Dentist

[hmmm_tea]

Had an appointment with the Dentist down the road from me today. Was weird as I've been with the same dentist up in Penrith since I was about 7, but this one seems just as good and is NHS (the old one went private) and isn't 300 miles away.

Appointment was the same old storey. No cavities (still no fillings - yay!), teeth and gums generally fine except a bit of staining and the reason why I went in the first place.

...My gums are receding from where I've been brushing too hard.

Eek!

They don't mention that when you're young and they tell you how to brush properly...

Comments

[wellinghall.livejournal.com]

Is it just a matter of brushing less hard?

[nina321.livejournal.com]

I would have thought so, but then maybe your teeth don't get clean enough and you get gum disease.

Maybe there's a happy medium. You can get those toothbrushes that click when you brush too hard can't you?

[hmmm-tea.livejournal.com]

You can get those toothbrushes that click when you brush too hard can't you?

You can?

[nina321.livejournal.com]

yes. It's called a wisdom click.
I just tried really hard to google it, but only found an american site where you could buy a pack of about twenty.
They have been advertised on tv.

I distinctly remember, the *old* advert had a girl pressing the toothbrush onto a tomato, to show that it didn't break the skin, and therefore, obviously, didn't damage your gums.

Asda might do 'em.

[hmmm-tea.livejournal.com]

and using a softer brush

[wellinghall.livejournal.com]

Ah yes - I have heard that advice, now you mention it.

[9headeddragon.livejournal.com]

I had that problem - it was making one of my teeth very sensitive and I was worried there was something wrong, but no, I was just brushing too hard. Just a gentle flick of the wrist is all that's needed apparently! But I still make my gums bleed on a regular basis - damn those childhood dentists!

[dave holland (from livejournal.com)]

The other "trick" for receding gums which my dentist mentioned is to only brush in the direction opposite to the recession (i.e. for top teeth, brush down; for bottom teeth, brush up) and don't brush up-and-down (or round-and-round) indiscriminately. That's quite hard if you've got years of up-and-down habit, though.

[aquamindy.livejournal.com]

I had this problem also. Either get a really soft toothbrush or the Sonicare. Both stopped that problem for me.

[coldclimate.livejournal.com]

A morderatly expencive electric toothbrush is a good investment. It stopped my gums recieding because you don't have the urge to scrub, you just rub it around gently. SoniCare are excellent.