Xgeva vs dental problems ??

[cancersucks2]

How does Xgeva injections effect dental problems?

[Iwasborntodothis]

You can not have an extraction it will not heal. You can have a root canal and cap the remaining tooth. You need to be very clear with your dentist about this. My experience was that the dental community is aware of this and therefore too paranoid to even touch you. I got bounced to three specialists before someone would do the root canal.

[Hidden]

I've been on Zometa for seven years but I believe the concerns are similar, i.e. some sort of awful bone/jaw problem...maybe "necrosis"?

I had a wisdom tooth fracture (Ouch! no joke, so painful!) about a year ago. The surgeon got clearance from my onc to extract (there was really no choice) and I had no problems. I do recall them saying that there are fewer problems with upper teeth extractions, but maybe this was about "dry socket", not "necrosis"?

But I do remember thinking that, while the potential for problems is significant, it's not, like, overwhelming. If you're having an issue, maybe a painful issue, with a tooth, weigh things for yourself. As mentioned, I really had no choice, I couldn't eat, could barely speak, without triggering very bad pain.

Be well,

Lynn

[luckysmom13]

XGeva can cause Osteonecrosis of the Jaw. It involves decreased blood flow to the jaw bones; pieces of bone can die and you can lose teeth. Search for the previous posts as there was some good discussion and information.

I had this happen about 3 years ago. An area opened up above 2 of my upper molars. I had stopped XGeva several months before because there was a bump on the gums. I did not have a dental procedure prior to this happening.

There was dead bone, which would get infected and smelled terrible. Eventually the little piece fell off, but I'm left with a hole there. It is stable thankfully, but it can develop into a severe problem.

[PJBinMI]

I'm a long timer (18 years in March) with MBC and have been on Zometa and now Xgeva for bone mets this whole time without dental issues. When I was first diagnosed I was told by my onc that ONJ (osteonecrosis of the jaw, actually the mandible, lower jaw) and that if I needed any invasive dental work, that should be taken care of before starting the Zometa. I didn't have anything like that, have seen a dentist regularly as long as I can remember. My onc did tell me that those of us who have seen a dentist regularly have less risk of ONJ. At that time my dentist knew nothing about this but now dentists who pay attention and do any kind of continuing education are vvery aware of this. Ideally, if we need invasive work, we go off the bone med for 3 months before and 3 months after this dental work. I don't know what the current risk factor is, the percentage of us who do develop ONJ. I see my dentist every six months now. I have know 3 or 4 women who have gotten ONJ and while it hasn't been fun, what I have learned from them has made the idea of ONJ less scary. One of them kept getting infections, saw a dental school dentist who recommended she brush with Arm and Hammer Peroxicare toothpaste and use good ol' original Listerine mouth wash. She started doing tht and stopped getting infections. I've been using those myself now..... Oh, I did have a tooth extraction without time to go off the meds and did stop for 3 or 4 months afterward without any problems.

[Cureforever]

Hi,Cancer does suck. I hate mbc It’s a very disgusting disease. We all need cure. I am going through dental procedure now. I developed infection under the crowns. I am on xgeva once in three months. I started it on my third month off. The dentist extracted one tooth, cleaned the infection and said that I do have necrosis on the other side. I am wearing temporary bridge and doing fine. It looks like it’s healing. I developed some heart related problems and am going through heart evaluation now Thus, the dentist can’t finish work by putting a permanent bridge. But in terms of healing gums I believe that they are healing.

Best,

Marina

[debbiedo2063]

I have been on Xgeva 1 year. I see my dentist every 12 weeks and he cleans my teeth if needed. I used to go every 6 months but he suggested 12 weeks when I was diagnosed , he xrayed all my teeth before I went to get the Xgeva injections the first time at the hospital to ensure no problems are arising.Debra xxx😍

[Beryl71]

I was told to have all dental work done before starting zolondronic acid. One of the nurses said you cannot have dental treatment within three months of having it. My dentist felt that some dental work was possible. My oncologist said no dental work at all. So fingers crossed!

[EvaL]

Well I was trying to add a picture but I took the Xgeva I believe 4 years until my mouth started hurting so I was taken off Xgeva in January of 2020. I had a tooth removed and was taken off Xgeva before and after. I went to my dentist on a regular basis but the area did not heal completely. In November of 2020 a bone started growing out of the roof of my mouth. So I went to a specialist in Kansas City which he finally removed the bone along with 5 other teeth in February of 2021. In October of this year another small bone fragment had to be removed. I know I would say all the medicine we take for our disease causes some kind of side effects it’s scary we don’t always know what to do but do research and do what is best for you. But if I had known what side effects Xgeva had and my teeth I would not have taken it and since I have been off the Xgeva my oncologist just wants to make sure I take my calcium. I went to the health food store and got my calcium which I’m doing fine.

I pray we all make it through this in a positive way, mine is with my grandson, my beautiful daughter, her family and the support of my family and friends!

[Sister3nkc in reply to EvaL]

Hi, so sorry to hear of your dental problems! I also live in the Kansas City area and your story caught my attention. I've been on Xgeva for 4 months. After a lifetime of healthy teeth, I've had a lot of dental issues the past 1½ years and I'm a bit worried. I saw the dentist in January and was told I needed 4 crowns and 1 root canal. They also did a CT of the jaw and I had an abscess and I was placed on antibiotics. I see my oncologist next month and I'm going to talk to her about stopping the Xgeva. Did you have bone scans/density tests to measure bone loss? If so, have they done follow up scans since you stopped the Xgeva? I'm just not sure what to do. I have had meticulous oral hygiene, get my teeth cleaned regularly, don't know what else I can do.... so discouraging....😕...sigh....

[EvaL]

Hello, I hope I can help but reading all these stories just gives me the feeling that it’s just so confusing and scary to know what to do. I went to Doctor Thaer Daifallah at Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery University Health. They did scans and removed all the affected area in February of 2021. They were also concerned about more infection so I had IV antibiotics that I had to administer myself daily for 6 weeks. That was scary and nerve racking.

I had a tooth pulled which it nerve completely healed. I also saw my dentist regularly which he probably could have done more but they would clean the area and believed it would heal. Then after being off of the Xgeva for 11 months that’s when the bone started showing up in the top of my mouth.

I don’t take anything now from the doctor but take vitamins which I tried to get a strong calcium with d. After all of this I have found out there is controversy about Xgeva and all the Denosumab formulas for our bones.

I have had the scans of my bones and nothing had changed. I have cancer on every vertebrae of my back, on all my rib bones, in my pelvic area, 3 spots on my liver and where it started as breast cancer. My life completely changed when I finally got it diagnosed.

I pray you can get good results and I pray you.

Eva