Yes, that's right....I'm back from the land of the (barely) living. I'm shocked to see that it's been two years since I last posted. While I have been getting quite weary of this blogging process, I do feel compelled to write about my current situation, which could be eye opening even for those who don't have Lyme.
My dental health is something that has always been at the bottom of the totem pole for priorities, because obviously, I have had way too many "more important" issues to tackle. Other than some cavities, I've had decent dental health through my life. Though, about 15 years ago (prior to my Lyme diagnosis) I did start noticing tooth pain that would come and go. I went to several dentists who couldn't really find any issues. Story of my life! Once I was diagnosed with Lyme, I discovered that those dang spirochetes love to invade and hide in our teeth, gum, and jaw areas. Which now makes complete sense as to why the pain would come and go! And another reason why I've mostly ignored tooth and mouth pain.
But three years ago, I started having major sensitivity with one of my molars - both from temperature extremes and with pressure. This seemed like an actual tooth problem, so I went to my dentist who put a crown on. I can't remember the specifics of that treatment, but I do recall there being issues with the crown, and having to go back again to fix it. The dentist told me that if the crown didn't remedy my pain, that I would need to get a root canal. I told him that was a route I didn't want to take, because root canals are detrimental for Lyme disease. He said verbatim, "oh, it won't affect your Lyme at all." I told him he was wrong and he was a bit surprised! Needless to say, that was the last time I visited that dentist! If I hadn't done my own research, I would have just trusted what he said and gone along with a treatment that could have wreaked total havoc on my health. In many cases like this, ignorance is negligence and it infuriates me that many doctors continue to operate in this way.
Anyway, it didn't take long for me to majorly regret getting that crown. For four long months post procedure, I dealt with the most excruciating symptoms - pain in not only my tooth, but my jaw, my neck, and my face. I could hardly eat on that side of my mouth and there were times that I experienced such stiffness on that side of my head and neck that I could hardly move. It was beyond miserable, but I was also terrified to do anything else to my mouth, so I just stuck it out! Eventually I developed an abscess on my tooth that has became quite painful and bothersome as well. It also didn't take for the side effects to domino into an array of head issues and brain inflammation with constant dizziness, pressure, pain, brain fog and memory issues. As with a lot of my symptoms, I think if you guys could experience even an inkling of what I do on a daily basis, you'd be shocked at how I can even function. Sometimes even I wonder how I do it!
Talking to other Lyme patients, I knew that using a biological dentist was the right path to take, however I knew it would be extremely expensive, as most aren't covered by insurance. So for these last three years, I've just been dealing with all of the above issues. Whenever I get sick, my lymph gets stuck and it majorly intensifies the problems in my head and mouth. I had COVID back in August (a hellish round #3) and I could hardly eat, once again, because my tooth and jaw hurt so much. Plus my head felt like it was going to explode on the daily. And also, the abscess on my gums has gotten to be disgustingly large and discolored. TMI, but I manually pop it most days to relieve the pressure and have for years, however, I know that can't be good. It was after this last round of sickness that I realized I needed to bite the bullet and get checked out and that, despite our financial restraints, it needed to be the biological route.
For those who don't know, a biological dentist operates according to the belief that your oral health is fundamentally connected to your overall health, and they understand that problems of the mouth can, and often do, affect other parts of your body. In other words, holistic health - which I firmly stand by! I did quite a bit of research to find a bio dentist, and decided on the one that was closest to me in location, which is still 45 minutes away from home. Turns out this dentist only treats special cases - mostly Lyme and cancer patients. She works closely with a renowned Lyme doctor and is very well-versed in the disease. And she practices things like muscle testing, which helps figure out what your body needs or responds best to. Of course, this also means she's even more expensive.
Before my consultation with Dr. Min, they took me back to get a CT Scan and a Cone Beam Scan, which is a type of X-ray that produces 3d images of the teeth, jaw, mouth, neck, ears, nose and throat. It's used when traditional dental X-rays are not enough to see the bone structure, soft tissue, and nerves.
In the consultation, I learned that my infected tooth isn't just presented as a visible abscess on the gumline, it has also produced a large pus pocket under the tooth that is just sitting on the nerve in my mouth. This particular nerve is connected to the one that leads right to the brain, so it's a pretty big deal. The dentist said that this is likely affecting a large portion of my brain issues I've been dealing with. Eye opening! I also didn't realize how serious such infections could be....it could even lead to death if left alone long enough. Oops! Thus, the dentist made my case a priority one.
