Dental decay

[patgayle]

Good day my fellow CALS, just wondering if anyone has any experience with tooth decay in their PAL. My husbands gums are receeding a lot, and his breath could knock you over. Considering the amount of meds he is on, extraction is a scary idea, he is completely immobile and getting him to the hospital is going to be a huge production as we live on top of a hill in a 3rd world country. Has anyone had experience taking teeth from their PAL when in a fairly advanced stage of the disease. A dentist here is willing to make a house call to give me his opinion, but any other help would be most appreciated.

 

[lgelb]

I can't speak for an extraction in a PALS, only fillings, but my husband had several extractions as a complex congenital heart disease pt and there is no combination of rx I can think of that would necessarily rule out an extraction; they can use a bite block, etc. to hold his mouth open if need be. My husband has been on warfarin, several antihypertensives, antidiabetic agents, etc. during his extractions. Nor do I see any reason that a competent dentist could not do a simple extraction in a home setting, with appropriate followup. But on what you shared so far, he may well not require an extraction, so see what the dentist says...

 

[patgayle]

The dentist told my PAL that he needed 3 teeth removed. My PAL refused. The dentist is now going to bring a portable cleaning machine with suction and give his mouth/teeth a good cleaning, then we will start using a mouthwash which has an antibiotic with floride in it once a week and see how it goes. The dentist is confident that he can take the teeth out when the time comes. Only time will tell if we sill go down the extraction route, as he is not feeling any pain, we will let it go for now, and try not to get knocked out by his bad breath