Tooth Problem

[Harmony]

It is just about 2 months since my Mitral Valve was repaired. It seemed to be healing well. The chest pain was gone, had no more SOB. Was able to go out by myself for a walk or shop. Well Yesterday one of my teeth began to hurt. It is in a area where I have had 2 or three root canals so not sure which it is. I have heard you can not have any dental work till 6 months avter heart surgery. I hope this is not true because what do you do. In the fall when I had to cancel 2 surgery appointments the pain I had in the tooth would move around from top to botton or right side to left side and it took a long time for my Endodontist to find the right tooth. I had 2 root canals done . This time the pain is in one spot the upper right. I am seeing my Surgeon who repaired my valve tomorrow for a check up hope he can advise me. Has anyone here had to have dental work after heart surgery. Do you also know anything about waiting 6 months about having dental work after OHS. I am very worried about this. I have one thing go good followed by 5 going wrong. Would appreciate any answers.

Harmony

 

[abbanabba]

Hi Harmony, have you been in touch with your dentist and cardio to ask about this? They should be able to advise you how long you might need to wait. It may also depend on exactly what the problem is. If it's a minor dental problem, they may be able to do something for you fairly quickly, whereas if it involves something more complex they may prefer to wait.

Give them call and see if they can at least determine what the problem is. I was worried I was going to need a bunch of fillings prior to my PVR because I was getting a few very sensitive teeth. Turns out the enamel was thinning due to my over-zealous brushing and they were able to give me a paste to apply to help it re-build. Perhaps your problem may also be something that won't require agressive treatment (will cross all the wiggly bits for you ).

In the meantime I'm glad to hear you are healing well and your recovery is progressing. That's great news.


A : )

 

[Harmony]

Hi thanks for the answer. I spoke to my Cardio yesterday. He said he never heard of waiting if there is something wrong they will fix it. I have heard often that you have to wait 6 months this also seems wrong as you can not suffer for that long. My Endodontist is away but I will see him Thursday. When he was doing the two root canals I had before surgery he told me he works 1 day a week at a large cancer hospital and he works on people who are very very ill but have teeth problems. Tomorrow I see my Surgeon for a check up( the one who fixed my valve) hope he has a answer.

Hope everything is going well with you

 

[catwoman]

Our dentist would not see either John or me until 6 months post-op.

However, if you have a problem, it needs to be take care of.

 

[ALCapshaw2]

Have your Dentist / Endodontist confer with your Surgeon (or Cardiologist) about how to proceed. They may want you to take extra antibiotics or even IV antibiotics to protect your heart. 6 months before Dental procedures is the common "guideline", especially for Dental Cleanings.

'AL Capshaw'

 

[terodac]

Don't forget to pre med before the dentist! Good luck! Do what your cardiologist suggest do not your dentist!

 

[aussiemember]

Harmony,

I had a tooth ache only 4 weeks after I had MVR and rang my surgeon. He said that if it was necessary to get something fixed then I was to go ahead and get it done - just to make sure I had the proper antibiotic cover. I ended up only needing a minor filling and all went well.

 

[Jkm7]

I was told to not have any dental work done for six months post op. Thankfully, I didn't need it but all of my doctors (including my dentist) were definite about waiting.

Good luck. Hope you can safely wait.

 

[Eva]

............ Turns out the enamel was thinning due to my over-zealous brushing and they were able to give me a paste to apply to help it re-build. Perhaps your problem may also be something that won't require agressive treatment (will cross all the wiggly bits for you ).
...............
A : )

Hi Harmony, I am glad you are doing better in general. I was asked not to see dentist before six month...it has been seven months and I am still afraid to go (But this is me). Let's know what your surgeon tells you.

Anna,

What kind of paste can help re-build enamel?! mine has been thinning and thinning for many years and I see dentist 3 to 4 times a year. Regards

 

[bookjp]

That's the standard wait six months.Let me tell you though I've had more pain with some tooth aches than heart surgery.If something is going on you need to get it taken care of before an abscess develops.I would call my dentist and proceed from there!!!

 

[Freddie]

OMGosh....Harmony you've describe my tooth! Upper right (near the eye tooth), have had root canals done in that same area and still have pain, but it comes and goes.

After I had That root canal done , my dentist told me to be careful about chewing on ribs in around that area, that "there wasn't much holding the tooth there" - that was over a year ago. I've gone back twice, but he can't see anything in the x-rays.....but oohhhhh when he taps that tooth from the bottom I darn near slap him (I do warn him before hand )
If and when you see your dentist, let me know how you made out. Cause if your guy finds something different I then can approach my dentist with your knowledge.

