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Medical Forum / General / Dentistry / November 2004Need Help With A Report--Gum Disease/Tooth Loss
I have several options for class, but would like to focus on gum disease and/or tooth loss due to a patient previously have been on a respirator and/or life support. I chose this subject because I was in a coma aprx. 12 years ago. I never had a cavity previously but since that time...my mouth is a disaster! I have been told that this is not uncommon since a patient cannot get good saliva flow. I was the a bit mystified when I found trouble finding abstracts/articles on the subject. Any sources would be helpful. Thanks in advance , Kara Tyson Lyme Diseas Support Group of AL Director alabamalyme@usa.com alabamalyme@comcast.net >I have several options for class, but would like to focus on gum >disease and/or tooth loss due to a patient previously have been on a [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] >never had a cavity previously but since that time...my mouth is a >disaster! How so? >I have been told that this is not uncommon since a patient cannot get >good saliva flow. I was the a bit mystified when I found trouble >finding abstracts/articles on the subject. Yes this is true. Saliva removes various mouth products that tend to decay teeth. Best of luck to you. Joel >Any sources would be helpful. > [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] >alabamalyme@usa.com >alabamalyme@comcast.net > How so? _______________ I average 7--10 cavities a year (usually more than one in the same tooth)--amazing since I never had a cavity for almost 30 years. Gradually I am losing my teeth for various reasons. Root canals are getting fairly routine. But it is a small price to pay and in the grand scheme of things, I am willing to live with it! :) On a side note, my anatomy teacher is a Periodonist and has heard of this respirator issue and is also curios. Kara >On a side note, my anatomy teacher is a Periodonist and has heard of >this respirator issue and is also curios. > >Kara Curios ? Those little things in the cabinet ? -- W_B wubbabubbazG@RBAGEyahoo.com Take out the G'RBAGE And he is a "crazy" dentist too....with a capital C!! But his tests are fair. I was Magna cum laude until his class..now I will have to settle for a regular A. > I have several options for class, but would like to focus on gum > disease and/or tooth loss due to a patient previously have been on a [quoted text clipped - 17 lines] > alabamalyme@usa.com > alabamalyme@comcast.net Unless you suffered a permanent disability which compromised your oral hygiene, or if your diet changed significantly, or if you are on any medications that changed the quality and/or quantity of your saliva, I can't think of a reason for a link between being on life support and increased rate of dental problems. You didn't mention how you came to be on life support. If it was due to (for example) a vehicular accident with major facial trauma, this could have more to do with ongoing problems than the life support itself. Steve I caught on fire. I am burned 60% with collapsed lung and severe smoke inhalation. No facial injury to the bone. But it would be interesting to find out if the rate of tooth decay is only in those patients with facial injuries or all patients on respirators. (Dont ever give up on your patient. Miracles do happen!) Now it is true that the high doses of antibiotics for my Lyme do kill the good bacteria as well--which doesnt help the situation. But the problem was pre existing. The Lyme issue just makes it worse. Kara > I caught on fire. I am burned 60% with collapsed lung and severe smoke > inhalation. [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > > Kara Certainly injuries of this magnitude can make dental care seem like a relatively lower priority. You are doing well to see your dental needs are met. I don't know that much personally about burn rehab. When I was a resident ages ago I did have a patient with a history of severe burns over most of the body and face, which both interfered with her ability to perform oral hygiene and limited her oral opening. This was long ago. If you have had grafting, you may have had either immunosuppressives, corticosteroids and/ or relatively long-term antibiotics even before the lyme disease. Just make sure you have everything going for you that is possible, between oral hygiene, diet, regular care, and fluoride rinses or oral gels such as Prevident or Gel-Kam. Good luck, Steve Steve, thank you for your advice. I am in school (changing careers) to specialize in critical care burns. Then I would like to teach BioEthics. > Steve, > > thank you for your advice. I am in school (changing careers) to > specialize in critical care burns. Then I would like to teach > BioEthics. Best of luck to you! Steve > I have several options for class, but would like to focus on gum > disease and/or tooth loss due to a patient previously have been on a [quoted text clipped - 17 lines] > alabamalyme@usa.com > alabamalyme@comcast.net I have a loved one on life support right now. However, she's has a feeding tube and has been on liquid nutrition for weeks and has developed high blood sugar. I have been wondering if the sugars in the white liquid food was causing the higher blood sugar. If you were on a feeding tube, wondering if the high sugar content could have contributed to decay. However, since the tube goes directly into the stomach, I'm not sure. But since it's been reported that people with the poor nutrition have the most cavities and since hospital feedings may not supply all the nutrients a body needs to keep teeth healthy, hospitals liquid feedings may have contributed to the problem. I'm just speculating here. Sally It does make you think. Just because you have an effect, doesnt mean you can find the cause. |
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