Sheepy

Just visited the dentist and and she told me that although my teeth are perfect i have gum disease and will be needing to really get into flossing and brushing twice a day. She said that now there is information that it's linked to heart disease, strokes, heart poisoning, forms of cancer and other terrible stuff. Freaky huh?

But as the title says i'm not alone. 8/10 adults ave some form of it!? woah.

So i was wondering, do you all brush twice a day+ floss thoroughly?

I'll be honest,i barely brush ever in the mornings and i've had episodes were I've skipped brushing because i just couldn't be bothered, or didn't make time for it. How about you?

Willravel

I stopped brushing twice a day after I found out from my dentist that my gums were receding. I brush carefully, then floss, then rinse once a day, in the evening right before bed. I also tend to avoid starchy and sugary foods, which I've heard can be problematic for teeth.

I had endocarditis (a heart infection) when I was around 7, and my whole family was a bit shocked when my cardiologist said it could have been due to not keeping a clean enough mouth. It was more than a little jarring, and my teeth have been tended to ever since.

purplelirpa

Thanks for the reminder, I need to be more consistent about this.

When I worked in the pharmacy, I would see scripts come in often for people who had heart disease that were going to the dentist, the standard was 4 amoxicillin before the trip to the dentist, to protect the heart. There's definitely a link between the two.

Sheepy

Is now paranoid.

Cynthetiq

I keep my teeth clean, flossing regularly and using a metal pick to scrape my teeth.

I don't have any issues with my gums.

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dlish

people who live in third world nations live shorter lives. Health organisations use dental health as an indicator for life expectancy.

could this be what your dentist is referring to?

i wouldnt be too worried to be honest. NZ and Australia have a good record when it comes to dental health. i know that in Australia, fluoride is added to the tap water which they use as a first bit of protection.

ive never heard of a direct link between cancer and not brushing/flossing. I do think theres a direct link between not brushing and keeping a girlfriend though.

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genuinegirly

I brush 3x/day and use mouthwash 2x/day. I do not floss often because I dislike how it makes my gums bleed. I was taught a special method of brushing that is supposed to strengthen gums: brush gently from gum to the tip of the teeth. Never had a cavity, though there has always been some concern with my bleeding gums.

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Baraka_Guru

I've had the problem with bleeding gums too. I had a great dentist give me a no-fucking-around summary of dental health mere weeks before he retired (I still go to his practice through another dentist).

We talk a lot about brushing, but flossing is the key. I used to use Sensodyne because of sensitivity to cold. This guy informed me that it is often the case that using a toothpaste like Sensodyne could mask more serious problems because it desensitizes the nerves. He also said that tooth sensitivity problems often stem from gum problems based mostly on a lack of flossing.

I had a problem with tooth sensitivity, but whenever I flossed, my gums bled. He said that this is most likely because of my lack of flossing. I was never a regular flosser....until that moment. He all but guaranteed that the sensitivity and bleeding would cease if I were to floss regularly.

He was right.

I haven't used Sensodyne for over five years, and I have no problems with sensitivity whatsoever. Moreover, I don't have a problem with bleeding gums anymore.

The biggest impact on my own improving gum health was establishing a regular flossing habit. The only time my gums bleed now is when I fall out of the habit. I'm not perfect, but I used to never floss. Now, the hygienist informs me that my gums are in great shape; they have even improved over time. He said flossing even once a week is better than never.


EDIT:

As an aside, anyone who doesn't floss or doesn't like the idea of flossing, try this if you haven't.

The next time you brush, take the time to brush your teeth really well. Not vigorously or hard or anything, just thoroughly. Take two or three minutes to get your teeth really clean all over. Rinse away.

Next, get a bit of floss and give it a go.

How clean were your teeth after all?

Report your findings here.

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—Bhikkhuni Pema Chödrön

Humankind cannot bear very much reality.
—From "Burnt Norton," Four Quartets (1936), T. S. Eliot

purplelirpa

At my last cleaning, I shared with my dentist that I didn't like to floss because of the bleeding. He said just to do it once a day, and to keep the routine up until the bleeding stops, because the gums will get stronger.

Also, I was doing it wrong. I was getting the floss between the two teeth and moving it back and forth, in a sort of saw-like motion. All that is necessary is for it to go in between the teeth, down the side of each tooth to the gum line and then out.

chinese crested

Liquorice root helps like floss the teeth.
Its long been known by pet owners that bad teeth and or gums leads to heart problems - guess vets inform more than dentists.
Sage leaves steeped is an antibacterial mouthwash.
Fluoride in water - dont agree with pouring poison in the water supply because people are lazy - like circumcising small boys so they dont get dirt under their willy skin - teach them to bloody well wash.

