Kickas.org Forums Ankylosing Spondylitis General Discussion #1 AS Web Support Group Post Dentist Visit Flare Up

Hello all,

I have been managing AS with the NSD for the past year or so and it has been going relatively well. I have cheated from time to time and the results were usually minor - stiffness for a day or two. But within half a day of visiting the dentist for a routine checkup and cleaning I had a flare up that harkens back to the old days: shooting pain down the leg, general malaise, the whole magilla. I guess it could be something else but the only thing that really stands out is my visit to the dentist. Has anyone else experienced a flareup after a dental visit? All she did was a cleaning, polishing, and a floride treatment. I spoke to her a couple of days later and she said that she hasn't heard of anyone having a reaction like the one I described and she mentioned that the floride concentration of the polish and floride rinse was quite high (2%).

She was nice enough to provide some of the information on the products that she used (apparently they won't give her a full ingredient list though, just the active ingredients):

POLISHING PASTE

Contains:
2.7% Sodium Fluoride (1.23% Fluoride Ion)

Manufactured by:
DENTSPLY Professional
DENTSPLY International
York, PA 17404
Customer Service: (800) 989-8826


FLUORIDE RINSE

Contains:
2% Neutral Sodium Fluoride

Denti-Care
Denti-Rinse
Mint Flavour

Any thoughts?
Shane

Hey Bubba, I've experienced this. Personally, I think that even ifyou're only in there for cleaning and fluoride, the pressure they put on your skull, jaw and neck as they yank and poke and prod causes reaction pressure down the spine. Not to mention the whole having to sit still, semi-upsidedown for however long it takes.

What I do find odd is that your dentist wasn't able to tell you the non-active ingredients in the products she used. Don't we have laws about that in Canada? Hell, my soap has a more comprehensive list of ingredients than that fluoride did.

Sorry to hear how you were affected, regardless of what caused it. That just bites. If you'll excuse the pun.

Hugs,

Bubba, I go to the Dentist for a cleaning and checkup every four months. Just being in that chair that is so flat and reclines you back into a very awkward position is murder on my back. I get a flareup every time I leave the Dentist and I've even told this to the Dental Hygienist who has tried to make me more comfortable with pillows behind my head but it is still painfull. Perhaps this is the problem you are having and not the chemicals used on you.
Steve.

I've had this happen before but the last time I went to the dentist I didn't have any problem. This is pure speculation but I'm wondering if the cleaning (especially scraping at the gumline) could possibly let some bacteria loose into the bloodstream causing an immune reaction. This could account for any general malaise or flu type symptoms. My reasoning on this is that the main difference between my previous visits and my most recent one is that now I'm on an antibiotic based treatment. My dentist also told me that my gums had much less swelling than they did previously when they measured the depths of the gums at each tooth. He showed me the before and after chart and all the numbers had gone down by one or two. He attributed the better gums to the antibiotics I'm on and also mentioned they often prescribe antibiotics before major work on people because of the bacteria that's released, especially those with heart trouble etc...

NorCalJim

Now that you mention it I do remember that chair being very unconfortable. But I have never had any flare-ups (that I can think of) due to posture or sitting (i sit slumped over a keyboard all day - with poor posture). But I would like to put that to the test, maybe I will go back and ask if I can just sit/lie in that chair for an hour and see what happens.

Thanks for the thoughts,
I love the fact that you identified a different possible explanation.

Shane

Interesting. Again, a possible explanation I hadnt entertained.

So many possibilities, so much pain.

Thanks,
Shane

Dentists use latex gloves. Do you have a latex allergy?

Happens to me, too.
Mav+

Shane,
Do you suppose those cleaning agents could have small amounts of starch not declared on the ingredient lists? If you are very sensitive to starch, that little bit could have sent you into a flare.

If your dentist would allow it, you could test them with iodine. If they do have starch, she may be able to find an alternative for next time. If not, you could be exceptionally careful about not swallowing and rinse very thoroughly and hope not to actually swallow any.

Karen