Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with gums

What is this lump on the roof of my mouth?

kimberussell — Sat, 13 Apr 2013 14:19:37 -0800

There is a soft lump toward the front of the roof of my mouth. It is not a blister. It is not a canker sore. It might be a result of an infection where I had a root canal 6 months ago. Naturally, I think it's awful and life-ending. YANMDoctorOrDentist.

Easter evening, I found a lump on the roof of my mouth, not on the gums. It's round, smushable with my tongue, and maybe a half a centimeter diameter. It's the same color as the roof of my mouth. I thought it was a blister, since I ate a really hot green bean earlier Easter morning. But it didn't hurt like a burn would. I gave it a week to go away. On Monday I called my doctor, who told me to rinse with liquid Mylanta 3x a day. That's a treatment for canker sores. This is a lump. I told the nurse that again, and she said if it didn't go away in another week to make an appointment. I thought it could be an infected salivary gland, but it doesn't hurt.

In September, I had a root canal. This lump is on the same side of my mouth as that tooth. When I push my tongue hard against the lump, I feel pressure on my gums above that tooth. Luckily, I have a dentist appointment Monday morning to get fillings done on teeth that are not near the trouble tooth. I'm going to ask my dentist to look at it. I'm out of town working a trade show and I've been standing at a booth for three days slyly Googling about mouth lumps, thinking the worst, and torturing misterussell by texting him about it constantly.

Is it possible that I have a raging infection where the root canal was and it's so bad something is poking out of the roof of my mouth? Is this a dentist-question or a doctor-question?

Thank you in advance for your kind and sane responses.

My Gums Hurt

thereemix — Tue, 27 Nov 2012 11:55:26 -0800

I haven't been to the dentist in four years. Yes, I know, BAD. I finally scheduled an appointment for Monday, but the gums below my lower front teeth are of sore and inflamed at the moment - which is basically what prompted me to finally get over myself and schedule the appointment. YANMDentist, but does anyone have any suggestions for what I can do between now and Monday to calm my gums down? Background info if relevant: I am female, late 20s. I brush twice a day. I'm a very thorough brusher. My gums do not bleed when I brush my teeth. I floss whenever I remember to - maybe once every 3-4 days. I know I should floss more often. My gums sometimes bleed when I floss, but not copiously. There is no gushing of blood, just some red tinging on the floss, usually in the rear molar area, not the front teeth where my gums are sore now. I've only ever had one cavity, and that was over 15 years ago. I don't drink soda or eat craploads of candy and sugary stuff. I do drink coffee, but only 1 cup a day. I am a reformed cigarette smoker.

My last dentist was doing the root scaling/planing/deep cleaning/scraping/shoving poky things into my gums every three months or so for me because I had deep pockets in some areas. This, however, was four years ago. I know inflamed gums are usually a sign of gum disease. I am currently without dental insurance, which is why I've been so negligent all this time, but the sore gums have freaked me out enough that I'm going to bite the bullet and pay out of pocket for a checkup. How much will a dental checkup cost? Money is tight right now as I am between jobs and the unemployment check barely covers my normal bills.

Can anyone point me towards a home remedy that might soothe my gums over the next week till I can see the dentist?

I was the author of the PLANTAR WART OF DOOM question a couple of weeks ago. So now my foot hurts and my gums hurt. Figures that my body started falling apart AFTER my last contract job ended so I have no money to pay for anything. Sigh.

How to fix my gums

windbox — Wed, 15 Aug 2012 04:41:58 -0800

My gums appear to be falling apart. Is there ANYTHING I can do about them before I get scolded by my dentist? Tell me about the time you fixed your gums on your own. My gums are a bloody mess. I can feel them inflamed up/separating from my teeth where they meet against the roof of my mouth. They bleed sometimes when I eat, but after I brush you'd basically think I performed surgery - when I spit its almost entirely red. This has been going on for about 3 weeks. I am pretty sure its gingivitis and especially worried it is periodontitis.