Good Luck
Oh yea, - wait 6 months, unless told otherwise from your doctors.

 

[Ross]

Just have them all taken out like me!

 

[kfay]

Harmony, I had a crown break off about 3 months after surgery. I, too, was told to wait 6 months before having any dental work. I totally freaked out. Obviously it was something that could not wait. My cardio told me not to worry and put me on a week of antibiotics instead of the usual one dose I take before appts. I had the work done and no problem

Kim

 

[Pegasus]

My husband also broke a crown 10 weeks post-op. He got it fixed right away - would have been more risky not fixing. He received just the daily amoxicillin 2ooomg). His cardio wasn't concerned. However he waited for tooth cleaining till 6 months post-op as well as for a kidney stone removal (lithotripsy) and he received IV antibiotics for that.
Best wishes to you. Hope you can get it taken care of safely!

 

[abbanabba]

My husband also broke a crown 10 weeks post-op. He got it fixed right away - would have been more risky not fixing.

I would think with certain dental problems there would be a greater risk from not doing anthing rather than waiting - particularly if the risk of infection is involved. Surely it's better to get antibiotics straight away and fix the problem rather than leaving it.

Good luck with your dentist Harmony. I hope it's something minor, but that it can be fixed either way.

What kind of paste can help re-build enamel?! mine has been thinning and thinning for many years and I see dentist 3 to 4 times a year. Regards

The stuff I have is called "GC Tooth Mousse" and it's a "topical cream with bio-available calcium and phosphate". Apparently it fills in the weak spots and the salivia in your mouth helps strengthen it (or something along those lines). I did notice some improvement after using it for a while, but I've been lazy and stopped a while back - although my teeth seem less sensitive than they were.

It's also available with or without fluoride. The one I have doesn't have it, which means I can use it as many times a day as I like. I'm sure if you Google you will be able to find some info.


A : )

 

[Gail in Ca]

I asked my cardio about my upcoming dental cleaning and check-up. He said to postpone it until 3 mos after my surgery. That's what I did. I wonder why so many have been told to wait 6 mos?
Gail

 

[Harmony]

Well I saw the surgeon. He feels 2 months is a short time to have dentsl work done. However it is worse to walk around with a infected tooth in your mouth as that can cause more problems. So tomorrow I will see my Endodonist. Now my surgeon wants me to have a chest exray for pleural effusion. He thinks there is some kind of noise by my right lung and thinks there is water there MY PCP who is also Pulmonary Doctor has examined the area twice and says there is nothing there. I am to go for this X ray in 3 weeks. I wonder why I have to wait 3 weeks for a x rayif there were water on my lung or my chest. Would I also not have pain or other symptoms if there was water on or in my lung or chest. I have no SOB feel good and look well. I am getting very disgusted with all this. You people are nice to listen to my insane ranting. By the wy Ross I was told some people pull all their teeth out and still have pain. I believe my dentist said it is called phantom pain and more common than you think

 

[acr]

If it's any help, I had a deep filling drilled out and re-filled yesterday. Am told it will need root canal work if the pain persists. Today I'm 5 weeks post-op. I took 3g of Amoxicillin and hour before. It's a sachet that you disolve in water and drink. At the end of the day, the tooth was infected and painful and I didn't plan on waiting any time with it.

 

[Jkm7]

Well I saw the surgeon. He feels 2 months is a short time to have dentsl work done. However it is worse to walk around with a infected tooth in your mouth as that can cause more problems. So tomorrow I will see my Endodonist. Now my surgeon wants me to have a chest exray for pleural effusion. He thinks there is some kind of noise by my right lung and thinks there is water there MY PCP who is also Pulmonary Doctor has examined the area twice and says there is nothing there. I am to go for this X ray in 3 weeks. I wonder why I have to wait 3 weeks for a x rayif there were water on my lung or my chest. Would I also not have pain or other symptoms if there was water on or in my lung or chest. I have no SOB feel good and look well. I am getting very disgusted with all this. You people are nice to listen to my insane ranting. By the wy Ross I was told some people pull all their teeth out and still have pain. I believe my dentist said it is called phantom pain and more common than you think

Did you ask your surgeon why he is waiting three weeks for you to have the x-ray. He is the only one who can answer that question.

 

[Harmony]

He feels that the fluid will go away if we wait a few more weeks. I also have no sob or problems breathing. I feel my real major problem is my tooth. I saw my Ondodontist today and he was not very nice so looks like I have to find help somewhere else. Did you ever hear of anyone having water on their lung or chect following OHS