Acutally I had an appointment immediately following my diagnosis. The dentist told me to brush every time I eat something and to rinse wih ACT fluoride rinse. I did everything but I only brushed two or three times a day. I figured I could sneak through with that.
This past Tuesday I went for my six month checkup. FOUR , count them , 1,2,3,4....cavities.
he put a fluoride varnish on my teeth and insisted that I floss and yes....brush every time you eat. I guess he meant that.
hi ...no I don't mind. i've been using Biotene also. I have sores in my mouth from the ARAVA I take...The first time I took that med I had to go off it because the sores were so bad...This time they are mostly external around the edges of my mouth. Maybe the Biotene has helped the internal sores.
Oh my…that sounds frustrating!!! I am kind of friendly with a woman in her 80s with SS. She uses the Biotene toothpaste and so do I. For me, it is a necessity. She has needed implants along the way. But she swears by her routine of recent years…that it has reduced cavities and other problems significantly. Basically it is similar to what you were told, plus daily flossing, PLUS using a water irrigator like Water Pik, with a little non alcohol + Flouride mouthwash in the water. Use the irrigator daily or at least near daily. She says that when she added the extra step of the water pik…she stopped having dental problems. So, her dental routine is rather lengthy. Brush 3 x a day, daily flossing (once or twice a day) and daily use of the water pik (once a day). I’m embarrassed to say I haven’t embraced the water pik…except for once a week. I need to do much more, as she swears by its effectiveness.(I do all the other stuff, but adding the water pik seems like sooooo much work. But I am impressed with how much she insists this extra step made the diff. for her)
I personally get a prof. cleaning now every four months religiously/3x a year and this has been helpful for me.i was going twice a year, but after the SS dx, I changed it to 3x a year. To my shock, even with very good dental hygiene, I need to go 3x a year! The dry mouth changed things.
I lost the battle with my teeth 6 years ago. I’m 46 and have dentures. I’ve always have had dental problems that my mom couldn’t explain. My mom always blamed it on my dad’s lousy teeth. Just strengthens the case that I’ve had SS for most of my life. But, the whole dental thing got worse around when I was 35.
Take it from me… Fight to keep your real teeth, I have a world of trouble with my dentures. Hind sight, really.
Thanks for the info. Who gives the Prevident prescription? The dentist or the GP? I am wondering if a sonic toothbrush combined with a Waterpik would be helpful. My problem is I have a tiny bathroom without counter space. Any suggestions? Andreajd said:
The quicker you learn the better.
See the difference in flossing after what you think is a thorough brushing and you'll be amazed
at the difference Sjogrens makes in something seemingly insignificant.
(Swish and spit).
After 15 root canals, 2 jaw surgeries, and more than 20 crowns caused directly b y the Sjogrens,
I learned even the crowns could rot out from underneath and have to be replaced.
If you can train yourself to brush and floss every time you put something in your mouth, you'll be glad.
I started using Glide floss *constantly* and brush w/ Prevident a prescription.
yes, I've been told to avoid dentures. But the constant expense of crowns and root canals are going to do us in. I had a friend....we were both in our late 30's. She had spent literally hundreds of thousands of dollars trying to save her teeth....and it all was for naught when a dentist told her there was nothing else they could do shy of implants. She got dentures and has not had problems...
I know that each individual case is simply that: individual. My teeth are not all that bad yet. I've never before had more than two cavities in a visit and that was after not seeing the dentist for quite a while. I will do my best to follow the instructions given to me by my dentist...And thanks to all of you here for your experience and advice.
Fascina said:
I lost the battle with my teeth 6 years ago. I'm 46 and have dentures. I've always have had dental problems that my mom couldn't explain. My mom always blamed it on my dad's lousy teeth. Just strengthens the case that I've had SS for most of my life. But, the whole dental thing got worse around when I was 35.
Take it from me.... Fight to keep your real teeth, I have a world of trouble with my dentures. Hind sight, really.