I always felt I took average care of my teeth - I brush once in the morning really well and gently along my gumline, and at night I might do a crappier, rushed job. Sometimes I end up skipping a morning/night on the weekends if I crash at a friends house after a night out. I do not floss regularly. I realize this is not prime dental care but had no clue it would lead to this.

I plan on scheduling an appointment with my dentist about this, but I want to know if there is ANYTHING at all I can do to reverse this before I get a lecture about it? Is this even reversible? I bought those little floss picks and started flossing every night very deeply an carefully, but I don't feel like I'm actually cleaning anything - there's no plaque coming up, just lots and lots of blood.

Keep in mind that I am already scheduling an appt with a dentist. I'd like to know what else I can do, before I see him. Is this even reversible?

Give me your old wive's tales about dental health, please.

The corpse in the library — Mon, 04 Jun 2012 09:20:55 -0800

Please share your wingnut advice about healthy teeth and gums. I'm so good to my teeth. I floss, I brush, I use fluoride rinse, I'm addicted to Gum soft-picks, I don't drink soda, I rarely eat potato chips, I go to the dentist every six months. Yet my gums are receding and I still need to get fillings all the freaking time.

I'm doing -- and am going to continue to do -- all the conventional stuff for good dental health, but I'm wondering if there are any less-standard things I could be doing. Do you have any oral hygiene tips that are less well-known?

Should I massage my gums with birch leaves? Did your grandmother carry a nail in her pocket to keep cavities away? Anecdotes are very welcome.

I've got a tooth sticking out the top of my gum.

Anonymous — Fri, 03 Jun 2011 06:33:21 -0800

I've got a tooth sticking out the top of my gum. Anonymous because I feel silly freaking out about this.

I am a female and in my early 20s I got braces to correct an overbite. I tend to be a worrywart and I remember at the time thinking that my upper canine teeth seemed to end up in a strange position, because they appear to be at a funny angle, and they are more sensitive to cold foods than they used to be. That whole incident is one of my big regrets because it was expensive and didn't correct the overbite as much as I was expecting.

Flash forward 8 years. Sometime within the past 2 or 3 weeks I developed what I thought was a canker sore on one of my upper gums. I didn't think much of it, until I was brushing my teeth last night and noticed, "Boy, that canker sore has been there for a long time." I put my finger on it, and to my shock, it felt solid/hard underneath. That's when it dawned on me that this was not a canker sore, that this may be a piece of the upper part of my canine tooth (the root?) poking through the top of my gum. The gum on the other side of my mouth does have a rather large bulge right above the canine tooth, which lets me think that their strange positioning is causing them to pop out of the gum.

My husband was skeptical when I mentioned it to him, but when I had him feel the spot with his finger, he had to admit that it seemed possible.

I have not Googled for any information about this, because I am one of those patients for whom a little information is a dangerous thing - I think I would just freak out more. I know I should see my dentist, but their office is not open on Fridays. They do have an emergency number I can call (which I believe is just the dentist's cell phone) but I don't know if this qualifies as an actual emergency.

As I said, I am completely freaked out about this, and I don't want to wait until Monday (I'm going to be obsessing all weekend). On the other hand, if I've had this for 2-3 weeks and been okay, 3 more days shouldn't hurt. (But what if it gets infected?)

I need a voice of reason from the hive mind. I know YANMD, but could this actually be a tooth coming through the gum? Should I call the dentist and say it's an emergency? What can even be done about this? I'm envisioning needing some kind of oral surgery, or needing braces again, or something else that I can't afford.

Thoughts? Suggestions? Words of comfort?

