periodontitis and info for dentist

[ladybirdscot]

You know the phrase 'be careful what you wish for?' Well, it came in handy today! I was really pleased that my gum problems were being addressed but the conclusion that the dental student and her supervisor came to was seriously bad news.

I had my full mouth x-rayed today and there seems to be a world of trouble going on. I have to have a wisdom tooth removed, several fillings, root canal in one tooth and my bridge work is loose and has to go. My bone loss is 60%! The supervisor advised the dental student that bone reconstruction, using bone from a cow, as my own bone wouldn't be of any use. The periodontal disease is now at the moderate to severe stage and I have been told that they will do everything they can to save my teeth but it may be a temporary measure.

I've had muscle spasm in my back for about a fortnight which worsened over the weekend. As I was so determined to make the dental appointment today, I spent the last two days in bed with heat pads on my back and lots of painkillers. My back is still killing me and my two hour dental appointment wasn't comfortable because of it. After the depressing news about my teeth, I wish I had stayed in bed!

Has anybody else had bone reconstruction in the mouth? Does it work, given our faulty collagen? If the outcome isn't great, I think I will have to get my head around the idea of having false teeth. Along with my poor eyesight (glasses), loose hips (walking stick) and big fat belly (I think the muscles have weakened quite badly over the last few months despite my sporadic attempts at pilates and yoga) I will now have false teeth! What a catch I am!

I would appreciate anyone's comments and advice if anyone can help.

[nemonie]

Do you take Calcium and vit D supplements? A lot of us seem to have difficulty in absorbing sufficient levels of these through normal diet and have to take prescribed supplements. You should go to your GP and ask for blood tests to check your levels, mentioning the bone loss in your X-rays.

[rella]

Hi there

I am suffering the same as ladybirdscot. I am about to lose the last of my molars and premolars on my upper jaw, I am only 46 and the dentist says I have severe bone loss and periodontitis, and the teeth had barely any bone holding them in, although she said my oral hygiene was very good and that it couldnt be just not brushing my teeth properly. I think there must be some links to this problem, if there is with EDS, it must crossover to HMS.

I will have to have a dental palate put in, which I have heard you cannot taste food properly because you have a lot of taste buds in your upper palate, The lower jaw is not as bad, she said as there is more bone in the lower jaw. I am on calcichew and vit D, because I have absorption problems.

Anyone else have these problems?

[thalia]

Rella

Not so bad as you, by the sound of it, but at 46 I'm having to have the two back molars on the top left side removed because of bone loss. It doesn't help that I had an abscess there, of course. Both teeth had previously had root canal treatment. I'm dreading having them removed, particularly with past experience of low-effectiveness of dental anaesthetic, and having problems with the adrenalin based anaesthetics (hope I remember to remind her not to use those), not to mention the TMJ disorder. The dentist I'm seeing is new to me, but at the assessment appointment seemed very good - fingers crossed she's as good at doing treatments.

I've not heard of having bone reconstruction, as ladybird mentioned. The dentist did say the teeth could be treated differently if I went private, but I can't afford it - I have an exemption certificate for health costs, so currently get NHS treatment for free, but am aware that they do not offer the full extent of possible treatments, just what is cheap

Ah well, it all adds variety, and therefore spice, to life, eh?

comfort and ease all

thalia

[Looby62]

Hi,

I too have dental issues. When I was about 10 yrs old I had 9 yes 9! teeth out in one session to ease the over crowding. This was very traumatic for me especially as at the time the only option was gas and i woke up to find the dentist yanking out the last tooth. You would think this would've been more than enough but no, I had to have a further 2 taken out as soon as the others had healed.

Needless to say this left me with a bit of a phobia about going to the dentist and I put it off for many years. When I did finally pluck up the courage to go, I was told I had a very high arched palate that had caused the overcrowding and that the dentist I saw as a child had actually extracted the wrong teeth to sort out the problem... Grrrrr!

I also have TMJ problems causing my jaw to slip on one side. Fortunately my current dentist is very good and makes sure I have breaks during treatment.

I have just had another lot of X-rays done as my dentist was concerned about the bone loss and I am always being told that I brush my teeth too hard and that it's causing the enamel to wear away.

I hope you all get on ok at your next appointments x

[thalia]

Just popping back here to say, my tooth removal appointment is tomorrow - wish me luck, please, I'm dreading the after-effects. Any advice on how to minimise post-extraction pain and exhaustion would be gratefully received

[Looby62]

Make sure your dentist stops every so often so you can wiggle your jaw thalia, and put your foot down about making sure the area is definitely numb before they get anywhere near your teeth!

I usually try to sleep after anything other than just a check up. I find I get so wound up and nervous that everything hurts afterwards, not just my mouth and jaw so I take whatever medication I can that doesn't clash with my usual meds.

I also swear by salt water rinsing, but not straight afterwards. Depending on the time of day of your appointment you may want to wait until the next morning to let things settle first and then just gently 'swoosh' every couple of hours.

However you deal with it try to remember it is only temporary (unlike most of our other aches and pains), and will eventually pass.

Good luck, will be thinking of you. Let us know how you get on x

[thalia]

Thank you Looby. So the local anaesthetic is supposed to stop you feeling anything, not just make your face feel odd then? I don't think I've ever had enough, then, as I've always still felt some pain while they work, but assumed that was how it was for everyone. I had thought of the taking a break thing - when I've had lengthy treatment before, such as during root canal treatment, I've always relaxed my jaw whenever they take their equipment out. In fact I do that for any dental treatment, just to relax the TM joint - I've always had trouble with it since I was a child so knew I had TMJ disorder, and have that on my dental notes too, so the dentist knows I need the breaks.

I have made sure that I have nothing to do for several days after tomorrow. In fact I don't have anything set until Thursday next week, and had a Tesco delivery today of lots of soup and apple purees so I have soft food to eat. I've also got a few DVDs set aside to watch, so I don't have to think, but can still be entertained. Think I've got everything covered, but it doesn't really reduce the pre-extraction anxiety. I've had wisdom teeth out before, but not other ones, and feel a certain trepidation about it.

Ah well, this time tomorrow it'll all be over - could do with a smiley here that's shaking with fear, lol

[Looby62]

I do feel for you Thalia.

I've had 'issues' with dentists in the past so can understand your trepidation. The main thing is to feel you are in control. The dentist is there to carry out the procedure but you dictate the pace and if you need to stop and take a break for a moment they must comply.

Have a chat with him/her whilst they prep everything and remind them of your TMJ problems and mention the fact that those of us with HMS/EDS sometimes need more anaesthetic than they may be used to giving other patients.

Ask them to give you a moment after you get in the chair before they start as this will give you time to gently shake out your arms and legs. This may make it easier to settle into a more relaxed position.

I hope it all goes well x