Show Me Your Teeth!

[rapid_reader]

Sorry for the title, I had to put a little Gaga in there. Also I'm aware that there are probably a ton of threads dealing with this but I didn't want to go and revive one of those threads died a few months back.

Alright down to business. So I'm turning twenty in a month and my teeth are beyond salvageable. I don't even think my grandmother's are this bad, this thought always has me close to tears.

I feel self-conscious all the time and I have to be so freaking careful with what I eat and how I eat it so i don't ruin the work my dentist has done. It's driving me nuts and totally putting a damper on my self confidence and snuffing out the spark in my positive attitude.

I switched to a private dentist a few years back. I finally snapped when the previous one i was seeing told me I wasn't practicing adequate oral hygiene, I wanted to cut that bitch... not my finest moment. In my defense who wouldn't get pissed at that comment when you spending an hour every night religiously brushing and flossing! I am relentless in my rountine nothing is left untouched!

On the plus side my current dentist has a daughter who, wait for it, has Crohn's herself. So he is aware of how it affects the teeth. If nothing else it's nice to know my dentist won't say something stupid.

Onwards...

Going to the dentist is a very complicated sitatuion for me and not just because of the IBD and Osteopena, though they don't help any as I'm sure most of you know first hand. I've always noticed that I feel super crappy every time I get done with one of my appointments and it usually takes me a week to bounce back. Two months ago I found out why.

Epinephrine is an additive commonly found in pain injections like Novocaine. It can induce tachycardia in normal individuals. I'm on beta blocker to lower my heart rate and it barley keeps things under control without some foreign substance screwing it up.

Upon further reflection I realized that it actually makes me involuntarily shake and sometimes I even develop hives. I always wrote all this stuff off until I brought the subject up to others with POTS. The concensious, no epinephrine!

If absolutely necessary, with my POTS it is advised that before I have any dental work that requires numbing via Novacaine, that I should first have two bags of IV fluids, to keep my blood pressure form rising.

Hell to the no! I can't go through the trouble of getting IV fluids everytime I go for dental work, it's just not an option. Sure they could use something that is free of epinephrine but it won't change the fact that I'll have to go back every few months to have something fixed.

Plus the POTS is totally wrecking havoc on my nervous system so the pain and discomfort I do experience with my teeth is amplified to a degree.

I'm thinking about just going in asking him to put me under in the OR pull em all out, replace them with implants and keep me in a medically induced coma until everything in my mouth is all nice and healed. I know it sounds extreme but I think it would at least make him stop and think. Maybe even consider something new.

What I need are new idea's. I can't keep going back to have them redone eventually there will be no bone left to work with.

All I know is that i have been struggling with my teeth for such a long time and it's tiring. I just want something that will last, something where I don't constantly worry as I go to eat something.

Wow! I need to learn how to be less wordy.

 

[Jennifer]

Aww, you weren't wordy enough. LOL! What kind of work has been done on your teeth, as in why do you keep getting work done?

I've had issues with my teeth and a lot of them have required root canals. Even my front top teeth needed root canals. I have porcelain caps with white gold backing on 4 of my front teeth. Its stronger than normal teeth and my teeth look amazing now when they were crooked before. Since I've had my root canals I haven't had to have anymore dental work done. Will probably need more done in the future but so far this is the next best thing to ripping them all out and just wearing dentures (I've thought of that too).

 

[ThanksP]

I can't have Novacaine because of the Epi. Instead, I get Carbocaine. I've had over $20k worth of work. It's not fun to say the least but I always feel so proud of myself after getting then work done. I just had my last two crowns completed on Monday. I'm finally done. As a treat to myself for going through so much a few years back, I got "Zoom" bleaching done. That was a HUGE boost to my self esteem. So much so, I cried when they showed me my teeth.

Do little steps at a time and no matter how much you want to cancel an appt...go anyway. And NEVER let a dentist make you feel degraded. If they do, find another one. If you can, try to treat yourself with a little cosmetic dentistry too. It does wonders for the soul to be able to smile freely. Best of luck toy you hun, I know it's farrrrr from easy but you are strong and you can do it.

Oh yeah, and you DO NOT want dentures. My mother in law has them and ewwwww. If I had other options instead of dentures, I take any other option than them.

 

[silvermander]

I have to say I'm amazed at how many Crohnies deal with tachycardia on top of all these other issues attached to Crohn's. I'm also on a beta blocker for it and didn't know about novocaine.

But I won't have to worry about that because I had them all ripped out just over two years ago. I was sick of not being able to smile or even talk without people looking at me in mortification at my mouth.

I'm in my 30's and have fake teeth. My mother, who also has Crohn's, had her teeth all ripped out in her 30's.

