gingivitis are: red gums, inflamed gums, bleeding while brushing and/or flossing, sensitive gums, possible bad breath, or bad taste. Gingivitis can easily be treated by brushing, flossing and using a mouth wash and no real pain is usually associated with gingivitis, which means that gingivitis is easily reversible with good oral home care and professional treatment.

    After gingivitis is left untreated, it can turn into mild periodontitis, moderate periodontitis, and finally advanced periodontitis. With time, plaque can build under the gum line and toxins can spread. The bacteria causes puffiness and redness, which is the body’s way of warning you something is wrong. Signs of these forms of periodontitis are: more pronounced bleeding, longer looking teeth, gum boils, abscesses, periodontal pockets, and mobility of the teeth. When some of these signs are reached, there might still be a chance of keeping the teeth if the person see’s a dentist as soon as possible and gets treatment, but this is when the structures that support the teeth are broken down and pretty much destroyed. After the disease is continually untreated, the teeth may become so mobile that they might have to be removed. This disease can affect anywhere from one tooth to all thirty-two teeth. After the age of 35, three out of four adults have some form of periodontal disease, which can lead to tooth loss.

    If treatment is needed, a root planing or a scaling might be the procedures to be considered. Scaling is a procedure to remove plaque and calculus around the tooth surfaces and root planing is the smoothing of the tooth surfaces to promote re-growth and reattachment of the gingiva to the tooth.

    • ANSWER:
      Nicely done. I’m guessing you are in upper-level high school or possibly in junior college, from the quality of the writing.

      One suggestion, though. The expression “longer looking teeth” comes across as awkward. I’d recommend rewording the phrase.

      Best of luck with the remainder of the essay.

  31. QUESTION:
    good conclusion for this essay?
    Without proper care of the teeth and the gingiva, periodontal disease could easily take over anyone’s mouth and could possibly mean the end to the teeth. This serious disease can be prevented or treated at an early stage by simply brushing and flossing.

    Periodontal disease is an infection of the structures that surround the teeth. It begins with food debris and plaque not being brushed or flossed off and they turn into bacteria that worsens and leads to puffiness in the gingiva. Plaque must be taken off the teeth by brushing and flossing twice a day to prevent infection, but it only takes 24 hours for plaque to build up again. A few things that can lower your defenses, and help cause some form of periodontal disease, are: smoking, diabetes, stress, medicine, pregnancy, puberty, AIDS, HIV, cancer, and even diet, to name a few. Soda and certain types of food can also affect the teeth.

    Gingivitis is the first stage of periodontal disease. Most people do not find out they have this condition until a dentist advises them of it. Signs of gingivitis are: red gums, inflamed gums, bleeding while brushing and/or flossing, sensitive gums, possible bad breath, or bad taste. Gingivitis can easily be treated by brushing, flossing and using a mouth wash and no real pain is usually associated with gingivitis, which means that gingivitis is easily reversible with good oral home care and professional treatment.

    After gingivitis is left untreated, it can turn into mild periodontitis, moderate periodontitis, and finally advanced periodontitis. With time, plaque can build under the gum line and toxins can spread. The bacteria causes puffiness and redness, which is the body’s way of warning you something is wrong. Signs of these forms of periodontitis are: more pronounced bleeding, longer looking teeth, gum boils, abscesses, periodontal pockets, and mobility of the teeth. When some of these signs are reached, there might still be a chance of keeping the teeth if the person see’s a dentist as soon as possible and gets treatment, but this is when the structures that support the teeth are broken down and pretty much destroyed. After the disease is continually untreated, the teeth may become so mobile that they might have to be removed. This disease can affect anywhere from one tooth to all thirty-two teeth. After the age of 35, three out of four adults have some form of periodontal disease, which can lead to tooth loss.

    If treatment is needed, a root planing or a scaling might be the procedures to be considered. Scaling is a procedure to remove plaque and calculus around the tooth surfaces and root planing is the smoothing of the tooth surfaces to promote re-growth and reattachment of the gingiva to the tooth.

    • ANSWER:
      Gingivitis and periodontitis are potentially serious diseases that are easily preventable. Patients/students/people should be aware that these diseases could result in tooth loss. With simple dental care, including brushing and flossing regularly, periodontal disease is easily preventable, and mouths and teeth everywhere are happier.

