Kelly Ripa revealed what caused her painful gum surgery — and her Live absence

Kelly Ripa is opening up about her painful gum surgery, which has resulted in a long absence from her talk show. The host of "Live with Kelly and Mark" has undergone gum graft surgery, a procedure that fixes gum recession and extends 

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In a prerecorded episode of her podcast "Let's Talk Off Camera," Ripa revealed the reason why she had to get the surgery. 

"I'm an over-brusher. I brush my teeth too much. It's a good-bad habit," she said. "But I've caused gum recession down here specifically, and so they have got to re-gum my gums."

The episode featured guest Michelle Buteau, who gave Ripa kudos for her hygiene and diligence when it comes to her tooth health. "Before you praise me, I was supposed to do it five years ago," said Ripa. The delay resulted in her surgeon telling her that she needed to get the surgery as soon as possible to prevent further damage. 

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Ripa left the show in late July, with her husband, Mark Consuelos, co-hosting alongside different guests, including Kevin Jonas, Sarah Chalke, Jenna Dewan, Michelle Buteau, Chrissy Metz, and Carrie Coon. 

In one of the episodes, he revealed how Ripa has been recovering. "She famously doesn't feel pain," Consuelos said." When she goes to the dentist, she doesn’t really use the Novocaine. But this one hurts, so I know it’s bad.”

What is gum graft surgery?

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According to the American Academy of Periodontology, a gum graft is a procedure used to treat gum recession. The intervention involves covering the exposed roots with more gum tissue. Recovery is expected to last for one or two weeks. 

"Live with Kelly and Mark" is currently on summer break, allowing Ripa to rest and not miss out on a lot of days of work. For the remainder of the month, the show will air prerecorded segments featuring Ripa and Consuelos. 

Ripa will make her return on September 8th, following Labor Day weekend. 

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