Swollen ankles after periodontal surgery

[Hisue]

Had some minor gum & bone surgery to prepare tooth for a crown & subsequently have swollen ankles, making it difficult to walk.

Asked the periodontal surgeon if inflammation from procedure is causing RA ankle swelling/flare & he says, "Coincidental".

Rheum says any injury, infection, stress, surgery can be triggering & prescribes round of prednisone.

Anyone else experience this?

[AgedCrone]

As you don’t say you are stressed,have been injured, or have an infection & only had minor dental work……Think I’d believe the dentist…& wait for the swelling to go down .

Good luck… hope you are up and running soon!

[Hisue in reply to AgedCrone]

It was 2 hrs of dental surgery (involved bone & gum excision, stitches & bandaging, swelling, & wound care). My rheum felt the surgery triggered a flare & prescribed a week of prednisone to relieve swollen ankles.

[AnnieJ123]

I find that if I have gum disease or gum problems my RA and inflammation throughout my body is worse.When my RA is worse I retain fluid. It used to be common practice for people with heart disease to have antibiotics before dental work as gum infections can be detrimental to the heart.People with some heart diseases have swollen ankles. I wish dentists would be better trained in understanding bacteria in the mouth and the gut and the link with RA. Most are not interested and reluctant to give antbiotics. Good luck.

[Hisue]

Thx, The 2 hour surgery was painful, & stressful. Returned to surgeon after 10 days to have bandage & stitches removed, area still tender. No heart disease. Ankles still swollen- started prednisone (also icing, elevating, compression socks).

I was surprised the dental surgeon apparently knew nothing about inflammation & RA (since abcesses & decay can trigger RA & RA (& many meds) effect saliva, gums, & teeth.

[welsh12 in reply to Hisue]

When I had complex wisdom teeth and cyst removal at hospital they were very upfront about complications I wasn't diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis then but ankle swelling would have been a concern definitely.

[Hisue in reply to welsh12]

Appreciate your reply. The dental surgeon told me about bruising, cheek swelling & discomfort- but nothing else. His surgical expertise was fine.

I'm in the USA, & quite frankly none of my doctors have been upfront about my RA, the meds, & complications. I've experienced a lot of bad medicine. A pharmacist's kind intervention, saved my life .