Prescription pads must be standard-issue at some dental schools, right? I’ve lost count of how many times I left with an antibiotic script instead of an actual solution. It’s like the “turn it off and on again” of dentistry. Meanwhile, my gums would just keep throwing tantrums. When I started braces, I was worried things would get even worse, but my new dentist actually sat down and made a plan—cleaning every few months, better flossing routine, the works. Suddenly, things improved. Who knew?
I do get why they sometimes default to antibiotics (liability? habit?), but it felt like a band-aid rather than a fix. Also, totally relate on the yogurt front—my stomach still gets suspicious every time I see a probiotic label. At least now I know a cleaning can do more for my gums than another round of pills ever did.
...it felt like a band-aid rather than a fix.
Totally get what you mean. I used to dread the cost of every new script—antibiotics aren’t cheap, and neither are the follow-ups when it doesn’t actually solve the problem. Once I switched to a dentist who focused more on cleanings and home care, my bills (and my stomach) both calmed down. Did your insurance cover the extra cleanings, or did you have to pay out of pocket? That’s always the tricky part for me—trying to balance what’s actually helpful with what I can afford.
Once I switched to a dentist who focused more on cleanings and home care, my bills (and my stomach) both calmed down.
Interesting—my experience was kind of the opposite. I tried skipping the antibiotics and just sticking to cleanings for a while, but my gums kept flaring up. It wasn’t until I did a short round of antibiotics plus stepped up the cleanings that things finally settled. Maybe it depends on how bad the infection is? Insurance barely covered any of it though, which was super frustrating. Anyone else have luck with just one approach?
I can relate to the frustration about insurance—mine barely covers anything beyond the basics, and it’s always a guessing game what will actually get paid for. I’ve had periods where cleanings alone weren’t enough, especially when my gums were really inflamed. Antibiotics did help, but I hated the side effects. Sometimes I wonder if it’s just trial and error depending on your body’s response... Has anyone noticed if stress or other health issues make their gum problems worse? For me, flare-ups seem to happen more when I’m rundown.
Insurance is such a headache, right? I swear, half the time I feel like I need a decoder ring just to figure out what’s covered. And yeah, stress totally wrecks my gums too—if I’m pulling all-nighters or fighting off a cold, it’s like my mouth just gives up. The antibiotics work, but man, the stomach drama isn’t worth it for me unless things get really bad. I do wish dentists would talk more about what else we can do besides just throwing pills at it… sometimes it feels like they skip over the basics if you’re not careful.
