Losing teeth after RNY????

I'm finding more and more people complaining about dental issues and losing all of their teeth after RNY.  I hadn't heard of this prior to now, and I've researched surgery for many, many years.  Anyone experience this??  Anyone have no issues at all??  

Thanks!!

My husband has RNY many years ago and just had 11 teeth pulled. He insists that it is because of gastric bypass, but my personal opinion is that since his sister (who is 35) and his mother who is 70 are also missing half their teeth and are not surgical patients- for him at least it is genetic.

My SIL had an RNY over 10 years ago.  She recently had all of her teeth pulled.

I think it's more attributable to her regular use of crystal meth and refusal to take her vitamins and supplements.  She's also been hospitalized several times for anemia and required blood transfusions.

Non-compliant patients seem to have complications in many forms down the road.  

I have read of people losing teeth after any/all of the malabsorptive surgeries. That said it is yet another reason to keep up with ones vitamins and supplements after these surgeries.

No one I know at work or in my local support group has lost any teeth.  Most are 5-10 yrs post-op, too.

None of the studies I've read mentioned tooth loss, either.

There is a genuine issue of reduced bone density, and I suppose that could have some relationship to tooth loss.  But the reason for lowered bone density after bariatric surgery is not known;  they don't know if it's from the surgery or simply due to lots of weight loss.  Because the one positive effect of obesity is better bone density, and when anyone loses a lot of weight, no matter their method, their bone density tends to decrease.

Perhaps the bone density drops because the body realizes it doesn't have all that weight to support anymore?

from what I can tell just from my reading, it can happen but it's not common.  The best thing you can do to prevent it is keep up with your supplements and have regular dental care.

 I did ask my dentist about it once because I was really worried about it, and he said he hasn't seen it with any his WLS patients.  He went on to say that if it happens to some people, it could be due to noncompliance (i.e., not keeping on top of your supplements) or it could be due to increased acid in the saliva.  He put me on a prescription toothpaste (with high fluoride) and does a fluoride varnish on my teeth every six months now because I was so concerned about it.  He said that should really help prevent any damage if I'm one of those who has saliva that's too acidic.

I've been working in dental 11 years and not once have one of my patients had that as a reason for losing teeth. It's either genetic or poor oral hygiene and they are using the surgery as an excuse as to why they are needing to be pulled. I can tell you that most people don't want to take responsibility for the state of their teeth and will find any which way to make an excuse to make them feel like it's not their fault. Dehydration may be the only reason a person has trouble with their teeth because when your mouth is dry, food will stick to teeth and eventually cause decay. But if you are making regular visits to your dentist, I wouldn't worry much. That's why we take xrays regularly and request you have an exam at least every 6 months to monitor your oral health. 

No worries sweetie...your teeth will be fine!

I am 7.5 years out from RNY and my teeth are great. I get them cleaned every six months and remind my dentist I had RNY just in case he notices anything wrong. He said he does not see a problem with his patients simply because they had weight loss surgery.

Of all the people I know of in real life who had WLS (and I know hundreds), I know 2 with really bad teeth, but they had bad teeth prior to their surgery.

I have a lot of dental problems. A LOT. But I've been in three very serious car accidents, have genetically poor teeth to begin with, and, due to other health issues, I have serious 'dry mouth'... And, contrary to what some may say, 'dry mouth' isn't about dehydration, it's about not producing enough saliva, which does lead to dental problems. Yes, I've had RnY, and yes, I have a lot of dental problems but none of my dentists, doctors, or I feel that the two are connected in any way.