  32. QUESTION:
    i think i have peridontis?
    I had gingivitis when I was 12 I think. I was given mouthwash corsodyl but didn’t really look after my teeth or bother with the mouthwash and now I have Periodontitis I think. I’m 19 and every time I go to a dentist (yes I keep switching) they get really annoyed which freaks me out. Could someone just tell me what will happen now that I have Periodontitis. My gums are swollen and pink and I always get bleeding when brushing. If I go dentist, how long approximately will the treatment be for? What is the procedure? And with time is it possible for me to get normal healthy looking gums again? if so, how long on average will it this take?
    I live in London. I’m on a student budget. Where can I go for cheapest treatment possible? Please help! Thanks.

    • ANSWER:
      Do it now and maybe you can prevent what I went through!!! I have had perio twice, it does come back. I am a compulsive tooth brusher so you must start now doing what they tell you. I thought the mouth wash didn’t matter. It does. It needs to get down under the gums. You must get the treatments now in quads probably. I had to have mine done under anesthesia it had advanced before I knew I had it, so I did it all at once. They scrap the teeth and bone under the gums and get the disease off them then they put antibiotics on them so they won’t get it again. They had to cut my gums back as they may yours. The first time it was fine because it wasn’t that bad. _My left back side was severe so they had to remove part of the bone in my jaw and they tried to replace it with artificial bone but it isn’t the same so it is not the same to me. Please do as they tell you to take care after the surgery. I did not and had to do it all again 10 years later. Go to the periodontist every 3 months to have your teeth and gums cleaned. (I went to the dentist and it is not the same) I was trying to save money. Just brushing is not enough. Stop smoking if you smoke. I waited to late. (I have been quit 3 1/2 years now) I have beautiful teeth now… over half of the top ones are a bridge. All the bottom are still mine but I had to have them bleached. The surgery was pretty expensive 00.00 but it beats false teeth and plastic or gadiver bone. (Mine was years ago) Good Luck… and do as they say.

  33. QUESTION:
    Does this sound like a Yeast Infection?
    About a week ago I started feeling very ichy and burning. The ichiness was sooooo… bad. About four days ago I had intercousre and when I went to the bathroom I was swollen and red down there and it burned to bad even after I wiped after urinating. Ive been having this white creamy discharge. Doesnt really smell. I bought the one day treatment by Monistat and it said you could use it day or night but I used during the night. I also bought the AZO Yeast tablets and it says take 3 times and day and once it goes away take once a day. I did the one day treatment about 4 days ago but it still burns and iches every now and then but the burning is very bad. Its not a Urinary Track In fection b/c I just got off of Doxycyclin Hyc Tabs for that. Doxycyclin Tabs: used to treat many different bacterial infections, such as urinary tract infections, acne, gonorrhea, and chlamydia, periodontitis (gum disease), and others. It burns the most after I urinate. But even after that it still burns alittle. Oh and having intercourse that one day hurt. This would be my 2nd Yeast Infection, the one I had b4 was when I was 6 months pregnant. Do you think this is a yeast infection? Is the burning normal and how long will it take to go away. I dunno if this has anything to do with it but I threw up 4 times yesterday. Thanks!!

    Also… which foods may help it go away? Yogurt?
    Drinking alot of water helps?

    P.s. I was just reading about the Doxycyclin meds I was on and it turns out that it can cause a Yeast Infection but I think any antibioctic can. ( ; Thanks Everyone!
    Thank you very, very much!! : )

    • ANSWER:
      Yes, it sounds exactly like a yeast infection. You have all the common symptoms; burning, itching, white non-smelly discharge and painful intercourse. Either use Monistat 7 for the FULL 7 days or go to the doctor and they can prescribe you a one time oral tablet that kills the infections. Also eat lots of yogurt and drink lots of cranberry juice, that will also help your body fight the infection.

  34. QUESTION:
    Help trying to get a lawyer – malpractice/negligence lawsuit against a dentist (kind of long)?
    My mom went to a dentist on 4/28/10 for a checkup because she knew she had bad teeth and wanted to see what could be done about it, if anything. We chose a local dentist and she went there for a checkup. They did an x-ray of her mouth and said she needed to have 11 teeth extracted due to having periodontitis (gum disease). Absolutely no antibiotic was given to my mom to even try to begin treatment for this at all. They wanted to extract all 11 teeth right then and there, but of course that’s an immediately random thing to do and most people can’t instantly get a week off from work to get well from such a thing.

