I discovered my teeth got worse since MS. But I discovered they got worse when I happen to have MS. It was a combination of MS, age and the economy that cause a loss of home so my routine teeth cleaning went without a bathroom sink to brush teeth but before that happened dental appointments had stopped for cost reasons. Finally pain made the dental appointment resume with the help of family & the government(SSDI).

Steroids weaken the bones & teeth. So if you had a lot of steroid treatments your teeth may very well have been damaged from the treatment of MS.

It is probably from the Copaxone. These ABCR drugs rot your teeth out no doubt. Steroids don't help either.

Best to go and get your teeth cleaned at least twice a year with these sorts of problems cropping up - maybe three times a year.

Since my bad dental year, I have moved into an apartment & my life has gotten much more stable. I do take extra good care of my teeth. I brush with a sensative toothpaste twice a day with an ultra sonic tooth brush. I floss in the morning and rinse with Act or a store brand floride rinse before going to bed. The Act is strengthening my teeth I think. I really didn't notice a difference at first, but after using act for about 6 or 7 months my teeth really do feel better. The instructions say to swish it around in mouth for a minute, but I swish it for about 3 up to 5 minutes. I really think it makes a difference now. I eat better because of my dental issues now. Carbohydrates, at least rinse mouth with water.

I have ALWAYS had bad teeth! Geez, I hope they don't get worse!

I've been on Rebif for a year now, but my neuro doesn't prescribe steroids. I've worked up to a root canal. Almost all of my back teeth have crowns. Now I'm getting cavities under my crowns. My teeth are so bad! I have a candy addiction, which probably negates all the care I'm doing. I'm trying to give up soda, but so far it's been futile.

Lynn, which kind of Act rinse are you using? My dentist gave me some fluoride paste, but I never do it because it's a pain and takes too long. I'm sure a rinse is much easier!

Kerry,
I just use plain old ACT restoring Mouthwash Anti cavity, mint flavored.
Its rather expensive so I just got some CVS Brand Anticavity Flouride Rinse because it was on sale. I haven't used it yet. But ACT has as the Active ingredient 0.05% Sodium Floride and the CVS brand has the same. So it should work the same. What was a big surprise to me, was that I thought I was just grasping at straws when I started..I didn't think it would do to much...then like I said after a while, a long while of using it, my teeth really do feel better. It might have been as long as a year. Now I am addicted to it, I'll find a way in my budget to fit it in.

I use it a night & a person is not suppose to eat or drink anything for 30 minutes after using it...so that helps with the night time munchies I struggle with sometimes. I rinse and then eating is done for the night.

I did give up soda, though. That probably helps too. I was incontinence a lot for a while. Carbonaheted beverages made it worse. Carbonated beverages just made my bladder issues worse. When Incontinance became less of an issue, I didn't resume the carbonated beverages. I was an addict for them before the incontinance issue. Nothing like some public humilation to give up an addiction. It turned out not so difficult.

Sweets & Carbohydrates I watch pretty closely because of my teet & weight. Still haven't managed to get of the pounds I gained with the christmas sweets. I swear those calories had Elmers glue on them!!!!!

I'm certain that floride past the dentist gave you is much stronger than any floride rinse a person can buy over the counter. The dentist gave some to my sister to be used for a limited time a while ago when she had dental problems. But a routine floride rinse helps a person control the diet too.

Just be sure to give it time, that's the biggest thing I learned.

I believe that steroids are hard on your teeth, as well as your bones. I take Calcium every day, especially during and right after steroids.

Good Point HicLilSis. A year ago at a routine physical with my PCP she said it was time to start vitamins she specified Biocomples containg 800-1200 Vitamin D and 100-1200 Calcium. I take a one a day vitamin & a calcuim supplement daily. io couldn't find a vitamin that contained all the calcuim she recommended. So thats going on for me too.

1000-1200 mg of calcuim.
OneA Day Wonan's 50+ Advantage
800 IU Vitamin D
405 mg Calcim

And a 600 mg Calcuim Supplement

Oh geez!

Something else I have to look forward to eh!

When I was in 7th grade I had 2 root canals plus a surgery called an apical (spell?) on the same tooth.... 3 years ago I had a cap put on the same tooth! The dentist at the time noticed the abmormal growth in the roots of the tooth. Technically it was because at the time since I was still growing I was too young to have the surgery. He said that I would probably lose the tooth within the next 10 years....,.

I haven't gotten in for regular dentists visits either since high school. No insurance and more important things to spend money on like food and rent...... I try to brush and whatnot, but I know its not the same as a normal dentist visit.

So hmmm.... I guess since I have never had great teeth (at least not since age 11 or 12) MS is going to make it even worse!

At the same time though! If I had to choose between not getting steroids when I need them and having ugly teeth... bring on the ugly teeth! I enjoy walking too much!

Every time I go to the dentist it's like, 1500 bucks. I may have a cavity, but inevitably it's under a crown. So they have to pull off the crown to fix it, then put a new crown on. The root canal was 3 grand. I HATE the dentist.

When I was a kid, I had this torturous dentist named Dr. Sippy. (....that would make his wife Mrs. Sippy......) He would NEVER give me enough novocaine. I would wriggle and scream and cry. Once he grabbed me by the face and angrily told me to shut up and sit still. I was totally terrified of him. My teeth were so bad even then, that I had to go see him constantly. It was horrible! I don't know why my mother never took me to see someone else.

Luckily, now I have a great dentist who numbs me just to "explore" my cavities. I still hate it, though.

I understand about the expense of the dentist. Mine wanted to cap a tooth for like $300-$600. I said just let it go, when it begins to bother me, I'll have ya pull it for $100.

No dental insurance but me! and my Care Credit Card!

One thing you should consider-- any new med you start that causes dry mouth can get cavities going. Saliva is a very good thing that prevents cavities. My husband got the first cavities of his life at 55 after starting new meds.

MY TEETH HAVE GOTTEN ALOT WORSE THESE DAYS! i AM SCHEDUALED FOR A DENTIST APPT EVERY TWO WEEKS AND THATS JUST BECAUSE OF THE AMOUNT OF MONEY IT IS COSTING ME! LUCKY ENOUGH, WELL I SAY THAT, BUT THE DENTIST I AM CURRENTLY GOING TOO IS TAKING THE AMOUNT I RECEIVE MONTHLY FROM SSI AND JUST TAKING A PERCENTAGE OF THE BILL AND THATS WHAT I OWE EACH APPT. I HAVE ALREADY HAD 4 ROOT CANALS AND HAVE MORE ON THE SCHEDUAL!

I RESPONDED A MINUTE AGO BUT I FORGOT ONE THING, BECAUSE OF THE DENTIST I GO TO AND THE PRICE CRUNCH THEY HAVE ALREADY PULLED 3 OF MY TEETH! THEY ALSO DO NOT HAVE THE IVORY FILLS ONLY THE METAL DENTURE SO WHEN EVERYTHING IS DONE I WILL HAVE TO GO TO ANOTHER DENTIST AND PAY GOD ONLY KNOWS HOW MUCH TO GET THEM TO REPLACE MY MISSING TEETH.

I lost four or more teeth in last year or so...

The teeth looked healthy but they just loosened up and came out...

I blame myself 75%.. too much of different things and bad dental hygiene...

I blame MS over the last 10 years 25%...
It somehow felt that it was a MS nerve problem in the last year...

My teeth are gone but this should be researched out just a bit by concerned MSrs...

Maybe...