Dental appointment

[Vide]

Hi Everyone Not posted in a long time but I do read everyday .

Diagnosed GCA in May 2022.Delighted to say I'm down to 5/6 mg on alternative night so feeling a bit rough but determined

However I have had bad diarrhea for 4 weeks now on and off I also have diverticular disease!!! Had bloods done and stool samples done GP said my white blood cells are raised but unfortunately the 1st stool sample has got lost somewhere So had to do another last Tuesday still waiting on results!!! But my main question Is I have a broken tooth so the dentist wants to drill out tge large filling and replace and try and rebuild the tooth I'm getting my zoledronic acid infusion on the 25th November but my main concern is should I go to the dentist tomorrow as I don't know if it's an infection somewhere been on 4 lots of antibiotic s but eveytime I stop the pain returns Thank you xxx

[PMRpro Ambassador]

If it were me I'd be at the dentist NOW discussing it! If removing a filling is enough to clear the abcess, then I would go for it. And then it MIGHT be advisable to delay the new infusion for a few weeks to be sure.

Pixix has had long term dental problems with an infection under a tooth and it has taken years to find a dentist prepared to deal with it as she is also on bisphosphonates. If a filling deals with the problem that is best but it may require an extraction which would probably be better before than after the infusion and you have time now. I'm not a dentist but you do need to discuss it all with yours.

[Vide in reply to PMRpro]

Thank you x There is no abcess at the moment but my tooth has severly broken Xxx

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Vide]

But you mentioned antibiotics - improving the pain while you are on them. That suggests more than just a broken tooth - is it the crown of the tooth that is broken or is the root possibly broken too? And a broken root can harbour bacteria which then becomes an infection risk.

[Vide in reply to PMRpro]

Sorry I wasn't clear enough The antibiotics have been for my bowels They suspect I have an infection . I was just wondering if it's OK to go to the dentist while I'm like this I thought I was just having a diverticulitis flare so left it for a couple of weeks Then I had no other choice to book a GP appointment but the antibiotics don't seem to be helping much and waiting on results coming back as my first sample has disappeared xxx

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Vide]

Oh right - get it now. Of course, abx often really upset guts too and make things worse in the longer term. Are you able to cope with a prebiotic? Abx kill the good bugs too, the bad ones get the upper hand and you are in trouble.

[Vide in reply to PMRpro]

Thank you I take Yacult and it does seem to help a little bit xxx

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Vide]

I was thinking of more something like a course of VSL3 which I find incredibly good. Yakult and co don't have lots of goodies in them, you need a more concentrated source. It's just a thought - especially if there is some improvement with Yakult

[Vide in reply to PMRpro]

Aww ok I'm open to try anything at the moment Thanks again xxx

[Rosebud17 in reply to Vide]

I’m a great believer in porage every day for breakfast, not only does it line the stomach before taking prednisolone but it’s great for re-educating the gut after an infection and certainly helps with my diverticulitis. Good luck

[SnazzyD in reply to Vide]

I’d get treatment because dental infections don’t necessarily conveniently just stay in the mouth. They can also be far worse than it feels. I have avoided any dental niggles being unattended and when I have been immunocompromised I have been given covering antibiotics. Sometimes extractions are a better long term solution especially if you are run down.

The antibiotics for your bowels may also confuse a stool sample result by now.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to SnazzyD]

Was watching a ED docusoap the other night - guy with an abcess under a tooth that was threating to track back to his throat. He was a tad horrified when the maxfax doc told him this was an emergency!

[SnazzyD in reply to PMRpro]

I can believe it. I saw a few cases of people with heart inflammation from teeth and I had a track go through into my cheek sinus and into the bone. I was really surprised when they showed me the x-ray.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to SnazzyD]

Inflamed gums is a very common cause of cardiac problems - opticians and dentists have purposes you wouldn't usually think of in diagnosing illness!

[Vide in reply to PMRpro]

Oh my goodness !!! The dentist that we have registered with since moving back to Scotland looks so young Either thst or I'm getting old My mum used to always say you know when your getting old when you see the Policeman or Doctors looking younger . Now I totally agree 👍 xxx

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Vide]

Haha - my grandson is now a pharmacist. My rheumy here looked about 15 when I first met him - he's grown up a bit, looks in his late 20s now although he is starting to get a bit grey in places ...

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to PMRpro]

although he is starting to get a bit grey in places .

couldn’t possibly think why! 🤣😂

[Vide in reply to PMRpro]

Jeezo, that's scary especially with people having to wait so long to join a Dentist at the moment!!! Xxx

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Vide]

It was why he'd gone to the ED, so much pain and no dentist. But I don;t think he'd really been scrupulous about caring for his teeth!!

[Vide in reply to SnazzyD]

Hi Thank you the gp did write on the sample bags what antibiotics he had prescribed .Whether that will help I don't know .xxx

[SnazzyD in reply to Vide]

Each pack/bag should be labelled with antibiotic type and dose . If it is Metronidazole that can be used in both dental and bowel infections (depending on what organisms they are targeting though) but it is pretty indiscriminate with which gut flora are wiped out which can cause upset.

[Pixix]

I was going to comment, but I see the antibiotics are fordiverticulitis, not dental! My husband has diverticular disease, diagnosed last year, & my Mum had it for 50 years. You need to find out what upsets your balance, & stick to avoiding it, imho! Hopefully they gave you FODMAP diet? I remember the consultant printing it out for us…about 40 pages long!