[DandelionClock]

Background: I've been on combined contraceptive pills for about a year, various brands because they all make me throw up, I think I must have thrown up 30 times in the last year or so, so three weeks ago I stopped taking them.

This Monday I woke up and all my teeth felt loose. My mouth cannot get clean no matter how much brushing/mouthwash. It scared me so much I went to a dentist the next day, who said no gum disease or cavities, perfect teeth. I can feel my pulse in my mouth sometimes, and my saliva somehow seems more bitter.

It's driving me crazy, I've been told to go back to the dentist in a few weeks if it doesn't clear up but I can't sleep, work or drive for worrying about it.

My ideas: has anyone had pain of wisdom teeth coming in that feels like this? Had any tooth problems after coming off hormonal contraception? Or does it sound like sensitivity from the throwing up? Surely if that was the case the dentist would have told me the enamel was wearing off... But I have always taken good care of my teeth.

Sorry for rambling.

[Bryanna]

Hi Dandelion Clock,

There could be a few things going on with your mouth and teeth. Hormones and oral contraceptives do indeed affect the health of the gums. Here is a link on the basics of some oral health concerns regarding women..
http://www.idph.state.il.us/HealthWe.../oralwomen.htm

Another thing is the compulsive oral hygiene.... over brushing, flossing, using mouthwash... can all cause irritation and recession of the gum tissue as well as and imbalance of the good/bad bacteria in the mouth leading to gum disease.

All mouthwashes that contain alcohol, preservatives, chemicals, and dyes are unhealthy for our gums, our throat, and our digestive tract because they negatively change the bacteria pre-disposing us to periodontal disease and even oral cancer. You do not have to drink the mouthwash for it to coat your throat and so on.... it migrates down there on it's own via saliva.

Mouthwash in general is unnecessary if you are trying to attempt to kill the bad germs in our mouth with chemicals because while killing the bad, it is also killing the good. So there is more harm being done than you realize. The only mouth rinse that would be somewhat helpful (although not necessary) is one that is either made from essential oils or one that is an herbal blend both without any chemicals, dyes, preservatives or alcohol.

The best oral hygiene regimen for most people is to thoroughly brush your teeth twice a day, floss, use soft picks in between the teeth where ever they may fit, use a tongue scraper once a day and eat a well balanced alkaline diet free of sugar and sugary drinks. There is nothing in that regimen to disrupt the bacterial flora in your mouth, even with people who have a compromised immune system due to illness or medications.

Another thing that could cause the teeth to hurt and/or feel loose is grinding or clenching of the teeth. When this becomes a chronic habit, the teeth start to show wear on the edges as they get worn down and gum recession occurs as the teeth loosen from their original position in the jaw. If this has become a new habit for you... from stress perhaps... you may not even realize that you are doing this and the signs may not be present yet on your teeth.

I hope this information is helpful. Let us know if you want to discuss this further!

Bryanna

Originally Posted by DandelionClock

Background: I've been on combined contraceptive pills for about a year, various brands because they all make me throw up, I think I must have thrown up 30 times in the last year or so, so three weeks ago I stopped taking them.

This Monday I woke up and all my teeth felt loose. My mouth cannot get clean no matter how much brushing/mouthwash. It scared me so much I went to a dentist the next day, who said no gum disease or cavities, perfect teeth. I can feel my pulse in my mouth sometimes, and my saliva somehow seems more bitter.

It's driving me crazy, I've been told to go back to the dentist in a few weeks if it doesn't clear up but I can't sleep, work or drive for worrying about it.

My ideas: has anyone had pain of wisdom teeth coming in that feels like this? Had any tooth problems after coming off hormonal contraception? Or does it sound like sensitivity from the throwing up? Surely if that was the case the dentist would have told me the enamel was wearing off... But I have always taken good care of my teeth.

Sorry for rambling.

[mrsD]

Some systemic diseases affect the gums. In a young woman, this would most likely be lupus. Are areas of your mouth red, at times or do you get an occasional sore in your mouth, often?

The throbbing indicates some kind of inflammation. So don't suck on mints or lozenges for a while, either. Do you have any other symptoms? Do you have swelling of the lips or tongue?
Do you have any other stomach pain or cramping besides that vomiting with the birth control?

There is an inherited condition, called hereditary angioedema which can affect the mouth, tongue and gums. One subtype of angioedema is triggered from female hormone use. It is not common, but your reactions to the birth control seem severe compared to most other women.

If this continues after you follow Bryanna's advice, I'd see a doctor for some blood work.

[DandelionClock]

I have tried various contraceptives because of their extreme effects: nausea, dizziness, scary-violent mood swings and depression have abounded. I did wonder if the fact I'd been sick so much would affect my teeth but the dentist said nothing of the sort...

The only cramps I get tend to be premenstrual, though they can also be agonising. Naturally I get about one period a year, which is why I was on the pill in the first place, but stuffing my body full of artificial hormones doesn't exactly agree with it!

I did have an upset stomach recently - put it down to an egg mayo sandwich. Two days later I woke up with my funny-feeling teeth despite no inflammation, no swelling, gum problems, infection or cavities my dentist could spot. I know I might be paranoid but I like having my teeth...

[Bryanna]

Hi Dandelion Clock,

Based on what you have described...... unless you are a professionally trained athlete, over do it with exercise, constantly diet or have a eating disorder, are malnourished (this doesn't mean skinny, it means poor diet) .... you definitely have a hormonal imbalance. One period a year is not normal, even for professionally trained athletes!

