Kelly Ripa says a dental habit she thought was helping her teeth ultimately contributed to gum recession severe enough to require surgery.
The 55-year-old television host identified overbrushing as the reason she needed a gum graft, a procedure that kept her away from Live With Kelly and Mark for about two weeks. Ripa discussed the operation with Michelle Buteau on the Aug. 12 episode of Let’s Talk Off Camera With Kelly Ripa, which was recorded before the surgery.
“I’m an over-brusher,” Ripa said. “I brush my teeth too much. It’s a good-bad habit.” She explained that she had developed gum recession in a specific area and would need tissue taken from the roof of her mouth and grafted onto the affected gumline.
Ripa had known about the procedure for years but kept postponing it. She said it was first recommended five years earlier before her doctor eventually warned, “Now, you don’t have the luxury of time.” Her recovery instructions included another unusually difficult restriction for a professional talk-show host, 10 days without speaking.
Ripa Said Doctors Had to ‘Re-Gum’ Her Gums
Buteau remarked that the procedure sounded painful, and Ripa immediately agreed. Ripa then explained why she needed it. “But I’ve caused gum recession down here specifically, and so they have gotta re-gum my gums,” she said.
Ripa said her procedure would involve taking tissue from the roof of her mouth and grafting it onto the affected area. The recovery concerned her almost as much as the procedure itself. Ripa said she would not be allowed to talk for 10 days after surgery.
“We’re already managing my stress level for not being able to talk for ten days,” she joked. Buteau later became one of the guest co-hosts who joined Mark Consuelos while Ripa recovered, although their podcast conversation had been recorded before the operation took place.
Ripa Put the Procedure Off for Five Years
Ripa made clear that the surgery was not a sudden development. “Before you praise me, I was supposed to do it five years ago,” she told Buteau. She had continued postponing it until her doctor told her that waiting was no longer an option.
“Now, you don’t have the luxury of time,” Ripa recalled being told. Consuelos had previously shared a similar timeline while explaining his wife’s absence from Live. He said her dentist had told her approximately five years earlier that she would eventually need the procedure.
Ripa underwent the graft in late July, leading to roughly two weeks away from the Live hosting desk while a rotating group of guest co-hosts stepped in.
Aggressive Brushing Can Contribute to Gum Recession
Ripa attributed her own recession to overbrushing, and aggressive toothbrushing is a recognized risk factor for the condition. The Cleveland Clinic lists aggressive brushing among several possible causes of gum recession, along with factors such as periodontal disease, genetics, tobacco use and oral piercings.
Recession occurs when gum tissue pulls away from the teeth, exposing more of the tooth or its root. Depending on the severity, it can contribute to tooth sensitivity and other oral-health problems. A gum graft can add tissue back to an area where the gumline has receded and help protect exposed roots.
The American Dental Association recommends brushing for two minutes twice a day with fluoride toothpaste and a soft-bristled toothbrush. Both manual and powered toothbrushes can clean teeth effectively when used correctly. Periodontist Dr. Brooke Aichelmann-Reidy, who was not involved in Ripa’s treatment, also told Yahoo Health that forceful horizontal scrubbing can traumatize the gumline.
Mark Consuelos Said ‘This One Hurts’
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Consuelos disclosed his wife’s surgery during the July 27 episode of Live, when Kevin Jonas joined him as guest co-host. “Kelly sends her love,” Consuelos told viewers before explaining that she was recovering from a gum graft.
He said Ripa was doing well but had been given strict instructions during the early recovery period. In addition to not talking, she was supposed to eat soft foods, avoid drinking through a straw and resist pulling down her lip to inspect the surgical site.
Consuelos said the pain stood out because his wife normally has an unusually high tolerance for dental procedures. “She famously doesn’t feel pain,” he said. “When she goes into the dentist, she doesn’t really use the Novocain. But this one hurts, so I know it’s bad.”
Ripa apparently struggled to follow at least one instruction perfectly. Consuelos said she asked him to inspect the surgical area even though she had been told not to pull her lip down, eventually positioning herself so he could look without touching it.
Guest Co-Hosts Filled In While Ripa Recovered
Kevin Jonas joined him on July 27 and 28, followed by Mila Kunis, Pamela Adlon and Scott Foley during the first week. Sarah Chalke, Jenna Dewan, Michelle Buteau and Carrie Coon were among the guests who subsequently appeared alongside Consuelos.
Ripa has since been visible on Live again, but the show’s August broadcasts include material recorded before her surgery as part of its normal summer schedule. Episodes beginning the week of Aug. 10 were labeled as previously recorded.
Her first return to a live broadcast following the operation is scheduled for Sept. 8, when Live With Kelly and Mark begins its 39th season.