Breaking teeth, with an under active thyroid!!

[SadTara]

Please can anyone help me!!! I have an under active thyroid for the last three years. I have regular blood test which the doctors says are all fine and keep on 50mgs of Levo. But my teeth have start to broke !!! Not sure what to do !!!

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

SadTara

What does your dentist say?

[SadTara]

He was really unhelpful and said that the just what happens !!! The doctors are checking my bloods again next.

[Me2U in reply to SadTara]

Am sorry to hear this, teeth are important for one's appearance & confidence (+ of course eating!) Maybe a coincidence? Still I have been told by my dentist I have jaw bone loss, that nothing can be done & eventually my teeth will loosen & fall out!! Nightmare! Am really sad as ive always gone to dentist every 6 months, brushed & flossed 2/3 x daily. Guess just one of those things?.But if anyone knows of an association with hypo t. can you let me/us know.Thanks

[Fruitandnutcase in reply to Me2U]

Don’t know about teeth and thyroid but I really feel for you Me2U. No wonder you feel sad about that. I’d be gutted. What is your vitamin D like. I’m thinking of my Pilates teacher / physiotherapist’s war cry ‘It’s not calcium you need for strong bones, it’s vitamin D’ (and K2 to help it along) So if your vit D isn’t too great you could always try boosting it.

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to SadTara]

SadTara

It's different for everyone, but I have had an underactive thyroid for 43 years and been on various doses of Levo since then and I can say that I have not experienced my teeth breaking. Maybe something else is involved.

You say

I have regular blood test which the doctors says are all fine and keep on 50mgs of Levo.

What are the results? We can't rely on our results being fine just because a doctor says so, all that means is that they're somewhere within the range. We need optimal. And you also need vitamins and minerals tested as well as thyroid tests, and in your case I'd ask for calcium too. So post what results you do have, including the reference range, and we can see how fine they are. Ideally you need

TSH

FT4

FT3

Thyroid antibodies

Vit D

B12

Folate

Ferritin

and in your case Calcium

[greygoose]

You've probably had an under-active thyroid for a lot longer than that! It takes a while for the symptoms to become obvious enough to take you to the doctor, because the body has coping mechanisms. I'm pretty certain I've been hypo since I was about 8, but was only diagnosed with Hashi's when I was 55. I've had problems with my teeth during all that time. They either crumble, or snap off at the root. And, according to a hypo dentist on another forum, this is all down to hypo, and there's not a lot you can do about it.

I somewhat doubt your levels are 'fine' on just a starter dose - 50 mcg levo. You need to get a print-out of your results to see exactly what was tested and what the results were, with the ranges. 'Fine' is just an opinion, and has no medical value.

[SadTara]

Thank you everyone, having my next blood done next week so will post the results when I have them. I am now looking for a new dentist that can help !

Thanks again

Tara

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to SadTara]

All thyroid tests should be done as early as possible in morning and fasting and don't take Levo in the 24 hours prior to test, delay and take straight after. This gives highest TSH, lowest FT4 and most consistent results. (Patient to patient tip, GP will be unaware)

For full Thyroid evaluation you need TSH, FT4, TT4, FT3 plus TPO and TG thyroid antibodies and also very important to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12

Low vitamin levels are extremely common

Private tests are available. Thousands on here forced to do this as NHS often refuses to test FT3 or antibodies

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/testin...

Medichecks Thyroid plus ultra vitamin or Blue Horizon Thyroid plus eleven are the most popular choice. DIY finger prick test or option to pay extra for private blood draw. Both companies often have money off offers.

Teeth grinding is a common hypothyroid symptom. A mouth guard can help.....along with getting thyroid medication optimal

[Me2U in reply to SlowDragon]

This site is so helpful & guiding! However, If one has the tests (as listed in your & others posts) done privately what then? eg if some return 'abnormal' will they listen? Will taking these results to one's NHS GP be 'accepted' by them & actioned? I have 'given up' a bit in this respect as my GP never 'listened' or heard me when I made repeated attempts to explain how unwell I felt as the results supposedly showed 'normal levels' They kept me on 50mcg for years it was only after pleading again with a new dr at my practice that it was agreed to raise to 75mcg. I still feel very tired,have tinnitus, had cataract ops (at 60yrs) + raised cholesterol. I only recently noticed in my gp notes they tested B12 level years & years ago & that it was noted down as abnormal. Nothing was done about it & I was never retested again since??! My practice makes me feel a nuisance & as if I have a mental health problem if I question what they say!! I was intially told when diagnosed I would never feel the same again!! Kind of accept it & shut up!

