MEDICAL MATTERS
- Medical Matters features questions asked by Members of the ME Association on health-related topics.
- Dr Charles Shepherd and the ME Association's other advisers answer these questions by sharing their expert knowledge.
- Medical Matters is based on the popular ‘Ask the Doctor’ series in ME Essential magazine.
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Questions in the Category: Teeth
Dental implants and dentures
Over the last 10 weeks, I have had to have a fair amount of treatment, including four extractions, as a result of irreparable, cracked teeth. When examining a panoral x-ray, my dentist also identified three fillings that needed replacing. Needless to to say, the combination of pain, infection, distress, local anaesthetic and the effort of many visits to the dental surgery, has had a detrimental effect on my ME. I would have classed myself as a moderate to bad sufferer before all this trouble but it's definitely bad now. Hopefully, with careful pacing over time I will improve. That glass of mine is always half full.
My dilemma is what best to do regarding my missing teeth. As well as these four recent extractions, I had previously lost three others. I can still chew well enough on the right side of my mouth but my dentist has suggested implant replacements when my mouth has healed and I am, hopefully, a little stronger. I have to confess I am not keen, due to the potential risk of infection and the need for antibiotics, which I do not tolerate well. I was thinking more along the line of dentures, although I realise these can be troublesome. I would not feel confident at bridging the gaps either, given the fragile nature of my teeth in general. I will be 59 in September, just in case age is relevant.
Dental: Pain
I’m very prone to pain in my teeth. When I mentioned this to my OT she said that she hadn’t heard of that before as an ME/CFS symptom but could be connected to the central nervous system. My dentist tends to say that if there was a problem it would be obvious in a particular tooth or it could be tooth grinding especially at night. I don’t feel it is this as I tend to sleep with my mouth open and I don’t wake up with pain usually but it will come on during the day. Symptoms are varied ranging from a general tension and pressure, generalised aching pain in either the top or bottom teeth, or throbbing pain in certain teeth. The deep throbbing does tend to be in “ vulnerable “ teeth i.e. ones with deep fillings.
Sometimes I will get a very bad pain e.g. back molar on right lower side then the exact same tooth throbs on the other side. Of course I realise I need to discuss this again with my dentist at the next check up. However, I wondered if people with ME/CFS are more susceptible to tooth pain generally? Have even wondered if it’s stress? It’s been particularly bad these last few months and I can’t say I’ve been any more stressed than usual!
Symptoms: Jaw pain in ME/CFS
I’ve been having pain in and around my jaw for several months. My GP can’t find anything wrong but I’ve read that there is a condition called temperomandibular joint disorder which causes jaw pain and is said to be more common in ME. Is this true? And what can I do when I have a GP who doesn’t seem to know anything about how to diagnose or treat this condition?
Dr Charles Shepherd
Dr Shepherd has been Trustee and Hon. Medical Adviser to the ME Association for more than 40 years. He is integral to the charity's activities and provides information and support based on his professional knowledge, personal experience as a doctor with ME/CFS, and the understanding gained from helping many thousands of people with the condition. He was a member of the comittee responsible for the 2021 NICE Clinical Guideline and is a recognised expert on ME/CFS in the UK. His knowledge extends to Post-Viral Fatigue Syndromes (PVFS), Myalgic Encephalopathy/Encephalomyelitis (ME), Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS), and Post-Acute Sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC) or Long Covid.
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Medical Matters is based on the popular ‘Ask the Doctor‘ series featured in the highly-regarded member’s magazine, ME Essential, and in the healthcare professional magazine, ME Medical. Both are produced by the ME Association and published as hard-copy magazines every 3 months and sent to members and healthcare professionals by post to home or business addresses.
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