But that's not all. I have cavitations in all four areas where my wisdom teeth were pulled....which I think were extracted shortly before or around the time I contracted Lyme. A cavitation is an unhealed hole of necrotic bone at the site of a tooth extraction. Over time the site may become a breeding ground for bacteria and toxins which contribute to systemic health issues such as digestive problems, infections and chronic fatigue. The dentist showed me an image of a normal mouth - where the bone should be strong and solid, and white. And then she showed me the image from my mouth, where instead of bone, it's complete dark mush that could basically be scraped out with a spoon. Yikes! So not only could this be making me very sick, it could be a large inhibitor to healing for my body. Some say you can't heal at all from Lyme if you have cavitations.
I've read an estimated 80-90% of tooth extractions or root canals have cavitations....it could be a hidden danger for many people - not just those with Lyme! Toxins in the mouth have been linked to heart issues, breast cancer, hormone imbalances ,unexplained weight gain, gut issues, microbiome problems...the list goes on. Which makes sense since our mouth is directly linked to EVERYTHING in our bodies! Just take a look at the chart below. My dentist said that every single one of the cancer patients she's seen has had a root canal done and she firmly believes they are partially to blame. This is why biological dentists speak against doing such treatment - it's a major silent killer for many people! I have yet to watch the documentary "Root Cause" but I hope to soon, and definitely urge you to do so too!
Moving along in the consultation....after looking at the scans, the dentist said my entire head including jaw, neck, tongue and teeth are misaligned. Which doesn't surprise me because I've had major neck issues most of my life. I was born with by neck bent to the side as a twin, and my mom had to constantly massage my neck to get it straightened out. I also had a pretty bad physical hit to the body during a softball game about 15 years ago - knocked me down and out with a nice little concussion and even worse neck and back problems. The jerk did it on purpose and man have I paid for it!
Why this matters so much in the dental world is that my tongue is not sitting in my mouth where it should be. The dentist said an incorrect tongue posture can contribute to the vagus nerve not being correctly stimulated, which is a parasympathetic cranial nerve that allows for rest and digest. A low resting tongue posture like mine can lead to a permanent state of stress (fight or flight) which is very much something I have dealt with for years, so that makes total sense!
My tongue position is also severely limiting my airway....she showed me pictures of what it should look like (nice and open) versus what it actually is (almost completely closed!). Obviously the number one thing our bodies need is oxygen to live, so cutting off the supply of O2 that my brain needs can be detrimental. I learned a lot more about the purpose and placement of the tongue - I had no idea how valuable it was to our bodies!
Another thing the dentist showed me was a microscopic slide from a sample in my mouth. I actually saw the corkscrew spirochetes and parasites roaming around! I've talked and read about these Lyme spirochetes for years, and have known they are inside my body, but to actually see them slithering around was so wild! The sample showed that my mouth is entirely full of bad bacteria, with no good bacteria left at all. We also saw a ton of mold, which was not surprising, but certainly disheartening. The slide was completely concentrated with white blood cells (I think it was?) that the spirochetes have hid themselves in and built a barrier around to protect themselves from all the killing I’m trying to do. She called it a “war zone” and said mine was one of the most concentrated she’s ever seen. I mentioned that my whole body was probably like that and she said, “yes it probably is”. I nearly cried right there with how hopeless that made me feel. I so wish I would have taken a video of the bug activity!
So now onto how we treat everything. The day before surgery I will go in for a two hour treatment called "Perio Disinfection" which targets and eliminates all the bad guys. When the dentist first described this process, I thought it would take a long time (at least days or weeks) to eliminate the little critters - she actually had to repeat that it would only take 2 hours! I still can't wrap my head around that.....if we can do that for our mouths, why can't we do the same thing for our whole bodies? Who knows.
Anyway, the next day, the surgery itself will take at least 6 hours (my mouth feels fatigued just thinking about having it open for that long!) For my abscessed tooth, they will pull off the crown, and then extract the tooth and all the roots. They will clean out the area with the disinfectant and then pack it and suture it back up. I will have to live without a tooth in that area for at least 2-3 months while the site heals, and then if I choose to do so, we will do a ceramic implant, and then a crown on top of that.