    So my mom requested a week off from work via a note/excuse from the dentist to her job. My mom came back on 5/4/10 at 8:30 am and had 11 teeth extracted. I’m attaching a diagram of the teeth she had extracted, which after a recount, seems to actually have been 12 instead. But that isn’t the issue itself. I went with her that morning, and she came out at about 9:30am. It took about an hour to perform those extractions. They sent my mom out with a prescription for Lortab (Hydrocodone) and with gauze packed in the front of her mouth and on both sides of the back of her mouth, and her mouth was bleeding pretty badly. They gave her this lame paper that talks about packing the gauze into the teeth for stopping the bleeding, which wasn’t helping. The trouble was, my mom couldn’t pack the gauze into each spot quick enough before the first piece was literally soaked with blood. Later on in the day around 4pm or so, my mom was laying down and basically gagged on a huge bloodclot hanging down. She had these all in her mouth, and using gauze was in vain. Her mouth was bleeding from all extraction points so heavily that i’d have to estimate about 2 tablespoons or more of blood every 30 seconds or so. I called and said it was an emergency and told her about my mom’s bleeding. The dental coordinator transferred me to the dentist’s voicemail. I hung up and called back – she told me to hold because the dentist was with a patient. She took my phone number and said she’d have the dentist call me back.

    Meanwhile, my mom passed out in the floor and I barely caught her before she cracked her head on a nearby metal bed rail. She had clearly passed out from blood loss. The dentist calls back and I told her what happened. She said, “How do you know she passed out from blood loss? Has she eaten anything?” I’ll let that ignorance speak for itself, considering the procedure she had.

    I called 911 for an ambulance. The only available ambulance in Atlanta, GA (we live in Decatur, GA) was in downtown traffic, 30+ minutes away from us. My mom came to again and was extremely weak. A firetruck came and they checked her blood pressure. 170/80. Because the ambulance was so far away, they suggested I drive my mom to the ER. I was going to do that anyway, but feared that I couldn’t get her to the car. She was able to get to the car herself. I drove her to the ER and the staff changed her gauze that was filling up with blood 3 different times while waiting to be seen.

    They took her into the ER and nurses and doctors took turns using teabags to attempt to stop the bleeding. The teabags were only mentioned to me by the dentist via phone, shortly before driving my mom to the ER. I doubt they would have helped because it was so bad and some of the bleeding (probably 3 to 3.5 pints) had subsided by the time she actually got seen in the ER. She spent 27 hours in the ER and I stayed with her. They checked her blood frequently and said it wasn’t showing low counts. Yet we’ve found that Lortab (Hydrocodone) says in it’s “contradictions” explanation that it can alter medical test results. So her blood may have been dangerously low (she had very pale lips and skin, and was extremely weak) but showed up as high (still 170/80) in the hospital. She had no previous blood pressure issues, wasn’t taking any blood thinners, etc. She woke up the next morning with her entire lips/mouth number and stopped up ears. Discharged from the hospital after 24 hours of tons of blood tests, etc.

    She’s still weak, and it’s 5/8/10 now. She saw an emergency dentist this morning. They immediately gave her an antibiotic – what the first dentist knew to do on 4/28 during the initial visit when she diagnosed her with periodontitis – but didn’t. It is apparently known in the dental world that gum disease can exacerbate the bleeding massively. Yet this dentist chose to pull all of those teeth at once, and the consequences were horrible. Had my mom went to sleep, she literally could have bled to death.

    I called the Area Manager of the dental place where she went, and also have spoken with the regional manager. They aren’t wanting to do much, and want us to go through their “malpractice insurance” place, stating that they would appoint a lawyer. We ha
    We have this new dentist paperwork that shows she immediately gave my mom an antibiotic for her gums as soon as she had the first visit. We have ER and hospital paperwork which we’ll pick up in the morning, which shows she came to the ER that same afternoon with massive bleeding. The dentist didn’t seem to care when I had her on the phone, and she said all of that was “normal” for having that many teeth extracted at once.
    We’ve called some local malpractice/negligence lawyers, simply wanting to sue this dentist to get the hospital bill money (Probably ,000+) and some for negligence (if possible) because my mom could have been critically injured or could have died had I not been at home to drive her to the ER. All of the lawyers seem ignorant so far. They want a “letter from another dentist stating that the former dentist did something wrong.” The new dentist said she “could only state facts and can’t say for sure what happened in the former dentists’ office or what they could have done wrong.” No dentist will write this letter, fearing retaliation and legal issues. How do we deal with this? Clearly it’s wrong and they’ve done her wrong. They shouldn’t have pulled that many teeth with her gum condition, and didn’t even bother to give her antibiotics to start treating it, though they knew about it a week before the extractions. Also, they billed her 0+ to her credit card BEFORE the extractions.
    Quite odd. Even the ER and hospital bills take a few weeks to get in the mail usually.

