Question:
Dental Problems 2 years Post Op

I'm a little over 2 years post op, I'm at my goal weight and feeling really good. The problem is my teeth. Since about 8 months out I've started having dental problems. My dentist will fix a tooth and 3 weeks later it is killing me and needs repaired again. I've lost 7 teeth, have a partial, and had 9 fillings. Not to mention the cracks in my teeth. After all this I'm going to lose what teeth I have left. My dentist is wondering if this is a being caused by WLS. He ask if I was throwing up a lot, I'm not, on a rare occasion I might. I brush 3 times a day and floss. Did anyone's dentis attend anykind of class/seminar that talks about dental problems resulting from WLS? My dentist is willing to go to one if anyone knows of one in the Modesto/Stockton CA area. Thanks    — Gail M. (posted on July 23, 2003)

July 23, 2003
Since I had heard on this website that post-ops seem to have increased dental problems (though I don't know if these reports arose from anecdotal evidence, or if an actual research study had been done), I asked my dentist about it at my last visit. He could not imagine any reason to explain a connection, and had not heard or seen anything in his dental literature about it. I suggested that it might be a calcium absorption problem, but he told me no, that calcium doesn't leech out of your teeth like it does in bones--that once calcium is in the teeth, it's there for good. He did say that there are increased reports of women having dental problems after giving birth that don't seem to be explained in medical research, so he did not discount the possibility that dental problems and WLS are related, he just couldn't imagine how.
   — Vespa R.

July 23, 2003
And, it is possible that your teeth could have done this WLS or not; as not all problems encountered after WLS are WLS caused or even related. What is the history of teeth in your family?
   — Karen R.

July 23, 2003
Hello Gail: I am 2 yrs post op next month and I am having severe dental problems. 4 teeth just broke off for no reason at all and now I have to have 2double bridges and 1 triple put in and none of this is covered in my dental insurance. I have crappy dental insurance. My out of pocket expense is going to be about $9,000. If you hear anything about what is happening with our teeth being related to WLS let me know....I am going to try and see if I can get my health insurance to start paying for some of this. It too is a crappy HMO, so I probably won't get far with them. I'll save you in my address book and keep you updated....Just so that you know also, I have broken 4 fingers and 1 toe in the last year also. My fingers broke just picking up stuff, so I feel that I am becoming very calcium defecient...but all my labs and bone density tests are fine....Go figure.....Stay in touch....
   — Joi G.