going to the dentist

[DogmomLM]

I have not had my teeth cleaned since I started taking Imbruvica five months ago. It’s time to schedule a cleaning.

question: do you guys do anything differently - ie - alert dental technician?

- take some sort of extra precautions?

- or?

Thank you.

[Phil4-13]

DogmomLM, absolutely alert the dentist of your diagnosis and treatment. An antibiotic might be considered for 2-3 days prior to the procedure and 2-3 days after. I (73 yrs.) recently had an emergency root canal done with no antibiotics. I had a severely cracked tooth from eating hard toffee candy(it was delicious) and the crack exposed the root! I did not have any infection. But, I will say the following week, a mild shingle episode occurred. Dental work is invasive to our bodies. I'm sure your teeth cleaning will come through SPARKLING! 🙂 Sandra

[mrsjsmith]

When I was first diagnosed the surgery manager recommended I have hand scaling for cleaning. For more invasive work I take an Amoxicillin powder an hour before treatment.

Colette

[Vizilo]

I’m on Acalabrutinib and recently had extensive tooth cleaning before getting implants. I did not stop the BTK inhibitor nor did I require an antibiotic. The dental technician works for my little brother, a dentist, so I was fairly confident that he was being careful.

But just to be sure, let both your dentist and cll specialist/hematologist/physician know beforehand for their view.

I had not had a teeth cleaning for years worrying about how to manage such with my cll. Little did I realize that not routinely cleaning my teeth might promote bacterial growth and chance for infections. Not a good combination for those, like us, with compromised immunities

Good luck!!

[Kingfish6]

I didn't do anything for dental visits until 11/2020, when I had hip replacement. I now have a. script for amoxicillin & pop 4 caps prior to a visit.

[stevesmith1964]

I have been on acalabrutinib for 2 yrs, have dental check ups as normal. If I need treatment I will stop acalabrutinib for 10 days as with another procedure

[Mtk1 in reply to stevesmith1964]

Interesting you stop acalabrutinib for 10 days, I am due to have surgery to remove tumours from my bladder, but have been told to carry on with my acalabrutinib as normal, but to stop my anti platelet medications.

[stevesmith1964 in reply to Mtk1]

I have stopped acalabrutinib for multiple 10 days over last 18 months....due SCC surgery and 3 covid infections, to prevent a Pe

[Mtk1 in reply to stevesmith1964]

Pe ?

[stevesmith1964 in reply to Mtk1]

Pulmonary Emulism

[Mtk1 in reply to stevesmith1964]

Thank you.

[schmooth97 in reply to stevesmith1964]

how did the restart go? I was off for 13 days before a procedure and restarted and went to urgent care 1.5 days afterward to get labs as I felt in and out of it and saw my hgb was .7 above the minimum and my alc was the highest it’s ever been (8k) and my wbc was 15. Does it take a minute to readjust? My lymphoma nodes have stayed down since restarting (I had to do prednisone during the last 6 of 12 days as I was swelling so bad I was aching).

[stevesmith1964 in reply to schmooth97]

HiI had no issues at all. My bloods remain stable , platlets 115 , never had a wbc about 3.6 even at diagnosis.

[spi3]

Yes, please! My hubby informed the dentist staff and his hygienist didn't do a deep - deep cleaning - he also didn't stop his venetoclax nor acalabrutinib

[Curling123]

I, too, was worried, but have had two cleanings since being on Acala and everything was fine and didn’t have to go off Acala. I alerted dentist about CLL and asked my oncologist if it was ok to have a cleaning. As long as your platelets are a sufficient number, you are good to go from my understanding. I was at 114 for platelets. Nurse sad if below 80 then they were concerned with excessive bleeding.

[CS14]

I always tell the health worker who is looking after me that I have CLL (W&W for 11 years) When having my teeth cleaned by the hygienist, I've also stopped having that awful water treatment where the plaque seems to be blasted off! It's a much more gentle procedure now and much, much less painful so I don't need any injections. I go every 6 months and so far so good.

[janvog]

I have CLL since 2006 and take Imbruvica since 2018. I have kept dental cleaning, in my case "periodontal maintenance" which is more comprehensive four times a year. But the dental offices are always asking for health information and are aware. You have to be brave and support some "blasting": It comes with the territory !

[Snoopy234]

When I turned up for my appointment for dental cleaning at a dentist's office where I had never been before, they told me that in view of my medical condition (on imbruvica for lymphoma) they couldn't do the procedure at that time. I would have to ask my doctor to prescribe an antibiotic to take one hour before and two hours after the cleaning. I did this and know now that should I need any dental work in the future, I shall have to do the same again.

[AussieNeil Administrator in reply to Snoopy234]

Same happened with me. I knew the risk when I was neutropenic and was on the relevant antibodic at the time, so thought my dentist would okay a teeth clean. I was asked to take the higher dose of 4 x normal, an hour prior to my rescheduled visit.

Neil

[Moma64]

No precautions for a check up/cleaning other than ensuring those working in my mouth know about my CLL.