Dental Health Forum - Picking Gums For the Pleasure


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Marianne0558

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Picking Gums For the Pleasure Posted: 09-11-07 09:58am


Sounds sick, huh? I've been picking at my gums for as long as I can remember. It started in childhood with my fingernails. I would scrape at and poke the corners of my gums where my teeth meet until they bled. It didn't even hurt-it felt good. Now that I am 23, the habit is even worse. I can sit here for hours picking at my teeth. They don't even bleed anymore. I use whatever is small, sharp, and pointed. From thumb tacks, knives, the prongs on a fork, straws, toothpicks, nail files, I could go on forever. I am really worried that my teeth will eventually start to fall out because the gums are beginning to disappear. The weird thing about it is my teeth are relatively healthy other than that. I take good care of them, brush and floss them regularly, whiten them. I started thinking today that this was definitely a psychological problem but I've never heard of anyone else having the same problem. I've tried to use orajel too. It doesn't work. The tingling feels good, then I feel then need to poke. I put orajel on the tool and jam it into my gums. It just feels good, I don't even know how to explain it. The best way for me to try to explain is it's almost like itching and a constant need to scratch. Wish someone could help.

serratia

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Gum Picking Posted: 10-21-07 13:00pm


you know I have a similar habit, I chew off the inside of my cheeks and lips with my teeth and nails. I feel like I have to peel off the inner skin of my cheeks all the time and now I have canker sores popping up everywhere! I think gum picking and cheek picking are a form of OCD. I'm in a yahoo group for skin pickers that you might want to check out its called Pickaderms. Hope this helps!

Gone2Far

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Joined: 03 Jan 2008
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Posted: 01-03-08 12:21pm


I used to have a bad habit of biting my nails, but I've over come that only because I grow my nails to pick my gums! I know it's really bad and I shouldn't do it but like the rest of the people that have replied to this topic I enjoy it alot and the fact that it bleeds doesn't stop me either. Ever since I was little I used to poke my gums with toothpicks and sharp objects but now I just use my nails to do it and I need to stop cos just like Marianne0558 mentioned, my gums are starting to disappear and I'm scared my teeth might fall out. I mainly pick the gum surrounding the bottom four front teeth; front and behind. I've been to the doctor twice about it and all they've said is that it's all down to willpower, which is REALLY hard. I've also noticed that I don't tend to pick my gums as much when I'm chewing something so I guess chewing gum would be a good idea to divert your attention from it for the moment but I'd rather look for a solution than a diversion. In addition, reffering to serratia's post: I also have that habit too - using my tteth to bite the insides of my mouth. I've also heard that this is a form of OCD. The doctors gave me the same answer as above for my gums and said the biting-the-inside-of-my-mouth was caused by high levels of stress.

CANDYxoxLOVER

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Posted: 02-19-08 14:54pm


yeaa i like always bite my tounge and cheeks too i feel the same way about it. it is weird. i cant expain it :p

chapstickzzz

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gum picking Posted: 03-31-08 17:54pm


ever since i was little i bit my nails really bad. i would bite past the nail bed and rip off my cuticles and i saw a doctor about it and he said it was high anxiety levels. when i was 10 i accidentally poked my gums with a toothpick, and it was really satisfying, but i didnt pick up the habit until i was about 15. i find it extremely strange (but somewhat relieving) that other people have the same problem. i struggled with an addiction to cocaine for a few years, and it often made my mouth go numb, and thats when i really started stabbing and picking at my gums, i thought it was because of that, but now that i'm clean, i continue to pick at them, and im picking at them right now. i just wanted to show some support that you are not the only one !

Marianne0558

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Posted: 04-01-08 07:46am


You know, I find myself doing it more when I've had a stressful day. Maybe it's a nervous addiction?

iamanaddict

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I just love the feeling Posted: 04-09-08 08:46am


I knew that i wasn't the only one who loves to pick at their gums until they bleed. It feels so good, especially after the picking occurs. I enjoy how the tingling occurs awhile after the actual picking. It makes me keep coming back for more. I mainly do this at night...even in my sleep...or when I can't sleep. I love how the gums start to recede. Sounds weird, but it makes me want to pick at them more. There is more space for picking. LOL. I had a tooth removed in Febuary of last year, and the wound has long healed, but now I have an open space for picking at. I prefer my fingernail, but if a tac or pin becomes available, that is wonderful as well. I even found myself doing this in public places like work. I dodn't even care that I was doing it. The spaces in between my teeth are becomming larger, and I love how much easier it is to get something in there. Keep posting...I can't stop this, and probably need professional help. I have been doing this since childhood. An addict in Arizona

wilywitch1363

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Posted: 05-07-08 20:41pm


I have been doing this since I was little. I can remember I had a favorite spot- right between my canine and first molar on the right side. I remember picking at that spot just felt right to me somehow... At some point my favorite spot switched to a different area... I would definitely never pick at the old spot now. It would just feel weird. Goodness knows how many times I have probably taxed my immune system doing this- once the wound has been inflicted, I have a tendency to push down on the spot with my fingers. They have to be dry and salty for it to feel right... I can seriously just leave my finger on the same spot for as long as I want and it'll just keep burning. I do this all quite absent-mindedly... If I am paying attention, I can keep myself from doing it, but the minute I don't focus on it, I'll discover myself doing it again. It seems to happen most when I am bored or stressed, but also sometimes when I am reading a good book I will do it and because I am so absorbed in the book, I will do a lot of damage without even noticing. There have been times when I have picked for so long that I have developed a headache from it. I have always wondered why this feels so damn good to do! There is no other way to describe it but as immensely pleasurable. I am a huge baby when it comes to any other kind of pain, so why does this feel good??? Anybody have any idea?