Receding gums and digestion?
Hello to all,
I am new to posting on this site, but have been reading it for several months already. It is very hard for me to write this and share my story as I am super anxious about my gums, but here goes:
I have been suffering from gum recession since I was 19. At the time, I simply assumed that I was brushing too hard and went to check my brushing technique, which was fine. I was also using a soft bristle toothbrush. However, as time went on, the gum recession kept worsening. I am now 26 and last month, I noticed that the root on one of my front teeth is ever so slightly exposed. I don’t feel any pain or sensitivity, the tooth isn’t loose, but I am still extremely worried. At my last dental visit, my dentist asked me if I had dental insurance, to which I replied no, as I don’t have it. She said that at this rate I might eventually have to get a gum graft and was pressuring me to allow her to refer me to a periodontist. I have no dental cavities and take very good care of my teeth. My next dental checkup is next week and I am absolutely terrified that when she sees my slightly exposed root, she will pressure me even more into getting a referral to a periodontist and push expensive gum graft treatments on me. I don’t want to be bullied into treatments that I don’t want, and I am of the opinion that it is worth examining other non-surgical, natural methods before consenting to this kind of invasive procedure. Moreover, I highly doubt that it will solve the true cause of the recession! I am absolutely determined to regrow my gums and to stop this recession once and for all.
In the past, I have been trying to stop my recession using oil pulling, salt water rinses, rinsing with tea tree oil and taking oregano oil, to no avail. I have also noticed that my recession tended to happen during very stressful times, such as exam period during the semester. It seemed like at every midterm, I would lose a bit of gum tissue. I have also noticed that my digestion would get wonky around those times as well, and I suspect that is also related to stress. Recently I read some posts by user White Shark here on Curezone about how the gums are a reflection of the health of your gut, and that lit a gigantic lightbulb in my head that I should heal my gut in order to heal my gums. Other resources on the Web and in books confirm this to me. I have cold hands and feet in warm rooms, which goes away on and off (which Dr. Andrew Weil calls ‘autonomic nervous system dysfunction’) and I have read that it is related to stress and digestive issues. My dad has also been having digestive issues since he was very young, which worsens when he is stressed; not surprisingly, he also has many teeth issues. So perhaps there is a genetic factor there? We tend to get nervous easily in our family… I had to do an interview for an internship in January for which I was very nervous (which might explain my slightly exposed root… ) I eventually got the internship and am excited to work there, but I am also terribly nervous about it… and am afraid that will lead to further gum recession. So I am wondering:
-What else can I do to encourage gum regrowth and heal my gut? I am committed to doing whatever it will take…
-Perhaps a little off topic, but are there any techniques that can help to de-stress the body? I find that just when I feel like I’ve calmed down and that everything is okay, bam! I look in the mirror and notice that there has been some slight recession. Perhaps our bodies accumulate more stress than we think they do?
This is what I am currently doing:
-Eating a Weston-Price-style diet (no sugars, soaking nuts, seeds and grains, lots of healthy animal fats, colorful vegetables and fruits, kale and leafy greens). I also consume coconut oil and extra virgin olive oil on a daily basis and use organic apple cider vinegar several times a week. Recently, I have also started incorporating more seaweed and miso in my diet.
-Oil pulling every day with coconut oil. Since I started a year ago (thanks to this forum), I have had detox symptoms for two weeks, followed by improvements: softer skin and hair, no more dry skin on elbows and heels, no more gum bleeding (I had slight gum bleeding before). But unfortunately, no gum regrowth yet…
-Taking sodium ascorbate (made with baking soda and buffered Vitamin C). I’ve been taking it for about a month now and I’ve noticed that my gums are getting stronger and tighter. My bowel movements also pass much more easily. I also have more energy and stand up straighter now (when before, my tummy was slightly protruding and my head was a little forward). However, I’ve been reading about how supplemental Vitamin C can cause kidney problems, so now I’m unsure to continue or not…
-I also take a cup of pineapple every morning as I read that it is very high in Vitamin C (I make a smoothie out of freshly cut pineapple pieces).
-Eating one cup of homemade probiotic yoghurt every morning.
-Taking Vitamin D (1000 IU a day), calcium and magnesium supplements daily.
-About 3-4 times a month, taking horsetail tea for its astringent properties on the gums.
-Have begun exercising a bit more (dancing, taking stairs rather than elevator…)
-Have started to test my saliva pH upon waking up. It’s somewhere between 6.6 and 6.8…
-I am currently reading up on visualization and how it can heal the body, hoping that I can visualize my gut and my gums healing. I have also begun doing breathing exercises and visualizations to help manage stress.
-I am also considering taking COQ10 for gum regrowth, but am a little hesitant to do so since I read about its numerous potential side effects…
A huge, huge thank you to anyone who can offer help and support... Much love and blessings to all.
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