Cheeky Dentist

hoppytoad — Sun, 13 Mar 2011 07:56:35 -0800

My new dentist recommended I get buccal fillings and I'd like to know more about this as I have several teeth affected. My gums have receded some, exposing a little of the root on my molars and my new dentist wants to fill the area between the gum and enamel. Her description made it sound like filling a cavity except there's no gum disease or tooth decay present. About 7 years ago my previous dentist mentioned that my gums were receding and he just kept an eye on things over the years since I'm not experiencing any pain or sensitivity.

None of my immediate family members have had this procedure done and searching around isn't getting me much more information. Is this a necessary preventative measure, a protective one to guard against sensitivity, cosmetic or something else? How long will the filling last? I'd appreciate any information you could give me as I'm considering whether or not to have the procedure done.

I'd rather my teeth not fall out, in all honesty

meese — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 07:31:54 -0800

I have finally gone to the dentist after five years of not being able to afford it. The dentist tells me I have gingivitis and need a $300 treatment. My question is... do I? Do I really? First off, I should explain that I don't like this particular dentist, and I won't be going back to her office. For a long series of reasons, I found my visit to be disturbing, so I'm not inclined to trust her opinion. If I get the gingivitis treatment, I'll be finding a new dentist to give it to me.

All I really know about gingivitis comes from a childhood of watching Scope Mouthwash commercials. I've tried finding some information online, but the sites seem contradictory. They say things like, "gingivitis is not a serious condition," but also, "you need to take gingivitis seriously." I just don't know how to understand that.

Second, given all the pictures I've seen online, along with the lists of symptoms, if I have gingivitis, it doesn't seem like a very bad case: my gums don't look disgusting at all the way that the gingivitis pictures do. Then again, I also understand that I'm not a professional and not qualified to really judge the state of my gums at all.

Third, the intertubes also describe the treatment for gingivitis as painful and difficult... And, I have recently been harmed by doctors encouraging me to get painful and difficult procedures done when, as I found out later, I probably shouldn't have. So, I'm trying to be less trusting of people in labcoats and more hesitant to agree to procedures.

So, can you give me some more information about how seriously I should be treating this diagnosis? Should I be running to find a new dentist immediately, in order to get a $300 treatment? Is gingivitis the sort of thing that can be serious and require such treatment even if your gums do not have the appearance that the online sites claim they should?

In short, should I just focus on flossing more regularly, or do I need to get to another dentist asap?

What can I do about my teeth?

fernbritton — Sat, 04 Dec 2010 15:24:19 -0800

I don't like my teeth. They're too small, gappy, transparent at the edges and gummy. What's to be done? Veneers don't sound great, braces wouldn't fix everything. Suggestions?

I blame my father - I have the same teeth as him!

KogeLiz — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 11:18:59 -0800

So. I think I have an gum abscess. What happens after an extraction? Questions inside for anyone who has had one and anyone who needed a dentist while unemployed First off, I have some crappy teeth. Crowded beyond belief. Luckily I have a small mouth, so it's not too noticeable.

Background:

About 2 years ago, I had a root canal done on one of my molars. Of course, my dental insurance at the time was pretty crappy - so I couldn't afford the crown. So the dentist put in a temporary seal.
Well, shortly after that I left the state and have been without health insurance since - so that seal is pretty much gone and the tooth (whats left of it anyway) looks ... less than fine - since there's a open hole in it.

Last week, I noticed my lymph nodes (on the side of that tooth) flaring up. I didn't think anything of it, because this happens frequently to me (had them checked out various times throughout the years).
I then noticed the next day that there was swollen lump in my gums next to the dead tooth. No pain, though.
I took some antibiotics that I had left over from the root canal days. It seemed to reduce the lump - but it's pretty much still there and the tooth in front of it has swelling around it as well. But still, no pain. My lymph nodes in my neck and under my chin are still swollen - but not as much.

I am currently temporarily out of work until I receive a new assignment, and we're pretty much poor right now - living off my boyfriend's underpaid salary. Our credit is crap.

