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Posted 1/4/2009 4:26 AM (GMT 0)
Has anyone noticed that their teeth become more sensitive on prednisone? Mine have (seems like all of my top ones) and I'm wondering if it has anything to do with the prednisone. I googled sensitive teeth and prednisone and got quite a few hits.
Posted 1/4/2009 5:03 AM (GMT 0)
I believe prednisone can cause your gums to recede, which in turn makes your teeth more sensitive. I'm the opposite of you though, it's my lower teeth that are sensitive. Part of my gum recession is also due to misalignment of the jaw.

If you take prednisone long term, your teeth can loosen and even fall out, if you don't get sufficient calcium.

EDIT:

Found this thread on the UC forum. Scary stuff:

https://www.healingwell.com/community/default.aspx?f=38&m=976936

Post Edited (spookyhurst) : 1/3/2009 10:08:40 PM (GMT-7)

Posted 1/4/2009 5:07 AM (GMT 0)
Actually, I was just at the dentist a month ago and he said my gums looked fine, so I don't think its that. Hopefully I'll be off the prednisone soon...
Posted 1/4/2009 5:10 AM (GMT 0)
Maybe a calcium deficiency in your teeth? Prednisone does leech it out. Also check out the thread I added to my post above.

EDIT: I also found another thread where people said prednisone made their teeth, especially the front ones, very sensitive:

https://www.healingwell.com/community/default.aspx?f=38&m=979635

Post Edited (spookyhurst) : 1/3/2009 10:17:07 PM (GMT-7)

Posted 1/4/2009 5:52 AM (GMT 0)
I think pred makes everything more sensitive . Can you ask your dentist ???
Posted 1/4/2009 5:55 AM (GMT 0)
I wouldn't be surprised considering its effects on bones in general. My teeth have definitely become more sensitive since taking prednisone, but I use sensodyne which seems to help. I would check with your dentist like the others said.
Posted 1/4/2009 2:51 PM (GMT 0)
I just finished a Pred taper yesterday and my teeth are hurting, but I have a sinus infection and thats the cause for me.
Posted 1/4/2009 4:21 PM (GMT 0)
I've been on pred for 11 months now and my teeth are extremely sensitive. I can't eat or drink anything real cold. I have even had one crack right through the middle and half of it fell out.

I really hate pred, especially when it doesn't help with the crohn's and I get all the side effects.
Posted 1/4/2009 4:40 PM (GMT 0)
I'm taking 1000mg of calcium and D every day, so I don't know what else I can do on that front. I've also been using sensodyne. I'll check with my dentist but I suspect that this is just a side effect I'll have to deal with until I can get off of prednisone.

I'm down to 10mg now so I don't think that dose has a major effect on bones and teeth since our body naturally produces 7.5 mg to 10mg of cortisone naturally, at least I think that what I read and my GI mentioned that as well. Someone correct me if I'm wrong?
Posted 1/4/2009 7:04 PM (GMT 0)
I was on a three week course of pred this past July and my teeth were very sensitive (even to air) while I was on it. Once I got off of it no problem with sensitivity. Hope that helps. I don't usually have sensitive teeth.
Posted 1/5/2009 12:20 AM (GMT 0)

I swear prednisone makes your teeth sensitive.  I was on it for nearly a year and just got off a few days ago.  Since then, my teeth have been SO much better! 

Cold REALLY hurt my teeth.  I couldn't eat ice cream or drink anything cold without being in pretty sharp pain from my teeth being sensitive.  Heat hurt as well, but not as bad.  I tried Sensodyne and I didn't feel like it helped me much at all. 

It did seem that the lower the dose, the less intense the sensitivity was.  Since being completely off of pred, my teeth almost don't hurt at all. 

Posted 1/5/2009 1:00 AM (GMT 0)
Hi My teeth got very senitive too and now it is better but I still get it off and on and as mentioned sensodyne helped . lol gail
Posted 1/7/2009 8:59 PM (GMT 0)
Prednisone made my teeth really sensitive. It also gave me the first dental problem I've ever had. I'm 41 years old, and until last Friday had never had a filling, or *any* type of dental problem. My colon might be a mess, but I had *perfect* teeth. Straight, no cavities, white... i was a walking tooth paste commercial.

Then last week, the sensitivity got progressively worse. Finally, my second to last molar on my right lower jaw become too sensitive to even touch. I looked at it, and noticed a dark line under the enamel. So off to the dentist. An x-ray revealed and abscess. He mentioned that he couldn't see how the bacteria got into the tooth to cause the abscess. The infection also fought the local anesthetic; they couldn't get me all the way numb. So he started drilling, promising me that once the nerve chambers were exposed, he could directly dose them with local anesthetic. During the drilling, he found the ingress the bacteria used. My tooth was fractured. He said that it was most likely caused by prednisone making my teeth brittle. And since the fracture went all the way through the tooth, they'd have to pull it. So off to the oral surgeon (conveniently located next door to the dentist) I went. So here I sit with one less tooth in my jaw. And of course it would be one of the biggest teeth you have.

Moral of the story: prednisone can cause not only sensitive teeth, but can also cause them to become brittle. My dentist said the only way to combat this was, of course, frequent brushing, and asking your dentist for a flouride treatment once every six months.
Posted 2/20/2009 3:38 PM (GMT 0)
One thing that may help with sensitive teeth is Savodent. It isnt a toothpaste but a sort of gumshield which you bite down on for about 10 minutes and gives relief from sensitive teeth straight away and for up a few eeks so no need for sensodyne which can take quite a few brushes before it starts to work anyhow. It worked for my sensitive teeth so i was well made up.

Hope it helps you too. I saw it on google and got it from a website called savant-health.com in the UK.

Good luck

David
Posted 2/20/2009 4:07 PM (GMT 0)
i'm off from pred for 2 month, but ever since my lower teeth ach. I ask my den***t he says is nothing cause by the pred. so... it think it no the med than......

Posted 2/21/2009 2:36 PM (GMT 0)
Rider,

Did you mention to your dentist that you are on methotrexate?

Julia

Posted 2/21/2009 2:39 PM (GMT 0)
I agree with julia, talk to your dentist about mtx my teeth and gums hurt too.
Posted 2/21/2009 7:11 PM (GMT 0)
I was on a high dose of Pred when I was first dx'd in '96, for about a year and a half. Prior to the pred, my teeth weren't sensitive, but ever since, they have been super sensitive to cold. I rarely eat ice cream (shakes, malts, slushies, smoothies, italian ices, etc) anymore because I don't enjoy the ache for 10 mins after I finish. Note, this is 10 years since I was on the pred and it still affects me, but YMMV.
Posted 3/5/2009 1:14 AM (GMT 0)
i had an abcess in my mouth 3 weeks ago i looked like the elephant man seriously i could barely eat now my bottom tooth has just cracked and my gums bleed my dentist says its probably the methotrexate they are also quite sensitive so i guess thats something else to add to my menu dental problems will it ever end lol

dental problems
asthma
migraines
anaemia
crohns disease
underactive thyroid
period problems

oh how i would love a break!a break away from doctors hospitals and dentists.
Posted 3/5/2009 2:18 AM (GMT 0)
i'm on pred right now and i've been saying the same thing...if i eat ice cream or anything cold my teeth go nuts!!!!
Posted 3/9/2009 2:54 AM (GMT 0)
I have not had to go on Prednisone yet....though, the doc keeps trying to get me on it.  Yet, I have a lot of tooth sensitivity and inflamation of the jaw.  Sensodyne eventually helps the symptoms to subside.  I think the sensitivity is a symptom of the Crohn's disease and that it may be exhasperated by the prednisone.

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