Monday, April 15, 2013

Lyme Disease and Teeth

I've been having a lot of issues lately with my teeth and I'm not exactly sure why.  My teeth have been breaking for the last month or so, and I will admit that because of the neuro-lyme I do forget to brush them from time to time... but with that being said, I KNOW there is no way that I've forgotten to brush them so often for these problems to develop.

About a month ago a tooth broke while eating a bagel.  I went to the dentist, he did an x-ray, and my teeth, both upper and lower, and same tooth on left and right have some serious cavities.  Between that first visit and yesterday, (I've had three appointments to get these teeth fixed), one tooth decayed completely to the point of it almost being completely gone on the inside, and it wasn't even a problem area on the x-ray.  Saturday another tooth broke, and this morning while flossing a third broke and came out on the floss.

I know that Lyme can cause a lot of problems all over the body, and I know it can cause pain in the mouth and on the teeth, which I've experienced before.  But I've never heard of, or know of anyone whose lost their teeth due to lyme.

I've been doing a bunch of research and what I've been coming up with is that, possibly, this could be due to low manganese in my body.  A recent study came out saying that Lyme is the only living organism on this planet that uses manganese to live rather than iron.  Because of this, I can imagine that the typical lyme patient probably has a lower level of manganese than others.  Low manganese in the body can cause side effects that usually lymies suffer anyways... seizures, infertility, but it can also cause issues with bone development.  I do believe that possibly that is ONE part of why my teeth are breaking like they are.

Here's the second part.  Long term use of antibiotics cause issues, as we know, with yeast infections, and problems with our digestive tracts.  The reason it does this is because the antibiotics, simply, do not know the difference between "good" bacteria and "bad" bacteria and kills off all bacteria in our body.  The bacteria that our bodies use to help regular the yeast, or our digestion is usually killed off, which is why anyone on antibiotics have to be extra careful and usually have to take probiotics.  This is also true with the teeth.  The enzyme that fights the bad bacteria in our mouths that cause cavities are being killed away too, making it much easier for cavities to form.

The only thing I'm having an issue understanding about this issue is why are these cavities forming on the inside of the tooth?  That doesn't seem possible to me.  And the locations of where the decay having, being symmetrical on right/left/top/and bottom can't be a coincidence.  Nor can it be a coincidence that since changing to a new medication regiment of flagyl and cleocin have my teeth started to break.  I think location might have something to do with circulation and the location of arteries in the jaw.

Let's just say I'm very unhappy with this "new" development.  Since I was very little I've had constant nightmares of losing my teeth.  When my first tooth broke a month ago I honestly thought it was a dream.  I'm very unhappy.

Anyone who might have more information about lyme and it's reaction with teeth, or have had similar experiences, I'd love to know.

2 comments:

  1. Hey Jamie!

    I know this is coming a bit late but I, too, had the same issues between six months and a year after contracting Lyme. I went from perfect dental health to having two teeth randomly break and, eventually, having six pulled. Granted, four of them were wisdom teeth but I had never even had problems with those. I knew that Lyme can cause tooth "pain" but nothing more so I never put the two together until I recently read an article about Candida/oral thrush directly causing tooth decay. And I'm sure you know about Lyme causing an overgrowth of Candida. Since having all of those teeth pulled, I've stayed on an anti-Candida diet and have had no problems except the occasional dull pain. Recently, however, I went WAY off my diet and, though my Lyme seems relatively under control, am having a reoccurence of both Candida and severe pain. I fear I may have another cavity coming on.

    I think that there are probably many ways that Lyme disease/treatment can cause tooth decay but, for me, I think Candida is the major issue. I didn't know that I had Lyme when I was having major problems so I wasn't taking antibiotics and I have never had an issue with Manganese deficiency. Also, in regards to this current outbreak, I am doing Samento/Banderol treatment so, still, there are no abx involved.

    I hope you've resolved this issue since you posted but, if not, maybe this will help.

    Best of luck!
    Janean

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  2. My whole family lives on wild California where severe lyme and c o infectious got my entire family chronic lyme. My mom has lost and broken many teeth. She just tested negative. Thank God as did I after 7years. Post Lyme pain is there still and moms teeth falling apart are serious and I pray our l snd selks and she can get the detal care asap. Ps, I am a believer in antibiotics but add prayer, I know Yeshua, Jesus Christ healed us.

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