Appproval from the dentist before chemo began?

2Floridiansisters
2Floridiansisters Member Posts: 384 Member
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
It if isn't one thing it's something else, my teeth are needing a bit of attention, one tooth needs a crown, then I have some pockets that went from a 4 up to a 8 in as little as 6 months.

SWELL, I don't have time for dental work, my life kind of matters more than some teeth, what will it be next?

uugghhhhhh (I'm not feeling the love today)

Ronda

Comments

  • New Flower
    New Flower Member Posts: 4,294
    #2
    if you have time
    to do check-up and cleaning while you are waiting for surgery you will benefit from it. You can try to fix before starting your Chemo. Chemo will affect your gums.No formal approval from dentist is needed unless you have an infection or bad root canal. I did not had time to go to dentist, but I wanted.You will be better off if you do not have cavities during Chemo.
    Good luck
  • 2Floridiansisters
    2Floridiansisters Member Posts: 384 Member
    #3
    New Flower said:

    if you have time
    to do check-up and cleaning while you are waiting for surgery you will benefit from it. You can try to fix before starting your Chemo. Chemo will affect your gums.No formal approval from dentist is needed unless you have an infection or bad root canal. I did not had time to go to dentist, but I wanted.You will be better off if you do not have cavities during Chemo.
    Good luck

    Hi New Flower
    I did have my teeth cleaned today and that's where my troubles started. I have a tooth in the back with some cracks in it, part of the filling apparently out during the past 6 months, today he says it needs a root canal, or a crown or to pull it.

    He then said he can't do it and I need to be seen by a periodentist (sp) there are none in Pensacola that use United Concordia, so I called the next biggest town over and they can't fit me in for a month from now.

    Did you just want to scream............................why didn't my surgeon say a month ago to get teeth problems fixed? What a jerk, he doesn't bother tekking me, the person completly in the dark about brest cancer issues and he could have given me a heads up........ I am so pissed.

    If I can have chemo instead of radiation I'd prefer it, the radiation sounds like hell. I don't have anything to do but see if I can just get the tooth pulled.
  • New Flower
    New Flower Member Posts: 4,294
    #4
    2Floridiansisters said:

    Hi New Flower
    I did have my teeth cleaned today and that's where my troubles started. I have a tooth in the back with some cracks in it, part of the filling apparently out during the past 6 months, today he says it needs a root canal, or a crown or to pull it.

    He then said he can't do it and I need to be seen by a periodentist (sp) there are none in Pensacola that use United Concordia, so I called the next biggest town over and they can't fit me in for a month from now.

    Did you just want to scream............................why didn't my surgeon say a month ago to get teeth problems fixed? What a jerk, he doesn't bother tekking me, the person completly in the dark about brest cancer issues and he could have given me a heads up........ I am so pissed.

    If I can have chemo instead of radiation I'd prefer it, the radiation sounds like hell. I don't have anything to do but see if I can just get the tooth pulled.

    Sorry
    difficult choices. Unfortunately many doctors do not think ahead. I cannot advice you, but I know going to the treatments with infected tooth is not a good idea. iAsk your doc about your situation,
    Hugs
  • 2Floridiansisters
    2Floridiansisters Member Posts: 384 Member
    #5
    New Flower said:

    Sorry
    difficult choices. Unfortunately many doctors do not think ahead. I cannot advice you, but I know going to the treatments with infected tooth is not a good idea. iAsk your doc about your situation,
    Hugs

    Thanks for responding New Flower
    Sorry for all the misspelled words, I get in a hurry and don't check my words.

    Thanks I will talk about this with the surgeon in the morning, even though he could have told me a month ago to take care of any teeth issues.

    I also think he could have said get your affairs in order just in case.........
  • Marcia527
    Marcia527 Member Posts: 2,729
    #6
    My surgeon didn't tell me
    My surgeon didn't tell me either. I don't think they think in those lines. He told me he was trying to save my life and I think teeth aren't considered as important. You will need antibiotics to clear an infection and I think it will have to be clear before treatment. Maybe the dentist can do a patch up job and do the crown after treatment.
  • gobluegirl90
    gobluegirl90 Member Posts: 53
    #7
    Marcia527 said:

    My surgeon didn't tell me
    My surgeon didn't tell me either. I don't think they think in those lines. He told me he was trying to save my life and I think teeth aren't considered as important. You will need antibiotics to clear an infection and I think it will have to be clear before treatment. Maybe the dentist can do a patch up job and do the crown after treatment.

