I was still a student when I first noticed blood in the sink after brushing my teeth. I completely panicked for about ten minutes, assuming I had some deadly form of mouth cancer. Then a housemate told me she experienced the same thing and that it was totally normal. I was probably just brushing too hard. This was the mid-90s, way before Google, so I just decided to take her word for it and continued to ignore the bleeding for the next couple of decades.
I lost my first tooth to gum disease when I was 46. I’ve lost another since then. I had been warned countless times by various professionals that my teeth and gums were on a path to oblivion. And yet I ignored them. Or rather, I understood what they were saying to be probably true but chose not to take any action because, well, I just couldn’t be bothered.
“The problem is that bleeding gums has become normalised to many people,” says Ian Dunn, a specialist periodontist at the British Society of Periodontology and Implant Dentistry. “When you tell a mate your gums bleed, they will likely tell you that theirs do too, so you think it’s nothing to worry about. But healthy gums don’t bleed. If you brushed your hair and your scalp started bleeding, you would go to the doctor. It should be the same with your gums – if they are bleeding, then they are inflamed, and that indicates the early stages of gum disease. The sooner you treat it, the better. And that means flossing between the teeth, not just brushing the surface.”
When I was growing up in the 80s, dental floss seemed like the sort of thing you only occasionally saw being used by glamorous Americans in TV shows.
I was never taught how to floss. I was taught to brush my teeth twice a day for as long as I could be bothered, using a squirt of Crest on a manual toothbrush. This lacklustre approach to oral hygiene continued well into adulthood. During that time, I never visited the dentist unless I was in a state of unbearable agony (which was rare). Dentists were about crisis management, not ongoing maintenance.
On the eve of my wedding day in 2005, I visited a fancy dentist in west London to get my teeth nice and polished for the big day. Whilst they were carrying out the cosmetic procedure, they noticed that my gums were bleeding and suggested I should see the hygienist. I had no idea what a hygienist was, but I reluctantly agreed.
She took a quick look inside my mouth and immediately told me I had gingivitis, a form of gum disease caused by plaque and bacterial build-up. The good news, she said, was that it was easily reversible. All I needed to do was start flossing my teeth every day. “Sure, I can do that!” I lied. At that age, I was extremely busy building a career I loved, went out most nights, usually came home drunk, and just thought an elaborate flossing routine wouldn’t fit into my lifestyle. I basically thought I was too cool to floss. Looking back, I hate 30-year-old me.
Between 50 and 90 per cent of all adults in the UK are affected by gingivitis, while almost 50 per cent have some degree of irreversible periodontitis, studies show (Photo: Getty)The problem with gum disease is that it thrives in secret. My teeth have always looked fine. I’ve never suffered much pain. And bad breath has never been a problem either. The only warning sign was the occasional bit of blood in the sink.
More recently, hygienists have told me that mere dental floss was not sufficient to keep my gums healthy; I needed to use those tiny interdental brushes with plastic handles. They provide a more thorough clean between the teeth, disrupting the bacteria that can build up along the gumline. So I started buying them whenever I remembered.
But I was never consistent enough. Inevitably, gingivitis mutated into periodontitis, the more extreme form of gum disease that cannot be reversed. The best you can do is manage it through a combination of regular professional treatment and, more importantly, consistent home care. During lockdown, I went a year without seeing the hygienist. And so, when I went for my first appointment after the world got back to normal, I was in a worse state than ever. The hygienist who had been treating me for years paused her examination and asked me to rinse my mouth out in the little sink. I spat out what looked like several pints of deep red blood. It was like a scene from a Tarantino movie.
My gums were so sensitive that I had to receive a whopping dose of local anaesthetic just to get through a routine clean and polish. This was the moment that something finally clicked. Why was this happening to me? Gum disease can strike anyone, but some people have a genetic predisposition to inflammatory disorders. In fact, developing gum disease is often a warning sign that you could be at risk of other inflammatory conditions, including diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Studies have shown direct links between gum disease and heart disease. Jonathan Deanfield, professor of cardiology at University College London, told me: “By looking after the health of your gums, you can actually reduce your chances of cardiovascular illness too.” As I headed towards my fifties, this was something I had to start taking more seriously.
I realised I had to apply the same level of focus and determination to taking care of my gums as I had done to quitting alcohol a few years beforehand. There could be no more excuses, no more stop-start cycle of doom, and no more putting things off. I understood, at last, that I could end up toothless by the time I was fifty. I couldn’t tell myself “I’m too tired” or “Skipping one day won’t make a difference” any more. Flossing had to become a non-negotiable priority.
They say it takes 66 days to form a habit. So I set up a repeat order with Amazon for a big bag of interdental brushes to arrive once a month. That way, I would never run out. Now, every night before I even go near my toothbrush, I spend several minutes cleaning between my teeth. It used to feel like a hassle – now I do it on autopilot. It is painless and easy. Why on earth didn’t I start sooner? Over the past 18 months, my gums have formed tightly against my teeth, closing the gaps where bacteria was previously able to intrude.
Your next read
square MONEYAt 73, rent is £151 more than my housing benefit. The state pension covers the gap
square PROPERTY AND MORTGAGESSurge in holiday let owners attempting to avoid double council tax with loophole
square LIFESTYLE The Expat FilesI left London for South Africa – we have a nanny and wake up to pink sunrises and elephants
square TRAVELThe Silk Road country with vast deserts, ancient bazaars and a beautiful metro
While it’s true that predisposition to gum disease is partly genetic, I’m not blaming anyone else for my problems but myself. I just didn’t know any better. It’s clear that I was part of a generation that simply didn’t understand the basics of keeping our gums in good nick. Studies show that between 50 and 90 per cent of all adults in the UK are affected by gingivitis, while almost 50 per cent have some degree of irreversible periodontitis.
“Brushing cleans only about 60 per cent of the tooth surface; the rest is where serious problems like gum disease begin. Teaching children to clean that remaining 40 per cent is key to lifelong oral health,” says Justyna Kamecka, dental therapist and hygienist, and owner of Fulham Dental Clinic in London. “If I had to pick one single change that would have the biggest impact on overall oral health and gum disease prevention, it would be: Start cleaning between all your teeth, every single day.” Many experts recommend that parents begin flossing their children’s teeth from a young age – as soon as they have two teeth that touch.
Over the years, I have undergone numerous deep cleans, had antibiotic pellets placed under my gumline to combat infection, and, recently, received specialist laser treatment designed to eliminate microscopic bacteria deep at the root of my teeth. It’s cost me a fortune. And while it has all helped me a great deal, I could have avoided it all had I paid attention to that first bleed when I was a student, gone to the dentist’s right away and made flossing a regular part of my daily routine.
Hence then, the article about for decades i didn t bother to floss now at 50 my teeth are falling out was published today ( ) and is available on inews ( Middle East ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( For decades I didn’t bother to floss – now, at 50, my teeth are falling out )
Also on site :