Ahhh, The Dentist...

[Corkdarrr]

I have read and skimmed over seemingly hundreds of posts about visiting the dentist since going gluten-free in July. However this morning...or really ever since two days ago when the office called to confirm my appointment, my brain has not actually been functioning.

I completely forgot about the whole dental products/gluten relationship.

I am so miserable. Uch. It hit me right around when I got to work. And I've been serving drinks and talking to people and smiling.

Really, I just want to sit here - in the office with the lights off curled up in an impossibly small ball on the chair.

When I got here I actually started writing a poem about my glutening. Not that I am functioning well enough to remember any of it, but I will tell you that it was quite clever. Rhyming and such.

Accidental glutenings through sheer stupidity make me so mad. Having my teeth cleaned wasn't FUN. It wasn't DELICIOUS. It hurt and my face got all wet and slobbery.

I should just go and eat some cheese sticks after work since I already feel like total a$$.

Writhing in my own stupidity,

Courtney

[MySuicidalTurtle]

What did you get glutened by? I asked my dentist years ago to make sure everything was good for me and confirm with each visit and have never had a problem. Next time be sure to check everything out so you don't feel bad because that just sucks, Courtney.

[ravenwoodglass]

Boy can I sure sympathize. I think I finally found a good one though he is letting me check everything so there will be no doubt. You can get work done and not get glutened at the dentist, but it sure isn't easy. I had one who checked everything and even asked before she put gauze in my mouth but she is out of the area now and many dentists have a 'well that's not going to be in the stuff we use' attitude and just don't check. If you like this office call tommorrow tell them you reacted and ask if they will let you call on the products they will use if they don't time.

[Sophiekins]

Don't I wish I could go to the dentist without getting glutened. . .I've had the celiac disease diagnosis for 6 years now (that's 12 dentist visits, folks) and my dentist manages to gluten me without fail. We switched from flavoured tooth polishing paste to plain pumice to pressure wash; we stopped doing flouride treatments, she switched to gluten-free, latex free gloves and tools, she's stopped using gauze and cotton rolls. . .and guess what glutened me this time. . .yep, that's right, the FLOSS!! (Admittedly, I am hyper-sensitive). So I've given up - I get a dental exam (the bit where the actual dentist scrapes and prods your teeth) and that's it: no floss, no polishing, and no hygenist gets within ten feet of my mouth. And then I practice obsessive compulsive dental hygiene at home and pray I don't get cavities etc. . .

[Nooner]

I'm sorry you feel bad, Courtney!

I saw my dentist yesterday, first time since going gluten free. Very nerve-wracking. I was super paranoid, stressing I have allergies, allergies, and more allergies. Actually they are intolerances, but the dentist didn't seem to know the difference, and "allergy" makes them sit up and take notice. So anyway, I asked for powder-free gloves, and plain pumice, and managed to make it out safely. I guess my paranoia was worth it. I had the hygienist so nervous by the time I left, I felt bad...but I didn't get sick, so I got over it!

And in all honesty, the plain pumice was better than the nasty, artificially flavored stuff they use normally. I told my husband about it, and he's going to ask for plain pumice when he goes in, even though he doesn't have to worry about reactions.

I hope you feel better soon, and that next time is better!

[Corkdarrr]

The worst part is that it's totally and completely my fault for my brain shutting off. Never did the hint of a request even escape my lips...I just plum forgot!

Luckily it seems to be a rather mild glutening as compared to others. So now I'm definately glad I didn't go out for cheesesticks after work. Either way, it seems like the worst of it has passed.

Can I get some sort of reminder in July before my next visit?!

[ravenwoodglass]

The worst part is that it's totally and completely my fault for my brain shutting off. Never did the hint of a request even escape my lips...I just plum forgot!

Luckily it seems to be a rather mild glutening as compared to others. So now I'm definately glad I didn't go out for cheesesticks after work. Either way, it seems like the worst of it has passed.

Can I get some sort of reminder in July before my next visit?!

What you need to do is call the dentist, tell him to note the gluten 'allergy' in your charts and ask them to check everything before it is used on you. Offer to call yourself on all products they use if you have the time and the inclination. Don't trust it to memory and ask the person who schedules to mark the celiac beside your appointment in the book so they will remind you and themselves when they give you an appointment reminder call. Reaction intensities and presentations can change and if you do happen to need emergency work done at some time for a broken tooth etc. if they are glutening you when treated it can impede your healing ability and time. It's important that they pay attention to this

[Corkdarrr]

What you need to do is call the dentist, tell him to note the gluten 'allergy' in your charts and ask them to check everything before it is used on you. Offer to call yourself on all products they use if you have the time and the inclination. Don't trust it to memory and ask the person who schedules to mark the celiac beside your appointment in the book so they will remind you and themselves when they give you an appointment reminder call. Reaction intensities and presentations can change and if you do happen to need emergency work done at some time for a broken tooth etc. if they are glutening you when treated it can impede your healing ability and time. It's important that they pay attention to this

That is an excellent suggestion - Thanks!

[Aimee D.]

What you need to do is call the dentist, tell him to note the gluten 'allergy' in your charts and ask them to check everything before it is used on you. Offer to call yourself on all products they use if you have the time and the inclination. Don't trust it to memory and ask the person who schedules to mark the celiac beside your appointment in the book so they will remind you and themselves when they give you an appointment reminder call. Reaction intensities and presentations can change and if you do happen to need emergency work done at some time for a broken tooth etc. if they are glutening you when treated it can impede your healing ability and time. It's important that they pay attention to this

I have been bombarded with cavities, cracked and broken teeth and many, many tooth infections this last year, unfortunately, prior to my diagnosis of celiac desease. Every time a dental procedure was done on my teeth I ended up with minor infections that would require antibiotic treatment and one Entodontist even put me on steriods for a short time. I was unaware until reading these posts that cleanings can gluten me. I will be sure and mention this before my next one. Just last week I printed and delivered a copy of these study results that were completed in 1990 in Finland. I gave this particular study to my dentist because it is short, to the point and very easy to understand. My dentist told me he was unfamiliar with celiac desease, but would be willing to research it and see what he could find out.

Sorry for all this, but I'm on my soap box now.. I just want to ask you guys to give your Dentist this oppurtunity to save themselves a lot of work and their patients a lot of discomfort. I believe that they could all play a major roll in early diagnosis and I know that's is something we are all concearned with.

Dental enamel defects in celiac disease.Aine L, Maki M, Collin P, Keyrilainen O.

Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University Hospital of Tampere, Finland.

The teeth of 40 adults aged 19 to 67 yr with celiac disease (celiac disease) were examined for dental enamel defects (ED). A total of 33 of the 40 adults with celiac disease (83%) had systematic ED in contrast to only 5 of the 112 clinical controls (4%). Unspecific enamel lesions were found in both groups, but they were more common in the control group (80% vs. 18%). Altogether 69% of the permanent teeth in adults with celiac disease were found to be defected, in clinical controls only 19%. In adults with celiac disease the ED were in contrast to those in controls symmetrically and chronologically distributed in all four sections of dentition. The present study clearly shows that symmetrically and chronologically distributed enamel defects are strongly associated with celiac disease. Therefore in the absence of symptoms and signs of malabsorption dentists could easily select the right patients possibly suffering from celiac disease for gastroenterologic consultations.

PMID: 2401959 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]