    The new dentist was shocked to learn of this massive bleeding as a result of the simple extraction of these teeth, with the former dentist clearly being aware a week ahead of time that she diagnosed my mom with a periodontal disease. No antibiotics were prescribed to my mom for this, and the infection in the gums apparently may have caused the bleeding to be much worse when the teeth were extracted later on. In this case, the dentist should not have pulled that many teeth at once, knowing that this could happen. Other facts: The lack of concern for my mother’s well-being by those at the dental office. They wanted my mom to come in at 8:30am the NEXT morning, when I said she was bleeding heavily. Ridiculous. When my mom was in the hospital and about to be discharged, they called her at the hospital harrassing her about an 8:30am appointment the next day. She was taken out in a wheelchair because
    she was so weak. They had no concern for her at all. The Regional Manager said the dentist office should have given my mom an instruction sheet regarding the use of teabags to stop the bleeding; this discharge paper only mentions using gauze and in no way or form mentions any other method to stop the bleeding. The failure to give an antibiotic to my mother ahead of time before even considering extracting the teeth, when it is very clear that the new dentist immediately prescribed an antibiotic while even doing a routine exam. That paperwork proves that. The multiple bills that have been incurred into the thousands of dollars. Possibly as much as a ,000 hospital bill for the 27 hours that my mother spent in the ER and general hospital.
    Why are we having such a hard time getting someone to take this case? It’s ridiculous. It’s like the lawyer wants us to get a letter from another dentist saying the first dentist is guilty – and then they win the case, get half of the money and didn’t do a freaking thing and we’d have done all the work ourself. No dentist will give this, it’s impossible.

    Advice?

    http://www.myotherdrive.com/dyn/file/164.155223.06052010.55526.6a64fi/numbs.jpg This is what they extracted. As clearly seen, one cannot pack all of these with guaze when bleeding THAT much due to a condition that the first doctor didn’t treat.

    The company isn’t doing much. They’re trying to get out of as much as possible, yet the regional manager told me they’d be “disciplining and writing up employees, and training them properly.” I can’t use that because it was word of mouth on the phone, though.

    • ANSWER:
      People here will probably not be able to help you much because of the extent of your complaint. But I can say you mother may be partially at fault because of the lack of self help (periodontitis is cause by poor dental hygiene) and if either of you thought pulling 12 teeth at one time was outrageous why didn’t you go else where, most people would get a second opinion? I am originally form Georgia so I know you don’t have to drive more than 30 miles to find another dentist.

      As for the lack of knowledge or care form the dentist it is very possible your mother may be entitled for reimbursement of medical bills.

  35. QUESTION:
    wiggling tooth?
    ok so my 2 top teeth are SLIGHTLY loose (a tiny bit loose) due to gum recession and bone loss (i still need to see the dentist about that) but anyway, i have a major habit of wiggling one of them about and im getting really obsessed with my teeth problems because i really need to see the dentist but i never bring up the courage in myself to book an appointment (FYI, i am just 17 years old)… but back to my point, if i stop wiggling with my tooth, will the tooth stiffen up back into place, so that it wont be as loose?

    also another question, when i get to the dentist for my treatment, will my teeth always be as loose as they were, or is there a way that the dentist can tighten my teeth up completely?

    my case is that i think i have mild periodontitis, and i have not visited the dentist in over 5 years because our last one moved away and we never got around to contacting another

    thanks

    • ANSWER:
      DO not be afraid. More people risk serious illness because they are afraid to go to the dentist. Just go. Get your teeth fixed. The uppers you mentioned might not be saved, especially if you keep playing with them. You may end up with root canals and false teeth. They will look and work like your real teeth by the way, no one will know they are not yours. But do get into the dentist.


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