gum disease

As I mentioned in my last post, the treatment I’ve chosen for my Sleep Apnea is a combination of didgeridoo playing, vocal training and a Mandibular Advancement Device (MAD). However the treatment plan has been delayed somewhat because the dentist I attended to get the MAD fitted identified that I had gum disease.

It’s not sensible to use an MAD if you have gum disease because it relies on a stable foundation of teeth in order to hold the bottom jaw forward. But besides that, gum disease alone turns out to be really bad for your health. I used to think that because I brush my teeth every day and don’t have any cavities at age 50, my dental maintenance approach of avoiding dentists altogether was working.

Turns out I was dead wrong, and without intervention my teeth were likely to start falling out early. (more…)