Hi
I don't know about the gel. I use Betadine mouthwash and a Waterpick and brush a lot with an electric brush over gums and teeth front and back. but like 5 minutes or so....
This wasy I'm avoiding canker sores during tx and the gums seem pink and tangerine like. They bled at the beginning but not anymore.
Anyway, my teeth use to crack due to BRUXISM (night teet grinding). Chronic and somehow related to Hep. The only way to stop it was to use a splint or a mouth guard at nite (silicone or acrilic) sorta like boxers do. Uncomfortable at first but now cannot sleep without it. BRUXISM causes headaches, cheek pain, receeding gums and cracked molars (depending if its excentric or centric).
My dentist told me is hereditary and I haven't seen my brothers for 10 years, but now they are loosing many teeth. So that they're preparing for dentures (and they are not old 55 and 50)...Never used the splint and never belived on BRUXISM.
I think evne IFN tx ahs helped me a lot on that department
saludos
scuba
Got a half a batch of the Brittish blood myself. What's with our teeth? Sheesh!
One of the side effects of treatment is that the saliva dries up and saliva is anti bacterial. This could cause receding gums. It has been suggested to chew gum or suck on sugarless mints. A lot of folks use Biactin (I think that is the spelling) mouthwsh too.
It seems like a lot of people have some pretty major dental work to do after treating. Although a lot of people tend to not go to the dentist while treating, it is actually better if you go more times than normal.
mre -- I was supposed to get an implant right before treating too. When I told the specialist that I had hep C he said no elective surgery when I was hep C positive. I asked my own dentist about it and he said that was not true, and found me another speialist, but I haven't gone in yet. Not sure I will, but if you are missing molars, it is about the only solution, isn't it?
goof - you need some of those wooden choppers that Washington had. CAn you imagine the splinters?
frijole
I'm certainly no dental diety, but to my knowledge implants are probably the best permanent solution. Pricey though, plus you have to endure the trauma of drills, taps and screws. You could also get a bridge if you have two good anchor teeth on both sides of the missing tooth. A partial denture is another option. Or you could just use a food processor to pre-chew your food! Just kiddin', good luck getting your molars sorted out.
Have been to dentist a couple of times while on treatment, , once to ask about prevention ( since mouth does dry up} and once to have crown put on, Dont think that from treatment. My dentist gave me a gel to put on teeth at night because of drying during treatment and a prescriptiom mouth wash, says it important to protect teeth durring treatment, he was very understanding, but still recomends exams and dental work durring treatment.If you dont want to see your dentist at least call and ask what to use for dry mouth tooth protection, he told mr there were some verygood over the counter gels, toothpastes and mouthwashes, OH ya, he said I must at least use a tooth paste with enamael hardener!
Just in the first couple of months did my teeth hurt from grinding and I'm pretty sure that were the fracturing came from..Might I add it just the molars.
It cracked up a bunch of dental work I had done about 5 yrs ago...UGH!!
Seems things have settled down.Thank God.
I had a molar develop a fissure (crack) a few years ago. It started hurting when I would bite down on ice or anything hard and crunchy. The dentist ground it down to a bloody nub and put a crown over it. A few years prior I had been given a flouride treatment and it stained my teeth temporarily so that you could actually see all these little cracks in most of hind teeth. I was kind of shocked when I saw that, it looked like my teeth were falling apart before my very eyes. But they were ok at the time, I guess that's just how some people's teeth are. They can have cracks in them close to the surface, but they don't run deep enough to cause problems...that is except for the one I later had crowned. All a part of getting older for most of us, although some lucky people have strong and perfect teeth their whole lives though. Unfortunately I have a bit too much English blood in me to be a member of that club.