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Dentistry

Has anyone else had problems with dentistry ? I suffered severe pain from a lower molar and finally told it was broken in half last Oct. Dentist wouldn’t extract due to low platelet count, said it was a hospital job, which I understood. After an age I finally got an appointment in Feb, for consultation only. Yes it has got to come out, but sorry we are snowed under, it will be several months before we can get you in. I have been driven to thinking about pulling it out myself, or even going to another dentist, not telling them my problem (CML) and just pitching up at A&E if bleeding is too bad. Meantime thank God for painkillers and Scotch Whiskey.

Les

although it may cost several £00's (or more) it may be worth doing to stop the pain...

rob - http://cmlblog.spaces.live.com

I too have had loads of problems with teeth - largely unexplained but it is all since dx some 3 years ago - not sure whether it is CML or glivec but teeth very brittle - large bits fall off molars etc etc, decay spreads very quickly, root treatments required - have not yet managed to make the standard six months between appintments without some crisis requiring immediate attention. So , you are not alone, but that does not really help. Are your platelets really that low - would bleeding be a big issue? This seems an awful length of time to wait - have you a friendly CML consultant who can help prioritise your case? Another dentist (even private) has got to be an option. Time for action - good luck.
Annie

hello rob & annie,yes i have asked about going private, at the time of asking it was lots more than you would think.i have low income, so decieded to wait. it couldnt be that long could it? i know appointment will turn up tomorrow or the day after.thats what keeps me going.the ironic thing is that after being off imatinib for 12 weeks, my platelets have raced up to the dizzy hights of 185,unheard of since 2001. they have been down to 36. i wasnt complaining,just trying to say that its another case of complications when you have cml.no one wants to do anything if you mention leukaemia,one positive side is that with toothache you forget all your other troubles.
les.

Poland and Bulgaria are big areas for complex dental surgery at a lower price.

You might want to look at these options. Several of them have offices for preconultation in london. Cost is typically half the cost of private work.

Not sure if it is a help?
Bil

Les

The dental teaching hospitals have casualty departments, many of the staff are doctors and also they tend to be situated very close to the general hospitals. It may be worth turning up at the casualty and they may be able to help.
Don't take the chance and not mention the CML and platelets, otherwise you may end up in hospital.
Not sure where you live, but if you want to mention that then I may be able to tell you where your nearest dental hospital is.

regards
Susan

Hi,

Carol was a dental nurse and practice manager for 18 years. She definitely would not recommend you go down the root (no pun intended) that you are thinking about.
She has experienced several short cutters who did not think to mention that they had a problem and consequently ended up at A & E as an emergency as the blood flow could not be controlled at the dental surgery.

As for going to the eastern bloc I would recommend against it. There dentistry is supposed to be very good however you certainly don't wont to be in a strange country if a problem as described were to happen.

Tell your Dentist or follows the advice given by Susan.

Regards

Steven D.

Why oh why does my brain turn to mush when I sit in front of this thing? It nearly always turns out wrong, it behaves perfectly for others. I get butterflies in the tummy every time I try to use it, but they keep telling me to persevere, guess I am one of those technophobes. Well as my wife pointed out when she read my post, I did receive the appointment in Feb, but the actual consultation was on April 9, so thought that I should make it clearer and set the record straight. Susan, My daughter said not to give out addresses on the net but just say East Midlands I don’t know why, as I do not see any problems, but she is full of tales of woe. I really appreciate any advice given. I go back down to HH on 18/7/7; perhaps if you are there we can talk. At the moment I have an appointment every three weeks, I share them between HH and my local hospital, so they are keeping their eyes on me.
Les.

there are dental teaching hospitals with casualty depts. at Birmingham, Sheffield, Manchester and Leeds.....................plus others which I guess will be further away from you.
the other suggestion would be to ring the consultants secretary and explain that you really are in a lot of pain compounded by the (possible) side effects of the glivec (maybe exagerate a little) and see whether there is any chance of your surgery date being bought forward. You could also ask your haematologist to write to the dental surgeon to plead your case.

