FRENCH WORD-A-DAY

Believe me, I credit a huge amount of my dental health to my daily oral irrigation. I use a splash of listerine in the water container.

I remember Marseille very fondly too. Thanks so much for the posts! Caroline

I use an electric toothbrush twice a day. The vibrations seem to help clean the gums. (Still need to floss more though!

My orthodontist advised AGAINST any sort of electric irrigation.....it swells the gums and is NOT a good idea. He has a huge high-tech practice and is always attending seminars on the latest in dental science.
An electric toothbrush however, IS a good idea. Flossing every day, YES....AND a mouthguard, definitely if you grind your teeth. I have one....you get used to it and can discreetly insert it and take it out..... ;)
Paradontosis is serious.....so sorry you have been afflicted.
We just use a bio-organic toothpaste that has NO fluoride and NO micro-pearls....Good luck with your treatment, Kristi! xxx

I suggest seeing a periodontist, if your gums are bleeding, you may have periodontitis. Laser treatment is far better than root planning, also healing time reduced tremendously. Use an electric toothbrush, floss twice a day. Best Wishes Kristin.

Get an auto toothbrush. I use the Sonicare healthwhite and every time I brush my teeth I feel like I just had a tooth cleaning at the Dentist office. They hold a charge for about 2 weeks of brushing 2X per day. You get a pack of several brush heads with color rings to distinguish everyones brush head. Well worth the price.

https://www.amazon.com/Philips-Sonicare-HealthyWhite-rechargeable-HX8911/dp/B00YAR86BY?th=1

I have also used a water irrigator but it's not as efficient as the Sonicare.

My gums are in great shape and I'm quite a bit older than you are.

Mary is absolutely right. Relaxed or calm, you will still grind from my personal experience. The newest mouth guards are fitted for the upper teeth and they are made of a harder material to discourage more grinding. You can't speak right and you may look a bit weird, but it will save your teeth! Don't fool yourself into thinking that you can control your sleeping brain. Get the mouth guard.

Kristi, all the best as you step up your oral-care routine. Me too -- for three weeks, have been using a Water-Pik water flosser before each brushing. I was also reminded to brush with a very soft toothbrush. It took a few tries to get the heck of water flossing, but it's so much easier and faster than using thread-style floss that I enjoy it now. One can also see the bits it washes out into the sink: impressive. And it feels great on the gums, too; good effects happening,
I believe. Great photos of old haunts and of Jackie today!

So next year will be your 25th wedding anniversary? Félicitations et Bon anniversaire! 25 years is quite a feat.

Electric toothbrushes (used twice daily) help keep tartar from building up - it's the ultrasonic action. My dentist has a sign in his office that says: "You don't have to floss your teeth everyday, just the ones you want to keep." Rinsing probably doesn't hurt anything and keeps your mouth fresh. A second opinion for very expensive treatment is a good idea.

Having been through the issue of periodontal disorders I can highly recommend the water-pik oral irrigator. Current studies show that it is successful as has the result with my husband. In my husband's case, he went from having many large, deep pockets and the associated issues to no pockets and oral health. In my case, my bone loss to my front teeth resulted in 2 years of braces to apply pressure to increase bone which worked and I still have my teeth. (We both had planing). All of the above could have been avoided, and can be greatly helped if not completely addressed by a few things... brushing after meals and mouth rinse, flossing and water pick daily and using an electric toothbrush, focusing on gum edges where they join the teeth, not the teeth. Sounds like a bit but its not hard work and a lot better than looking your teeth and having dentures or implants. Good luck, it will work!

Be careful, Kristi. Some dentists charge a lot of money for work that may not be necessary, and the area where they do that is gum work. Your dentist has a swanky office and wardrobe funded by patients. I would get a second opinion. I know you may feel awkward, since she's an acquaintance or maybe even a friend. But if she finds out about it, just tell her that in America, one ALWAYS gets a second opinion for any kind of extensive (ahem, expensive) treatment; you mean they don't do that in France? How strange.

Waterski makes a children’s pick that can be used in Europe. We have one at our home I italy. It’s great for leaning teeth and gum stimulation. We like it so much, we tossed our older “adult” version in Seattle and replaced it with a child’s version, as well. Good luck. Getting older ain’t easy darlin’. Just relax and enjoy every moment you have.