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Me2U]

Essential to get full testing. Most likely you have low vitamin levels

If seriously low then you take the results to GP for treatment or more tests

Eg B12 range is typically 210-870 - if result is under 240 you go to GP for testing for Pernicious Anaemia before starting B12 injections

If B12 is between 240-500 then you self supplement

Folate works with B12 so, if both B12 and folate are low it's significant

Tinnitus is often a symptom of low B12

Vitamin D. If under 25nmol then GP needs to see result and prescribe loading dose. If 25-75 you would be better self supplementing

Ferritin needs to be half way in range. If very low, then GP needs to run full iron panel for Anaemia

Having all four of these vitamins optimal (not just within range) helps Thyroid hormones work better. Either this just makes you feel better, or it increases TSH so that Medics can see you need higher dose of Levothyroxine

Essential to also test both TPO and TG thyroid antibodies. If either are high that confirms cause of being hypothyroid is due to autoimmune thyroid disease also called Hashimoto's. With Hashimoto's we are often very poor converters of FT4 to FT3

TSH should be around One or just under and FT4 towards top of range and FT3 at least half way in range

Just testing TSH or just TSH and FT4 is completely inadequate

Low vitamins very often lead to low TSH regardless of where FT3 and FT4 are

High cholesterol is often due to being hypothyroid (i.e. You may not be on enough Levothyroxine )

nhs.uk/conditions/statins/c...

Always take Levo on empty stomach and then nothing apart from water for at least an hour after.

Many take early morning on waking, but it may be more convenient and possibly more effective taken at bedtime

verywell.com/should-i-take-...

Many people find Levothyroxine brands are not interchangeable. Once you find a brand that suits you, best to make sure to only get that one at each prescription. Watch out for brand change when dose is increased or at repeat prescription

All thyroid tests should be done as early as possible in morning and fasting and don't take Levo in the 24 hours prior to test, delay and take straight after. This gives highest TSH, lowest FT4 and most consistent results. (Patient to patient tip, GP will be unaware)

[Me2U in reply to SlowDragon]

Thank you so much for the above,most helpful, explanatory & guiding!

[Grumpyoldbird in reply to Me2U]

You need NDT. Read thyroid UK website. Good luck

[Hellonwheels]

Is it possible that you grind your teeth a lot??? I used to, before diagnosis and proper medication... didn't know I was doing it in my sleep. Once medicated properly, it stopped, but in the process I broke 5 teeth; all of them were molars. Now I have 2 caps and a bridge where healthy teeth used to be

[sunsetalley]

I'm sorry to hear that, check your vitamin D3 and calcium levels as soon as possible...

[Sallybones]

Hi SadTara I'm a bit late replying but just wanted to say the same thing happened to me about 3 years ago. I'm borderline hypothyroid, on no treatment yet, with ongoing investigations all over the place in all directions of my body! I've about 15 years of things gradually deteriorating.

What shocked me into a more pushy attitude with GPs and consultants was when my teeth suddenly deteriorated and several just cracked and broke off. It seemed to literally happen within a few days. I was mortified. I've had about 3 years of hospital dental restoration of sorts and while they are in a bit better state I'm still reluctant to smile properly. No one can say why it happened but I suspect its part of the bigger problem I'm still pushing to find. I was accused of poor dental hygiene, drinking fizzy drinks and other bad things but not of which I was guilty of. Have to say though the dentist I ended up with was really nice and did a good job with what was left.

I did have low B12 & low vitamin D which I supplement. Osteoporisis too (depending which endocrinologist I saw).

Keep going. You've got some good advice in the other replies just wanted to let you know you're not alone with this.

SallyB xx

[Pixipot]

I'm wondering if thyroid sufferers clench their teeth a lot when sleeping, I think I do, I've recently lost 2 fillings and I've a bit of enamel deterioration on a few teeth & my teeth were always good....this is soul destroying ☹

[Sallybones in reply to Pixipot]

Hi Pixipot and GrowingVeg

just wanted to add that my tooth enamel was destroyed by awful vomiting due to very bad migraines for many years.

But then my untreated underactive thyroid + other difciencies may have been part of the reason too for the migraines.

If you need dental treatment try asking for preservative free injections. I react to chemicals but find I'm ok with preservative free ones.

The dentist should oblige.

Take care both and wish you well.

[GrowingVeg]

My teeth are terrible! Last year, (before I realised I had a Thyroid issue, but knowing I felt terrible) I needed 2 crowns and 11 fillings... The injection that makes the mouth numb has a terrible effect on me afterwards. Headaches, feeling really down and not wanting to move.