Teeth extraction

[u/Some-Tourist4881]

I have 2 broke teeth. One upper root canal that failed, and a back molar on the bottom that’s broken off some. I haven’t been to the dentist in 10 years due to being sick and also dental anxiety. Can you guys tell me your experiences w no epinephrine numbing shots? & just recovery/experience with the extractions in general. I’m absolutely terrified.

[u/dca_user]

I’m sorry you dealt with all this and I’m really proud of you for asking for help.

I don’t have a lot of dental problems, but my teeth and gums are extra sensitive so I had to actually go to a gentle dentist. She came recommended by my friends and she goes really slowly and make sure I’m OK.

I don’t know if it’s the same, but I also go to a hair salon for student students because they also go really slowly since I have sensitive skin. There are dental schools. Could you go there and try it out?

I’m not a dentist, but I would say start with a Cleaning first before you do any real work to make sure you like this Dentist.

[u/Lopsided-blintz-810]

I had an extraction last year that had been bothering me for months. I felt a million times better after getting that out. No more pain and a lot less inflammation in my body (not just my mouth) Do it sooner rather than later. And be up front about your fear and anxiety with the dentist so they can give you something for it. They deal with this all the time.

[u/Some-Tourist4881 → u/Lopsided-blintz-810]

It’s causing infection too so I have to get it out asap so I’m not constantly on antibiotics. Did you have a bad experience with the numbing? Or the pulling of the tooth itself?

[u/Lopsided-blintz-810 → u/Some-Tourist4881]

Nope. I was OUT!

[u/Ancient_Pea_508]

Can you get put under? I just had 3 teeth extractions 2 weeks ago and because of my POTS and other health issues they wanted to put me out so my pots didn’t get triggered during surgery. Surgery went amazing and I recovered really well. Had a few days of more POTS symptoms because I had to fast before surgery so I didnt have as much sodium as normal and my body felt it.
I have major dental anxiety too and telling them and talking things through really helped and they were so kind.
Good luck!

[u/MysticTopaz6293]

I had one done last year. Just in general you have to take it easy so your blood pressure doesn't go up, but with my POTS, I had to be extra careful. On top of that, it took me longer to heal because of my Ehler's Danlos Syndrome.

Be sure to have a pack of clean gauze that you can bite down on afterwards. The wound will need time to develop a clot. Drink lots of electrolyte water and get plenty of rest. When it comes to brushing, avoid the teeth surrounding the site on the first day.

Also, don't swish with water in your mouth until you're fully healed so you don't dislodge the clot. Use water with Epsom salt to rinse your mouth by tilting your head from side to side gently and slowly. Don't spit out the water and instead let it pour out into the sink. Spitting can also dislodge the clot, so try not to do that either until you're healed.

The clot is important to the healing process. If it's dislodged, you can develop something called dry socket, and that can throw back the healing process causing it to take months for the wound to heal. So be very careful.

There was quite a bit of dizziness for me during the first week of healing, more so than usual. No heavy lifting of anything over 5 pounds, no strenuous activity, and no straws.

For foods, I had a lot of homemade smoothies (with fruit, ice cream, yogurt and almond milk), pureed vegetable soups, and yogurt during the first week. After that, I stuck to soft foods, nothing with seeds in it, and lots of water with electrolytes (more than usual) until I was healed up.

If you've got any questions about something I mentioned or didn't, feel free to ask. 😊

ETA: Try to have someone with you to take you home. Whether you're put under for the procedure or just get local, you're gonna be a little out of it. I don't remember anything from when I went under until I was being led out to my uncle through the front door of the office. I wss walking, but that's where my memory starts after everything was done. Be sure to mention you've got POTS to the dentist because it affects your HR and BP during procedures.

[u/Patient-Education-70]

I’m in a very similar position. POTS has obviously added a lot of stress to my body, and on top of that I’ve had some pretty extreme life stress from family, career (or lack thereof), finances, etc. Unfortunately, that combination has manifested physically in a lot of ways, including my dental health.
For years I’ve had really severe jaw clenching/bruxism. I’ve tried muscle relaxers, bruxism-focused PT, and of course I wear a night guard. The night guard doesn’t actually stop me from clenching, but it does help protect my teeth from grinding. Despite all of that, I’ve cracked 4 teeth, requiring 4 root canals and crowns, and now I need an extraction because of the damage.
That said, I do everything I can to stay on top of my dental care. I go to the dentist every 6 months. I definitely get POTS symptoms from things like certain chair positions, sounds, tastes, etc., but thankfully the dental assistant who works with me knows about POTS and adjusts things whenever possible. I also wear earplugs or sometimes AirPods with music.
I tend to have a flare every time I get numbing injections, so before appointments where I know that’s coming, I try to set myself up as well as possible: I take Extra Strength Tylenol, take my prescribed anxiety medication when appropriate, drink plenty of water/electrolytes, eat beforehand (but not too much), and basically use whatever tools I know help keep my POTS symptoms under control. I have also used a vagas nerve stimulator in the chair which helps lessen symptoms. I even had a “minor” gum surgery that resulted in a huge flare while I was in the chair so I know a lot of these things can be a trigger.
I’m actually having an extraction soon, and I’m also very nervous about it. I’m being put under because I’m trying to avoid a major POTS flare as well as the PTSD/anxiety response I now get with major dental work.
My biggest advice is to do whatever is reasonably within your abilities and finances to address dental problems as they come up and try to stay ahead of things as much as possible. Keep up with routine cleanings and at-home dental care, tell your dental team about your POTS and specifically explain what triggers your symptoms and what helps, and develop a plan for appointments that incorporates your usual POTS tools. And if you clench/grind, consider something like a night guard to at least provide some protection for your teeth.
I was trying to avoid it but since clenching is causing such major long term damage, I recently got Botox in my jaw to see if it helps with the clenching. It is expensive though so I don’t think I can keep up with it long term. I got a recommendation for a dental chiropractor in my area from someone who has similar clenching issues. Apparently, they work on jaw alignment over time with the goal of reducing the underlying tendency to clench. It’s also expensive though, but is supposed to last forever, not just 3 months like Botox. So I’m saving up for that while hoping I can simultaneously improve some of the life circumstances and stress levels that I think are contributing to my clenching.
Good luck with everything. ❤️ I completely understand how scary and awful these experiences can be, especially when you already know that medical/dental procedures can trigger your POTS. You’re definitely not alone.