Why is the gum going away from my teeth?

Question

I have been having toothaches for about a week now. And I decided to find out what tooth it was coming from by pressing on my tooth. Well, I found out I can stick my fingernail between my tooth and the gum. And everyday it just seemd to be getting worse and the gum is pulling itself more away from my tooth. In my family is a known Tooth deciese that causes this. But my mother says there is nothing that can be done.
Is there anything that can be done?

Thanks for the help

Answer 1

Sounds like Periodontal disease or Gingivitis, which is the precursor to periodontitis which is the final step of gum disease that can ultimately lead to tooth loss.


Gum disease/Gingivitus.

This is inflammation of soft tissue surrounding the teeth. This condition is much more serious than a single abscess.

Do you remember your parents telling you over and over, “brush your teeth?”

There was a reason for it and now that you are an adult you probably have a much better understanding of how this takes place.

However, there may be some elements you have forgotten so let’s see just what factors contribute to our dental health.

There are many reasons why teeth become discolored.
The majority of them can be traced back to poor dental hygiene.
There is no substitute for regular personal care.


For instance, did you know that you need to throw away your toothbrush at least every six weeks or so? Don’t wait until the toothbrush looks like it’s worn out, replace it automatically!

In addition, follow these tips:

Proper way to brush teeth.

You brush should be against the gums at a 45 degree angle.

Strokes should be gentle in tooth wide increments.

Brush each side and the top.

Don’t forget to brush your tongue.

Proper toothbrush care.

If this topic appears to be another “no brainer” it really is not.
Many people do not understand proper care of their toothbrush.

Remember, it is an object that enters your mouth daily coming in contact with billions of bacteria not to mention certain instances of contamination by bleeding of the gyms or other conditions.

First of all, never share your toothbrush! There is a huge risk of cross-contamination when this practiced is followed.

Always thoroughly rinse your toothbrush after use and store it brush side up to dry naturally. If a common storage system is used, do not allow the brushes to come in contact with one another.

There are mixed thoughts regarding the storage of toothbrushes in a disinfectant.

One school of thought advocates that you can do more harm by storing the toothbrush in the same disinfection repeatedly, thereby creating another possibility of cross-contamination.

Never store your toothbrush in a closed container that can set up a favorable climate for bacteria to form.

Proper way to floss.

Use a length of floss 16 to 18 inches in length.
Wrap the floss around each of your middle fingers.
Slip the floss between your teeth.
Form a U shape against the side of one tooth.
Beginning at the gum line, use a gentle rubbing motion to remove the particles of food.

Repeat with each adjacent tooth remembering to take up the slack so that you are using a clean section of floss for each tooth.

What are some of the common problems dentists see in their patients that lead to dental disease, destruction and discoloration? Let’s review some of what they have to say:

Abscessed tooth.

Infection of the tissue surrounding a tooth that usually fills with pus which has a very smelly odor.

Alcoholism.

Immoderate use of alcohol causes decreased production of saliva causing dryness of the mouth. Dry mouth is a leading cause of tooth decay.


Oral Candida.

This is a fungal infection of the mouth cavity. Also known as thrush, it is fairly common among infants, diabetics, chemotherapy patients and people with HIV or AIDS.

Cavities

Cavities are much less prevalent today than they were in the middle of the last century.

The reason is attributed to the good education with regard to dental health, but more importantly the introduction of fluoride into municipal water systems which began in 1945.

Diabetes.

People who have diabetes may also have poor teeth. This occurs because of poor control of blood sugar, the problem with most diabetics.

The two situations go hand in hand. Gum disease is a problem for diabetics. And, diabetes is a problem for people with gum disease.

It can be difficult to determine which comes first, the diabetes or the gum disease, but the underlying problem is clear. High blood sugar contributes to gum disease.

Diabetics have trouble controlling the high blood sugar. Gum disease is a leading cause of bad breath, hence the correlation.

The American Dental Association reports that people with type 1 diabetes 5 are at greater risk for gingivitis.

Eating disorders.

We have mentioned that vomiting is a known cause of bad breath. Hand in hand with vomiting are potentially dangerous disorders such as bulimia and anorexia.

Bulimia involves the practice of repeated binge eating followed up by self-induced vomiting called “purging” and is normally done secretly.

The reasons for engaging in this practice are different for each participant. However, it is generally accepted by the medical community that those who suffer from bulimia eat for “comfort.”

They use food as a therapy and consume large amounts to induce inner feeling of well being. It appears to temporarily drive away feelings of anger, loss, sadness and other negative, human conditions.

Each time they binge, they need to purge so they can recapture the emotional band-aids they get while binging. It is an extremely dangerous practice.

The purging process is also accomplished by fasting, taking diet pills or using diuretics. Not only does the practice rapidly deplete the body of natural resources, it also creates a dry mouth situation which causes decay.

If you know of someone who you suspect may be on a damaging “binge eating” program watch for the warning signs. If you suspect they may be engaged in this behavior, intervention may be in order.

Anorexia is also extremely harmful. While it may manifest itself in some of the same ways as bulimia, it is different in that the victim has a fear of weight gain and even the slightest ounce of body fat just can’t be tolerated.

Rather than binging and purging, purging is the tool of preference for people who suffer from anorexia.

Dry mouth.

Sounds like such an innocuous little phrase, doesn’t it? Thought to be one of the leading causes of dental disease, dry mouth occurs when saliva production is reduced and carries its own nasty little package of problems.

