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: Dental Hygiene

Dental: Anaesthetics

ME Essential Winter 2023

My dentist has told me about a drug in regular use as a local anaesthetic in dentistry, which is stronger than Citanest, called Mepivacane. I need a lower molar removed and would feel more comfortable with it should the need arise. I occasionally suffer from palpitations so wish to avoid adrenaline if possible. What is your opinion of the relative merits of these anaesthetics for someone with ME/CFS?

Dental: Pain

ME Essential Summer 2021

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!

Symptom: Mouth Ulcers

ME Essential Autumn 2018

Is there any connection between recurrent mouth ulcers and ME? I have always had them since childhood and have been told that they can be stress-related, and that there is no underlying infection present.

Last year I had quite a few nasty mouth ulcers and was prescribed antibiotics because I had a secondary infection in the ulcers. Since then the ulcers have become more regular and persistent.

Charles Shepherd

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