Guest guest Posted April 7, 2005 Report Share Posted April 7, 2005 With your dental experience, may I ask you a question about the Sensodyne toothpaste. The dentist on Monday suggested my using it Glenda...I also want to add that I NEVER use any kind of toothpaste. I use Dr. Bronner's Pure Castile Soap. I put a couple drops on the toothbrush and then dip it in goldenseal powder to brush. When I told this to my dentist he said that's fine; he is just a little concerned about how I'm going to get my fluoride!! (Ha! I didn't bother mentioning that fluoride is exactly what I'm avoiding). The soap gets a little getting used to but I was told that it takes over 20 rinsings to get the residue of regular toothpaste (even natural ones) completely off your teeth and soap rinses off with only 3 rinsings. They add glycerin to ALL toothpastes (check the ingredients) and it causes the paste stick to your teeth and it can retard new enamel formation. Dr. Bronner's soap has a small amount of glycerin left in the soap (but none added) and it can be more easily rinsed off. Gloria Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 7, 2005 Report Share Posted April 7, 2005 Andrea, you have helped me understand so much. Your email is so informative and I am saving it so I can refer back to it. This is the kind of information I needed and when I didn't receive it I became very apprehensive of the surgery. I was simple told "nothing would help but surgery and that I would be on a soft food diet for a week" I did ask how advanced it was and she said it was 'very minor' There were no Xrays taken and no one explained anything about the actual surgery. This is a new dentist. She just set up practice in the area and her hours are much more flexible than my previous dentist . I am so hoping that my old dentist will take me back (I'll beg if I have to) and I will conform to his hours even if I have to take time off work. There was no mention of what it would cost although that wasn't a problem for me because if it is necessary then regardless of the cost it needs to be done - still it would have been nice to know exactly what the $ cost would be. I am definitely going to follow Gloria's recommendations of a Waterpik, a sonicare toothbrush and the herbs and vitamin rememdies she mentioned . I've been using the tooth and gum formula for a long time now and it seems to be really good . With your dental experience, may I ask you a question about the Sensodyne toothpaste. The dentist on Monday suggested my using it - is it a good toothpaste or am I better off using the natural ones like I have been? I'm just curious about the quality of the sensodyne toothpast. Thankyou so much for all your help Glenda - Andrea herbal remedies Thursday, April 07, 2005 12:31 AM Herbal Remedies - Re: Dental Surgery help Hi Glenda,I haven't taken the time to read everyone's replies to you, so forgiveme if I answer in like.I have worked in dentistry for 20 years and my husband is a dentist.First off, I would never treat a patient the way you have beentreated. In fact, my job (after the doctor has explained treatment tothem) is to go over treatment needed, the fees, what help theirinsurance will be and answer any lingering questions they have. Thisis **all before the treatment is even scheduled**!!I am wanting to suggest that you have your xrays transferred toanother dentist (once you find one you like! Ask questions when youcall, like --will I know about the treatment and have all questionsanswered before we start? Ask these questions before getting anappointment with a new dentist).Anyway... I work in a dental office and I don't believe in flouride,but the many years of propoganda on flouride have leached it's wayinto dental schools as well as the public arena... and there are fewdentists who look at anything other than what they were taught indental school and continuing education.Periodontal disease has many stages. They are normally classified asType I, Type II, Type III, Type IV or Type V, with 5 being the worst.It is caused by food/plaque building up on the teeth. When thisbuilds up, there are bacteria also. The bacteria producewastes/toxins that the gum tissue and bone try to "retreat" or moveaway from. This causes the gums to become loose from around the teethand "pockets" are formed which catch even more debris and the cycleworsens. The bone actually recedes/resorbs back into the body and asthis progresses -there is less and less bone holding the teeth inplace. They can, in advanced stages, become so loose that they fall out.So... the solution is to remove that debris under the gumline andflush under the gumline with a solution that "kick-starts" the healingby killing the bacteria. It doesn't end there though because aperson's homecare must improve and then they are seen on a 3 or 4month basis to get continued cleanings.Your homecare can be improved by improving brushing/flossing methods,buying dental "tools" that will help you (like Rotodent electrictoothbrush -excellent-, a water-irrigation tool and a rinse that doesnot contain alcohol.Now the good news.... I have seen up to Type III periodontal diseasebe handled/managed well enough where the bone loss is halted and the"pockets" tighten up so well that these patients no longer haveperiodontal disease and they are seen every 6 months for a cleaningand never have a problem again. I have also seen Type IV's and V'shandled/managed well enough that the bone loss is halted and the"pockets" tighten up enough that it is not such a viscous cycle andthe patient stays stable and is seen every 3 or 4 months for theircleanings.I have also seen people who did not handle their periodontal disease(either by not changing their home care methods or not going into thedentist for their cleanings) where it progressed to needing gumsurgery to handle it further. Gum surgery/periodontal surgery isthis: the gum tissue is cut and "pulled" back away from the bone. The teeth are cleaned up below the gumline and the bone is "smoothed"by the doctor --this helps to eliminate the pockets somewhat. Thenthe gum tissue is trimmed to eliminate the pockets further. Then thatperson is put on a regular cleaning schedule every 3 or 4 months. Things must be monitored closely. This definitely is not a picnic forsomeone to go through --and then there are the aesthetics... there isa lot of receeding of the gums. The "roots" of the teeth are exposedand even there, there is a greater chance for decay.My husband used a toothpaste and rinse in conjunction with hiscomplete periodontal treatment. The rinse does not contain alcoholand I saw excellent results from it. Patients were also instructed todip their Rotodent toothbrush in the rinse throughout their brushingand also to add the rinse to the water tank of their Water-Pik (orwhatever water irrigation tool they were using). Excellent, excellentresults! This dentist or one of his/her employees should have gone into thiskind of depth with you --showing you the bone loss on your xrays andalso answering any of your questions.Looks like they've jumped right into gum surgery. I don't know why--it may be that you do have that advanced of a case. I would likefor you to understand it a little better though and not walk away froma dental office feeling mistrustful.I do hope that this helps you.Andrea Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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