<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>

Thank you very much for your enlightening replies.  Summary follows.

I've no answer about periodontal disease, BUT when I had my gums
surgically clipped & a graft from the roof of my mouth put on a
particularly worn gum below my bottom front teeth, I learned two things
(it was done in two appointments, so the first was learn, the second was
knowledge): 1. take a really good strong gf painkiller BEFORE the
surgery, and don't be a hero afterwards - keep taking the painkillers.
2. have a good supply of gf baby food on hand, a blender & straws

Asked if graph worked: Well, yes the graft worked.  Except now, ten
years later, a new dentist took x-rays of my lower teeth & announced
that I hardly have any roots in the very teeth that received the gum
graft, so maybe in hindsight that would have been the time to perhaps do
something else.  Of course, no one realized then that I was lacking that
much calcium due to being celiac etc etc. The other "unforeseen"
consequence was that after have my gums raised (because the pockets were
too big - ie, gum disease) no one took into account that the teeth that
already had crowns were now going to have enamel exposed again, so guess
who suddenly got cavities at the gum line? But, we do what we do, and
can't cry over what's been done. I truly am at the mercy of whoever my
dentist is. How on earth can I, a lay person, possibly know if they have
my best interests at heart or my cheque book?

 ******************

I have never heard of this procedure, I would do some research if I were
you.

Could you not just take antibiotics?

********************

I had periodontal surgery about a year ago. I am 40 and had to have my
gum grafted from the roof of my mouth onto my bottom teeth in the front.
 All went well, except I had some bleeding problems afterwards.

**************

As a practicing Dentist, your treatment does sound common and routine
from a dental standpoint.  This type of treatment can be quite
successful.  There is a lot of variation from patient to patient.  The
success rate is dependant upon the extent of the damage, the strength of
the remaining teeth, the amount of forces upon the rest of the teeth and
the overall type of existing occlusion or bite.  Good luck.  Be sure to
take your post-op medications to prevent any discomfort.

***************

Periodontal disease, to the best of my knowledge is just another of the
auto-immune diseases that one is likely to have or have more severely if
one is a celiac. I can not tell you how many hours I have spent looking
up at the light in a periodontal dentist chair. As luck would have it I
did not get diagnosed as a celiac until I was 56. Then my gum disease
problems went away as soon as I was GF. Too bad it could not have been
sooner. Good Luck.

***********************

My husband has CD and also had periodontal problems caused by poor
absorption of vitamins, etc.  He had deep cleaning twice and now follows
up quarterly with periodontist one time and dentist the next.  He has
been on the GF diet for almost 2 years and his perio problems are
improving.  The pockets have lessened and the gums are in better health.
 He is sooooo glad that he did not go thru the gum surgery as was
recommended.  This was before he found out he had CD and he was just
feeling lousy and couldn't face any more surgery, etc.  He takes Freeda
Quintab-M and Freeda Vitamin E as well as Citracal with D and NEVER
cheats on his diet.  He is also meticulous with home care -- brushing
and flossing.  The were going to do osseous surgery (same as suggested
for me) on three quadrants of his mouth and also a complete debridement.
 I think that what they do is remove loose parts of the gum and then do
a deep cleaning and stitch the rest of the gum back together.  There was
some discussion of a graft at one spot.  The total cost including an
occlusal adjustment was $2600.  Glenn had already had one deep cleaning
of the entire mouth before seeing the periodontist.  This is where they
scrape below the gums and really clean everything that is down in there
into the roots.  It can be painful, but they do give you shots to deaden
the area.  It actually went quite well.  He had some really deep pockets
in between the teeth in a couple of areas that needed attention.  I had
forgotten that after the second deep cleaning that he developed an area
that apparently was infected.  Our dentist discovered it during one of
his quarterly check-ups and sent us back to the periodontist.  He did a
new treatment where they inject antibiotics into the affected area in
kind of a wax like substance and it stays in there until after about 30
days when the wax works itself out of the gum.  The treatment was
successful and his gums have healed so beautifully that they now say
that the surgery is not needed.  In the midst of all this, the
periodontist had a heart attack and passed away at 52 years of age.  His
son was just graduating from periodontist school and he took over the
practice and he was the one who administered the antibiotic treatment
and he is the one who says that the surgery is now not needed.  He also
agrees with us that the GF diet has contributed to the present good
health of his gums.  He now absorbs vitamins, etc. as he is healed in
his intestine.

***************

Please let me know what you find out ...I'm in the same boat....I can
give you some help,tho...2 days before he pulls the first tooth, start
taking ARNICA 30C 2 pills every two hours and for 2 days after...then 4x
a day until he takes out stitches.This is a homeopathic remedy for
trauma....prevents swelling, cuts down on bleeding and promotes
healing.....a real god send....works like a charm.  You can get it in
most health food stores for about five dollars a vial....

Hope this also helps some of you.

Ginger, Mississippi