crown is making saliva thick and dried. Feels like peeling.

@lucybunyard
Do you know what reasons your rheumatologist has in saying your crown is highly suspect?
I'm having teeth trouble too, pain after root canals and crowns.
Take care,
Jake

Welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. So sorry for what you are experiencing. May you soon find relief.

It was a two fold reason. My numbers (14 normal) had at some point gotten to 21. WHen rechecked they were at 17. I have not ever had any symptoms of Sjogren's Syndrome, and it has been 20 years. Second, my mouth had "peeled" (probably dried saliva) with the first temporary crown I had 10 years earlier. When the crown broke this time, I didn't think anything about it when it peeled with this temporary. I thought it would subside when the permanent crown was put in. It DIDN"T.. That was the end of March. My mouth is in terrible shape. I have such dry mouth that nothing helps. So, basically because I had had no symptoms of Sjogren's and it was only 3 days after the temporary that all this began..... My doc thinks it's the crown. She wouldn't say that outright. She said that all she could do was to treat the symptoms, but she didn't think it was the Sjogren's.

Someone, a former dentist, replied to my comment early on. I just posted late last night. I had to leave home because of a family emergency this morning. I didn't get to read the entire comment, but I know it was very helpful. I cannot find the post now. Could you send it to me again? I believe she was stating that the crown didn't fit.... Please send it again. I really need your help.

@lucybunyard Welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect! You’ve come to the right place, but it may take a few days. I am so sorry to hear about the excessive saliva. I can only imagine how difficult it is. Have you been to an ENT (ear, nose, throat doctor) who can do a thorough inspection of your mouth?
And artificial saliva that may help dilute the sticky saliva?
I have reported your previous post to the moderators who might be aware of the “former dentist.”
Did you rheumatologist or dentist offer any help at all?

Well, I discovered what happened to the post. I got out for spellcheck and lost it. I was able to get your's back. Let me do this again. I have been to my rheumatologist, ENT, a periodontist, doctor, my mom's doctor, and have a second opinion scheduled with another rheumatologist. My rheumatologist listened to me and let me cry. She said she could treat the symptom but was suspect of the tooth. She also did a follow up with me about 3 weeks later. When I went to my doctor, looking in my mouth scared her to death. She put me on a lot of medicines, that didn't help. I hadn't seen my ENT for years. He helped me before with something unrelated. He checked everything and really couldn't offer me anything. He even checked my hearing...He is one of the very best in Arkansas. I went to a periodontist that my dentist recommended. He stated that the crown should be 3 mm (I think) from my other teeth. He stated that one side looked good but said nothing about the other side. I know it is sitting right up against the other tooth. The original dentist, I have called many times. I have even gone by there, and he's an hour from me. He denies it is the tooth. His receptionist says that he's been doing this since 1972, and his dad did it before that. She says that I can pay an office visit for him to tell me the same. He is a Christian man, and I really like him. He just hasn't ever encountered this before evidently. I know that my mouth peeled the first time I had a temporary crown 10 years ago. It stopped when I got the real crown. I was sure that I had told him that back then. I peeled with the temp this time too. I thought it would stop again, but it got much worse. So I am out of ideas. My husband and I discussed coming to Minnesota to Mayo. We have radio stations in Arkansas. I have about 100 people that count on me, not including my family. It's impossible to get away for an extended time. About ten days is all I have, and that has to be well planned out. I am just at my wits end. Yesterday was a very bad day. Today has been a little better. If everyday was like yesterday, I couldn't make it. The former dentist gave me hope. Hope is something I haven't had for some time. I got my temporary crown, and this started at the end of February. From the point of reference of my health, that seems like an eternity ago. It did state "former dentist" as the lady that responded to me. I certainly hope you can find her for me. I would like to chat with her. I want to make a copy of her message to me. She was very specific with her instructions. She talked with assertiveness. I was so happy to find someone who knew what I was talking about. I really appreciate you too for getting back with me. I hope I have answered all your questions. If you have more, just ask. Oh, and the crown set up against my cheek. I can feel it all the time. That is also where my saliva glands are....I think. If one set of the saliva glands runs across the cheek on the inside, then those are swollen. The one against the crown has a sore on it....

@lucybunyard Dental materials and metals in them can cause immune problems. I had this situation myself unknowingly for years. I had old silver amalgam fillings from the 70's and crowns and bridgework that were porcelain over metal jackets with stainless steel posts inside. Unfortunately, I determined a lot of my dental future when I broke my teeth as a kid.

