I drink a lot of soda and now my gums are bleeding. My dentist said it is from the sodas and if I keep it up, I’m going to need dentures. Is this true or is he just trying to scare me?
Christine F.
Dear Christine,
I’m glad you wrote. Just drinking sodas won’t necessarily lead to you needing dentures. It can lead to serious decay and gum disease, which can then lead to losing your teeth. There was a study done that showed if you swallow your soda quickly instead of sipping it and letting it sit your mouth briefly, that you are less likely to develop decay. Of course, this is dependent on your keeping up with your oral hygiene care as well.
The bleeding of your gums has me concerned. This is a sign of gum disease and will lead to bone loss and losing your teeth. Then you will need to replace your teeth.
However, this is likely still preventable. Take the gum disease seriously and get it treated. I’m not sure why your dentist wasn’t giving solutions instead of threats, but there are ways to get your teeth and gums healthy again.
When you are brushing, don’t shy away from the bleeding gums. Get in there and brush them thoroughly. You want to keep bacteria from breeding.
Problems with Dentures
If you do get dentures, make sure they are implant supported dentures or you’ll end up with a host of “quality of life” problems. For instance, even the best fitting dentures will reduce your chewing capacity by 50%. However, the biggest issue you will deal with is facial collapse.
Your body knows when you have teeth roots in your jawbone. Once your teeth are removed, it will immediately begin resorbing the minerals in your jawbone to use elsewhere in your body in order to be efficient with your body’s resources. Unfortunately, this shrinks your jawbone. At first, they will just slip and slide. Then, they’ll periodically fall out. Eventually, you won’t be able to keep them in your mouth at all.
Having dental implants placed to anchor your dentures solves all of these problems. These are sometimes called implant overdentures.
This blog is brought to you by Kalamazoo Dentist Dr. Susan Dennis.