I've done some research and where I currently just moved to (Knoxville, TN) and they have very limited free/low-income dental options. There are no dental schools that would handle more than a cleaning and the local low-income clinic is backed up for a month because of financial issues.
People have told me to go to the ER (mainly, they think I will die - I have heard of people dying from an abscess - but I imagine I would be in some pain or have other symptoms before death ?)-
Anyway, I have an intense phobia of ERs - plus I am in no pain.

The health department has an emergency dental clinic but the lady on the phone told me they do "extractions only".
Well, my dead tooth probably does need to be extracted - as it's about to crumble...
I made an appointment for tomorrow.

But what happens after they extract it?
Will the emergency dentists properly treat the situation and make sure the infection hasn't spread? Will they drain the gums (if needed?) Or will they just yank the tooth out and send me home?
I've never had a tooth extracted - will I be in a lot of pain? What happens afterward? Eventually I guess I'll need a bridge and all that stuff - that will have to wait until who knows when.
Do some dentists have payment plans that don't involve being pre-approved for credit?

Thanks in advance.

Help me keep my teeth in my head

IzzeYum — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 12:58:52 -0800

Can anyone recommend a good periodontist in the Boston Metro area? I have had a few years of perio problems. Nothing horrible, but I am obsessed with my teeth. Since moving to the area I have been seeing a periodontist but he doesn't seem to take it seriously enough. I can see I am having more recession but he hasn't done a scaling or really anything other than cleanings. My old perio guy did the scaling and the guy before that put me on some medication - now nothing.

So I am looking for someone who is better. Especially anyone who can do nice looking grafts, I know there are some new techniques including tissue regrowth with a lattice as well as some laser scaling options. Anyone who does those is a huge option.

Is this dental procedure worth my money?

kmavap — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 09:18:29 -0800

Is my dentist doing a pointless procedure on my maybe-cavity? For about 5 years I have had a spot on my lower back molar near my gum line. Ever year, my old dentist called it a defect and told me to keep it very clean, but never said it was a cavity. My new dentist said he can't tell what it is, and wants to cut open my gum to see if anything is underneath my gum line. This costs $2000, of which my insurance will pay $1700.

If this *is* a cavity, I don't even know what the next step would be or how much it would cost.

I have never felt any pain from this spot and I have never had any other cavities.

I am losing my dental insurance indefinitely in less than 2 months and do not have time to get a second opinion.

Should I just get the procedure or does it sound unneccessary?

The vet told me I got a lemon of a cat. A sweet lemon, but a lemon nontheless.

cgg — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 12:25:35 -0800

Is my vet pulling my leg? Can a cat be allergic to her own saliva? Okay... so, my sweet, loveable rescue fostered-turned-adopted cat has bad teeth (among other problems, but maybe those'll be next week's question...). They're really bad teeth -- her breath stinks up the joint. I knew I was in for a lifetime of cat-dental issues. But this?

The vet (highly regarded and recommended, if slightly overpriced) took one look at my cat's teeth, her gums, and the fact she's in pain when you touch her jaw. Then he announced that she had some disease (can't remember the name -- long and complicated) that basically amounted to her being allergic to her own saliva. This was causing her body to attack her gums, due to the ever present layer of saliva that exists on them. And then of course teeth with horrific gums don't do so well either.

Has anyone heard of this before, or is my vet just pulling my leg? I walked in there already expecting a big teeth-cleaning bill -- he has no reason to make stuff up... but this sounds kinda fishy. Not that I don't believe it's possible, but just that it's so common that he can diagnose it in 30 seconds.

I tried googling, but everything brings up reports of humans being allergic to cat saliva, not cats being allergic to their own.

Has anyone heard of this before? Any experiences?

Help my gum sockets stop itching (or at least itch a bit less)

NikitaNikita — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 10:36:43 -0800

How can I calm my itchy wisdom tooth sockets? My gums are crazy-itchy at the sites where I had 4 wisdom teeth extracted last Thursday. I know that this is likely a sign that they are healing, (and at least this isn't the dry socket pain I had two days ago!) but is there any way i can calm this insane itching of my gums? It's making me quite bonkers today. The oral surgeon said he never heard anyone complain of itching before, so no suggestions there either.