I developed autoimmune Hashimoto's Thyroiditis, which according to my environmental allergy doctor was being caused by the old silver fillings. After removal of all of these fillings, my blood work for the autoimmune response improved very significantly from being off the charts high to a low readable level. When root canals began to fail under the crowns and bridgework, I opted for dental implants made of Zirconium and new teeth also carved from Zirconium. For the first time since I was a kid, my body was metal free. I felt better immediately and my asthma improved a lot. Then 4 months later, I broke my ankle and got titanium plates internally. 6 months later I had chronic hives that kept me on antihistamines, discolored skin over the site of the plates, and I had throbbing pain all the time and my asthma got worse again. I had that hardware removed after a year and a half which resolved these problems. I used to have pierced ears, and had to give that up because of skin reactions to metals.

I know that my body reacts to foreign materials and metals. The doctor who advised me to have the silver fillings removed was an environmental allergy doctor in the American Academy of Environmental Medicine. (AAEM). There is a search for these providers at https://www.aaemonline.org/. He advised me to see a biological dentist who's practice was to use less toxic materials for restorations that are considered bio-compatible. The ceramic material of Zirconium achieves this without toxic substances or metals and it looks like real tooth enamel. Some restoration compounds contain metals for longevity of the material against the grinding action of the teeth.

Of course everyone is different in how they react to foreign materials in their body when it is subjected to body fluids. When you get to toxic overload, that is when there are symptoms related to the exposure.

Of note, is the practice of the Environmental Health Center Dallas, https://www.ehcd.com/ , that pioneered the field of Environmental Medicine. They have some treatments and information listed on their website. I didn't just jump to remove my dental work as that is quite expensive, but when the old root canals began failing, it was the logical choice and my health improved. I had another test for the Hashimoto's, and it shows I am borderline now, so not actuality having the diagnosis anymore after several years. This is a complete turnaround from the days when the levels were so high, the blood tests couldn't register how high.

Have you heard of biological dentistry before? I know pulling teeth is a big decision and is expensive, and painful. I have had 4 removed, and then bone grafts, and surgery to place the implants that screw in after a hole is drilled in the healed bone. This isn't the same thing that is advertised a lot where full mouth dentures are secured on several dental implants. The lab made the specific teeth off of impressions from my mouth. It's a very long process, but it was worth it. It does take extra care to keep things clean and avoid infections that could happen from trapped food. Dental implants can fail. Some are made of titanium, and that would have caused more problems for me. Luckily, I was able to have the ceramic Zirconium implants.

Jennifer

@lucybunyard You mentioned going to Mayo Clinic but also said that so many people depend on you. Here is a link to the Mayo Clinic network. The network includes many hospitals that follow the same protocols as Mayo and have access to their doctors. Why not call one that is nearer than Mayo and explain your problem and see if you can get an appointment.
https://www.mayoclinic.org/about-mayo-clinic/care-network/network-members
Has anyone given you antibiotics?

I will call them, and no, I Have not been given antibiotics. Things are getting worse... I got this crown about the 3rd week of March. I had the temporary put in at the end of February. It's really something how much worse it is each day. The artificial saliva only helps for a little bit. I can only take 4 a day. When the doc first gave them, they worked like a charm, and I only took 2 a day. That has been just days ago..... I also wash my mouth with Biotene. I drink a lot but now am avoiding a lot of drinks and food.... I have lost more weight. I am not good.

Jennifer, I am sorry you are going through that and have been for a long time. I have found your information very helpful. I am going to contact a medical clinic in Searcy, AR. They are associated with the Mayo Clinic and have access to their doctors. I will definitely keep this in mind. I can just as easily go to Dallas. Dallas is actually closer for me. I have already been to a periodontist in Longview, TX. My dentist sent me to him.... He told me a lot of stuff I didn't know but dismissed me when he found out I had been diagnosed with Sjogren's Syndrome 20+ years ago with no symptoms yet. He blamed it on the disease. I know this is a symptom, but my test results have actually gotten better not worse over the years. I have been monitored every 6 months. He just went to Sjogren's and was done. That was his answer. I need someone who has seen this before. The former dentist that responded to me said that the crown was too tight and didn't fit. She deleted her response to me. My dentist said everything is exactly the same as the crown he took out.... He certainly had a tough time getting this one in there. It took two tries., and it seemed he worked on me forever! He also ground part of it off the top and edges. I have wondered if I got the correct crown or if something I am allergic to is coming out of that crown that is now rough on top.