Teeth and alendronic acid?: Hi,fellow sufferers... - PMRGCAuk

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Teeth and alendronic acid?

grannyouch profile image
16 Replies

Hi,fellow sufferers. Hope I can pick your well informed brains here!

I have osteopenia since taking steroids and I've not been taking AA as they upset my stomach and I felt I'd had enough meds to cope with. Now I'm nervous about the effect on my bones (or what's left of them) but am soon to have 3 teeth out. Someone told me you shouldn't take bio phosphates before tooth extraction. Have I got this right and if so could anyone fill me in on why?

Thanks,guys!

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grannyouch
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16 Replies
HeronNS profile image
HeronNS

You should have expected dental work done before taking bisphosphonates. However look for my post on here called my osteoporosis journey before going the medication route. Sorry, too hard with my tablet to send you the link.

grannyouch profile image
grannyouch in reply to HeronNS

Thanks,heron. I'm not so good at finding posts on here!

HeronNS profile image
HeronNS in reply to grannyouch

I think the easiest way is to Google healthunlocked my osteoporosis journey.

Insight329 profile image
Insight329 in reply to HeronNS

healthunlocked.com/pmrgcauk...

I think this is it...I've got it listed in my website post and easy for me to find.

HeronNS profile image
HeronNS in reply to grannyouch

Insight gave the link in a reply to me here.

grannyouch profile image
grannyouch in reply to HeronNS

Very interesting. Thanks,HeronNS!

SheffieldJane profile image
SheffieldJane

Make sure you are taking prescription Calcium and vit D. Mine’s called Adcal. You can be vulnerable to necrosis of the jaw with Alendronic Acid. That was enough for me! Fortunately my DEXA was good.

Terry615 profile image
Terry615

Didn’t realized I’d lost a lot of bone til I had a vertebra fracture from lifting something. Then developed PMR, started pred, and lost even more bone. The oral meds gave me terrible heartburn so my doctor gives me a once-a-year IV infusion of Reclast to stem bone loss. No side effects whatever from the Reclast and bone density has improved. I’ve done the Reclast annually for the past few years...I’ve decided to take my chances with the med...for sure, don’t want more fractures.

grannyouch profile image
grannyouch

Gosh,thank you both! It's SO useful to go to GP armed with knowledge! They keep nagging me to take alendronic acid so at least I know WHY I shouldn't and that there are alternatives!

PMRnewbie2017 profile image
PMRnewbie2017

Hi. I would recommend you read "vitamin k2 and the calcium paradox". Available in book form or it can be downloaded. In a nutshell, healthy bones require calcium and magnesium plus vit D and vitamin K2. K2 is available from dietary sources but as with many things these days, modern and intensive farming practices make the food sources deficient, so I supplement. To quote from the author "you are not only what you eat. You are, what you are eating, has eaten". Interesting concept?

If you decide to take a supplement, make sure it is menaquinone 7 not 4.

Unfortunately main stream medical practice and the NICE guidelines do not recognise the role of other minerals and vitamins in bone formation and remodelling. The problem with calcium supplements is they are poorly absorbed and utilized and excess free calcium can lodge in blood vessels as atheromatous plaque ( hardening of the arteries). Vitamin k2 gets the calcium to the bones!

grannyouch profile image
grannyouch in reply to PMRnewbie2017

Great stuff! Thank you!

LizzieGuinn profile image
LizzieGuinn in reply to PMRnewbie2017

And, as I have already mentioned in a reply to another post, you can now get K2 in an easy to take oral spray form (Better You) if you’re fed up with taking tablets. They also do magnesium oil which you spray on before bed.

grannyouch profile image
grannyouch

Even better! Thanks lizzie!

PMRpro profile image
PMRproAmbassador

If you are to be taking bisphosphonates then all expected dental work should be completed first.

grannyouch profile image
grannyouch in reply to PMRpro

Thanks! I just started panicking about my bones. Dental work on the NHS takes aaaages for anything to happen.

Golf123 profile image
Golf123

I have recently been diagnosed with a - 4 t score of the spine and have been advised to take AA. With so many negative reviews I had been reluctant BUT when I contacted the Osteoporosis Society. they reassured me that taken correctly AA will help prevent future fractures. Diet and exercise although good, won't help alone. They also said side effects are very, very rare but good dental hygiene is important and their advice is to see your Dentist prior to starting AA. Science papers/research can confirm this too

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