RA infection caused by root canal therapy?

[etheredgec]

I've been doing some research that suggests that if you have infected root canal-filled teeth, AP might possible not work for you.  The idea is that the source of the infection will still be there as long as you have those teeth in your gums.  Has anyone had success with removing their root-canal-filled teeth?

[casey]

Hi,

 My son had 2 permanent root canaled teeth pulled out 1.5 yrs ago and is on AP. His strep titre is slowly going down and his dsDNA (lupus markers) have went from 205 equivocal to 90 (negative) since that time.

Though i dont believe  IN HIS CASE , that his infected root canals were/are the sole cause/source of his disease , i do believe that it certainly was a  contributing factor. Keeping those teeth in and treating with AP didnt make sense to me. All contributors needed to be addressed.

 Having my 12 yr olds teeth pulled out  out of his head was a drastic move, and everyone including myself was  questioning my sanity .  As the teeth were pulled out, one by one and the area curretted , we could smell and see all the infected tissue and i was literally sick knowing now that my son had this in him for 2 yrs.

When  you ask about success in having root canaled teeth out, do you mean success in removal or a cure of disease? In this case , the procedure of removing them was a success and   ONE contributer to the disease is now gone.

I am not sure if i have answered your question but maybe this info will help!

Casey

BTW ,Have you read Root Canal Cover-Up by Dr. Meining?

 

 

[tbird2340]

Casey, did you have this done by a biological dentist?

[casey]

tbird,

Yes, this was done by a biological dentist. They are the only dentists that i have found, that believe in bacteria being a issue in root canaled teeth.

I guess you could say i put them on the same line as Dr. Brown and infectious bacteria. Regular dentists think this is just quackery.

On that note , i always wondered why there are “endodontists” out there. Well, to me , obvioulsy there are issues with root canals or there wouldnt be those specialists but that is JMO.

Casey

[etheredgec]

Casey,

I'm planning to have 6 root-canal-filled teeth pulled by a dentist who definitely believes that they are the cause of many diseases.  Like you, I believe that even if there's only a possibility that these teeth could be causing my RA, it's worth trying.  I'll let you know the outcome – early next year.

Carolyn

[tbird2340]

Carolyn, did you ever get those teeth pulled?

Also, how do you know if a root canal tooth is an issue? Is there a way via xray or some other way to see if it is infected or whatever?

I had a root canal around the time my RA started…

[Betty S]

I have 8 root canal teeth.  One became infected and it was not detected during my regular dentist vists until I actually had pain.   By this time the infection had been there for quite a few years – how many I am not sure.  But a long time.  During this time I came down with RA.   I have had no other infections of any kind that I can think of so I do believe the infected root canal had something to do with the RA.  I had the tooth pulled and area cleansed by an oral surgeon.  I then got a dental implant.  I do not plan to pull the rest of my root canal teeth – but will keep a closer eye on x-rays taken for any abnormality at the root.

My AP therapy has been a rough ride.  At first I saw no results for the first 5 months.  I only became worse.  My RA reached the severe level during this time.  At month 6 my AP doc switched me from Doxy to Minocin on a pulsed dosing schedule and thereafter improvement started very slowly –  but I am improving.  In the meantime, I am still taking Methotrexate and the occasional shot of Enbrel to help keep inflammation down so the AP can work and to keep joint damage away.

 

[tbird2340]

Betty, I seen your last rheumy appt was 3/24.. How did it go? How often do you see Dr T and what does she think?

Thanks, Tom

[Betty S]

Tom,

I canceled the rheumy appt on 3/24 and made it for 4/28 in the hopes that I will have more improvement from the abx to show him.  I don't know what he is going to say to me.  He may throw me out because I am not doing as he instructed.  I am hoping that if I have enough improvement to credit back to abx that he will change his mind.

Dr. T thinks my improvement is promising.  She told me she's OK with the Enbrel injections because of the condition I was in.  I take one every 3 weeks or so just to get a little help with the inflammation particularly on the knees (rheumy wanted me to take it once a week).  I don't think it really does much for me though.  My next Dr. T appt is around June 3. 

 

[lynnie_sydney]

Tom – I am having to consider root canal. My dentist tells me they have improved greatly. The old problem tended to be incomplete filling and a little pocket left in which bacteria would grow and flourish. They are much more careful these days. X=rays will show you if a pocket is there. I also spoke to my AP Doc about them. She says sometimes they are a problem and sometimes not. Said to go ahead and have it done if I want to and have it pulled if necessary later. Lynnie

Be well! Lynnie

Palindromic RA 30 yrs (Chronic Lyme?)
Mino 2003-2008 100mg MWF - can no longer tolerate any tetracyclines
rotating abx protocol now. From Sep 2018 MWF - a.m. Augmentin Duo 440mg + 150mg Biaxsig (roxithromycin). p.m. Cefaclor (375mg) + Klacid 125mg + LDN 3mg + Annual Clindy IV's
Diet: no gluten, dairy, sulphites, low salicylates
Supps: 600mg N-AC BID, 1000mg Vit C, P5P 40mg, zinc picolinate 60mg, Lithium orotate 20mg, Magnesium Oil, Bio-identical hormones (DHEA + Prog + Estrog)

[Kim]

[user=673]Betty S[/user] wrote:

I canceled the rheumy appt on 3/24 and made it for 4/28 in the hopes that I will have more improvement from the abx to show him.  I don't know what he is going to say to me.  He may throw me out because I am not doing as he instructed.  I am hoping that if I have enough improvement to credit back to abx that he will change his mind.

Good luck changing your rheumy's mind, Betty.  Mine was nothing short of rude when I asked about abx…………he's now my ex-rheumy.  Please do tell us what his reaction is.

kim

[etheredgec]

Hi Lynnie,

I had my six root-canal-filled teeth pulled in December.  It was quite a traumatic experience.  I can tell you that my jaws feel a lot more comfortable now, but I'm not entirely sure that all of them needed to be pulled.  The dentist was so sure having them pulled would make a huge difference to my health.  I started on Minomycin around that time too, and also changed my thyroid medication to a natural hormone replacement (Porcine), so the picture is quite “cloudy”.  I thought I was doing really well with the antibiotic therapy (and so did my GP) because my inflamation levels had dropped into the normal range and I felt quite good, so I had gradually weaned myself off the Methotrexate and dropped the Prednisone to 1mg/day.  About two weeks after stopping the Mtx my RA returned with a vengeance – mainly in my wrists and some fingers and my neck, but was also getting some flare-ups in feet and rt knee.  So I went back to the rheumy and am back on Methotrexate and 15mg Pred/day.  I'm off work for three months – teaching is way too stressful for me right now.  The rheum. wants to add Orava into the mix shortly, and then Embrel.  I hate these strong drugs, but I had MRIs done of my wrists, etc. and they showed the inflamation had eaten through the cartilage and into the bone in places.  Decided I'd better hit the “big guns” for awhile.

Anyway, so I'm not sure if removing the root-canal teeth has done any good, but, apart from my RA, my health is great.  I guess these things just take a lot more time than I had anticipated.  :headbang:  I am continuing with the antibiotic protocol also.

Keep the faith,

Carolyn

 

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