Thanks!

Should I set these wisdom teeth clots free?

miniminimarket — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 09:52:40 -0800

WisdomTeethFilter: I had my bottom two out yesterday afternoon. After changing the gauze the first time, I noticed I had little stringy, thin tissues hanging from each hole. I called my surgeon, who said losing these initial clots was normal and not dry socket. Problem is, they haven't dissolved or broken off like I hoped. I'm worried they'll end up pulling up my real clots out. So, should I cut them? Pull them? Leave 'em be? They're long enough to sort of feel curling below my gums or in my cheek. Also, they don't taste great. Has anyone else had this? I will do pretty much anything to avoid dry socket.

Teeth questions

reformedjerk — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 12:02:56 -0800

Question about gum bone grafting and dentures. Asking for a friend if that's ok:

I just have gum bone grafting about 4 weeks ago. Now I am waiting for them to recover before I go for implants which will be between mid Feb 2009 to mid March 2009. I would like to get people's opinions from the internet on the type of denture which goes better with the implants. I am looking for the right denture which is:
1) Easier to take care of during cleaning.
2) Doesn't break easily-stronger.
3) Better looking - look more natural.
4) How often to go for cleaning with a hygienist

I am going to have 6 implants on the upper gum and 6 implants on the lower gum to support my dentures. I have extracted all my teeth. According to my periodontist at UBC, he has said that the dentures will be in 2 sections on the upper gum and also in 2 sections on the lower gum. But, I have no idea which kind of dentures is better. He said that I have 3 choices:
1) movable dentures (which has the pinkish part of the dentures covering the gums only and it will not cover the upper platelet of the gum).
2) Clip on fix dentures (which are metal and is heavier).
3) Bridge dentures which is also fixed
4) Overall which kind of the above 3 is better ?

My gums!

Anonymous — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 15:19:10 -0800

What is going on with my teeth / gums (very disgusting stuff inside)? If you, like me, do not like to hear or see sensitive parts of the body going wrong, please do not read this question. What do you reckon is going on with my gums or teeth?

To begin with: I'm an idiot. I smoke like crazy. For at least six months, every cigarette that I've smoked has made my mouth hurt. I give up for a day or two, the pain subsides, then I smoke again. I'm an idiot.

Secondly: I'm British, so my teeth even if I were not an idiot would not look as good as yours (assuming you're American).

Thirdly: I am freaked out by the body in general and by squishy parts such as gums in particular. Consequently, I went to the dentist once in 1992, once in 2004 (after which I had extensive treatment under sedation) and then last week.

Fourthly, and to wrap all this up: I went to the dentist for the first time in four years last week. My nervousness at having anyone even look at or touch my teeth really exasperated the dentist: I would feel the same if I were him. The result of the visit was that I needed five fillings. OK. BUT during all three of these dental visits, over 16 years, I have pointed out the weird things going on with my gums and the dentists have shrugged their shoulders as if it's no big deal. They've just been concerned with the fillings. That may just be the NHS.

Here is a recent (20 mins ago) photo taken of the first few teeth on my upper right side; it is quite blurry, thank god. The main problem, previously, when I've felt brave enough to have a look, has been that my gums in that area have holes in them through which I could see white stuff (bone??). But in this photo, and in the mirror, it is clear that the white material is sticking out, is poking through the gums. It is horrible, I'm sorry. What could it possibly be?

I repeat, I went to an actual dentist a week ago, even if I acted like a wimp. So I am not asking you to replace a professional.

How often do cats need teeth cleaning?

