Originally Posted by Smitty500

I went to the dentist Friday and was told I need to see a periodontics for a full mouth periodontal treatment. He told me I need a bone graft. There is at least one tooth that has a pocket under it and my gums bleed. But, my doctor has me on fish oil pills and I had noticed my gums had started bleeding easily lately. I can not take the normal dosage of any medications without getting overdosed. After I got home, I got to thinking about what was different since the last examination and I remembered my doctor had doubled the amount of fish oil I take. This made me suspicious that maybe I was getting too much so I look online for the overdose symptoms of fish oil and I found that too much can cause bleeding of the gums. I also have allergies and have been having to take over the counter allergy medications more lately. I am in my 60's and I have a limited income so I don't need to spend a lot of money if I can help it. I thought that at my age, I would just take a chance and cut back on my fish oil. If worse comes to worst, then if I had too, I could always get dentures. I hate the thoughts of spending the money on bone grafts and then losing the teeth anyway. Is this a bad decision. What would you do if you were in my shoes including my age, etc.?

Originally Posted by Bryanna

Hi Smitty,

I am in the dental field and can offer you some information here. I do have a few questions if you feel comfortable answering them.

How long had it been since your last dental examination?
Friday, Feb. 28, 2014

How long have you been taking fish oil?
I was taking 1 a day for years and never had problems while taking just one but doubled up to 2 a day in Sept. or Oct. 2013. I am sensitive to medications and this has just started since I doubled up on the fish oil. And, the overdose symptoms of fish oil stated bleeding gums as one of the symptoms. I didn't take one web site's word for these symptoms. I found the symptoms from several different sources. I also had some of the other symptoms that was stated under overdose symptoms. I don't mean to keep bringing this up but it is easy for me to overdose on any kind of medications.

What are taking for your allergies?
I can only take 1/4 of a benadryl or 1 Allegra occasionally due to the side effects they give me. I'm unable to take them daily.

Were you a cigarette smoker at any time?
No, never have.

When a dentist recommends a patient to a periodontist for a full mouth treatment, this indicates that there is a general gum problem going on and not one that is limited to just one area. You said at least one tooth has some pocketing and something about needing bone grafts .... could there be more than just that one tooth that is invovled?

I have always had one tooth that has a receding gum and it is on the side that he says has a pocket but it has never given me a problems and isn't now.

Have you been told in the past that you had periodontal problems or did you have periodontal treatment years ago?

That's what is so strange to me. He has never mentioned anything about having periodontal problems and my gums have never bled before this time when he checked them and had just started a few days before when I brushed my teeth. I have not taken any fish oil since last Friday and now my gums are not bleeding at all when I brush.

Are you missing teeth or do you wear a partial denture?

I have a bridge for my 2 upper front teeth.

Generally fish oil supplements do not cause any bleeding of the gums in healthy people who have healthy gums. If a person has a health condition, takes certain medications or has periodontal disease and they are prone to some gum bleeding when they brush or floss, the fish oil can increase the volume of blood because it is a natural blood thinner.

Bleeding gums are never normal or something that should be ignored. If it is due to bacteria and a build up of tartar, then treatment to remove to remove the bacteria and new oral hygiene techniques need to be implemented. If it is due to prescription or over the counter medications then your physician needs to make adjustments in an effort to reduce the bleeding.

Bryanna

Originally Posted by Smitty500

Do you see a dentist regularly, like one to two times a year for cleanings and exams? Or was your visit in Feb 2014 your first one in a very long time?
Yes, I have been going 1 to 2 times a year all of my life.

Do you take the fish oil supplement with food or on an empty stomach?
I take it with food actually as soon as I finish my meal.

If you believe that you are experiencing side effects including bleeding of your gums from the fish oil supplements that you are taking, then either lower the dosage or switch to a different brand.
I lowed my dosage to just one 1 day and my gums have stopped bleeding. It may not mean anything but it is suspicious to me because every time I experience a side effect from whatever I'm taking and I decrease the dosage, that side effect goes away.

As for being sensitive to medications, I've had that problem all of my life. In fact, one of my doctors took me off of all medications for a problem because the side effects were worse for me than my problem.

Antihistamines cause a decrease in the oral and nasal secretions. This can contribute to a dry mouth and some bleeding from the gums. Some people have to take a lot of an antihistamine for this to happen, while others do not.

But, would just 1/4 of a benadryl once a week cause my gums to bleed? I do get a little dry mouth when I take this 1/4 but not much.

The area in your mouth that has the recession and pocketing.... is there a root canaled tooth or teeth in that area?
No, this tooth is one that when I was a child, I looked like I had fangs. It's probably one that people called "eye tooth". My dentist pulled some good teeth so these teeth would move on down. This one, the gum never did completely cover up but the one on the other side did. It's never bothered me over the years so I didn't have anything done about it.

What happened to your two front teeth requiring their removal and a bridge?
I had a wreck and broke about 1/2 of one of these teeth. So, in order to fix it, they pulled both and I wore a partial for years and later on got a bridge.

The rinsing with the peroxide indicates that your dentist feels there is a bacteria problem at least in that area. Do you tend to build up plaque and/or heavy tartar along the gum line?
No, the hygienist says my hygiene is good. She has told me more than one visit that if she had to depend on people that keep their teeth as clean as I do, she wouldn't have a job. When the dentist came in this time, she told him about the pocket but also told him "her hygiene is good".

Thanks for your time!

Originally Posted by Bryanna

Hi Smitty,

Okay so you see your dentist/hygienist regularly... that's great!

In general, unless a product specifies otherwise, it is best to take your supplements during the meal... not before or after. Think of supplements as a portion of the food on your plate rather than an addition to what you have just eaten. There are some exceptions to this but fish oil is not one of them. Also for ideal absorption, fish oils should be taken with a meal that has healthy "fat" in it...... like coconut or olive oil.

You know your own body better than anyone else and if lowering the dosage is still nutritionally effective for you then that is what you should do. If you are concerned about not getting enough from the lower dosage then you could try increasing your dosage every other day and see what happens with that. Have you considered trying that?

May I ask you which fish oil product you are taking?

I too am very sensitive to medications.... both OTC and prescriptions. Fortunately I have not had a prescription drug for many years as I lean towards nutrition, various supplements and homeopathy for whatever ails me. But I do take liquid Benadryl (dye, alcohol and sugar free) if I need to quickly lower my histamine response. The liquid form gets into the system quick and it allows me to start out with a very small dose and then increase if necessary. I could never tolerate benadryl as it is prescribed for adult use... I would be unconscious!! I don't think the amount you are taking would cause your gums to bleed.

So your canine teeth were protruding on both sides when you were a child. This one tooth probably had very little bone covering the buccal (cheek side) portion of the root. That could result in significant gum recession over time. Has your dentist ever suggested to do a tissue graft over that area? Sometimes this takes and sometimes it's doesn't depends on the case. Any chance you could post a picture of that tooth?

Is the pocket in the front of the tooth at the recession, or on the sides... or in the back near the palate? I am surprised that your dentist and hygienist are just discovering this pocket now as these things do not develop over night.

It's good that the rest of your mouth is healthy but it might behoove you to consult with a periodontist and see what his recommendations are before the recession progresses any further.

Bryanna