Oh, I admit that root canal, crowns, and other procedures are a very expensive endeavor. Once I had all my teeth pulled, and healed, I felt much better physically. I was sick with one thing or another all the time. Now, I get sick, but it’s because of my problems… Fibro, Crohn’s, SS, IBS, etc (I won’t go on and bore you lol) I hardly get colds or other viruses, and my dentist and I believe that I was getting sick because of my sick teeth. Even though I have a string of health issues, and autoimmune problems, I’m not as sick as I was with my rotten teeth.
If you’re at the point that I was at, where I was sicker with my teeth then without, you might consider dentures. Don’t get dentures because you think it’s easier, get them if your teeth are falling out of your head, like mine were. Like with everything, there is pros and cons.
My dentist told me MANY SJ patients end up losing their teeth due to lack of saliva. I'm in my 3rd year of diagnosis and my last dental appt. I had 6 cavities---never had it before. He told me to stop sucking on throat lozenges with sugar, especially at night when my mouth dryness is at it's worse. He suggested using TheraBreath Lozenges. They are more expensive but worth the money. My pharmacy puts in a special order to get them for me. Also, I've switched my toothpaste to Biotene. My rheumatologist has prescribed pilocarpine for the dryness and it's working great.
Unfortunately, I couldn't get dentures without having my jaws reconstructed
so dentures have never been an option for me.
It pays to find out in advance of extractions that dentures are an option.
I've had occasion to have work done in Costa Rica by lucky circumstance at 1/3 of the cost.
It's called a "dental destination".
Fascina said:
Oh, I admit that root canal, crowns, and other procedures are a very expensive endeavor. Once I had all my teeth pulled, and healed, I felt much better physically. I was sick with one thing or another all the time. Now, I get sick, but it's because of my problems... Fibro, Crohn's, SS, IBS, etc (I won't go on and bore you lol) I hardly get colds or other viruses, and my dentist and I believe that I was getting sick because of my sick teeth. Even though I have a string of health issues, and autoimmune problems, I'm not as sick as I was with my rotten teeth.
If you're at the point that I was at, where I was sicker with my teeth then without, you might consider dentures. Don't get dentures because you think it's easier, get them if your teeth are falling out of your head, like mine were. Like with everything, there is pros and cons.
Since being diagnosed with SS, I have my teeth cleaned every three months. Never eat but what I floss afterwards even if I can't brush. Nightly ritual includes flossing, brushing, using a prescription antibacterial rinse, Biotene mouth rinse, and suck on sugarless candies to keep saliva sort of flowing while asleep. Only twice at a cleaning have I had NO cavities-----major victory!! It seems to be an uphill battle, but one worth fighting.
I ordered the Waterpik sonic toothbrush and waterjet flosser. It was $85 (free 2 day shipping because I have Prime at Amazon) It was a big purchase and considering that I also need a new laptop....But then my reasonable voice said, "This is a better purchase than many others you've made. This will pay for itself..../AND it will keep me from getting floss snagged on my fillings and yanking them out (I almost did that last night...SCARY). The bad part is that we have no place to put this in our bathroom....we have one outlet and it is usually in use and there is no "floor space" on any cabinets or surface where I might set it....So I will have to put it on the kitchen counter. not very chic. But what must be must be. I'm kind of excited about it. I've even starting to like brushing so frequently. Do you know, I had a couple of graham crackers in the middle of the night...and I felt all that Gooock on my teeth and I went to the bathroom and brushed and swished. My dentist had always told me, the night time floss/brush is the most critical ones because it keep the junk from sitting on your teeth all night and as you know, you stop secreting saliva at night and that is the worst possible time to have food residue on your teeth.
Sounds good! A couple of things, my friend with SS says to floss AND use the water pik. And, probably best not to use the water pik on high. Potentially too harsh on the gums. Perhaps a low setting for a little while and then medium (for the duration). Either never use high or only use high once in a great while…if something is stuck, etc.
I also use an electronic toothbrush and was told not to press hard with it. If I have any issues, I’ll use my regular toothbrush for awhile. I also rinse my tooth brush head with peroxide, then fresh water every morning. I’m just a bit paranoid of germs.i change the brush at the slightest notice of wear or if I’ve had a cold etc.