Reclast and Teeth-Cleaning Appointments

Back in 2020, just as the pandemic broke out, I had my teeth cleaned by a new dentist here in Austin (Circle C). The dentist herself, although somewhat uncommunicative and lacking in "bedside manner," seemed good, but her dental hygienist was Helga the Stomping Mare and very rough. I had always blamed what happened next on her roughness, I twice asked her to take it down a notch on the jamming of things into my mouth, but she seemed indifferent. At any rate, just as the pandemic was becoming a global "thing" and all businesses (including my dentist) were shutting down, the just-cleaned teeth started to experience a great deal of sensitivity to cold. It continued to get worse and worse and by near Easter I could barely open my mouth and could not eat to chew. I was sending e-mails that said "HELP! MY JAW IS EXPLODING!" They later told me they "were not monitoring e-mail" and they definitely were not answering phones. I finally got hold of the dentist herself and was sent to a very good endodontist, who told me that the abcess that had formed was the worst one he had seen in 30 years and was 3x larger than my largest tooth. He did a root canal (after I climbed 8 flights of stairs because nobody knew if taking the elevator was safe during the beginning of the pandemic.) My husband's best friend in Moline, Illinois, had a routine dental cleaning and ended up at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics with an infection at the center of his brain. They pumped him full of steroids, because they could not operate without seriously damaging his brain. I knew, because of this individual's experience, that not treating an infection as painful as what I was experiencing could go bad very quickly. Fortunately for me, my back left molar (second from back) was replaced by a crown after the root canal, and has been fine ever since, but my teeth continue to deteriorate in my old age, and the MANY amalgam fillings I had as a child were not a good idea. (I once had 8 fillings in BABY TEETH in one day without any anaesthetic when I was about 8 years old, so....Thanks, Dr. Lowell Schraeder!)

Some people can’t take aspirin or ibuprofen. Stomach upset.

Is Anastrazole an osteo med? Seems like that pertains more to hormone treatment. I’m sorry you’ve had so many dental issues. I currently have an infection in a root canal and will have that treated as a last resort and to avoid extraction of that molar while on Evenity. Good thoughts to you as you continue your treatments.

Anastrozole is an aromatase inhibitor, one of 3 prescribed after surgery to remove a breast cancer tumor. It is designed to stop the production of estrogen in your body.. it is given after the surgery to prevent a recurrence, although there are no promises that it will really work, and it often doesn’t. Other A.I. pills designed to do the same thing are laetrozile and exemestane. All 3 have horrible side effects for a sizable % of patients who are told to take it for 5 to 10 years. (I’d be 88 in 10 years!) I took it for 7 months and suffered through excruciating back pain, brain fog, dry eyes leading to blurry vision, teariness, vivid violent nightmares and, ultimately, my frail left knee blew out and put me in a wheelchair for 6 months, as it attacks bone density and inflames arthritic or previously injured joints. I was in the nationwide MOST study for precisely that ( damaged and arthritic joints) from 1997-2020. Not a good idea to put me on Anastrozole. Had injections of 32 ml. Of an anti inflammatory and 6 ml. Of Durolane in my left knee on 9/21/2022. Meniscus tear symptoms. Am currently a b.c. Survivor with osteoarthritis , osteoporosis, Type II diabetes and fibromyalgia.

I am terrified of Reclast (endocrinologist) suggested as I have Chrohns' and may not fully absorb Zometa. I am 58 yrs, thin and one year into Letrozole after ILC which has put me into osteoporosis. I also will need a root canal/crown and in general am worried about the side effects of these bio-phophates. My doc thinks I am too much at risk for spine fractures but I may punt and risk even lower bone density. Has anyone been okay with fractures not going on these drugs.? xo

Hi, Sue Ellen,
I’ve always thought that Reclast was the least offensive of all.
What are your concerns with it?
Hubby is supposed to have Reclast in April.

kristie2, Evenity can cause osteonecrosis of the jaw. If you developed the abscess after beginning Evenity, Evenity may be the cause. If you had the abcess before starting Evenity, Evenity may reduce the ability of the abcess to heal. A gum graft while on Evenity, I think, would be ill advised.

I am sorry you are going through this. Look for posts from Windyshores. She is on this site to help encourage others to get treatment because fractures can be so bad. I am right there with you afraid but trying to make the right decision on treatment. Look up the book Grrat Bones. This doctor had several fractures and took forteo years ago and is fine now.
Best Wishes

@gently Can you cite your basis/source for reporting that a gum graft while on Evenity is ill advised? I will have # 15/16 injections in two weeks and I’m slated to have a root canal and future grafts due to recession (not caused by meds). As bone is not impacted by these non-invasive procedures, all docs are on board without cessation of Evenity during treatments.

Osteonecrosis of the Jaw (ONJ): ONJ, which can occur spontaneously, is generally associated with tooth extraction and/or local infection with delayed healing, and has been reported in patients receiving EVENITY®.
https://www.evenityproliahcp.com/#:~:text=Osteonecrosis%20of%20the%20Jaw%20(ONJ,to%20initiation%20of%20EVENITY%C2%AE.
kristie2, osteonecrosis can be an adverse effect. Your doctors know the etiology of the abscess, but I don't think ONJ was signaled in the clinical trial and that might leave practitioners unaware. You might alert them to the danger by asking if (not if they've seen it but) if there is any concern. This can be more gracefully done in a message chart or by fax. But I (nobody's favorite patient) would want a response from both practitioners.
I hope you can proceed with treatment.