Hidden ‘dental pocket’ condition that plagues HALF of middle-aged people without them realising. It starts with red gums and bleeding then leads to lost teeth and worse, says LIZ HOGGARD. But there’s a cheap cure… if you act fast

My friend could barely sit up before blurting out the terrible news. ‘The dentist said you had this awful thing called a pocket,’ he told me. ‘Some are 6mm deep.’

“Oh dear,” I nodded in understanding. ‘Yes, anything over 4mm is quite concerning. ‘Once you reach 8mm or 9mm your teeth can become really mobile and you may even lose a few.’

You may be feeling quite confused at this point. But this terrible condition affects 54 percent of the adult population to some degree, even if you don’t realize it. And unfortunately, this situation affects middle-aged women especially hard.

As a child of the 1970s that dentistry had forgotten, I unfortunately became a specialist and spent the last 15 years struggling with periodontal pockets, a symptom of gum disease.

If left untreated, it can cause serious infection, gum and bone loss, and tooth loss.

When I open my bag, rainbow-colored interdental brushes fall out. I spend hours brushing and flossing my teeth three times a day. My dental kit includes an artificial intelligence-supported electric toothbrush, dental floss, and fluoride and non-fluoride toothpaste.

The good news is, I’m proof that dental problems can be overcome as long as you put the hours into the battle.

Normally, healthy teeth are held in their sockets by gum tissue and bone. However, when you have gum disease as a result of poor brushing, tissue breakdown can occur and cause cavities in your teeth. These pockets harbor bacteria, causing further damage.

The good news is that dental problems can be overcome as long as you put in the hours to battle

Think of the roots of your teeth like a fence. Over the years the fence looks good, but as time passes and the ground around it is excavated, it becomes loose. And in middle age, the fence needs maintenance.

Periodontist Dr. from Harley Street Dental and Implant Clinic. ‘The tooth brushing routine that worked perfectly at 35 may not be enough at 52,’ says Sonia Joshi. ‘Your immune system’s response to plaques has changed.’

Early symptoms include gum redness, tenderness, and bleeding; But periodontitis can also trigger a harmful chronic inflammatory response and put you at serious risk of developing dementia, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.

I first noticed that my own dental fence was deteriorating when I was 50 years old.

Growing up, my generation received shabby dental treatments without fluoride in drinking water or electric toothbrushes. I had slightly spaced yellow teeth, but as an adult, whitening and veneers on the front gave me confidence.

Then one day, I was warned that I had terrible pockets. These are measured in millimeters by a dentist’s periodontal probe, and you can buy interdental brushes of the corresponding size for as little as £3.50 per pack.

Anything over 4mm means gum disease is present; 5 mm to 7 mm is moderate periodontitis, 7 mm to 12 mm is advanced periodontitis. The higher the number, the worse off you are – and some of mine were 9mm.

While poor dental hygiene is the main culprit, periodontal disease can be inherited. Unfortunately, gum problems worsen in women during periods of high hormone activity.

If we brush properly we can fix the problem ourselves for free – it’s all about elbow grease

Dr Joshi explains that as estrogen and progesterone levels drop, you may see a change in how gum tissues respond to bacteria and how the immune system manages inflammation.

What’s more, 40 percent of postmenopausal women experience dry mouth, and when saliva production decreases, teeth become vulnerable.

The good news is that small 4mm or 5mm pockets can be reduced in size with professional cleaning. Now I get it done every two months. It costs between £150 and £180 a go, but it’s worth every penny.

If the pockets are really deep, scaling and root planing can help, while surgery allows for even deeper corrections.

Of course, this all comes together. If you need implants, treating advanced gum disease can cost around £7,000. However, if we brush our teeth properly, we can solve the problem ourselves for free. It’s about elbow grease.

Now I’m 63 and proof that progress can be made. My worst 9.3mm pocket shrank to 5.22mm after two years of treatment at my London Smiling dental practice. There are other simple adjustments you can make to protect your teeth.

To prevent dry mouth, Dr Joshi recommends sipping water regularly, avoiding alcohol-based mouthwashes and chewing sugar-free gum after meals. Don’t miss out on high-sugar and ultra-processed diets. Mediterranean-style eating habits appear to support gum stability.

You may be embarrassed to be seen as some sort of toothbrushing bore, but I recommend carrying these interdental brushes with you everywhere and keeping a toothpick on hand at all times. This way, if you feel a piece of peanut stuck in your incisor, as I did, you can be ready to strike.

It may not always seem dignified, but trust me, it’s better than the alternative…