My gums have receded far before they should have for my age. One of my dentists assumed I’d had gum disease—and basically accused me of not taking care of my teeth. She was wrong.
Inflammation is what caused my gums to recede but it wasn’t due to lack of care. It was due to untreated PsA. It took decades for the MDs to diagnose me!
Hey @Laura108. I hear ya hunny and know what you’re talking about. I’ve had a LOT of people ask me if I’ve ever brushed my teeth or if I know how to floss. I’ve been asked if I’ve done drugs (like meth or crack).
Yes I believe it’s all because of PsA. That family doctor should have referred me to the rheumatologist way back when. I honestly don’t think my teeth would be like they are now if I’d gotten the care I needed a long time ago.
But it is what it is.
I hope you’ve gotten your teeth and gums problems situated. I’m still in the process of trying to get financing to have mine taken care of. It is surely a horrible place in be in with bad teeth and or gums.
So yesterday evening I cracked a tooth, eating something soft, (yes really). This morning I was due to take Benepali. I called the help line and was told don’t take it. In the meantime I called my dentist, booked solid. So I called another one, got an appointment for this afternoon. Explained it all. Explained the last thing I need is a dental infection.
She said given my meds I’d need to get it taken out in hospital so referred me. The hospital (or rather the NHS) says its normal which is 18 weeks waiting list. It won’t be that long as I presently can’t eat. But the longer we leave a fractured tooth in situ the more likely I’ll get an infection. The last time I got an an infection, it took 7 months to clear and that was only on Sulfasalazine.
Benepali these last 4 weeks has enabled me to walk my dog for 2 miles within 45 minutes, whereas before Benepali, I could barely walk 100 yards.
Now I’ve a dentist so freaked out given the meds, she’s paralysed in doing anything sensible, which is remove the goddamn tooth and lessen the chances of an infection developing pronto.
So frustrated, just so, so so frustrated. I’m literally in tears.
@Poo_therapy. Oh no! I’m so sorry for your pain! I do know that kind of pain too! Maybe and praying you get it taken care of very soon! And yes it has happened to me too or not eating anything but drinking my coffee or herbal tea. Yes seriously!
I guess that’s why our medical health insurance won’t cover removal of my teeth unless I’m going to be getting put on something like humira or the like. I’ve decided to wait until after my rheumatologist appointment on the 23rd. hopefully he will say something about it (hard to miss these horrible teeth) and “prescribe” that my teeth get removed asap.
BTW, 16days before my appointment!!! Yahoo!!!
Thank you. But it’s the biologics that make them panic. As they wipe out your immune system, so they should be dealing with your teeth before you’re prescribed things like Humira etc. Let’s hope your rheumatologist educates your dental insurers and dentist coherently.
But it’s not too long now till 23 August. So hoping you have a truly lovely rheumatologist appointment too. You’ve certainly been waiting long enough, that’s for sure. x
Yes that’s what it says (bilogics) in the insurance summary of benefits about paying for teeth removal. We have good dental insurance coverage but our cost will still be 4000$. If we can get our health insurance to the party, our cost would be less than a thousand dollars. That would help us so very much!!
Yes and you’re already on a biologic, right? Well I’ll be praying that you don’t get an infection from the tooth that broke.
Oh yeah, so ready to get this appointment on! Lol been way too long in the waiting for it! I’m getting excited and nervous and scared all at once! But oh so ready!
Blockquote
The biologics don’t wipe out your immune system. They can lower your immune system in specific ways, but this is a long way from being immunocompromised like someone would be who is getting a bone marrow transplant, or organ transplant.
@AngieB I am so sorry that you’ve been asked such things. People make a lot of assumptions! Hope that your financing comes through soon.
@AngieB and @Poo_therapy, gosh I hope you both get your teeth sorted soon, almost nothing as bad as having tooth pain. I can’t imagine what it can be like having awful tooth pain and all the rest of the PsA struggles as well as having the financial burdens and struggling with insurance companies. People moan in the UK about the NHS but boy we are so very, very lucky over here. Everything crossed you both sorted very soon. …Anne🙂
Yes Stoney you’re absolutely right but given the panic of my dentist yesterday - and consequently my distress it felt like that.
Dentists seem to differ … none of mine have been particularly concerned about the meds I take, very aware, but not concerned so far. I had a tooth removed while on Mtx and some fairly heavy-duty dental work done while on both Mtx and Humira.
@Poo_therapy … take a look at one of the letters you’ve had from your rheumy clinic; there is a helpline for medics (so in my view that includes dentists) if they need guidance on your care. You could suggest your dentist calls for advice. Good luck!
Wish mine were so sanguine? 
Thanks @Jules_G, I gave them all that. Sadly Bath couldn’t respond fast enough. But considering I had chatted to Jan on the nurse helpline before I went to the dentist, I doubt Bath could have said anymore than I already told the dentist. Sigh. Think Dr Ellie’s secretary is now having to respond to also my dentist’s email obviously too late too.
Found this online. Dates from 2014 and seeing as neither you or I were given this leaflet, the guidelines may have changed over the past 4 years. But it suggests that RNHRD would agree with your dentist. (It also covers food advice, I know you’ve moved on from that but at least it’s there in black & white).
You’ve made me laugh Sybil. The food advice really makes me depressed - still - and I ignore most of it presently. I’m a real cheese lover and pate lover. The thing is most commercially prepared food can’t of course contain listeria as then all the elderly and young would be dead along with those with other issues. However I suppose now with the rise of farmers’ markets and locally sourced produce there’s more of a risk.
Bath just said not to take Benepali last Tuesday as it was likely the tooth would be extracted. They said nothing about waiting a further week afterwards so I’ll ignore that too and go back on it next Tuesday. Indeed they said to go back on it next Tuesday, unless I was still finishing a course of antibiotics which I won’t be.
I still return to harping on though that the advice should be more coherent and should be told to you, prior to deciding to try x drug or y drug (not just from Bath either but from everywhere).
If one is bolshy like me you can take issue with it and make your own decisions and take your own risks, but if you’re not you might be spending your life never eating soft again possibly for no good reason! Promise, promise, promise I’ll shut up now.
Thank y’all for all the information. I don’t know if I’ll be able to remember everything but my rheumatologist will probably go over everything with me if he puts me on any biologic. My main concern is before being put on any kind of medication because of my teeth. And last week I somehow splattered hot gravy on my big toe. Lol yes leave it to me! It isn’t all that sore now but looks rather horrible still. It takes a long while for me to heal, always has.
But on a good note, less than 2 weeks left before my appointment! Yay!!!
@Poo_therapy hope you’re able to get the tooth out sooner rather than later.
Tooth is out @AngieB. Had to have a temper tantrum with the dentist though to get it out. Sigh.
Ugh! 
I’m so sorry. You know what though - I bet it will be better to have them all out and not giving you any more pain. And just think - no more anxiety about breaking teeth once its all over with.
@Poo_therapy. That’s great you got that tooth out so quickly! What did you tell them that got them to remove the tooth?? I may have to “pitch a fit” myself.
I’m praying that the rheumatologist “prescribes” for me to have mine taken out asap. I’m was eating last night and had another one chip off some more. Ugh. The day will be here soon tho. Less than two weeks until my appointment.