Dentist told me i have bone loss of 4-5mm and some pocketing of 5-6mm after seeing hygienist teeth loose why?

I had been with my last dentist for 15 years but he rarely took x-rays whereas my new dentist took x-rays and discovered this problem, it has really frightened me as I thought teeth were being looked after by my dentist (how wrong can you be) I am not sleeping due to fear of losing them,are they loose because the plaque below gumline was holding them in?

Dentist told me i have bone loss of 4-5mm and some pocketing of 5-6mm after seeing hygienist teeth loose why?
excessive plaque and calculus under ur gumlines cause bacteria 2 infect ur bone and cause bone loss..after removing calculus ur tooth become a little loose,u can later on do a bone graft and u're not gonna lose ur teeth,u just have 2 remove all site of infection
Reply:i have one too, i guess it just happens sometimes.
Reply:Did your new dentist mention gingivitis? That's what it sounds like to me. Your teeth can still be saved if you take good care of them. It is vitally important that you brush with a good flouride toothpaste after every meal, or at least twice a day. Rinse your mouth after eating or drinking anything sweet. Use an antibacterial mouthwash several times a day. See your new dentist regularly for teeth cleaning and whatever other treatment he recommends. Your other dentist neglected you terribly. Don't let this keep you from sleeping though. It's not a life or death situation at this time. Good luck.
Reply:I've gone to the dentist regularly for years. However, last year my hygienist discovered my gums were infected and I had to have a procedure called scaling done. She said, it if did not do this that my gums were very loose and deteriorating and my teeth would actually fall out. I asked why, and was told a lot is the care I took (brushing/flossing/water pik) at home, and HEREDITARY.
Reply:goggle "periodontal disease"
Reply:1-3 mm pocketing is normal. You can clean 1-3mm pockets with at home care (ie. brushing AND flossing). 4-5mm pockets are border line and anything over 6mm is severe periodontal disease. Once you hit 4mm and higher the only person that can keep your pockets clean is a hygenist.


Your teeth were "loose" because you had a lot of calculus build-up below the 3mm mark and it affected your ligaments. Your teeth should be good to go.


In the USAF for patients that have 4mm or higher pockets we recommend cleanings every 3-4 months and an annual exam with xrays to determine boneloss. A lot of times you can have deep pockets with NO boneloss.


Most dentists including periodontists (gum dentists) resort to surgery when they have exhausted ALL other options.


A lot of factors go into periodontal disease; Stress which lowers immune system which inturn can't fight of the bacteria in your mouth; Excessive buildup of plaque and calculus. Hereditary plays a very small part in periodontal disease. Smoking also plays into perio disease. Unless you have a chronic medical condition that affects your immune system like AIDS or diabetes; periodontal disease is preventable with correct home oral care.


A great website that explains EVERYTHING that occurs in the dental clinic in layman's term is www.simplestepsdental.com.