Teeth Trouble

Mary, your PCP will not know what you need tested.  Get the list from VitaLady or Andrea.  

For example...your PCP will test your calcium but probably won't test your PTH.  He will say, "Sys here that your serum calcium is normal."  What he won't tell you--because he doesn't know--is that your serum calcium (that's the calcium floating around and operating your body on a day-to-day basis) is within normal because your body is borrowing the calcium from your teeth and bones.  He needs the PTH test results to know that.  So get a list from one of those ladies because they are both RnY patients and they both KNOW what needs to be tested.

thank you Ms. Cal for the information - I find even after almost 3 years out from RNY I am still learning of things either I never knew existed or didn't research enough or they just failed to tell me at my bariatric center prior to my getting my rny done.  Again, not blaming dr.'s/ just myself for not being more on the ball about my health/after effects of a major surgery.
I will contact vita lady/Andrea and ask them.   Thanks again.  If I never develop bone problems I will have you to thank for it partially, at least!! 

I get dry D3 and calcium citrate capsules from vitalady.com .  I had a D level of 8 at my 30 days post op labs from RNY.  PCP put me on script D which is D2 and isn't absorbed well. It's in a softgel which doesn't help absorption either.  Taking a 50K iu once a week for 6 months, and with 4 sets of labs, my best D score during this time was a 14.  I began taking a liquid vitamin with only 600iu dry D3 in it's daily dose, and within 5-6 weeks, my D levels were now up to 33. So you can dry D3 makes a big difference. I took dry D3 in 50K doses 4 times a week for over a year. I had labs in Oct., and my D3 was at 65.  I now take 7 of the 50K dry D3 per week now, trying to attain the most desirable level of 80-90 for post ops.  Calcium labs don't really show the whole picture, as it only indicates about 10% of the calcium in your body. You need a bone scan. I had one done in October, with a -2.0, which is opstopenia--neigher 100% normal nor osteoperosis.  BTW, I've had 3-4 cavities since my surgery and have had any teeth pulled or any that have fallen out.   My support group leader (RNY some 11 years ago) used calcium carbonate for years, as that was the recommendation back then. As a result, she had severe teeth issue, losing many of her teeth. DAVE

MANY good thoughts on this sad development! I have another~from my DDS,DMD. He told me not only the calcium could be an issue, but that taking or CHEWING Tums, vitamins in chewable forms, vomiting of stomach acid and/or bile ALL could be problematic for teeth. I was on Gaviscon for the bie reflux initially and had to carry a toothbrush with me to make sure ALL the chewable tablet was out of the tiny crevaces in my teeth. They ALL have sugar of some sort in them that errodes the enamel. I make sure to brush, swish and spit after ANY chewables now...just doing as much as possible to keep my teeth.
I also have my vitamin, mineral levels checked yearly. My insurance has ALWAYS paid for that.

A suggestion, which I have taken full advantage of myself~if $$$ is tight~check out your states dental schools. They have care available of all kinds at very low or no cost. You may have to be on a waiting list and/or reapply every 6 months, but the care is GOOD (at least in NC) and they don't allow just any student to work on your teeth (residents of the 4th year here).
Just a thought...keeping my own teeth as long as possible is equal to keeping my weight off.

Yeah, neither my PCP or DDS could come up with a definite answer.  I do have the special fluoride toothpaste.  I don't think I've ever had labs to get into the vitamin levels themselves, but not really sure on that.  I will definitely have to check on that.  I also just had spinal compression/fusion with titanium pins at S1/L5. Have had back problems forever but in November to February went from having a bit of a bulging disk with some discomfort on to a ruptured disk with quite a bit of pain then to NO DISK with excruciating pain and surgery.  Not sure if a calcium issue would have anything to do with a disk issue, but if it does, it certainly answers alot of questions!

OMG.  You've never had labs?  Ok you need to get yourself some labs, and STAT.  At this far out from surgery, if you haven't been supplementing appropriately, you need to turn this around immediately.  If not, it won't just be your teeth you are worrying about.

Oh, I've had labs lots of times. I just don't know about all the vitamins and stuff.  They may have just checked the usual stuff.  I do get a B12 every 6-8 wks. Most people do 12 wks.  My husband always laughs and tells me that he's going to increase my life insurance policy because I have one foot in the grave.  I always have something going on.  I think I'm going to schedule to see my GI Dr. because it has been awhile since I've seen them, tell them what's been going on and have them order a whole major panel and a Bone Density scan. 

Unless he wants you dead, he needs to stop laughing.  This is serious.  My mother has osteoporosis (not enough calcium, vitamin D or A.)  She has gone from 5'4" to 4'11".  She has lost most of her teeth.  Her spine is so fragile that she has had repeated compression fractures and three back surgeries.  She is in constant pain and on narcotics.  The pain and the narcotics cause depression and the anti-depressants they give her to treat that cause agitation and anxiety.  She takes more drugs to counter the anxiety and those, in and of themselves, cause other problems. 

The collapsing spine is also cutting off feeling in her left leg from the knee down and messages--of any kind--from her bladder to her brain no longer get through.  She has NO idea what her bladder is doing and is in adult pull ups plus pads.  She is a fall risk because she doesn't lift her left leg well while walking.

THAT is what being short on a few vitamins and supplements looks like.  It is a horrible way to live and a faster than necessary way to die.

This is NOT funny.  It is DEADLY serious.  PLEASE get these things tested before you become a crippled old woman and he needs someone else to hold his hand while he watches his crippled wife waste away.

Well, first of all you need to chill the hell out! He's not being mean or ignorant! It's one of those things that you chuckle to yourself and and think oh god, now what.  It's been one thing after another. He's not happy that I had the surgery because of all the problems I've had. You don't know my story, what having this surgery has done to me physically and mentally.  So don't judge. I'm a train wreck physically and mentally since the surgery. I am not the same person. Everything about me has changed and I don't like it.  I have lost a lot of myself. Until you know my story, don't assume and don't judge.

I hate to say this but if you have decayed teeth and you cant get them restored, please atleast get them removed. Decayed teeth are just as Unhealthy for you as an infection anywhere else in your body. I know that you would rather keep your teeth but overall health should come first. We have a saying at my work "A HEALTHY HEART STARTS WITH A HEALTHY MOUTH" it may sound corney but it's true.

I started using a tooth paste that helps remineralize your teeth before surgery. I was very nervous about the vomiting and I wanted to boost the strength of my enamel before any of that happened.
Once the decay is past the enamel and into the dentin no toothpaste or fluoride is gonna help. You need to get the decay removed and a bonded filling to restore the tooth. If the decay is past that point, Root Canal and a crown to restore.
It is very expensive to have dental work done if you are not lucky enough to have insurance. Dental schools are very good, so don't count them out.
Most of us don't realize that brushing and flossing is an art form and we are doing it wrong. Did you know that you should use 1 inch of toothpaste when you brush. And that you should not rinse your mouth after you brush, just spit out the excess. Also flossing is more important than brushing. Dentist can fix decay, Periodontal disease if you have it can only be controlled.

I know that I gave a lot of information, don't be too upset, You can get this fixed. get your options in writing with costs, see what type of payment arrangements they have, then shop around. The first dentist might honor a cheaper price.
Best of luck to you
Dani