Seizures, Clenching, & Gum Disease?

[elizzza811]

I'm very worried about my gums. I have this ugly grey coating on my bottom teeth which seems to accumulate mostly on the backsides of them in the front and is impossible to brush off...it has to be scraped off with a metal dental scraper. It has already accumulated within days (literally) of a dental cleaning, when I'm extra religious about brushing my teeth after every meal/snack and not just the normal 'twice a day'.

I was researching 'grey coating on teeth', and advanced gum disease seems to be the cause. I then researched 'teeth clenching/grinding and gum disease', since the coating seems to have appeared around the same time this clenching became relentless and only in the areas where I am constantly clenching and grinding...the bottom front teeth...and apparently clenching and grinding, I learned, can cause the teeth to 'rock' back and forth to where normal bacteria in the mouth gets access to areas normally out of reach. The clenching correlates with my seizures, too...days before a seizure I clench more. Does anybody else here have gum issues?

Here is a pic of my teeth...

http://i1226.photobucket.com/albums/ee416/cem0204/GreyCoatingonTeeth-1.jpg

I have no dental insurance and had beautiful teeth before my seizures exploded on me.

 

[RobinN]

Any interest in trying probiotics?

Good bacteria to balance the bad that run rampant in our "gut". Gut issues can also be the cause of seizures.

 

[elizzza811]

I do at times drink a lot of kefir, which seems to have more types of good bacteria in it than probiotic capsules, or even yogurt.

But from what I understand the bacteria that causes gum disease is just normal bacteria that's always been there that suddenly starts having a party when given the opportunity. Probiotics now might help prevent further tissue destruction, but I doubt it'll repair the damage that's already been done. Plus, even if I had that procedure where they scrape well below the gumline (gum planing?), the gum problem will just return as I am ALWAYS clenching and rocking those teeth back and forth. The only time I am not doing it is if I think to myself 'stop clenching'. And obviously I can't spend my days 'instructing' my jaw/teeth not to clench.

Could the bacteria below the gumline be causing me to clench though? Perhaps irritating nerves in the gum/teeth? Or is this clenching seizure-related. I thought about it and I tend to think it's seizure-related since I was clenching long before I had any signs of gum disease. I know this because my bottom teeth in that picture above were sawed down flat wayyy before my gums dissolved on me. Apparently, from what I've been reading, gum disease is thought to be caused by an abnormal immune response, too...to normal bacteria in the mouth.

 

[Nakamova]

Hi Elizza, sorry to hear about the gum issues. I don't have dental insurance either, so I've always got my fingers-crossed that my teeth and gums don't go downhill too quickly. Does your dentist have any opinions about the gray stuff? I would think they might have seen something like that before, or at least refer you to a periodontist.

I think the clenching/grinding are more likely to be nerve related than bacteria-related. But if you have dry-mouth problems at all (which I've had in the past when I was doing a lot of teeth-clenching at night), then bacterial problems can flare up.

You might want to try a toothpaste that has COQ10 in it -- clinical studies have shown that CoQ10 can improve gum health and reverse the signs of gum disease. Jason makes toothpaste with COQ10 http://www.jason-natural.com/products/oral_care.php but there are probably others brands out there.

 

[elizzza811]

Actually, I've been getting my teeth cleaned every 6 months, but I haven't been seeing the dentist in recent years in an effort to save money. The hygienist never said anything to me though, and back when I was seeing the dentist with my cleanings, he never mentioned gum disease, even when I mentioned the greying. He just suggested cleanings every 3 or 4 months. Keep in mind though that my dentist usually saw me AFTER my cleanings. If he had seen my teeth before the hygienist had cleaned them, perhaps he'd have been more concerned and could have alerted me.

I will look into the CoQ10 though. Thank you!

 

[elizzza811]

I should mention, too, that I have been using Biotene Mouthwash...that does seem to sooth the gums, though it doesn't last. And I occasionally use Desert Essence Natural Tea Tree Oil and Neem Toothpaste and Ipsab Powder (containg Pure Salt, Baking Soda, Prickly Ash Bark, Peppermint). The Desert Essence Toothpaste DOES seem to make my teeth feel cleaner and smoother, but I swear whenever I use this one my tongue develops a white coating soon after? I thought tea tree oil and neem were good at getting rid of bacteria?

I've tried Listerine, baking soda, hydrogen peroxide. All of these just make my gums more tender. I worry if I make my gums swell more, more bacteria will get in there and my pockets will deepen.

I really need to put an end to this clenching though. I truly believe this clenching is rocking my teeth back and forth 24/7 and cutting off blood supply to my gums too so that they can't heal on their own.

 

[Nakamova]

I use the Jason toothpaste followed by a Crest mouthwash rinse and that seems to work for me.

 

[elizzza811]

Thought I'd post the article (below) since it explains (well sort of) how clenching/grinding/bruxism is related to gum disease. I had to. So many articles seem to attribute gum disease to poor hygiene and somehow I couldn't stomach that since I had beautiful teeth before these seizures started and this clenching really took off. Gum Disease isn't mentioned outright, but it is implied. My only real gripe with this article is that they seem to blame the habit of clenching/grinding on 'anxiety and 'stress'. I used to be on meds for 'anxiety' and the only one that ever did me any justice was Klonopin, an anti-convulsant, and somehow I think that is significant. Also, I seem to clench my teeth every day - on wonderful days and on stressful days. Why is it that everything they can't explain is blamed on anxiety and stress? It bugs me.

Teeth Grinding (Bruxism): What's Behind the Grind?
http://www.yourdentistryguide.com/bruxing/

The Consequences of Bruxism
Over the years, the accumulated toll of bruxing can produce a wide range of damage that includes:

•Front teeth worn down so they are flat and even in length.
•Micro-cracks and broken fillings, eventually leading to nerve damage.
•Teeth ground down to the dentin, causing sensitivity to heat and cold.
•Gum recession, due to pressure on the gum line.
•Loose teeth, caused by the rocking effect of bruxing, and gum pockets, also produced by the back-and-forth rocking effect.
•Headache and aching jaws due to overuse of muscles.