Kelly Ripa’s Dental Dilemma: A Cautionary Tale
Kelly Ripa’s commitment to dental care has backfired, resulting in unexpected complications. The popular talk show host shared that her excessive tooth brushing—what she calls her “good and bad habits”—has led to significant gum recession, necessitating surgery that temporarily left her unable to speak.
On a recent podcast episode titled “Let’s Talk Off Camera,” Ripa, reflecting on her situation, admitted, “I’m too much of a blusher.” This recording was made prior to her surgery. She elaborated, saying, “I brush my teeth too much. It’s both a good habit and a bad habit.” Unfortunately, this overzealousness led to issues severe enough that the doctors had to “re-gum” her gums.
While her guest, Michelle Buteau, commended Ripa for focusing on her health, Ripa herself conceded that the dental procedure was long overdue. She noted, with a touch of regret, “I should have done this five years ago, before I got any praise.” The doctors had previously indicated that waiting was not an option.
Ripa missed several live episodes of the morning show she co-hosts with her husband, Mark Consuelos, due to her recovery. In a light-hearted moment on “Live with Kelly and Mark,” Consuelos mentioned that Ripa’s healing process was complicated by her inability to speak, even during a conversation with Nick Jonas. “Wow. That must be the hardest thing she’s ever done,” Jonas joked.
Consuelos further described Ripa as a rambunctious conversationalist, teasingly implying that she had difficulty sticking to her doctor’s orders during her recovery. “I try to get her to follow the rules and follow directions,” he said, half amused.
As Ripa recuperated at home, Consuelos noted that getting her to stop obsessively checking on her recovery proved challenging. “Last night, she said, ‘Can you take a look?’ I’m like, ‘I’m not going to pull your lip,'” he shared. They found a way around this little hiccup, with Ripa discovering how to check without him needing to touch her lips.
Ripa’s experience serves as a reminder—sometimes, even good habits can have unexpected consequences. With her history of rarely feeling pain, the fact that she admitted, “Yeah, it hurts,” spoke volumes. Consuelos remarked, “When she goes to the dentist, she doesn’t use Novocaine. But this hurts, so we know it’s bad.”
