Gum Recession and Acid Reflux

On a recent visit to my dentist office for a 6 month cleaning and checkup some interesting information came up. The hygienist was saying that in recent studies the dental community has been talking about how acid reflux or gerd affects the gums. It may be acid reflux and not brushing too hard that causes receding gums.

I've been going to the dentist on a regular basis since I was a child. In the beginning I was taught the proper way to brush and always used a soft bristle toothbrush. I'll admit that I haven't always flossed and sometimes do not do it on a daily basis now, though I try. For many years now I have been using an extra soft toothbrush and then a expensive electric toothbrush because I was continually accused of brushing too hard.

Now there is research linking acid reflux to receding gums. Here is a link to the publication The relationship between gastroesophageal reflux disease and chronic periodontitis. My hygienist said the dental world might owe a lot of people apologies.  

I suffered from acid reflux for 10 years or more. It took changing my diet and being more consistent with exercise to solve the problem. Although I no longer suffer from acid reflux I have damaged teeth and gums that remain. If you suffer from acid reflux I hope my blog helps you to resolve the problem sooner rather than later. You can read my first post to this blog here Overcoming Acid Reflux

Goodbye 2014! On to a Healthier 2015!

Whew! Am I glad 2014 is behind us. Back in August I added to my blog with "Healthcare - Health Scare". I thought my concerns were over, but I was mistaken. The ringing in my ears had continued  and the pain had returned. I was taking Tylenol more often and knew things were not getting better. I stopped at the local co-op one day to buy my favorite sandwich and when I went to take a bite pain shot through the left side of my head. I found myself drinking smoothies and eating soup to keep from chewing.

I sent an email to my primary care physician; I told her that I was disappointed. Of the four appointments I had been to back in June and July I had never seen her; each time it had been with a physicians assistant. I continued to explain that I rarely seek medical attention and thought that should be a signal that I needed to see a doctor on at least one of those visits. She immediately responded with, "let's get you in here so I can see you". An appointment was made and she took a look. I was still complaining of pain in my left ear and now jaw pain had been added. She told me my ear looked good and said she suspected TMJ (Temporomandibular Joint Disorders). She provided me with some literature on TMJ and sent me home.

Was it possible I had TMJ? First diagnosed with Lyme, then Tinnitus, and now TMJ? Up until June I had been living a healthy, happy life. I was suffering from a shoulder problem, but that's another story..

After researching TMJ I was not convinced that I had it. I scheduled an appointment with an Ears, Nose and Throat Specialist (Otolaryngologist). Within 30 seconds he found a cyst in my ear canal. He took a video camera and showed it to me; it was right in plain sight. Something that the physicians assistant and primary care doctor had overlooked on a half dozen visits was there in plain view. I can't really blame them though. I think when they looked in my ear they were looking right past the cyst.

The specialist tried draining it twice. It was painful, but it gave me temporary relief. I was still popping Tylenol or Advil on a daily basis; at least I knew what was causing the pain. He ordered a CT Scan on the Monday before Christmas and reviewed the results with me the next day. The cyst was putting pressure on my jawbone and causing some erosion. They scheduled a pre-op appointment with my primary care physician on Wednesday (Christmas eve day). You can imagine the pleasure I took in informing them about the cyst they had overlooked repeatedly. Surgery was scheduled for the 26th, the day after Christmas.

It wasn't the best Christmas I ever had; I missed spending time with family. The relief of having a six month earache and recent jaw pain removed was all worth it. It took several days to recover from the anesthesia and antibiotics they had me on. I jokingly asked the doctor if they dropped me on the floor while I was unconscious. He seriously said, "no". 

At this time I am drinking dandelion tea and lemon water daily as well as taking a probiotic  to get my system back into shape. I feel fine, this is more of a remedial thing.

My tests in June never revealed any health problems. All tests for tick-borne diseases came back negative. I wonder if the cyst was the cause of all my problems from the start? Did I have Lyme? I guess I will never really know for sure. 

I relived again the constant aggravation of pain and how it can so easily deplete your energy. Weight gain, restless nights, interrupted sleep and irritability; it's hard to have fun when you do not feel good. My coworkers have already noticed that I am smiling more. Great! 

Another thing, I was given Cephalexin for an antibiotic. In July, I complained of pain in my knuckles after taking it and the PA said it was a symptom of Lyme. I made the same complaint in January on my post-op appointment and the specialist said it's a symptom of the antibiotic and I should not take it anymore. For so many reasons this angers me. We do need Western Medicine for some things, but we need to ask questions, search for answers, read prescription medicine labels and search the web for information. Do not settle for one answer. I used http://www.drugs.com/ to research drug symptoms after the fact. In the future I plan to use it before taking a drug.

With Physical Therapy my shoulder recovered and with surgery my ear is better and my life is back to normal. Let's hope 2015 is better than 2014 was!