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Cortisone and problems with the teeth
- Question
- Dear expert team,
I suffer from CF and take for 3 months cortisone, at the beginning 50mg a day, in the meantime only 10 mg. For about one month I have out of a sudden teeth, that are very sensitive to pain.
The dentist could not really make sense of it and advised me, to use special toothpaste and mouth wash, as well as not cleaning the teeth directly after having eaten fruits, what I did all the time before.
I have followed this for 3 weeks now, however unfortunately the sensitivity to pain has not improved. Unfortunately it is as strong, that it even hurts in case of mineral water at room temperature. I really only can eat cold things if I do not have to chew them, but rahter can swallow them immediately. It also affects not only single points, however the front teeth as well as the back teeth. It seems to me especially harmful between the teeth.
Can this be due to cortisone? Is there any protective layer on the tooth that is destroyed by it? What can one do against it?
Many thanks,
Regards, K. - Answer
- Hello,
a direct correlation between painful teeth and cortisone medication is not known to me. However indeed cortisone influences the calcium metabolism: as calcium is present in a soluble form in the saliva and is involved in the remineralisation of the enamel surface, a reduced calcium fraction in the saliva could impair the enamel surfaces. For relief of the complaints, I can recommend to you the usage of fluorides in toothpasts (e.g. Elmex sensitive®, mouth washes (e.g. Meridol®) and the usage of concentrated fluoride gels once per week (e.g. Elmex Fluor Gel®).
Furthermore you should clean the sensitive dental necks with a soft to middle hard toothbrush with smooth, circling movments. A high pressure, a hard toothbrush and horizontal "scrubbing" have to be avoided.
There are some other reasons possible for a generalized hypersensitivity of the teeth: as nightly pressing and grinding with the teeth, that is done often unconsciously also during the day, can lead to a total "overirritaion" of the teeth. Here a bite splint and also phsiotherapy could be helpful.
Many greetings,
Michael Sies - 21.07.2014
