Receding Gums - Scared!

[WorryWendy]

I'm having such bad anxiety over my teeth again (this happens a lot just before an appointment!)

About a month ago (maybe less) I was flossing and noticed that the gum in between my front teeth and also in between my canines has detached from the tooth.

Whenever I see my dentist she says I have Amazing teeth but not so great gums! I was meant to book a hygienist appt. Last year but then lockdown hit.

I'm now petrified I've left it too late and soon I'm going to have huge gaps or my teeth will fall out. I've always taken such pride in my smile that it's making me feel sick just thinking about it.

Can anyone offer any reassurance? Will the gum reattach?

I floss with a water flosser at night, brush twice a day with Corsodyl toothpaste and use Gengigel mouthwash

[bin tenn]

I can't say what's fixable and what isn't. However, I've had a problem with receding gums as well, and a good deep clean (root planing and scaling) seemed to halt it in its tracks. I had noticed mine initially and thought it was just some change coming with age. Then I started experiencing a lot of bleeding from my gums. It was a while before I got the deep cleaning, and I never had an issue with gaps or teeth coming loose, so I think you'll be fine. Just keep in touch with your dentist and do what needs to be done.

[WorryWendy]

I do have an appointment booked next week so hoepfully she will do a quick scaling then.

I did have this before with a bottom gum and it seemed to right itself after a clean so im hoping this will be the same. I just feel sick at the thought of losing my teeth early

[Rumpo]

I'm sure your dentist would let you know if there was any risk of you losing your teeth! I believe I have noticed this myself before and found that it seemed to right itself with better oral hygiene/after a good clean.

[WorryWendy]

I finally booked a hygienist appointment for a few weeks time. My gums are still loose/soft and if I floss I can pull them away from the tooth. Now I feel like one front tooth is slightly loose. If I put a finger on it and push from behind with my bottom teeth I can feel slight movement!! Is this normal? Or am I about to lose teeth.

I can't cope with the anxiety this gives me!

[nomorepanic]

It doesn't sound normal to have a loose tooth but let the dentist look

I have receding gums and had to have 2 Buccal fillings.

[debs71]

Hi WorryWendy,

I have had an issue with receding gums for years and I would hasten a guess that mine are far worse than yours......and I STILL have all of my teeth, bar my three wisdoms that were removed!

I have a lot of recession between and around the teeth on the right side of my mouth. They drive me mad as food constantly gets stuck in them and like you, my teeth have suffered this year as I had an appt booked last July and the dentist had to cancel it. It was my regular check-up and I REALLY wanted to discuss my gums with her!

Sadly, gum recession cannot be reversed. All we can do is maintain good mouth hygiene which means regular brushing ( but NOT TOO VIGOROUSLY as this can make things worse with receding gums) and flossing. The main thing that helps is keeping the gums very clean, as it is the plaque bacteria that mainly causes the recession.

I am pretty annoyed though as I have found that the gaps between my teeth have got larger since I have regularly flossed. I then read that if you floss too hard, this can happen. GRRRRR! You can't do right for doing wrong, it seems.

Anyway, I just wanted to say that I can relate and please don't worry. I still have all of my teeth despite the recession and the same issues as you.

[Debsi77]

That's great you're booked on with the your hygeinist. Have a good chat with him/her and ask any questions or worries you have they are the gum experts and will give you the best advice. 👍
Any tooth that you push or press on will have a tiny bit of movement. Try to stop pushing on it I know it's hard when you fixate on something!!
Get yourself a good electric toothbrush, one with a sensor on it that lights up or buzzes if you're brushing too hard and keep up with flossing every day. The water flosser you have is a good thing too 👍
Making sure you keep up with regular scalings with your dentist or hygienist.
You would need to have severe periodontal disease for your teeth just to 'fall out' - trust me I've been in dentistry for nearly 30 years I've seen it all lol 👍

[WorryWendy]

Hi WorryWendy,

I have had an issue with receding gums for years and I would hasten a guess that mine are far worse than yours......and I STILL have all of my teeth, bar my three wisdoms that were removed!

I have a lot of recession between and around the teeth on the right side of my mouth. They drive me mad as food constantly gets stuck in them and like you, my teeth have suffered this year as I had an appt booked last July and the dentist had to cancel it. It was my regular check-up and I REALLY wanted to discuss my gums with her!

Sadly, gum recession cannot be reversed. All we can do is maintain good mouth hygiene which means regular brushing ( but NOT TOO VIGOROUSLY as this can make things worse with receding gums) and flossing. The main thing that helps is keeping the gums very clean, as it is the plaque bacteria that mainly causes the recession.

I am pretty annoyed though as I have found that the gaps between my teeth have got larger since I have regularly flossed. I then read that if you floss too hard, this can happen. GRRRRR! You can't do right for doing wrong, it seems.

Anyway, I just wanted to say that I can relate and please don't worry. I still have all of my teeth despite the recession and the same issues as you.


Thank you for replying. If I'm honest, to look at them you cannot tell they're receding. It's just when I push up a bit of gum between teeth, they're squishy and you can pull them away from the tooth. Im worried after my hygiene appointment the gums will shrink and I'll have those black triangles. Its my front top teeth so will knock my confidence so much

[WorryWendy]

That's great you're booked on with the your hygeinist. Have a good chat with him/her and ask any questions or worries you have they are the gum experts and will give you the best advice. 
Any tooth that you push or press on will have a tiny bit of movement. Try to stop pushing on it I know it's hard when you fixate on something!!
Get yourself a good electric toothbrush, one with a sensor on it that lights up or buzzes if you're brushing too hard and keep up with flossing every day. The water flosser you have is a good thing too 
Making sure you keep up with regular scalings with your dentist or hygienist.
You would need to have severe periodontal disease for your teeth just to 'fall out' - trust me I've been in dentistry for nearly 30 years I've seen it all lol 

Thank you so much for your reply. If im honest the movement in the "loose tooth" is so minimal but cos its top front its making me sick with anxiety that Im going to loose it at some point!