Asparagirl — Thu, 27 Dec 2007 22:03:57 -0800

Do our mostly-indoors, otherwise healthy cats really need to have their teeth cleaned at the vet's once a year? At our recent vet trip, he checked our cats' gums and felt that we should have their teeth cleaned, even though it's been no more than a year since their last cleaning.

Some facts:
-They get wet food once a day, but eat dry food otherwise.
-They're unrelated genetically, but the vet says that they both seem prone to plaque and gum irritation.
- They're six and five years old.
-They seem to have no trouble eating, particularly the male, who eats like a wolf.

I can't help but feel like the vet is playing the role of auto mechanic and pushing the teeth cleaning with scare stories of "they could have pockets that would be really bad if we wait another year". He showed me some redness in their gums, but since I don't look there every day, I have no idea if it's normal or not.

Of course, the reason I'm hesitant to just go ahead with it is that it's frighteningly expensive and the cats get totally zonked out of their minds on tranquilizers. Also, my family had an older dog die from the anesthesia during a cleaning, so I'm perhaps irrationally soured on the whole thing.

So, in your varied experiences with cats, is this yearly cleaning really necessary, or are we being pressured for profit?

Help! Must I get to the dentist NOW?

sweetkid — Fri, 29 Jun 2007 14:37:45 -0800

I have an inflammation in my gum plus what looks like popcorn sort of stuck inside... I had some pain in my gum the last few days and when I went to look, it looks like there is some popcorn wedged in there with the gums inflamed all around it. is this possible? I am going to try to get to the dentist asap, considering I don't have one (i have insurance) and it's friday night. Can/Should I try to get the popcorn out and will this help? how can this have happened? my teeth are usually ok. no major work done besides a few cavities.

How to combat receding gums?

krisken — Mon, 25 Jun 2007 10:09:57 -0800

Help! My teeth are just fine, but my gums seem to be receding. I can't see my dentist for three months. What can I do in the meantime?

Arranging massive dental surgery in a hurry, while self-employed

jake — Sat, 09 Jun 2007 13:47:10 -0800

How do I proceed with my unpleasant dental / periodontal situation? I have a 6-element frontal fixed bridge that was installed after an accident in 2002 that is in .. bad shape. (I know there are many many dental-without-insurance questions here, and I've read every single one of them already, and they helped a lot. But this one involves a huge amount of work and I'm trying to reason out the best way to proceed)

I have utterly failed to jam floss threaders under my bridge every day, or even use a Water-Pik. I haven't been to a dentist in 5 years - I've only brushed and used Listerine a few times a day. It's bleeding nightly and I finally woke up with an abscess/blister behind my front teeth. Can't eat solid food.

The same neglect/infection scenario played out after my (bike) accident, leading to 2 extractions, 2 root canals and a permanent bridge. So I know the symptoms and roughly what to expect, though I obviously didn't learn my lesson.

So, I'm:
1) Taking ibuprofen and swishing warm saltwater
2) Calling a dentist or clinic on Monday for an antibiotic script
3) Frantically investigating dental discount plans
4) Thinking about marrying my fiancee to get on her benefits
5) Looking for a nice dental surgeon here in Northern New Jersey who is flexible with payment plans

I'm terrified about going to a Dental School as most people suggest, because after my accident, I actually tried it (in Miami) - even in just the exam they were clumsy and rough in a noisy environment, and it was extremely uncomfortable. I'm a pretty tough guy, but this was pushing it. I'm hesitant to try again, but at this point I'm open to anything.

So I had ended up going to our family cosmetic/reconstructive dentist, who put me under nitrous and had a silken touch. To the extent that this sort of thing can possibly be "pleasant", it was. But it cost $9,000, and my grandfather helped, bless his soul.

This time around, I'm living with my fiancee. She is willing to get married in court now and have the ceremony later, just to have me under her benefits. I don't want to kiss ANYONE under these conditions, but it probably beats being widowed to sepsis.