The medical term for dry mouth is “xerostomia” (pronounced ZEER-oh-STOH-mee-ah). Saliva performs vital work in your body. It aids in digestion by using the enzymes to help break up different foods and also makes it easier to talk.

Saliva helps prevent tooth decay by rinsing away food particles from between the teeth as well as the gums.

Saliva also helps you taste the food you eat and makes it easier for you to swallow that food and is also known for neutralizing any damaging acids.

It is believed to be caused primarily by certain medications which we listed in the previously. The symptoms of dry mouth can include:

• Dry, rough tongue
• Poor sense of taste
• Burning sensation in your mouth
• Increased plaque
• Reduced saliva production

Alzheimer’s disease, AIDS and stroke are also attributed to causing dry mouth as well as pregnancy and/or hormonal changes due to menopause.

Increasing fluid intake can help to re-hydrate the mouth. It’s important to keep it moist so you don’t lose all the benefits provided by saliva production.

Gum disease/Gingivitus.

This is inflammation of soft tissue surrounding the teeth. This condition is much more serious than a single abscess.

Gingivitis is the precursor to periodontitis which is the final step of gum disease that can ultimately lead to tooth loss. This will be discussed in depth a bit further on.

Impacted tooth.

An impacted tooth is one that rebelliously will not erupt into its proper position and most often results in infection, which we know is another cause of bad breath and ultimately can result in loss of the tooth.

Periodontal disease.

It’s hard to believe that in a 2002 poll of 1,000 Americans over the age of 35, it was determined that 60% of adults polled knew little or nothing about gum disease!

A tragedy when you consider that gum disease is the leading factor in tooth loss, even healthy teeth.

Your teeth can appear to be healthy and disease free, when under the surface gum disease can stalwartly march on creating a condition that will ultimately lead to serious tooth loss.

Bad breath is a “red flag” to help determine if this problem is prevalent in your mouth.

Healthy gum tissue forms a shallow groove at the point where the tooth meets the gum line. This disease occurs when the anaerobic, sulfur producing bacteria we discussed earlier, become trapped beneath the gum line.

This is a perfect breeding ground for the bacteria and they will settle in and take residence.

Not recognizing and dealing with the problem will result in serious dental problems up to and including loss of teeth and even underlying bone disease.

If you are diagnosed with serious periodontal disease, work to save your teeth needs to begin as soon as possible.

The first step that your dentist will take is probably what is called “scaling and root planing.” This is a non-surgical procedure to remove the deposits of plaque on the surface of the tooth including the root.

Since periodontal disease rarely occurs in just one tooth, this will probably need to be done to all your teeth.

The dentist will scrap the surfaces of the tooth below the gum line to remove all traces of plaque clear down to the bottom of the pocket. He will then smooth the surface of the root to encourage healthy gum tissue to heal. This process also discourages plaque from reforming.

Depending on how involved your case might be, the dentist may prescribe medication to assist in healing or control pain and potential infection.

More diagnostics are required before a prognosis of your case of periodontal disease can be given. Each deposit of plaque creates its own “pocket” and the dentist needs to measure the depth of the pockets that were scaled during your first visit.

Often, the scaling procedure works well to eliminate the problem and you are free from further treatment other than normal examinations. At this point you would be well served by employing a daily regimen of preventative maintenance to insure the disease does not return.

However, if the diseased pockets are deep and extending into actual bone, you may need to have surgery in order to keep the teeth. If this is the case, your dentist will refer you to a periodontist, a doctor who specializes in periodontal disease.

The periodontist will use a surgical process to aggressively penetrate the diseased areas and ferret out the plaque and bacteria. The pockets where plaque resides must be sealed off so the environment does not invite a return of the disease.

In some cases bone surgery or bone grafts may be necessary to rebuild bone that was destroyed by the periodontal disease. If there was substantial tissue damage grafts may need to be used to replace the soft tissue.

This procedure involves removing gum tissue from your palate to cover the areas where severe gingivitis has penetrated too far into the gum line.

Your dentist or oral surgeon may also recommend further treatment and/or medications.


Read the rest of the online book on DENTAL CARE here:

http://www.best-natural-cures-health-guide.com/DENTAL-CARE-TOOTH-HEALTH-ARTICLE-dental-health-care.html

Answer 2

There is a name for it. Yes something can be done. Plaque is getting between your tooth and gum and causing the bone that hold your teeth in to decay. You need to go to a periodontist and get bone restructure. I also had this problem and it was passed down from my father. I think the disease is called Tatitus (sp). Get to the dentist or your teeth will just start falling out. That happened to my dad when he was 35 years old. I remember him yanking out his own teeth then. Good luck!

Answer 3

Sounds to me you need to get to a dentist immediately. The dentist can stop it from getting worse and if it isn't too late, he can heal the problem. If you don't do something now, your could and most likely will loose all or most of your teeth. In the meantime, your need to brush your teeth, floss them and rinse your mouth out with Listerine. Listerine will burn but it does kill germs. If you have gingivitis like it sounds to me, you could have avoided it by daily hygiene, such as, brushing, flossing and gargling with Listerine. GOOD LUCK. GIT TO A DENTIST NOW.

Answer 4

when is the last time you had your teeth cleaned by a dental professional?

Are you flossing daily?

YES there are things that can be done. Check with your dentist or a dental college for low cost options.

Answer 5

actually there is considerable that can be done. See a dentist as soon as you can. You have gingivitis at the least, possibly pyorhea, both of which can be reversed by a dentist and good oral hygiene. SEE A DENTIST.