Dental Cavities on Prednisone
My husband was diagnosed with PMR 1.5 years ago. His rheumatologist has him on 7 mg prednisone daily plus 8 mg methotrexate one day a week. He started on 30 mg prednisone. The past three dental exams have found six or seven cavities that needed fillings. We were not informed about this possible side effect when starting prednisone. The dental bills are insane! Has anyone been able to convince their medical insurance to cover this? It’s not caused by bad dental hygiene. It’s a result of the prednisone to fight the PMR.
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I also have gum problems it is much worse since I am on Prednisone over one year already down to 2 mg .
also bone in gum problems .
@gmdb
Prednisone can do both. It affects people differently. It can swell and then recede the gums (or any tissue).
Gum tissue can/will recede with age FASTER on prednisone. I developed severe bone loss due to developing deep gum cavities collecting plaque and bacteria in less than a year. There were no visible signs outside the gum. It was all deep down. Periodontist thinks prednisone played a factor.
It could also be because of minute cracking due to grinding my teeth (a listed side effect of prednisone). I have to get two teeth removed - one above, one below where they prominently meet and grind in the back. Nowhere else in my mouth. She even said it seemed like the prednisone played a big factor.
I don't care what the original poster says - prednisone contributes to cavities and gum disease. If he was ever on the drug himself he would know the side effects which could very likely contribute (which he seemed unaware of). Altered mouth biome, increased acidity, bone density loss/osteoporosis, swelling/shrinking of gums, more frequent snacking and grinding of teeth - to name just a few
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1 ReactionAlso prednisone is prescribed specifically to stunt the growth/production of rapidly producing cells in order to combat the body's overreaction of it's immune system that causes cancer, auto-immune disorders etc..I don't know of the studies (but there should be some) - gum tissue is certainly at risk for stunted cell growth as it a tissue that rapidly reproduces cells.
Eye cells/sight are effected by prednisone, hair follicle cells are effected by prednisone, etc. etc. and I'm willing to bet gum tissue suffers from it too - not regaining as we know it doesn't - thus receding after initial inflammation - causing gaps etc.. Whatever is going on it isn't helping.
@mmavl
I don't really know but I seemed to have more dental problems when I was on Prednisone. My dentist didn't know what effect Prednisone might have but she recommended more frequent cleanings and check-ups. I think she had my best interests in mind and wasn't trying to profit from me being on Prednisone.
Prednisone replaces the hormone cortisol that our bodies naturally produce. It is said that cortisol affects nearly every cell in the body. However the body tightly controls and carefully regulates how much cortisol is circulating in the body and when it is circulating. Too much and too little cortisol can have a profound effect on our health and well being.
Prednisone is a synthetic corticosteroid designed to mimic cortisol. We and our doctors are in charge of the amount of Prednisone we ingest. The control mechanisms that precisely regulate cortisol don;t control how much prednisone we take and when we take prednisone.
We can't begin to replicate the regulation of cortisol that our body does. It makes sense that Prednisone has some effect on our mouth and every other part of the body.
Here is what artificial intelligence says Prednisone's impact on the mouth.
"Impact on the Mouth
Prednisone and other corticosteroids can cause specific oral side effects, particularly when taken orally for long periods or used via inhalers:
Oral Thrush (Fungal Infection): Due to the immune-suppressing effects, users are at higher risk for oral infections, including thrush.
Altered Saliva: Long-term consumption can increase saliva viscosity and reduce its pH, potentially impacting oral health, dental integrity, and causing a "dry mouth" sensation.
Slowed Healing: Cuts, sores, or dental surgery sites in the mouth may take longer to heal.
Swelling: While not limited to the mouth, systemic fluid retention can cause puffiness, including in the lips and face."
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I like artificial intelligence. It is a compilation of everything humans think they know and don't know. I don't think human knowledge is very reliable. The correlation between Prednisone being artificial and what artificial intelligence knows about prednisone is an interesting construct.
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1 Reaction@dadcue
AI just summarizes what is already published and spits it out in a nutshell. It’s a convenient tool for information.
I used PubMed to look at the relationship between periodontal disease and prednisone. In this, the first article listed, MS patients were divided into two groups. One group took prednisone for 1 to 4 years and the other group did not. I am just coping the last sentence of the abstract.
I
Corticosteroid therapy and periodontal disease
B Safkan, M Knuuttila
PMID: 6592177 DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-051x.1984.tb00903.x
Abstract
It was concluded that corticosteroid therapy maintained over 1-4 years had no obvious influence on clinical parameters of periodontal disease in patients suffering from neurological disease.
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