Does any of you had already experience with receding gums on your teeth?
Any of you guys has already had surgery for that?
one year ago my dentist told me that I had receding gums, and suggested that I needed a surgery to fix this problem. the surgery would consist on making new gengive parts by cutting some skin on the palate , and the dentist said that I would need to not play the flute for at least a month after the operation
I’m a professional flute player, and I’m freightened by the idea of loosing my embouchure skills after the operation. I procastinated for awhile, because it was hard to find a full month without gigs and also because I never had any pain at all.. but in the last couple of days I started to feel some little pain on lower front teeth. I now feel a bit like I’m resting the flute on teeth when playing.
Yesterday I had the luck of meeting Matt Molloy, and I spoke about that with him. He told me to be extremely careful about the operation, and told me that he had some troubles himself because of a dental surgery. He reckons that cutting some skin from the palate could affect the tone as well.
I have to say that I am worried.. I just bought a house and engaged a mortgage, I can’t risk to have troubles with the flute!
I really hope that some of you guys could share their experience on that. HOpe to get some good advice from you alll! maybe some of you is even a dentist!?!
I would definitely talk to another, and perhaps several, dentists. I’m sure there are many cases where this is a success or dentists wouldn’t be recommending it, but … my ex had that procedure done three times, at least once and maybe twice because the original grafts from his palate didn’t take.
Now. This was more than 10 years ago so my memory’s a bit hazy, AND I suspect the techniques have improved … but I would certainly get another opinion as it was a complicated and painful procedure, at least for poor K.
As for how it would affect your flute playing I can only conjecture. I played all throughout braces and dental wax and various other orthodontic experiments and was able to adjust with time. I suppose it affects various people various ways, but there are at least a few toothless geezers honking away out there … if you have the procedure done and it changes your mouth you may just have to learn to play differently. As horrifying as that sounds, you’re certainly a good enough player that you’re not going to suddenly start being awful or anything; you’re just going to sound different until you get it sorted (and that difference will be far more obvious to you than anyone else).
Meanwhile, if you don’t do anything about the problem you’ll probably have to learn to play differently too – just more gradually.
One of my classical flute teachers in high school, Robert Cavally, lost his teeth as he aged and he was able to sort it out. IIRC, I remember him complaining his breathing caused his flute playing far more more trouble than his dentures!
Just my .01 … it’s good to hear from you again, and congratulations on all the good stuff that’s happening in your life, BTW! cat.
Any clue as to the cause of the receding gums? I had the same problem years ago and in my case it was caused partly by grinding my teeth at night (stress-related). I agree with Cathy in that I would get another opinion. I would also try to find a solution other than surgery if possible. In my case, it stopped getting any worse and doesn’t bother me any more.
BTW, you guys (Birken Tree) are awesome! The first time I saw one of your vids on YouTube my jaw hit the floor. You can definitely saw some wood on the flute. Good luck and I hope things work out well for you.
For me, I just needed advice on how to hold my instrument to alleviate my problem. It wasn’t anything medical wasn’t it? It was just some discomfort, and went away when I take a break from playing.
Or in case you are just asking me about my problem, yes it’s okay now thanks to your advice.
I, too, have nothing helpful to tell you about your gums*. Mine have receeded to some extent, which my dentist blamed on years of brushing with a ‘medium’ toothbrush. Who knew that they make three stiffnesses of brush, but you’re only supposed to use ‘soft’? Not I, until too late.
You might be farther along than I, because the dentist didn’t suggest any kind of surgery. He told me to get an ultrasoft brush and to use a ‘sensitive’ teeth toothpaste. This contains some kind of ingredient which penetrates to and deadens exposed nerves, so that I no longer jump if he blasts them with the dental air jet. Ouch.
*But when you do find the answer, I’d be interested in hearing all about it.
Nope, but may I gently suggest that folks with a mere 25 posts under their belts who quote scripture to the rest of us run the risk of calling another sort of law enforcement to mind:
I think you’re probably correct, for the record, but it scans funny. Dale will probably be along any minute now to tell us himself.
thank you for your kind words, both on my music and my gums!. In two weeks I’ll see another dentist, who’s apparently very knowlegeable about this issues. Let’s hope for the best! Tonight I’m off playing again, hope to feel no pain..
Apologies for not respecting the forum’s policy.. I didn’t know that medical post were forbidden.
No, it’s all good! I said you were right. But like I said, Dale or one of the other mods will zing us if we’ve strayed. Even that feels kinda good, like someone up there cares what we do. Meanwhile, why prematurely stop a nice flow of info/experiences?
Dale’s rules come with a bit of gray area in their interpretation.
If one of us goes too far, then one of the moderators will be along to point it out.
What the zing is will depend on how far over the gray fuzzy line the post is.
We are fairly international.
Many of us talk funny.
Part of the charm of the place, innit!
The first thing is to know how to take care of your gums.
This involves flossing and also using what’s called a gum brush,
which you use by putting the head/bristles upward or downward into
the gums and moving in small circles, doing this all around the mouth.
This is a special brush for gums.
There are gum specialists, they are called ‘periodontists.’
A lot of dentists (at least in the USA) don’t know much about gum care/problems.
.
As Simon notes above, lots of sidewise motion on the gum with a firm
tooth brush isn’t a good idea. Softer brush for teeth. Cleaning teeth is one thing,
cleaning gums another.
Definitely get a second opinion if somebody counsels
surgery. Ask them about care and cleaning.
If they don’t know, find someone else. Not impossible
that you need surgery but there is needless surgery.
Seeing a periodontist is a good idea. But don’t assume
s/he knows what’s s/he’s doing. Does the person you are going to know how
about the daily care of gums?
, and the dentist said that I would need to not play the flute for at least a month after the operation 
cat.
