Teeth. R.A. and MTX | Arthritis Information

Just wondered, lovely people about teeth, R.A. and MTX as I haven't been to the dentist for over a year since I started MTX, till today!(bad I know and I never usally miss the dentist, but I wasn't well enough to go this last year to 18 months, as I dropped to under six stones due to over active thyroid as well as R.A. going mad in my neck and jaw and as I had no tooth ache I didn't go as I found it hard to get of the house. I had planned to go next week after my hols this past week, as i am bck to driving a bit more after only a handful of drives in the past 2 years, but my tooth pre-empted that and split on Monday as I ate bread).

I had to have a temporary filling today and will be returning very soon for that making permanent and quite a few other little bits filled I chipped off old fillings and also a crown and then later on in the action plan an extraction where a tooth is impossible to fill any further. (aren't I lucky, and he's saving the extraction till the end as his grand finale!!) but the problems must be resolved or they will start to hurt!) Despite all this my teeth look fine and I always brush them twice a day with a powerbrush. It's what is at the back that needs doing and as they are bigger teeth at the back I know I will have to have quite a bt of anaesthetic injection each visit.

I told him of my meds and the change to MTX since I saw him and he didn't seem concerned but what I wondered, folks, if anyone knows is, if the anaesthetic they use in your dental treatment is likely to affect the MTX. blood results? Anyone ever asked their dentist this before? It was on the tip of my tongue (pardon the pun!) but as Iwas rather numb and was keen to get out .. I forgot to ask! By the time I got home the clinic had shut for the weekend.

Thanks in advance.

Joolie

To my knowledge, I dont believe that the anesthetic will cause a reaction to w/ the Mtx or blood work. All it is is a topical pain killer...The only thing that you have to watch out for is when you get your extraction that the wound heals well. Since Mtx lowers our already messed up immune system it might take a while or it to heal...Good luck hunny and hope your not in to much pain when your mouth comes back from being numb

Tell your dentist everything that you are on. He is a medical doctor and is familiar with treatments.

The only caution would be Shannon's...INFECTION. Be sure to swish some warm salt water, and clean it good.

I was under general anisthetic in June and had no problems with that. Knee sugery...so it was over an hour.

Hi Kelsay's Mommy and Shelley41 - thanks for fast and helpful responses

I told the dentist my full meds and dosage and he didn't seem concerned. I just forgot to ask him about effect if any of anaesthetic on bloodwork as I was a bit disorientated and numb, but I asked if I would need an antibiotic for anything as it did bleed a little and he said no. He said the eventual extraction would be given a stich or two so to not be susceptible to infection but that's not something that will be done for a couple of months yet. I did have a back tooth out a few years back - muesli was the culprit - and this is whilst I had R.A. but on SASP then and no infection or problems - apart from the invoice and a big fat face!!!! My front teeth are fine but those back ones seem much weaker and have some pretty old fillings.

Anyhow, I am not going to be eating or drinking anyplace from home these next days whilst the treatent has caused a little bleeding today so I am drinking and eating from my own freshly washed plates and cups. I will rinse my mouth out with saltwater thanks for that.

Shelley - goodluck wth your knee - hope your recuperation going well, and Kelsay's Mommy - anaesthetic has almost gone now but the beating on the gum starting! Boom-be-de-boom!! But I am so hungry and will be looking forward to dinner ..very soft dinner .. eaten very slowly, but very soon!

Joolie

Hi Joolie, please don't depend on a dentist to give you advice about your RA meds. Their experience is very limited. Please contact your rheumatologist and take his/her advice on the RA meds. I called my RD about some dental work I'm having done and was told to skip MXT that week. Let us know what your RD says. LindyYea, giving a call to your RD just so he's informed incase theres a problem down the line isn't a bad idea. He knows these meds like the back of his hand (hopefully) and he'll be able to tell you if a certain reaction is not good and if you need an antibiotics. Good luck eatingLindy, why did the RA tell you to skip a week of the MTX? I'm on MTX and awhile back I had a filling put in. It is still hurting. Maybe I should have skipped the MTX for a week. I suspect I'm going to need a root canal soon.Hi Flamingo, I'm having deep root planing done and my gums are swollen, inflammed, and very sensitive right now. I may have an infection but not sure until I see the dentist. This has just happened within the last year. My last check up and cleaning my gums were ok. Think my RD is being cautious. I've decided not to skip the MXT and see the dentist for an evaluation and regular cleaning. If there is an infection I want antibiotics, then at a later date (next month) have the root planing and I won't have to stop MXT. Just means an extra visit but I'd rather do that than stop MXT. I have had to stop it 3 times in the last 4 months and that's wrecked havoc with my RA. I'm just back to feeling normal. Lindy I actually called my RA Doc before I ran to the Dentist with a chipped tooth a number of months ago. He said it was no problem unless I got some type of infection.

He just gives me an antibiotic right away now. It can't hurt. Every case might be different but MTX definately slows the healing process.

Just watch the next time you have a scratch. It will take two to three times longer to heal than it use to. The stuff in your mouth is the same way.

Stopping the MTX will help speed things along. A week or two of being a little stiff is far better than an infection related to your teeth. Trust me. I've been there.

Good Luck. I'm not a big fan of the dentist.....but Lori is exactly right. It's very improtant.

Lindy - Hi again. sorry to know you are having/had some intense treatment and same goes to all of you who have had painful experiences with teeth and gums. I know what you mean about the dentist not being experienced in the drugs we take,but mine did know MTX and he has studied Pharmacology as a Degree, alongside his dentistry but it still doesn't make him knowlegeable about my R.A. case, you are right. I asked the nurses at the MTX clinic about having antiobiotics and dental treatment and they wrote a letter on my file to pass to the Rheumys the next day so I will chase that up this week. I don't go back to the dentist for two weeks so time to investigate. As for the antiobiotics - I dont get on with those, but it's the lesser of two evils i know .. better to take them than have a bad infection making the R.A. go mad and flare up.

Lovie,Poof and everyone else who kindly replied - you are right about keeping up with dental health. I was so sad to miss a year and a half because I was unable to get out to the dentist and didn't drive for almost two years due to being so thin with an over active thyroid. i could hardly open my mouth with the R.A. in the jaw so i was sad to not go and get checked up. I did still clean my teeth twice a day - i always do, but when old fillings are chipped and need replacing they soon decay and this is what happened at the back on all sides.

I will let you know what the Rheumy says about MTX and dental treatment and what is her stance on it.

Love Joolie

Hi, I go with the others who take antibiotics, my dentist said cleaning can put bacteria into your system, I guess you swollow it, and if the hygenist nicks your gums it could get infected. I didn't take anti biotics when I had my teeth cleaned the last time, but i will in the future. Lynda

I think I will be given the antibotics when I get the one tooth pulled which I think will be the last thing he does on my treatment. Saving it for a grand finale I guess. I will know well before that what my Rheumy advises for stopping MTX that week. Lynda, it does make sense that if the dentist is cleaning bacteria and plaque from your teeth it can't be good to swollow that. As i said before my teeth don't look like they need that much work on them but it's what's at the back that is in need of major overhaul!

I am sorry Lorster you had probems. Mine wasn't fear of going - just unable to get there due to all the problems I said before. I am glad you feel better and you're fixed now. I think I paniced about the Novocaine, etc. It's only there for a short while and in the gum as a local so unless you are swollowing it all you are not going to absorb it . If a little bit spills into my mouth from the needle I quickly rinse it out anyhow.