    I cleaned mine & still had an abscesed tooth , pulling it 2maro
    I had my teeth cleaned and a small cavity filled and an old crown redone before I started chemo per my Oncologist orders. Well all I can say is either way if chemo is going to cause you any teeth problems they will still happen, trust me.
    Because this weekend I went to the ER with my face and eye swollen shut, from an Abscessed Tooth at the root, and old root canal done in 1995, had something flaring up inside it and could not be seen on my cleaning and xrays the month before, but after 2 rounds of AC, the chemo found it and fired up that root...I am on antibiotics and pain meds since Saturday and I am scheduled to have the tooth pulled in the morning 6/10/10, I hope all goes well and the infection goes away and don;t spread anywhere else and my WBC counts stay up, cuz I have my 3rd round of AC a week from 2maro on 6/17/10...and I don't want to miss one round, I want to get this all over and kick this cancers A&& and move on with my life.
    Good luck too you and keep us posted.
    XOXOX
  • m_azingrace
    m_azingrace Member Posts: 399
    #8
    gobluegirl90 said:

    I cleaned mine & still had an abscesed tooth , pulling it 2maro
    I had my teeth cleaned and a small cavity filled and an old crown redone before I started chemo per my Oncologist orders. Well all I can say is either way if chemo is going to cause you any teeth problems they will still happen, trust me.
    Because this weekend I went to the ER with my face and eye swollen shut, from an Abscessed Tooth at the root, and old root canal done in 1995, had something flaring up inside it and could not be seen on my cleaning and xrays the month before, but after 2 rounds of AC, the chemo found it and fired up that root...I am on antibiotics and pain meds since Saturday and I am scheduled to have the tooth pulled in the morning 6/10/10, I hope all goes well and the infection goes away and don;t spread anywhere else and my WBC counts stay up, cuz I have my 3rd round of AC a week from 2maro on 6/17/10...and I don't want to miss one round, I want to get this all over and kick this cancers A&& and move on with my life.
    Good luck too you and keep us posted.
    XOXOX

    Healthy teeth and gums are very important
    My surgeon also said nothing about dental work. Probably because it's not in her field of patient care. Once she removed the lump and affected nodes, and discharged me after my followup to get the stitches and drain out, her job was done. On to the next doctor. I found out on my own that starting chemo with a healthy mouth was important. So I immediately scheduled a dental exam, and cleaning, and informed the dentist what was happening with me. This was before I had seen the oncologist for the first time. As it turned out, he prescribed an oral chemo rather than the IV, but I am also getting Zometa once a month. Zometa can cause jaw problems. I go every 3 to 4 months for dental exam and cleaning. Of course, stuff can happen despite our best efforts. It's still better to be as well prepared as possible going in. The Devil will grab any opportunity he can to make us suffer and lose faith.
  • jo jo
    jo jo Member Posts: 1,175
    #9
    2Floridiansisters said:

    Hi New Flower
    I did have my teeth cleaned today and that's where my troubles started. I have a tooth in the back with some cracks in it, part of the filling apparently out during the past 6 months, today he says it needs a root canal, or a crown or to pull it.

    He then said he can't do it and I need to be seen by a periodentist (sp) there are none in Pensacola that use United Concordia, so I called the next biggest town over and they can't fit me in for a month from now.

    Did you just want to scream............................why didn't my surgeon say a month ago to get teeth problems fixed? What a jerk, he doesn't bother tekking me, the person completly in the dark about brest cancer issues and he could have given me a heads up........ I am so pissed.

    If I can have chemo instead of radiation I'd prefer it, the radiation sounds like hell. I don't have anything to do but see if I can just get the tooth pulled.

    I was not informed about the
    I was not informed about the dentist either before chemo...and i wasnt informed that it could effect your teeth until just recently when i brought up that i have been having problems in that area ...i had to wait a month to get an appointment so i will finally be seeing my dentist next week!
  • cavediver
    cavediver Member Posts: 607
    #10
    lack of information given us is amazing
    from this and other posts, it is amazing to me thaat many of us were given little information on what to do or expect, i.e. get teeth fixed prior to chemo, expect possible vision changes like blurred vision and bone dry eyes, etc etc. My mom is blind, and I thought I was losing my sight one day while food shopping after 2nd chemo cycle, Went to eye dr. and he told me my eyes were bone dry and blurred vision also part of chemo side effect. Wish I had been told so I could have been less scared and more prepared.

    What other surprise side effects have you had? It would help the newbies to know... this whole journey is scarey enough without surprises. Not all of us have had doctors or 'teams' that have been forthcoming in info.

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