Something for EVERYONE to keep in mind re: Meds!

[Rena705]

Well...yesterday was decidedly more enjoyable than today!  I went to the dentist after about a year and a half lapse in visits and I got some horrible news.  I was shown on the xray's that I have TEN cavities, 8 on top...4 on each side and 2 on bottom as well as a cracked molar and an exposed nerve on the opposite side that requires a Root Canal.

Now, I look after my mouth well partly because of my inhaled steroids and partly because I just like to have a clean mouth.  

This is something that anyone on meds that cause dry mouth should stay on top of!!!!  The dentist feels that the cavities are pretty much caused by the lack of saliva to wash away the stuff that causes cavities and therefore you get a lousy checkup like me!  I know that the nerve exposure is due to grinding my teeth at night and I doubt that cracked molar is related to the dry mouth BUT THE TEN CAVITIES ARE!!!

So, PLEASE...if you are on a med that is giving you chronic dry mouth and you are not regularly seeing a dentist do yourself a favor and make an appointment!  It may save you pain and drilling later!  I was given a product that is supposed to boost the production of saliva and reduce the incidence of cavities called GC Dry Mouth Gel to use at bedtime.  I am going to give it a whirl cause the meds I am on are working too well to consider stopping them for the sake of my teeth right now.

I hope that this will be helpful to someone here...I sure don't want anyone else to have all this lovely dental work done if it can be avoided.  My first appointment is on Friday at 11:00 for my Root Canal...wish me luck please???

Lots of HUgs,
Rena

[Quixotic1]

Great piece of info, Rena.  I'm sorry that you had to come across it through personal experience.

Quix

[Heather3418]

You aren't a teeth grinder too, are you?  So am I, big time and I have plenty of cracked teeth to prove it.  I, too, take medications that cause dry mouth, so I have some extensive dental work coming up.

I wish I could just pull all my teeth and go to false teeth, but that's not the easy way out, I have learned.  The bones of your jaw start to retreat and having false teeth is the cause.  Your face starts to get that sunken look around the mouth, because the bones are receeding and makes you look older.  I didn't think I wanted to see my teeth floating in a cleaning medium at night, either.

Dentists are very expensive here in the States.  Hope your dental care is adequate in Canada.  I wouldn't mind a mouth full of porecelain veeners over mu ugly natural teeth, but that would cost more than a brand new car.  No kidding?

Sorry to hear about your bad dental exam.  As Alex says, "that bites."  Alex you are so cute....

All the Best always,
Heather

[HVAC]

I am so sorry. That really bites!
Alex