Hey guys. I everyone is in a good place right now. We are all in this fight together, regardless of our situation. I hesitated for months to make this post, and now I think the time is right to talk to anyone who will listen to me. I hope people can relate to my story.

I am a 31 year old male who has been struggling with gum recession for a little over two years now.

I have always maintained good dental hygiene. I generally floss once and a day, and brush two to three times a day. Outside of a few fillings, I maintained good oral health. Just before the COVID-19 pandemic/lockdown struck us here in Michigan, I started to noticed increased sensitivity and pain in my mouth. I would inspect my mouth, and didn't notice anything abnormal. I decided to let it go. 

During the lockdown, it got progressively worse. It became hard to eat food, and consuming cold beverages was impossible. I wanted to see a dentist badly, but it was virtually impossible during the pandemic. When the lockdown was lifted in June, I was finally able to schedule an appointment with a dentist. I couldn't get in to see them until mid-December, because their office had so many appointments scheduled before mine. I was frustrated, but understanding. I waited out the 5 months, as the pain and sensitivity grew worse. 

It's December, and I finally got to see a dentist. They had told me my teeth were "beautiful", but said that I had gum recession throughout my entire mouth. They told me I didn't have gingivitis, gum disease, or periodontal disease. They diagnosed the cause as genetics and aggressively brushing my teeth. I had asked if there was a solution. They said that a periodontist is able to perform an operation to reverse the damage, but that is extremely expensive. During the time, I made a good living, but I was too hesitant because I not in a situation to be able to spend thousands of dollars and time off of work for this. 

After this, I have essentially stopped eating. Chewing hurts, moving my mouth hurts, cold and hot temperature food hurts. My diet has basically been room temperature water. I have no desire to see a dentist, because I know I'm going to be reminded of my issues that I have no control over. 

I got laid off from my job last September due to being overstaffed, and have no desire to look for another job. I am in constant pain, and feel a sense of shame. I do not want to be seen in public. I moved back in with my parents, because I cannot afford to survive on my own. All I do is sleep every day, waiting for the day that I build up enough courage to end my life. I always hesitate, because I do not want to burden my parents with the trauma.

When I had first started feeling the pain in my mouth, I was roughly 385lbs. I was a very large men that took pride in cooking and eating. Now, I am about 175lbs. My diet is strictly room temperature water. The last meal I ate was 2 weeks ago, which was Stauffer's brand macaroni and cheese. It is convenient for me because I don't have to chew it. 

I made this post in the hope that I am not alone, and others can relate to my experience. Thank you for listening to me. I am open minded to any questions. Nothing is off limits to me. I wish all of you well. You aren't alone.