Our dear Kristi,
What a shame that in our youth so many of us (putting myself at the top of the list here) take our teeth for granted,assuming(like other health issues) that our bodies will always be strong and can get by with minimal effort.
My hygienist told me that,whatever you do,keep on fighting the good fight--and it sounds like you are doing exactly that!
Please give Jackie a big hug for us and even bigger congratulations!
We share your pride--and also wishes for your continued happiness(always!) as 25 rapidly draws closer!
Love
Natalia XO

She has a beautiful smile!

Electric toothbrushes are a godsend! My parents swore by their "waterpik". Flossing is a must. Yes, it's all a pain in the arse but as someone else said, cheaper than eventual implants! Good luck!

I have had extensive dental work, Kristi, and encourage you to take seriously the warnings and advice of the dentists. Many people suffer from periodontal disease and lose their teeth as a consequence. Brushing, flossing, and using a product like Periodex or Perioguard, a Colgate product sold through the pharmacy here in the States, is a good start. I use a Sonicare toothbrush, which has a setting for "gum care". The toothbrush is made my Phillips, the German company. In addition to using it twice a day, I floss every night without missing a single night, unless I've had surgery or an accident. I've done this for probably fifteen years. I have horrible natural teeth and so have had whole mouth reconstruction. All of my teeth are implants, crowns, or bridges. You don't want to go down the path I have travelled. I have the equivalent of a Rolls-Royce in my mouth. Luckily for me, my brother-in-law is my dentist, so I've always received a nice discount. But, I've invested many $$ in dentistry and happily done so. Nothing human-made is as good as what God gave you. So do as they suggest, the root planing and everything, to restore what you have, to save what you have. Wishing you all the best!

Denise

I also use a Waterpik every other day, but the Sonicare toothbrush twice a day. Even when I'm traveling.

...

I remember my mother doing daily oral irrigation as part of her treatment for periodontal disease. Having what appeared to be beautiful teeth, my mother was shocked at age 45 by being referred to a periodontist by her dentist, and then by that periodontist's diagnosis of, and the ongoing treatment regime he recommended for her, gum disease. Nevertheless, she followed to the letter the advice of that periodontist, whom she saw every six months thereafter. When she died twenty years later, in 1985 (from a cause unrelated to gum disease), she had all of her teeth (and they were firmly in place). From her experience with gum disease and from my own dental history (which does not include gum disease), I'd strongly second your plan to follow faithfully the recommendations of Sylvie and/or whatever other dental professional you use to treat your gum disease. (You may find it helpful to first consult a periodontist to see if s/he agrees with, or has anything to add to, Sylvie's diagnosis and recommendations.)

P.S. regarding Caroline's mention of Listerine: I have had very good dental health that has defied the dire warnings of my dental professionals after I sustained in a 1972 auto accident, and underwent repairs of, extensive dental and other oral injuries. Based partly on the fact that those warnings predicted, among else, eventual bacterial infections in and around my gums, I have rinsed my mouth with Listerine every day since those repairs allowed. I'm not saying that that use of Listerine prevented such infections, but it may well have been part of what did.

Hi Kristi,
I agree 100% with Kathleen’s comments. I fractured two molars by grinding (not fun) before I began religiously wearing my mouth guard to sleep. Also I have had three dental professionals tell me to not use an oral irrigator. They apparently can cause more problems. If you do get an electric toothbrush, I like the Sonicare. I’ve had a few different ones, and it seems to clean better. Also don’t “scrub” your teeth when you brush with it - that can cause additional gum troubles. If you do have the dentist make a mouth guard, you can clean it by soaking it in hydrogen peroxide rather than the chemically tablets they give you. A shallow dish of hydrogen peroxide also works great to dip your floss into before flossing (I brush or rinse immediately after). Sending much love from Arizona and wishing you speedy gum healing!
💙 Mary Jan