Synthetic hormones like the BC Pill are the worst thing a women can do to her body... simply because these hormones are not recognized by the body as "natural" in that on a molecular level they are very different than what our body would naturally make on it's own. So these hormones cause a slue of physical problems with vomiting somewhere at the top of the list as your body knows to purge this chemical junk out of your system.

If you want to know what your hormonal deficiencies and imbalances are, seek a practitioner who prescribes Bio Identical Hormones. Then have them test your own saliva which is not only the easiest way to test but the most reliable as it tests the unbound hormones that are currently circulating in your blood stream. Most serum tests for hormones can only test the hormones that have already been utilized which is irrelevant when looking for imbalances. Once you know those results your practitioner consults with a compounding pharmacist to come up with a formula of Bio Identical Hormones that are suited to your individual needs. Because these hormones are formulated to be similar to what your own body would produce on a molecular level, you only need to supplement with a small amount because your hormonal receptors recognize them as friendly and will know how to utilize them with virtually no negative side effects if taken as directed. It is imperative to retest your saliva one to two times a year to see if any adjustments need to be made.

You also can be dealing with allergies. Could be food related and/or environment. When we think of allergies, we automatically think of a runny nose, itchy/watery eyes. Big misconception! People can have immediate or delayed allergic reactions to all sorts of things that do not necessarily cause any of the obvious symptoms as I mentioned above. It would be more stomach and/or head related. If we continually subject ourselves to things that we are allergic to, knowingly or unknowingly, sooner or later we become hypersensitive and this can lead to very severe physical reactions. Angioedema, as Mrs. D mentioned, is one of those conditions. Although there are other causes of Angioedema, alleriges are the most common next to infection.

Sometimes people are allergic to their toothpaste because believe it or not, big name toothpastes are loaded with chemicals that are actually irritating to the oral tissue. You could try using a less irritating toothpaste that actually contains therapeutic ingredients like Jasons or Toms of Maine to see if your mouth feels better.

Remember, there is no reason to KILL the germs in your mouth with harsh chemicals. Thorough oral hygiene and a nutritious diet keeps the bad bacteria down and does not disturb the good bacteria.

Here is a lab that does saliva testing .. very reputable, I use them myself! If you scroll down the page you can click on <<Find a ZRT Provider in your area>> which means a practitioner or pharmacy that you can work with local to you.
http://www.zrtlab.com/patients

Hope this is helpful..
Bryanna

Originally Posted by DandelionClock

I have tried various contraceptives because of their extreme effects: nausea, dizziness, scary-violent mood swings and depression have abounded. I did wonder if the fact I'd been sick so much would affect my teeth but the dentist said nothing of the sort...

The only cramps I get tend to be premenstrual, though they can also be agonising. Naturally I get about one period a year, which is why I was on the pill in the first place, but stuffing my body full of artificial hormones doesn't exactly agree with it!

I did have an upset stomach recently - put it down to an egg mayo sandwich. Two days later I woke up with my funny-feeling teeth despite no inflammation, no swelling, gum problems, infection or cavities my dentist could spot. I know I might be paranoid but I like having my teeth...

[Bryanna]

Hi Mrs. D.,

Thanks for sharing this information!! Most people do not associate their oral health with systemic health probably because many dentists and doctors don't either!!

I am interested to learn about the Angioedema triggered by female hormones? Are you saying the supplementation of hormones or an imbalance or both? Is it more prevalent with estrogen or progesterone or other?

Any information you could share on this would be great!

Thanks,
Bryanna

Originally Posted by mrsD

Some systemic diseases affect the gums. In a young woman, this would most likely be lupus. Are areas of your mouth red, at times or do you get an occasional sore in your mouth, often?

The throbbing indicates some kind of inflammation. So don't suck on mints or lozenges for a while, either. Do you have any other symptoms? Do you have swelling of the lips or tongue?
Do you have any other stomach pain or cramping besides that vomiting with the birth control?

There is an inherited condition, called hereditary angioedema which can affect the mouth, tongue and gums. One subtype of angioedema is triggered from female hormone use. It is not common, but your reactions to the birth control seem severe compared to most other women.

If this continues after you follow Bryanna's advice, I'd see a doctor for some blood work.

[mrsD]

Here you go Bryanna:

http://www.haea.org/professionals/angioedema/

While angioedema is not common, it still happens and is confusing and difficult to identify. Patients may be labeled hypochondriac because attacks seem random.
The estrogen triggering type is sometimes called HAE III.

However dental work, IS one of the triggers for attacks!

Also in older patients on blood pressure drugs that are in the ACE family, attacks can happen due to the buildup of bradykinin, that these drugs cause. This is not so rare either.
These attacks are very similar to HAE and can cause medical emergencies.

However some of the symptoms of HAE overlap with lupus.
And lupus is much more common. When first beginning symptoms can be all over the body and hard to pin down. This poster, a young female, is in the age range for first appearance.

The HAE website is very very complete and interesting. So do look around. There are new drugs to treat and prevent HAE attacks now. And I bet they are mucho expensive!

[DandelionClock]

Thanks so much for all the information! Increasingly I'm thinking that I can feel some rather late wisdom teeth coming: Most of the feeling has gone, save for the back molars, and I'm sure I recall this feeling from childhood. Which probably means they're under my other teeth... But I'll let the dentist worry about that. My main worry is not knowing what's wrong.

My hormones have been a source of consternation for years though. I never knew there was much I could do other than go to my doctor and get the pill, so I'm going to get that looked at and see if you've actually managed to fix another issue for me! I'm really grateful for this info, thank you!