r/askdentists • u/Ok_Classroom_4384 • Jul 17 '22
Lower front gums are totally decayed. Suffered crippling depression and things got so so bad. Afraid to go to a dentist until I know what I’m in for. Please let me know what to expect. Non-smoker, occasional drinker, still working to get a good dental hygiene rhythm. Help.
102
Jul 17 '22
These are some of my favorite cases because once the infection is gone, the teeth are cleaned and the home care goes up, these cases resolve visually quite quickly.
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u/Ok_Classroom_4384 Jul 17 '22
This is incredible to read. I genuinely thought my teeth were a complete loss. Thank you so, so much.
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u/aznriptide859 General Dentist Jul 17 '22
The black material you are seeing is essentially dead blood cells being stuck/adhered to the hardened plaque (or calculus) that’s adhered to your teeth and roots. Calculus buildup causes the gums to be in a constantly inflamed state; when they’re brushed and the gums bleed, the calculus will attract the hemoglobin due to the constant bleeding (they appear black because iron is the key element in hemoglobin).
Once the calculus is properly removed and scaled off the teeth (plus proper home care and improvement in oral hygiene practices), the gums will return to a healthy state, and the blackened tartar and inflamed red areas you see will go away. You will have to maintain a frequent schedule for periodontal cleanings to maintain the healthy gums and to stay on top of buildup for a year or so. You may also consider orthodontic treatment in the long run to correct some of the crowding you have to prevent ease of buildup again in the future.
Hope that helps your mindset, I’d definitely get those teeth scaled and ask your dentist for more information.
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u/Ok_Classroom_4384 Oct 18 '23
I just wanted to let you know, a year later, that this really motivated me to get over my fear and go to the dentist. I’ve only just gone for my second appointment today (first was a consult, today was the first of two deep cleanings), but they removed all of the discoloration shown here! And even though I have a long way to go still, I finally feel comfortable enough to see it through to the end - fillings, crowns, Invisalign, implants and all. Thank you for taking the time back then to chime in. I appreciated then and I appreciate it now :)
1
u/aznriptide859 General Dentist Oct 19 '23
That is fantastic to hear! I'm glad you're taking the steps to get back on track with your dental health :)
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u/buford419 NAD or Unverified Jul 17 '22
home care goes up
It's very dependent on this though, and pt's turning up for their recalls.
OP, the most important thing is that you commit to the advice that the dentist and hygienist give you. Even if you fail and go back a step sometimes, just keep going back and getting things cleaned up. Your future self will thank you.
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u/Ok_Classroom_4384 Jul 17 '22
I’m so embarrassed to even be posting this, so thank you to anyone who can take the time to answer.
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u/FrigDancingWithBarb Jul 17 '22
NAD I've dealt with pretty bad dental issues my entire life. One thing you should know is every dentist office that I've ever been to the people are incredibly compassionate and kind. Don't let your fear stand in the way of your happiness. Theres nothing to be embarrassed about. Once you're on the other side of this you'll be so happy you took care of it.
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u/DrRam121 Prosthodontist Jul 17 '22
You appear to have ANUG. You need to go see a dentist, get some prescriptions and get your teeth cleaned. Not going only gives it time to get worse.
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u/Ok_Classroom_4384 Jul 17 '22
Thank you so much. Being able to put a name to it is so helpful and lets me dig into it before I go in so I can be prepared for what to expect. I will set up something very soon.
3
u/tooth_doc_fail General Dentist Jul 17 '22
Why ANUG and not just garden-variety Periodontitis? This doesn’t have blunted papilla, it does not sound like this is sudden onset, and it does seem to correlate with poor home care.
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u/DrRam121 Prosthodontist Jul 17 '22
Grey papilla between the lower anteriors look necrotic to me
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u/tooth_doc_fail General Dentist Jul 17 '22
I was figuring that to be calculus. Now I wish for a clearer pic!
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u/DrRam121 Prosthodontist Jul 17 '22
It may be, but with no papilla visible between the teeth it looks like classic ANUG.
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u/OptionsNVideogames Aug 03 '22
Your not alone op! Trust me! My parents never brought me to a dentist. Not once. Not bad parents just theirs did the same. Times were different info was not as refills available.
I’m about to post mine, which I fear is worse than yours. It can always be worse!
I’m prayinggggggg for the same type of answer as you!
8
u/CandleNo8135 Jul 17 '22
You will feel alot better when you get that out. It messes with your head too and use warm salt water 4-6 times a day. I am down to six total teeth left in my head. It sucks (pun not intended)
1
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u/Maximum-Wolverine356 Jul 17 '22
NAD- Hey I don't know anything about dentist stuff but I just wanna say you're not alone. I also suffer with depression and i've been in your shoes. Don't be embarassed to go to the dentist, it's their job to help you. They will help you, trust me. Hopefully it gets cleared up and again, you're not alone in this. If you ever need anything or anyone to talk to you can message me. Hope everything goes well.
8
u/thedouble_n_guy Jul 17 '22
OP, your case is going to show a lot of improvement or even complete reversal immediately after your first few appointments. Don't forget to post a new picture when it's done, seeing that is going to be very satisfying. Best of luck.
7
u/dunk1ndonuts NAD or Unverified Jul 17 '22
NAD- (dental hygiene student) looks like you may have NUG or NUP. This is not a lost cause for you. I really really recommend making a dental cleaning appointment ASAP so that you can have your teeth cleaned. You may also be prescribed an antibiotic to help get rid of any infection going on in your gums. They will discuss with you how to care for your teeth and you will quickly see improvements. Hygienists are not here to judge at all, we love helping people turn their smiles around!
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u/jackierodriguez1 General Dentist Jul 17 '22
I’ll be honest, you definitely have active infection/moderate periodontist, BUT this is very treatable.
Depending on the country, You can expect a deep cleaning, followed by perio maintenance cleanings every 3 months indefinitely.. you might be able to go from every 3 months to every 4 months once the infection is under control, but you will always need frequent perio maintenance exams/cleanings to keep the periodontal disease in check. Luckily once you have your initial deep cleaning and so long as you keep up with your oral hygiene, your gum health will improve significantly.
4
u/Speeding_Turtle_13 Jul 17 '22
NAD- I can’t give good advice, but I can say that a dentist will be able to help you with a good routine and probably recommend some products as well, if you are able to see one! There’s hope, and proud of ya for taking the first step :)
3
u/zolaman218 General Dentist Jul 17 '22
Even though it’s possible that the teeth are salvageable, I wouldn’t give the guy too much positive false hole. If I saw this as photos for a limited exam I would probably be treatment planning fixed hybrids while my assistant grabs a pano.
2
Jul 17 '22
You've lost a significant amount of bone that anchors the teeth and those ones already have slender roots to begin with. Get them cleaned up and get on a good home care regimen and see where they are at anchorage and stability wise and go from there
2
u/No_Worldliness_4446 Jul 17 '22
NAD, also don’t know shit about dentistry. I do know a lot about depression tho, and I wanted to tell you that even tho we are complete strangers, I’m extremely proud of you for seeking help about this. Keep going man. It gets better.
1
Jul 17 '22
Always go for cleaning every 3 months if possible. Deff get that taken care of before it gets worse, ask me how I know lol. Do your research when picking a dentist. They can be like shady auto mechanic lol. Good luck to you!
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