Dental Health after Sleeve Surgery

[aquarius1234 39]

I just recently heard about tooth decay after being sleeved. Anyone else have issues with this?

[Sosewsue61 3,185]

First of all what did you hear?

I am preop, so no personal experience but logically the only issue I can surmise would be acid from gerd or vomitting from overfilling again causing acid to erode tooth enamel.

[Berry78 4,261]

There is an old saying... for every pregnancy, you lose a tooth. It's to do with malnutrition.

Oral health... just one more reason to take care of ourselves after surgery!

[Redmaxx 740]

Did you read this on a web site or was it someone posting it on another forum?

[madferitchick 163]

I had also heard of this pre sleeve, not any solid evidence just hear say.

My experience post sleeve (almost two years) is that I have had a decline in dental health. I have had a couple of teeth break (had to have one pulled out) and experienced some decay so have had to have fillings. I don't suffer with GERD or vomiting and I eat a good, balanced diet and take my vitamins/supplements. I look after my teeth well.

The only thing I can attribute it to is that I think I have a habit of holding Fluid in my mouth sometimes if I take a sip of my drink and can't swallow it immediately. Despite not drinking any carbonation or sugary drinks, I wonder if this could be part of the reason.

I'd be really interested to hear if anyone else has had any issues too.

[Redmaxx 740]

Is this a sleeve thing or is it for any WLS?

[aquarius1234 39]

A friend of mine was sleeved last year and now she has a lot of decay and needs root canals. I haven't spoken to my surgeon or dentist about this so I have no real answers. That's why I was posting this to find out more. I am visiting my dentist tomorrow and will definitely ask him his thoughts. I was sleeved 3/15/17. My teeth weren't great to start with and so now I am worried it will be worse. I will let you know what I find out!

[aquarius1234 39]

First of all what did you hear?
I am preop, so no personal experience but logically the only issue I can surmise would be acid from gerd or vomitting from overfilling again causing acid to erode tooth enamel.

Just that the vomiting and malnutrition made your teeth rot. I am seeing my dentist tomorrow so I will be sure to ask him his thoughts! I will update you!

[aquarius1234 39]

Is this a sleeve thing or is it for any WLS?

I would assume it would be worse for bypass because they have a harder time with malnutrition afterwards but I am assuming. I was sleeved and the person who said this was sleeved as well.

[Wendyfm 494]

If anything being sleeved gave me the incentive to take care of my health in other areas including oral health. I saw the dentist for the first time in twenty years after I got sleeved ,for reg dental care, that is. I have had a couple of teeth pulled in the past. My teeth by the way other than a lost filling were n. Pretty good shape. So having the sleeve definitely didn't affect them.

[aquarius1234 39]

Just saw my dentist and he said it would have to be pretty severe to have teeth decay from malnutrition. So he assumed from what my friend had posted on Facebook that it was from the vomiting or acid reflux that she had her dental issues from.

[Sullie06 1,013]

A girl I used to work with had bypass and all of her teeth decayed, she now has a full set of dentures. She blames the Gastric Bypass but I also wonder what her dental hygiene routine is as well. She's a little lacking in the general hygiene department.

[Boocilla 17]

I have heard of this a lot in other forums... it all has to do with your vitamins...make sure you get all of your vitamins!!

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G935A using BariatricPal mobile app

[JupiterinVirgo 846]

I have had some issues with this. In all fairness, I had some issues before surgery, and did not know then what I know now: teeth decay is the nutritional problem not a hygiene issue. Your body polls nutrients out of your bones to replace the ones you were not getting. Also issues with blood sugar can affect your teeth quite a bit. If there's too much sugar in your saliva and blood, it can cause your teeth to decay. This is a real issue that needs to be addressed for people who have bariatric surgery. We are not informed, about the real consequences of malnourishment and undernutrition.

[OutsideMatchInside 10,166]

On 4/25/2017 at 10:05 AM, aquarius1234 said:

I just recently heard about tooth decay after being sleeved. Anyone else have issues with this?

Nope.

I don't vomit. I take my Vitamins, I blow my Protein goals out the Water. I also had nice teeth to start with, and have always gone regularly to the dentist. I use a Sonicare and brush my teeth 3 times a day and I floss.

A lot issues people have post op are self created, and I am going to leave it at that.

Actually I'm not. People act like taking vitamins is optional. They act like getting your protein is optional, if it is too hard you can just skip it. A lot of the people you see blowing their early weight loss out the water are doing it because they are slowly starving themselves and suffering from malnutrition, which why comparing yourself to other people is not only foolish, it is dangerous. One of the people that used to post here bragged about her 6 month weight loss to newbs. What the new people that she was telling about her fast pace to goal didn't know is the first 6 weeks she had no protein because her Dr had her on a plan with no protein and she was starving.

Basic dental health and overall nutrition are not mysteries. Your body will suck all the nutrients and minerals it needs out your bones if it is not getting them from food in an effort to survive. The same thing happens when women are pregnant and not taking vitamins. You take pre-natal vitamins for yourself, not the baby. The baby will pull all the nutrients it needs right out your body.

Post-op plans are pretty clear, people ignore them and blame the Drs and the plans, instead of taking personal responsibility.

Edited May 3, 2017 by OutsideMatchInside