Cavitation surgery involves making an incision in the gums and then removing the infected tissue, killing off the harmful bacteria and removing the dead bone until solid, healthy bone is found and clean blood is emitted from the site. They will use ozone to fumigate the areas and also be administering a Vitamin C IV drip which is critical in the formation of new tissue. They will then use PRF (platelet-rich fibrin) to accelerate the healing of soft and hard tissue and help the bone grow. This involves drawing my blood which is then centrifuged and applied to the cavitation site. Then they stitch me up! And like I mentioned, this will be happening in all four areas where my wisdom teeth were taken out. Fun!
As recommended by the dentist, I will also be doing an exosome treatment - similar to stem cell treatment, I believe - to promote faster healing and revitalize the cells, which she says is especially helpful for Lyme patients.
Obviously this is going to be a very painful experience, and I will be extremely swollen for at least a week or two. I'm very anxious about that, but even more so, I'm terrified how my body will react to everything. Mostly because the two times I've had surgery since contracting Lyme have basically destroyed my life. The first one was my cholecystectomy, which is what set my Lyme symptoms off to begin with. And the second surgery was to remove a cyst near my spine - which happened just months before I was finally diagnosed Lyme - and that was the turning point that has led to the debilitating whole body pain that has kept me on the couch and prevented me from living a normal life for the last 12 years.
On top of dealing with the normal repercussions of an intense oral surgery, I'm likely going to get very sick because I will be HEAVILY detoxing from all the toxins stirred up in my body. And, as you may know, because of my MTHFR, my body has a terrible time detoxing to begin with. My lymphatic system is constantly stuck and my body holds onto everything for dear life, which is why I'm always so incredibly inflamed. So I'm beyond apprehensive about this whole process, and - to be frank - the shit storm it could cause.
However, I'm also told that this treatment could work wonders for my health in the long run. Obviously the abscess is a serious life-threatening issue that needs to be addressed, but it could be that these cavitations are a large part of why I've been so sick and could be just as beneficial to remove. Plus, with my body not having to work so hard to fight off the toxins in my mouth, my immune system will be more free to tackle other things. I'm praying with all that I have that this will open a door of healing for me in the long run. Even just to have my head more clear and my brain inflammation gone would be a huge blessing!
It probably goes without saying that I'm dealing with an enormous amount of stress right now. On top of my worries with the surgery and recovery, there's the added financial stress. The total bill comes to over $18,000! And guess how much insurance is going to cover? $70! Yes, you read that right. 7-0 dollars. Despite many frustrating calls to fight both insurance and my dentist, it seems as though I don't have much choice. Not only is this dentist out-of-network (as all bio dentists likely are) but insurance companies don't deem cavitations "necessary". And of course that's the most expensive part of the surgery (x’s 4!).
On a side note - to my avid readers - have you sensed a pattern? Why is it that treatments which take care of the root cause - no pun intended - aren't considered essential in the medical world?! But of course, Big Pharma and such would rather inundate us with pharmaceuticals to put a "bandaid" on the issue rather than solve the issue! And in the dental world, their go-to fix is a root canal - which makes us more sick. There are plenty of people making money off of us who are chronically ill, so why would they want us to get better? Instead they keep us sick, kick us while we're down, and swallow us with more debt. It makes me physically ill.
Anyway, I have an amazing support system in my family, and my sister was kind enough to start a Go Fund Me to help out. I’m so blessed by those who have donated - every little bit helps so much - thank you!! If you feel inclined to support my family through this next battle, please click here!
Moving on from the financial stress is my job stress. You wouldn't believe the amount of work I've cranked out in the last 2 weeks…probably 4 weeks worth! This is also a busy time of year for our family as my husband has a birthday coming up and a week later, is our sweet daughter's 8th birthday party. I'm basically trying to get it all done now because I have no idea how incapacitated I will be, and for what period of time. Thankfully I have an employer who has been amazingly flexible and understanding. I’m also trying to have the mindset that if something doesn’t get done, then it just doesn’t happen this time. Easier said than done - especially if you know me - overachiever is my middle name! :)
I’ve also been reading stories of other Lyme patients who have done cavitation surgeries - and I can’t help feeling like I’ve dropped the ball on prepping my body for this intense experience. The number of treatments they’ve done, supplements they’re taking, support from their Lyme doctor and their dentist - I haven’t done that and don’t really have that. Which makes me even more scared that I’m not ready and that it will be more difficult than I expect. I try to remind myself that I’ve gotten through some really tough physical and mental things in my life, and that this is all in God’s hands and plans. I’ll take all the thoughts and prayers I can get! Going under the knife (or drill?) on October 15th. And once I’m feeling well enough, I’ll try to post some updates. See you on the other side!
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