Kelly Ripa has revealed the surprisingly simple habit that landed her in the dentist’s chair — and eventually forced her to take a break from Live with Kelly and Mark.
The 55-year-old host opened up about her gum graft surgery during the August 12 episode of her Let’s Talk Off Camera podcast, recorded before the procedure.
While chatting with Michelle Buteau, Ripa admitted the surgery was “painful” and explained that she would be under strict orders not to talk for 10 days.
So, what caused it?
“I’m an over-brusher,” Ripa confessed. “I brush my teeth too much. It’s a good-bad habit.”
She explained that excessive brushing had caused gum recession, particularly around her lower gums.
“But I’ve caused gum recession down here specifically, and so they have gotta re-gum my gums.”
The procedure involves taking tissue from the roof of the mouth and grafting it onto areas affected by gum recession. Ripa also admitted she had been putting off the surgery for years.
“Before you praise me, I was supposed to do it five years ago,” Ripa said. “But now, just so you know, the doctor was like, ‘Now, you don’t have the luxury of time.’ ”
And apparently, being forced into silence was almost as stressful as the surgery itself.
“We’re already managing my stress level for not being able to talk for ten days.”
Ripa ultimately missed about two weeks of Live, with Mark Consuelos and a rotating lineup of guest hosts stepping in, including Buteau, Kevin Jonas, Mila Kunis and Pamela Adlon.
Consuelos previously warned viewers that the procedure was “painful,” adding that Ripa was following a strict recovery routine involving soft foods and no straws.
Turns out, even America’s most talkative TV host sometimes needs a dental timeout.