My overall health has greatly improved since I had all my teeth pulled. Yes, I'm dealing with a huge flare, but the rest of my body is much healthier.

I agree without about being totally knocked out and kept knocked out until I healed, but it was no where near as bad as I thought it would be. I was knocked out to the point that I don't remember anything. My hubby and daughter sat in the waiting room. They said at one point I screamed and they were about to charge in, but then I started laughing hysterically, so they decided I was fine.

It did take a bit to bounce back and it kinda sucks to have to make sure I have them in before coming downstairs in the morning, but I only once made it all the way to the store without them!

Honestly, it's one of the best things I've done for my health, mental well being and physical appearance!

 

[ThanksP]

Oh, and you might want to ask about a prescription strength fluoride toothpaste. I have had GREAT success brushing with Prevident. I haven't had nearly as much tooth decay. It tastes ALMOST like regular toothpaste, you just don't rinse after spitting it out. So I use regular toothpaste in the morning and the Prevident at night.

One interesting thing my dentist told me is that people raised drinking well water will suffer dental issues for life. I grew up drinking well water and in elementary school had to swish fluoride every week during class (we all did it). He said that well water wreaks havoc on teeth. I've had dental issues since I was a child and I really cannot contribute it to Crohn's whatsoever, although I know a lot of people can.

Hang in there! Try to hang onto your teeth if you can, at your age, I don't think dentures would suit you.

 

[silvermander]

I was basically destined to have serious dental issues.

- Bad dental genetics on both sides.
- 180mg prednisone when I was 8 years old! Only 38lbs and they put me on that much... Sorry, major issue of mine!
- Spent most of the year I was 8 barfing my brains out. New adult teeth had no chance!
- Well water and couldn't flouride swish as it made me barf even more.
- Back on heavy doses of prednisone at 16.

Yeah, my teeth had no chance at all! They've also blamed all of my broken bones on prednisone.

 

[AndiGirl]

I hear you rapid_reader! I never would have linked my worsening teeth to my Crohn's. I am a believer now! I mentioned some this in another post but here's mine:

When I was 21, I was cavity free. I attended college where there was a dental hygienist school. They wanted to use me as model for some of the procedures like cleaning. They said, I would be the perfect candidate because I had no dental work to look out for. I was flattered.

When I hit 25, I got two cavities. By age 33, four cavities. I'm 38, and recently got five teeth filled. I believe all, but my 8 front teeth (tops and bottoms) have fillings in them. My gums are bad too. I've been doing my usual meticulous tooth brushing and flossing. My dentist has other Crohn's patients and he did say that he noticed their teeth required more work as well. Ugh!

Too bad dental work is so expensive. My parents are in their 60s and have they have all their teeth. One of my sisters has a perfect set. I'll be honest, it just isn't fair. I think it's the Prednisone. I have a lot of issues with acid reflux, so I blame that too. Good luck! Dental work can be virtually painless. I didn't even feel the most recent Xylocain injections.


** My dentist doesn't use silver amalgam fillings anymore. I cannot afford gold, so mine are white composit fillings (onlays/overlays). When I smile or open my mouth, it looks like I have a perfect set of teeth. Oh, my dirty little secret. LOL!

 

[kossy]

I've had Crohn's for almost 3 dacades now and massive amounts of prednisone too to destory my teeth. Thankfully I've seen the same dentist since I was two years old and knows that it's the disease and not Seems like every time I have a check up (I have one tomorrow come to think of it) I have at least one cavity. Seven of my top teeth are just porcelain vineers ($$$$$). The rest of the teeth are pretty much nothing but fillings. They look fine. You wouldn't really notice unless you stuck your head in my mouth.
I'm not really self conscious about my appearence. I am what I am and I look like what I look like. But I can say I am majorly self conscious about my teeth.
I hope you find a solution Rapid Reader.

 

[lookame]

...looks like crohns has leeched it's way to my teeth. Well...not my teeth more my gums. I was feeling around my mouth with my tounge and I noticed they are a lot puffier than they used to be, take a look in the mirror and yep receeding gum line, swollen, bloody gums. :/ anyone else have swollen puffy gums or is it just the bone that has been affected?

 

[Jane]

red gums

Before I was diagnosed with Crohn's my dentist was concerned about my gums being extremely red and examined me for cancer of the mouth/gums. He also sent me to a gum specialist (sorry I forget the correct name of this doc).

After I was diagnosed and on meds the redness went away.

I was at the dentist this morning and they remarked how my gums have reverted back to normal looking. The dentist hypothesized that my gums were showing signs of the flare I was having.

Crohns wreaks havoc on teeth and gums!

Good luck with your dental concerns. It is a major bummer.