Good luck Les

Susan

Hi Gnashers
Teeth are a problem, I do seem to have a fair share of teething problems, but do have an excellent NHS detist at Reading University, who understands CML (her father has it) so get referred to hospital every time extractionbs are called for. No proceedure can go forward without a platlet count of around 70, which for me is extreemly high, so have to usually have a platlet transfusion prior to any proceedure, so do tend to get a lt done in one hit. Without exception the 'socket' gets sewn up and a/b mouthwash is always prscribed. No problems so far, but did bust the side out of a molar during the past 10 days away in Somerset, playing 'cowboys' yet again !!.
Things are improving, pcr is at last down into single figures, HH showing signs of excitment and maybe I will get an 'adult dose of Sprycel at long last, platlets permitting when I go again on 11th July.
Have fun and Keep smiling
Keith

I have been in touch with Birmingham dental collage; receptionist said I can turn up 7. 30 any morning take a ticket and wait, soon as in said I had cml she put me through to duty doctor? She said I must get a referral from my dentist to see a consultant which would take 10 weeks, from that another 12 weeks before I could get an extraction. So it’s back to square one. I go for appointment at my local hospital next week so will have a chat about it then.
While I am on about teeth, I wonder if anyone has had this occurrence, it didn’t bother me much, but it may others. While I was having my transplant in 97, to my shame I just couldn’t drink the required amount of water, but had lashings of tea to make up the deficit, at the same time I was using Corsodyl as if it was going out of fashion. Some of you know all about the sores and ulcers, the result was really badly discoloured teeth. My dentist told me afterwards it is due to the tannin in the tea reacting with the Cosodyl. There is a warning on the label about discolouration but the simple scale and polish didn’t get rid of mine, in fact they are still slightly discoloured after all this time, despite lots of scale and polishes. At the time I was more concerned about my mouth ulcers, and didn’t even give a thought about discolouration. Someone with pearly white teeth may be distraught if the same thing happens to them.
Moral is, drink the water.
Les

Hi friends;
My name is Kerul (male, 36 yrs, CML-CP diagnosed 09-2003)
I've been on Gliveec since September 2003 (800mg since June 2005) and have managed the side effects relatively well. I take MagniCalcium daily for aches and pains which has worked till 3 weeks back. Recently though, my body(primarily joints and legs) aches have increased. This morning, I woke up with severe teeth pain. Has any body experienced teeth aches.
Counts are all under control. Anyone experienced anything similar??? If so, I'd appreciate you sharing your experience.
Warm Regards
Kerul

Hi,
I am only on 400mg per day and only for a few month so far but I have experienced teeth pain. Oddly enough when I upped my water intake for other reasons, my tooth pain subsided about the same time.
My teeth before literally hurt and they were very sensitive.
I also switched to a "sensitive teeth" toothpaste and a medium hardness toothbrush.

I drink 3 to 4 litres of plain water per day.

I hope you feel better soon.

Kind Regards
Bil in the UK

well at last things are moving, got a date for extraction, aug 20th,all being well, and would you believe it, the darn thing has hardly given any trouble this last few days. never the less its days are numbered. YIPPEE. think of me on the morning of the 20th. oh blessed relief.

Sure will do!
Been following this as Rio's teeth have been playing up since diagnosis - Dentist seemed to think it was Glivec causing the problems, not cml. As if there aren't enough things to worry about already! hey ho....kestrel

Sorry to hear about Rios teeth playing up,I hope it soon passes,all pain is bad,but earache and tooth ache are the two that seem to cut to the very soul. He has my sympathy please pass on my best wishes for a speedy recovery. I dont know about your dentist, but mine,good as he is seems to be petrified of doing any thing. for my part I would sign any disclaimer just to get things done. Sorry I havent replied before, Ive been,as you say, indisposed.
Les.

That pesky tooth is out at last, it came out in three peices, and was stubborn to the last.It was just before noon and all over by 12.01 I wanted to keep it,for some strange,perverted reason, but its against hospital policy. Dentist was brilliant,never felt a thing.I have always been afraid of dentists before but I looked forward to going this time.Got special mouthwash to control bleeding although platelets from this mornings test shows platelets at a record 206. WBC up to 19.2,so given antibiotics in case of infection, RBC not so good at 10.0
Thats, the tooth problem sorted, now for the next, and what to do about it,mmmmmm. Spleen very large, ultra sound shows it 24/25 cm across and it is very painful. It is still growing u
p from 20 cm at last scan.
Best wishes to all
les

I've had extractions and implants since being treated for CML, including a sinus lift. My NHS dentist wanted a letter from the haemotologist before an extraction.

I've also had corrective surgery to my hand under GA - the hospital didn't seem particularly concerned about my CML, though I realised since that I was relapsing at the time.

Life on the edge, eh?