For several years, I’ve had periodontal disease. My dentist wanted me to go every three months to treat it. But, my insurance would only cover two visits a year, so I’d rarely go the recommended number of visits. I did everything the dental hygienist told me to do (brush and floss everyday), but my gums were still bleeding every time they checked it. I tried different mouth rinses, but they didn’t help either.
Then, I think I’ve found what really works. My last visit to the dentist was six months ago. And today when I went, during the gum check, there was absolutely no bleeding. The hygienist said that the only time she’s seen absolutely no bleeding was for smokers (No, I don’t smoke). Even regular clients had some bleeding. So, she was curious what I had done during the past six months. I told her and she’s going to start recommending that procedure to her patients.
One thing I started doing is using the DenTek Bristle Picks after every meal. The problem with gum disease is that food trapped in between teeth breeds bacteria. If you immediately get rid of food between the teeth, there’s less chance of bacterial growth. I used to use a regular wooden toothpick, but it could not get out all the food particles. Even using the GUM softpicks could not get out all the food trapped between the teeth. Sure, I can use dental floss, but it’s more socially acceptable to use a toothpick in public than dental floss in a restaurant or in your cubicle.
I’ve also stopped using dental floss. Instead, I use a waterpik flosser every night with just regular water. Then I use an interproximal brush and clean between my teeth with mouthwash. I also use an electic toothbrush instead of a regular toothbrush. Even though this sounds like a lot to do, it’s actually easier than flossing.
If your gums are constantly bleeding and your dentist wants you to visit them every 3 months, give the above a try. With having absolutely no gum bleeding for me, I’m going to be ditching my dentist’s advice and going with my own gum care treatment.