Hi,
I have recently seen a dentist despite not seeing him for 8-10 years as I suffer from extreme health anxiety which leaves me incapacitated. During this period i had the odd bleeding gums during brushing but nothing extreme, no pain etc. When I saw the dentist last month he said everything looked great and that my teeth and gums were fine- no disease or fillings needed.
Heres the problem, im worried that my front top teeth are mobile (only a little and only when i bite on them). The dentist assured me they were not mobile, but I have trust issues and am convinced that I have gum disease. Could there be something he’s missing or do I need a second opinion?
Having teeth with some mobility is not always related to gum disease. There are factors such as root anatomy (short roots) and the way the teeth bite together that can cause it in an otherwise healthy mouth. Nevertheless, gum disease is easy to diagnose mainly through evidence of bone loss in radiographs and detection of pockets under the gums that can be assessed with a detailed clinical examination. Ask your dentist to show you any radiographs taken of your mouth and explain where the bone is and was supposed to be and also information about the depth of the pockets under your gums. Unfortunately it is not uncommon to see undetected gum disease despite regular visits to dentists that were not as thorough as required. If you are not convinced with the explanations of your dentist I advise you to request a second opinion.
Dr Jose Zurdo
Mall Dental Care
Pall Mall, Manchester, M2 4DU
Web: www.malldental.com Tel: 0161 830 7300
