Dental Work and Sun Exposure on TX

[jmjm530]

Dental work --

My NP recommended that I hold off getting my teeth cleaned this week to lower the risk of infection from bacterial seeding. Currently I'm on antibiotics for what is may be a bacterial prostate infection. Wondering what advice you've been given regrading minor dental work such as teeth cleaning. Currently on I'm on a 6-month schedule so I suppose I can push it off for another couple months when I should be finished treating.

Sun Exposure --

Wondering what your collective experience has been regarding sun exposure while on treatment, and if you had a problem with the sun, how soon it resolved after you stopped treating?

I have an odd situation where parts of my body (mainly face) have become sensitized to the sun probably because of the drugs. But at the same time I need sunlight as well as light therapy because of my psoriasis.

-- Jim

[cuteus]

In the 70 some wks of tx, I went for dental work every year up to my maximun benefit allowed. I had fractured teeth before tx, and several cavities, got more fractures and cavities that needed tending to during tx plus a bridge and some crowns and a teeth cleaning or two. No one advised me not to. I was always on antibiotics after major stuff anyways.  If you can wait for the cleaning, do it if your WBC is lower than normal. Mine was not too bad, low normal.
As for the sun; after my first shot when the site was exposed to the Summer sun and turned black like a bruise, I freaked out and took it easy in the Summer. I did not used a lot of sunscreen or avoided the normal outdoor  activities, just did not expose my skin more than necessary. The heat is what got me the most when I was in the sun, it was exhausting and nauseating.  The sensory system on the skin seems to go out of whack also. Things feel hotter or colder than they really are.

Chimps are human are the only mammals that can be infected with HCV, the last I heard. Once you have been SVR post tx for a while, your blood should not be passing on any virus.  How about our organs?

[NYgirl]

If you are undetectible you are not considered contagious end of story.  <50 sounds pretty undetectible to me right? I'm 419 and with the OLD testing I would be undetectible but I'm not - YET.

Why in like two years or something you can even go out and buy life insurance again!  :)  That's when you KNOW that you KNOW that you KNOW hahahahaha.

[cuteus]

chimps are human? omgosh! AND is the conjunction intended. gee!
more cognitive stuff? grrr...

[sailinlady]

Well, chimps kinda look human.  I actually know a few humans that kinda look chimpish. :)

I'm on a roll now, what about our organs?  I was always an organ donor before knowing I had HCV.  Of course I am getting to an age that more than likely no one would want them anyway.

[jmjm530]

Hey, thanks for sharing your experiences with dental visits and the sun. One part of me wants to get my teeth cleaned both for dental reasons and studies pointing to the relationship between healthy teeth/gums and overall health. On the other hand, it seems every time I have a procedure, do a new drug, etc., I end up with yet another side effect. Given my low ANC and WBC, I just may wait a few months till off treatment. Guess I gotta step up the brushing and flossing a bit :)

NY,

I remember when first disclosing Hep C to the dentist. Actually, I see a periodontist and disclosed it to the hygenist there and then to my dentist in another office. Their reaction was fine -- actually they seemed unphased -- but the shocking thing was how unaware they seemed to be of Hep C. I would have thought they'd at least bring out the full-face masks LOL but I noticed nothing different. That said, I've heard some people here getting a very hard time after disclosing. If that's the case, I'd simply get up and leave because the last thing you want is to be treated like a leper.

-- Jim

[FlGuy]

Our church could use a gently used organ.  Perhaps a Nordlie pipe organ? Every 8 weeks we have the bloodmobile come by to do their routine collection.  Am feeling a little left out that I can't contribute. But, am very glad that many others do.