Baraka_Guru

I know there is a long debate about the fluoridization of water, but, regardless, fluoride is naturally occurring in food and water. Even fresh water has as much as a third of what they put into drinking water. Either way, it's known to prevent tooth decay, which I imagine has much greater overall benefit than it does harm. I think the overall concern should be whether they're using too much.

I'm far more concerned about pesticides.

__________________
Knowing that death is certain and that the time of death is uncertain, what's the most important thing?
—Bhikkhuni Pema Chödrön

Humankind cannot bear very much reality.
—From "Burnt Norton," Four Quartets (1936), T. S. Eliot

ralphie250

i have false teeth on the top and am in the process of having the same on the bottom. when i was about18 my gums started receding from my teeth and started causing pain. i dont remember what it is called. but before that i brushed twice a day.

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remy1492

MY hygenist is a freak about cleaning, she is like that Shrimp in the fish tank in Finding Nemo.

She recommended the WaterPik machine, sold at Target. Its awesome, put a few ounces of water in it, and a few drops of HIBICLENSE (CVS light blue color bottle) in it and use it to get inbetween gums, teeth etc.....

Since I started using it every night, my gums have reversed receding and tooth health is better. Its not just brushing the grime way, its killing the bad bacteria that live in your cracks. Thats the gum disease part, the bacteria. Keep it under control.

I also use prescription Flouride toothpaste after brushing sometimes to let it sit on the teeth for a while, and clorehexidine mouthwash, similar to hibiclense. It dulls the taste buds but really kills the bad stuff a lot better than listerine etc..

I had a lot of dental work done in Bulgaria so my current military dentists are always working on my teeth to undo what was done. I am a frequent visitor there.

high_jinx

i come from some freaky/evolved genes (mom born w/out wisdom teeth, her mom born w/out an appendix), and one of my biggest genetic lottery tickets is that i'm 37 and have never had an inkling of a cavity.

i was, however cursed with allergies and asthma and was on my dentist's shit list for my gums from mouth breathing.

i turned all my gum problems around the last 2 years however with a combination of a quality electric toothbrush and the new "satin" tape floss.

between being able to floss regularly because i wasn't shredding the floss from the tiny gaps in my teeth and the burly degree of clean i got from my plug-in braun toothbrush everything fell in line and i blew my dentist assistant's mind a few days ago after a 2 year break.

anyway, my advice is that dental technology is more evolved than you might think and to take advantage of the fact that a lot of home tools rival dentist's chair sets now... just find whatever it is that you can personally stand to hit up faithfully everyday.

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chinese crested

Seems putting the chemical fertiliser by-product in the water may well increase the risks of cancer and shorten the life of cancer patients.
When I do a partial water change on my fish tank, I have to use a chemical addative to negate or remove the addative4s to the tap water that would otherwise kill my fish. I did buy my dad a tube of fluoride paste for his teeth, and there was a warning on the tube that it must not be swallowed, and that if you swallowed any, quickly start chucking milk down your gullett to save yourself. Thats self choice, which is different from no choice mass medication. If people want to take it, would there not be a market for bottled fluoride containing water? Why do people seem to like water filtered through volcanic springs or some such - yep, put it in bottled water, and people have a choice, put it in a tube, and people have a choice.

Baraka_Guru

I really think the jury is still out as to weather the risks outweigh the benefits, cc.

It's kind of like other things the government does, like the subsidization and promotion of animal products, when there is documentation of the dangers of such things as casein, saturated fat, and high protein consumption.

It's also kind of like things the general population does, like the suggestion that exposing children to second-hand smoke is child abuse.

The fluoride issue would also suggest problems for populations who only have access to well water (groundwater, generally), which has high natural concentrations of fluoride.

And what about the continued practice of allowing food producers to sell us food covered with residual poisons? The health effect of that is more broad and far-reaching. Did you know that pesticides get into the water as well? At least fluoride is something that was already naturally occurring albeit at lower levels for the most part.

__________________
Knowing that death is certain and that the time of death is uncertain, what's the most important thing?
—Bhikkhuni Pema Chödrön

Humankind cannot bear very much reality.
—From "Burnt Norton," Four Quartets (1936), T. S. Eliot

chinese crested

I grow what I can in the way of fresh veg - so I know where it comes from - we use guppy poopy water as a fertiliser (fish tank water change). Its scarey the stuff that is allowed to enter the food chain - its not long ago that we first heard of mad cow - from feeding cows cows. The facts are we are seen as not being capable of taking the truth and are fed on lies by buisnesses and govts - Remember Prozac - all the truths that were hidden, the deaths it caused. It should be prohibatively expensive for companies to lie to us, and there should be repercussions for ministers who lie to us. Myself, if its not proven either way, I would rather err on the side of caution. I would consider taking thalidomide - if I were a leper - but for morning sickness - no way.

chinese crested

This past week in one of the papers, they say that gum disease also lowers womens chances of becoming pregnant. The vet never told me that one!