From what I've seen, though, dental insurance sucks for large things like this - paying only $1500 or $2000 total, and giving a hard time over pre-existing conditions. There are tons of non-insurance discount plans out there, but it's hard to find neutral viewpoints since they tend to be hard-sells full of fine print. So if anyone has experience with them, that would help a lot.

Basically, I have a few ways to proceed here, and want to plan a smart route with as few compromises as possible. I have a decent income, but not so decent that I could just laugh off $10k on short notice.

Thanks for reading - I will be very grateful for advice.

Hydrofloss? Does it work?

thinktwice — Tue, 24 Apr 2007 15:54:42 -0800

Does Hydrofloss work? http://www.hydrofloss.com/ I had a Braun Oxyjet irrigator which I loved. it died and they don't sell them anymore except as part of a whole Braun system. I have a Sonic Care and am happy with that. I guess I am hesitant to spend $70-90 on something that says magnet change the polarity of the water. 45% more plaque reduction than Waterpik. Anybody know anything about these? I guess the other one is the Oxycare 3000.

Suggested treatment for bone loss in mouth, what is "scaling"?

Tommy Gnosis — Wed, 07 Mar 2007 13:27:44 -0800

PeriodontistryFilter: My dentist tells me that I have some pretty severe bone loss around my upper molars and that I need to have a consult with a periodontist to discuss "scaling". What is this and how much does it hurt? My dentist was incredibly unhelpful in terms of describing the process, the consult is several weeks away, and I wasn't really able to find much online with regard to this procedure, at least nothing in terms of what I can expect, pain-wise. Has anyone recently undergone this procedure and how bad was it?

Pain in the rear (of my gums)

Deathalicious — Thu, 08 Feb 2007 01:29:28 -0800

My gums hurt. A lot. What can I do? I had all my wisdom teeth removed (first operation on the upper, and last on the lower two), and the guy on the lower two did a pretty lousy job by my reckoning: there are huge pits on the far side of my lower molars and I do have some irritation from time to time (the operation was years and years ago).

Nearly two weeks ago, I noticed very faint irritation in my gums, right where it meets with my right rear molar. Since then, it's gotten worse to the point that it's really making it hard to focus. It is the first thing I feel when I wake up (it seems worse in the morning as well).

From previously I now know that Amosan might help in healing this if it's the result of some kind of injury to the gum, but I wonder if something worse is happening, like a serious infection or some sort of weird jaw thing. When I look at the affected area it appears swollen and red, not white.

The catch is I'm in Egypt, so I imagine that it will be slightly more difficult for me to get the standard kind of medicines. I've heard the dentists here are fine, and I'll go to a dentist if that's what it takes, but I'd prefer to heal it myself if possible.

Gum and bear it?

rob511 — Wed, 07 Feb 2007 15:30:07 -0800

My tooth doc suddenly urges me to get a frenectomy. Cause for suspicion? I like my dentist, who's skillful and friendly, but sometimes I get the feeling he's a bit too enamored of getting the latest gizmos and practicing trendy procedures. A little background: I've always had lots of plaque in my lower middle teeth, but not much gum damage. Now the dentist wants to sever and reattach the frenum there to reduce the pull on my gums, and urges me to have this done within two months. He never mentioned this concern before. He's quoted me a fee of about $250 (US), and says it's a quick, relatively painless procedure.

I don't know much about frenectomies. Googling has revealed little apart from dental q+a sites, so I'm asking in the green. Should I get a second opinion? Anybody care to comment, either about my dentist or the op itself?

No more gummy smile

quoththeraven — Sat, 03 Feb 2007 13:56:12 -0800

Anyone had a gingivectomy? I'm getting one next week, and I'd like to hear others experience in having the procedure. Was there any pain afterwards? How about eating? (Not too concerned about that since I'm in braces and watch how I eat already)

My reasons for the gingivectomy have nothing to do with gum disease. It's purely cosmetic. My doctor will be trimming the gums and some bone.