Teeth issues

NoTimeForCancer

I don't know if any of you have had any issues, but let me know what you think.  

I NEVER had issues with my teeth.  A cavity was rare and no problems.  Starting in Aug I had a cracked tooth with a cavity.  Filled the cavity, still had pain and the dentist said you might need a root canal.  Endodontist said yes you need a root canal, what are you doing now?  Still pain, had an apicoetomy (sp?) and told my dentist to hold on to my $950 ceramic crown.

Long story short, I spoke to another woman at work who said her sister never had problem with her teeth until after chemo. 

Anyone else have teeth issues following your treatment?

Double Whammy

Yep.

I had to have a tooth extracted about 6 months after chemo.   It was a tooth that had previously had a root canal.   I have a couple of friends who have had breast cancer who have had significant dental issues.  They are, however, also on an aromotase inhibitor that can cause osteoporosis, so not sure which is to blame.   I do chalk mine up to chemo because I had not been on an aromatase inhibitor long enough for it to be the culprit.  Those foks with the white jackets did not feel there is a connection, but I do.  So there!

Suzanne

NoTimeForCancer

Double Whammy said:

Yep.

I had to have a tooth extracted about 6 months after chemo.   It was a tooth that had previously had a root canal.   I have a couple of friends who have had breast cancer who have had significant dental issues.  They are, however, also on an aromotase inhibitor that can cause osteoporosis, so not sure which is to blame.   I do chalk mine up to chemo because I had not been on an aromatase inhibitor long enough for it to be the culprit.  Those foks with the white jackets did not feel there is a connection, but I do.  So there!

Suzanne

Thank you, Suzanne.  I hope

Thank you, Suzanne.  I hope this is a "one and done"!

pinky104

Tooth problems

I've had major problems with my teeth all my life.  I had a tooth that cracked in two different directions years before I was even diagnosed with cancer.  It didn't show up in my x-rays and it took a long time for my dentist to diagnose it.  He eventually decided I was grinding my teeth in my sleep, undoubtedly as a side effect of my stressful job in a hospital.  He made me a bite plate to put over my upper teeth to protect  all my teeth from the grinding.   I had to wear it to bed.  I eventually had so many other dental problems that with various crowns and root canals, the bite plate couldn't be adjusted to fit any more.  I wonder if your cracked tooth might have come from stressing out over your cancer in your sleep.  Just a thought.

Celiac disease is something else that can affect the teeth, especially the enamel.  Celiac disease can develop any time in a person's lifetime.  People who have had celiac disease since childhood often have dark lines running across their teeth showing disturbances in their enamel. Scientists aren't quite sure why some people get it later in life. They suspect it might start sometimes after a person has had a viral infection.  There are blood tests that can be done to diagnose it if the person has been continually eating gluten.  If not, a biopsy of the small intestine can be done to look for disturbances to the villi (finger-like projections) caused by damage by gluten.  My mother was diagnosed with it at 84.

I did learn that one side effect of my chemo was less immunity to skin cancer.  I had a suspicious mole taken off that had appeared right after chemo, and it was an actinic keratosis that could have turned into a malignant melanoma in time.  My dermatologist warned me to be on the look-out for more odd spots.  This one didn't fit the bill of normal skin cancer since it was smaller than the eraser on a pencil and not irregularly shaped.  However, it appeared a bit darker than my other moles (of which I have many), so I pointed it out to the dermatologist.  He decided it should come off, and he was right.  My husband and I have shared many diagnoses over the years, and he had melanoma two years before I got my cancer.  I'm glad I caught my spot before it could become one. 

 

Kaleena

Definitely!

I have had two teeth pulled also several root canals (which I won't get again!).   As we speak, two fillings just fell out and a tooth chipped.   My teeth have also moved so that my front tooth is turning out.  Not real happy about it.

NoTimeForCancer

Kaleena said:

Definitely!

I have had two teeth pulled also several root canals (which I won't get again!).   As we speak, two fillings just fell out and a tooth chipped.   My teeth have also moved so that my front tooth is turning out.  Not real happy about it.

Thanks!  I know teeth are the

Thanks!  I know teeth are the very resistance to fire and such, which is why they are used to identify people when DNA isn't possible, so this tells me a lot more of what chemo does to us.    I

This wasn't meant to scare the ladies just startiing their journey, but I guess it is something they can be aware of.  My dentist never told me this could happen, and now I know it is something to watch.

Abbycat2

NoTimeForCancer said:

Thanks!  I know teeth are the

Thanks!  I know teeth are the very resistance to fire and such, which is why they are used to identify people when DNA isn't possible, so this tells me a lot more of what chemo does to us.    I

This wasn't meant to scare the ladies just startiing their journey, but I guess it is something they can be aware of.  My dentist never told me this could happen, and now I know it is something to watch.

No time, I've been fortunate

in that I didn't have problems with my gums or teeth. I did have a cracked tooth a few years ago and had to have a root canal. I think the poison that chemo is has a different effect on different people. Severe back pain was my biggest problem. I hope this situation with your teeth can be treated quickly and painlessly.

Cathy

 

NoTimeForCancer

Abbycat2 said:

No time, I've been fortunate

in that I didn't have problems with my gums or teeth. I did have a cracked tooth a few years ago and had to have a root canal. I think the poison that chemo is has a different effect on different people. Severe back pain was my biggest problem. I hope this situation with your teeth can be treated quickly and painlessly.

Cathy

 

I ended up having to have an

I ended up having to have an apicoectomy. Here is some advice:  NEVER google images of what they are going to do to you.  

I do think you are right though, Cathy.  I have not had any issues with nueropathy but lots of ladies have.  The tough part is having to learn to live with these 'gifts' we have been given.  I do hope your back pain has at least subsided with time?