A warm hug Kristi for having such a bad time, teeth are so fundamental and you are a brave and conscientious person about your health. I appreciate your honesty in sharing all this. It does make some of us think! and act. And I'll add yet another note of caution. My younger daughter went to Colombia South America for a year's teaching. She had perfect teeth. I can't remember why she went to the dentist there but she ended up with a mouthful of painful and expensive fillings only to be told on her return to the UK that not a single one was necessary. The UK dentist would have had a wait and see policy as times were changing in the dental world. So it wasn't exactly a scam but it was somewhat life changing as there was no going back. So yes to caution Kristi, maybe a second opinion, and pondering the lots of good advice here from those here who care about you. One thing that puzzles me - any ideas anyone? One gets the impression that many USA folk have super teeth, hence their lovely smiles. Here in the UK it's not like that. Even the royal family (apart from Kate and Megan) have wonky not very white teeth. So why is that the USA ones are so good - I know money is one factor but even so .....

Hello,

Take it from a cavity prone lover of sugar, flossing is important. I do it daily now and last check up was great. I use a Waterpik when I think about it. I do have quite a few crowns. The dentist said just think, when you are older your face won’t cave in as much. Nice man, huh? Thanks for the idea of one of the articles to post for the guys on health here at work. Your teeth can wreck havoc on health.

Take care

I use a waterpik, and I like the feel on my teeth. The biggest problem to using it regularly is having a good place to keep it where it is convenient to use and not an eyesore. As a side note, the waterpik also makes a great cleanning device. You can use the pulsating water to clean combs or small crevices in other things. It works great.

Hi Kristi,

And don't overlook the Ayurvedic dental treatment called "Daily Swish." Available on amazon and made locally (here in New Mexico) by Banyan Botanicals.

Jeanne

I had the dental planing done. It wasn't fun. But since then I have brushed carefully, with a manual soft brush and flossed. No problems any more. good luck.

You simply MUST get a good quality, electric toothbrush. After going thru several, (many), horrible yrs of scraping and planing and abject terror and pain, I started using Gly-0xide the mon I saw any redness or inflammation or even a wisp of pink water, i.e. Blood. A periodontist taught me that. Then I began in earnest using a gum brush, specifically to attack and stop he "disease" your dantal asst/dentist referred to. I started using baking soda until the new Crest toothpaste came out, doing cleanins occas, and ate far less sugar. After four yrs, I had no cavities, and I went to a local dental school, "torture!!," to get each "pocket" for each tooth's portion of gum, checked. I didn't qualify for thr gum periodontal disease project because my ums had improved so much. I agree with the latest studies: a found brush, that's a small, elec toothbrush, is much better at getting plaque and food stuck in your teeth. So, you CAN do it w/out planing and scraping. I will never do that again!! I also believe drinking copious amou ts of iced and hot tra, hS teally contributed to my gum/teeth health, due to the tannic acid. That's just about all I drink and the iced tea does, of course, have some real suger. I will be most happy if ypu'd let me send you some of these products. Might save you money & pain. And brush three times/day, and do gargle salt water when you can or use salt water in a water pik. Water piks get stuff nothing else but a dr's pik can. Good luck, and never stop the ritual!!!

...Carry on this street 300 metters and a bit on the right
and going down few stairs you arrive to my house !

20 years ago, at 56, I was told by my dentist that my teeth would be gone in 10 years. Since then I have used a WATERPIK faithfully every night followed by 3oz of THERASOL concentrate diluted 8 to 1 with distilled water, eau demineralise in france. I still have all my teeth. 64oz of concentrate is not cheap but lasts a long time when mixed 8 to 1 with water.

Dear Kristi..glad you caught this on time but it can be monitored. The toothbrush that I recommend (very highly) was designed by a gum surgeon and it really works..it is a nimbus brush (very soft bristles to stimulate the gum). You should also get a mouth guard to prevent bruxism...and just about any toothpaste with fluoride should work...just not baking soda because it scratches the enamel...can you tell I have a lot of experience? xx

At age 68, I have used a Waterpik for over 50 years, when I had braces. Even had one of my bridesmaids hold my veil as I used it on my wedding day, 47 years ago. I NEVER go to bed without using it. After flossing, brushing twice with a timed toothbrush, I still get chunks of food out from between my teeth. Shocking!