Cavities after surgery
I've read about tooth decay after surgery on the general VSG forums but was curious if others have experienced it? I went for my 6 month cleaning / check up at the dentist this morning and I have the start of a cavity on two different teeth. I haven't had cavities in years! I find it suspicious that I now have two since surgery. I even asked my hygienist about it before surgery because I had read about it and wondered if there was anything I could do to prevent it or be proactive but she didn't have any experience with WLS patients. I'm not surprised about this but I'm not happy about it either, hopefully it's a one-of!!
Hi - I haven't exactly had tooth DECAY - but problems with teeth on one side of my mouth. I had an extraction as a teenager of an upper jaw tooth. As an RNY patient - I chew, chew, chew my food to death - and tend to do so on the opposite side from where the missing jaw tooth is. Therefore I am really hard on those teeth and have broken and fractured fillings over the yrs because of that. My dentist can tell that's what i tend to do - but we have never discussed the whole weight loss surgery thing. Just putting that out there!
I've heard two theories on it, one about eating more frequent, albeit smaller meals and chewing a lot, so creating bacteria more often perhaps? The second which I think applies to me, is dry mouth. The saliva is a natural protectant against bacteria so when your mouth isn't producing as much saliva, it allows the bacteria to grow. I find I wan****er all the time, I just presumed it's because I'm thirsty and dehydrated but I'm thinking now that it may be dry mouth.
I just wanted to put it out there as well in case others are experiencing the same thing (hopefully not!) and hadn't heard about the connection. I don't know exactly what it is but I do think there's a connection for some. Thanks for sharing your experience Mary.
Yes, I have had it too...my dentist commented on it and we thought it may be the Mio flavour I have used over the last year or so...it has a high citric acid % or could it be the times I have eaten too fast and have thrown up a little??!! I am not sure, but I too had a very extreme case of dry mouth about a year ago....all good questions....
T