I've had the same with a bottom one for years and if im honest it has never ever gotten any worse.

My big thing is my "squishy gums" so if i was to press up on a bit of gum between 2 teeth, it comes away from the tooth!! Im so scared that after my hygiene appointment my gums will heal and shrink and leave those big black triangles!

Does this sound more like periodontitis than just gingivitis?

[Debsi77]

It's hard to say without seeing your teeth but from what u describe it could just be a bit of gingivitis (which literally translates as inflammation of the gums)
My advice would be don't push or irritate this but of gum that's coming away,
Once you see your hygienist and any plaque or tartar has been removed from the teeth the gum should reattach 👍
Keep brushing and flossing the area don't avoid it and if it bleeds don't avoid it! That's the mistake people make a lot, they see the blood and don't brush those areas but it's vital that you keep these areas clean.
I hope this helps you a bit! I promise you that your teeth and gums will be fine try not to fixate too much - I know it's hard x

[WorryWendy]

So annoyed. I was doing so well with this anxiety for the last 10 days or so.

Keeping up with the flossing and using Gengigel mouthwash. My gums seemed much firmer and when I pushed up I couldn't move it any more. And my tooth felt tighter.

I'll be honest, the last few days I've been a bit lazy and just brushing twice a day, although still using the mouthwash but not flossed.

This morning my tooth feels "loose" again and my gums are squishy :(

I'm back to square 1!

When I say loose, I literally have to put my finger on the gap between my two teeth and push with my tongue to feel any movement! Not sure if that's actually normal.

I'm so scared I'm going to lose this front tooth

[Carys]

I'll be honest, the last few days I've been a bit lazy and just brushing twice a day, although still using the mouthwash but not flossed.

This morning my tooth feels "loose" again and my gums are squishy :(

Teeth don't change like that, that quickly, its not possible, if it feels 'loose again' then thats your imagination. Teeth do move slightly in the boney socket they sit in, they are meant to so there is some 'suspension'. For a tooth to actually be loose the gum disease would have to have reached right down into the boney area at the root of the tooth and be eroding the bone. Once that occurs it can't be changed. So, the fact that you said it felt ok for a few days, and now it doesn't, makes no sense at all and means that nothing that serious is happening.


I've had the same with a bottom one for years and if im honest it has never ever gotten any worse.

You just need to keep better care of your gums, attend the cleaning appointment you've made and then carrying on with flossing/interdental brushes and cleaning twice a day based on their advice- they can tell you which brushes to use and give loads of advice. Gingivitis is reversible but needs to be maintained, where the gums are pulling away isn't always reversible I believe and some might remain a bit 'pliable', moving away from the tooth during flossing or when pressed. A pocket can be made down the sides of the teeth under the gums by gingivitis, keeping that pocket clean and well cared for will however keep the gums healthy and ensure the problem goes no further (I had gum problems years ago, before my tooth hygiene was obsessive and I'm just repeating what I was told by hygienists LOL)

[Debsi77]

Have you made the appointment with your hygeinist/dentist yet?
If not, get along and see them ASAP to put your mind at rest.
It takes a LOT of bone loss for teeth to just 'fall out' and I don't think you are anywhere near that stage!
Get along see your hygienist and get a good scale and polish and some oral hygeine advice, trust me they are the experts and will help. 👍

[WorryWendy]

Have you made the appointment with your hygeinist/dentist yet?
If not, get along and see them ASAP to put your mind at rest.
It takes a LOT of bone loss for teeth to just 'fall out' and I don't think you are anywhere near that stage!
Get along see your hygienist and get a good scale and polish and some oral hygeine advice, trust me they are the experts and will help. 👍

Yes not until nearer the end of May though!! Was an absolute nightmare trying to get one.

[WorryWendy]

Teeth don't change like that, that quickly, its not possible, if it feels 'loose again' then thats your imagination. Teeth do move slightly in the boney socket they sit in, they are meant to so there is some 'suspension'. For a tooth to actually be loose the gum disease would have to have reached right down into the boney area at the root of the tooth and be eroding the bone. Once that occurs it can't be changed. So, the fact that you said it felt ok for a few days, and now it doesn't, makes no sense at all and means that nothing that serious is happening.



You just need to keep better care of your gums, attend the cleaning appointment you've made and then carrying on with flossing/interdental brushes and cleaning twice a day based on their advice- they can tell you which brushes to use and give loads of advice. Gingivitis is reversible but needs to be maintained, where the gums are pulling away isn't always reversible I believe and some might remain a bit 'pliable', moving away from the tooth during flossing or when pressed. A pocket can be made down the sides of the teeth under the gums by gingivitis, keeping that pocket clean and well cared for will however keep the gums healthy and ensure the problem goes no further (I had gum problems years ago, before my tooth hygiene was obsessive and I'm just repeating what I was told by hygienists LOL)


I also have a hormone problem which at the moment is unstable so it's concerning me that no matter how good my oral hygiene is, this will just carry on making things worse. It's honestly my worst nightmare. I have recurring dreams of my teeth falling out! Haha

[Carys]

I too have a hormone problem, receeding gums is something that happens to many older women as part of natural changes, all the more important you care for them to your upmost. Bone erosion has to be major before teeth start falling out.

[Debsi77]

Yes not until nearer the end of May though!! Was an absolute nightmare trying to get one.

That's good at least that you booked in. Until then just keep up with your flossing and brushing and don't wobble that tooth!! 😊