Hello Bryanna,
Thank you for your reply. I truly appreciate you taking time to offer your advice and experience. Unfortunately I didn't see this response until now. I ended up asking advice from my PCP, my podiatrist and my two friends one is a nurse and the other a nurse practitioner. I was feeling desperate and in need of guidance on this difficult issue. I read a lot of the blogs here and the information you provided to others. I also read Dr Mercola's article and some others on the Internet. It was all so very overwhelming. I asked my PCP if my tooth could be the cause of my symptom flare up. She said definitely. She looked in my mouth and said my gums looked red and inflamed where I was having the issue. My podiatrist was interested in my Lyme story and we began discussing the tooth issues. She said the tooth could be the cause of all my nausea and increased symptoms. However when I told her about the root canal theory she didn't agree with it. She said that bone is porous and antibiotics are capable of clearing all the infection. She claimed to have 22 root canals. So this confused me. She said to be careful of what you read on the Internet and to make sure it's from a credible source and has a reference list of peer reviewed research. My one nurse friend sent me a link to this blog site (which is how I found it? and she believed root canals are bad. My other friend felt the tooth could be the issue. So with all that, I finally went to the dentist yesterday. He determined that the tooth still causing me pain is the root canaled one as opposed to the one behind it. He thinks the pain is radiating which is why I also feel it on the one behind it. So he said my options were to go to the oral surgeon and have it cleaned out and try to save it or to pull it. I decided to have it pulled. He said he can do it right then, so I agreed (didn't see your post yet about going to an oral surgeon). At this point I just wanted it out already. So I hope it's not going to be a problem. He did take out my wisdom tooth in the past and that turned out okay. But I don't think I'm ready to begin pulling out the other root canaled teeth at this time. This is just so overwhelming and pulling a tooth is absolutely NOT fun that's for sure lol. I hope by taking out that tooth, which has been an issue for probably about a year to a year and a half now, I will begin to feel better. This tooth was an ongoing issue before the root canal was done. Teeth problems are no fun. I have to wait and see now what happens with the tooth that was behind the root canal, because that was borderline. He said it could be radiating pain from the root canaled tooth or it could be because it had a deep filling in it. I'm hoping it doesn't hurt anymore. So now I have 3 other root canaled teeth left in my mouth. I will look like a pumpkin if I take them out. He said I can do an implant, a bridge or a removable denture. What do you recommend?
Sincerely,
Dorynoel
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bryanna
Hi dorynoel,
I read your previous post. You are truly in a compromising situation and there really is no comfortable advice to offer you. But since you have posted again, I feel compelled to inform you of at least some things that you may or may not have become aware of through your own research.
Anything that causes additional stress on your system is going to make the Lymes symptoms that much more furious. Which means you really cannot tolerate a chronic infection as it will only cause further burden to your immune system.
There is no question that root canaled teeth harbor necrotic infectious nerve tissue inside the several hundred tiny canals referred to as dentin tubules or accessory canals. This is not a controversial issue, it is an anatomical fact. All dentists know this but because they are not taught to think of it as a systemic health problem, they will repetitively perform the root canal procedure or perform a surgical root canal referred to as an apicoectomy as many times as the patient will allow them to. When root canaled teeth show signs or radio-graphic pathology of an infection it is considered "normal" simply because these things are "typically" seen with root canaled teeth due to the infection brewing inside of those dentin tubules. Antibiotics cannot cure this type of infection as a biofilm of bacteria has formed preventing anything from getting to it. However, the infection is able to proliferate throughout the tooth, into the bone and beyond. This whole process excites the immune system to send cells to fight the infection. Irrelevant of one's health, this process is never healthy but for those who are already compromised with a chronic disease, like Lymes, this chronic infection can make their systemic health very poor.
The only attempt at curing an infected tooth is to remove the tooth. Every other procedure will have no long term positive affect and the infection will continue to compromise the immune system.
Replacement of these teeth will be limited for you due to your Lyme's disease because dental implants would be risky given your health status. You may be a candidate for some removable bridgework or for a removable partial denture. These are things you would need to discuss with your restorative dentist. If you choose to remove these teeth, I urge you to see an oral surgeon to perform the extractions rather than a general dentist. The oral surgeon has much more knowledge and experience in this type of oral surgery and they are use to treating patients with chronic disease and a compromised immune system.
Regarding the rest of your oral health, it is best to take exceptionally good care of your teeth and have preventive exams and cleanings twice a year to prevent anything from becoming a big problem.
I know this is a very difficult situation to be in and I wish I could offer you better news. The most important aspect of all of this is..... what is best for your health ..... and only you can decide what feel that is.
Please keep us posted on how you are doing.
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