Surviving with chronic pain can affect numerous aspects of our overall health. Physical therapy has many treatments to cure your chronic pain and give back your everyday life. When you are on certain medications to treat particular medical conditions, specifically chronic pain and challenges with dental hygiene can cause you oral health issues. And because these severe conditions are common in patients seeking medical help in acute and chronic pain relief, regular trips to the dentist are recommended. Thus you can catch the problem before it becomes a severe issue.

Maintaining dental hygiene at the earliest can save more pain down the line.

If you are suffering from spinal pain, it will show its effects on the upper part of the body, that is, the face, head, and neck area. You might have a couple of scheduled visits to your dentists as well. The pain medications in acute and chronic pain are the roots that cause you dental problems, in some cases, dental decay issues as well. 

A person is suffering from the myofascial syndrome, and taking physical therapy treatment will require the highest level of oral care as the nature of the condition is severe. You can visit a dentist who specializes in treating chronic pain. 

Why should you visit the dentist?

You agree on going for an overall general checkup once a year with your primary care doctor, right? So regular dental checkups are the same. If you avoid these routine checkups, any potential issue may take time to grow and become more severe and complicated to treat after it’s diagnosed. Search for a doctor who specializes in treating patients with existing pain and can help you reduce this pain by prescribing proper medicines. Before approaching any dentist, you must ask or take guidance from your physician for any particular treatment protocol your dentist must be aware of. 

Keep in mind your present medical condition.

Overall, health and oral health are connected. For example, diabetes, Sjorgen’s syndrome, or rheumatoid arthritis, which physical therapy sessions can treat, can lead to severe oral health difficulties. 

  • Diabetes decreases the body’s resistance to infection, including gum diseases. 
  • Rheumatoid arthritis and periodontal disease, which is an oral problem, are related.
  • Sjorgen is an autoimmune disease that decreases the amount of saliva in the mouth. This can cause tissue inflammation and lead to tooth decay and gum diseases. 

Medications

When you are getting treatment for chronic pain, several medications are prescribed and necessary. But this can cause a range of side effects in oral health and also overall health. Similar to the effects of Sjogren’s syndrome, many drugs are known to lessen the amount of saliva in the mouth, potentially leading to tooth decay and gum disease.

Medications that may bring a depletion in saliva comprises narcotic pain medications and antidepressants, and antihistamines. Some medicines contain sugar, so this can result in tooth decay. Different antibiotics can lead to staining and discoloration of the teeth. Thus benefits of medications can always be weighed against the possible side effects. So before taking any new medicine, you must always be aware and discuss the side effects with your physician.

Periodontal disease

Over an interval of time, gums pull away from the teeth and form pockets that often become infected. The body’s immune system fights the bacteria as the plague develops and grows below the gum line. Bacterial toxins and the body’s natural answer to infection start to break down the bone and connective tissue which hold the teeth in place. If not treated at times, the bones, gums, and tissues that support the teeth are destroyed. It may also be required to extract the diseased teeth. 

Extraction and tooth loss

People with chronic pain usually avoid visiting the dentist for potential pain triggers. So when gums or tooth pain or any sensitivity arises, it often is discovered in the later stages of decay. In such cases, teeth cannot be salvaged. Unfortunately, the tooth has to be removed. Let’s see some medications that can cause tooth decay:

  • Aspirin
  • Methadone
  • Non-steroid and anti-inflammatory drugs
  • Tricyclic antidepressants

Decisive invasion is the solution.

What can we practice to avoid such conditions at home itself? Well, you can start with small things like brushing your teeth a minimum of twice daily and flossing. It would help if you also cleaned your tongue to exclude those bacteria that lead to plaque and chronic bad breath. Twice-yearly tooth cleaning and exams are necessary to prevent any offset issue before they become severe. Prevention of dental disease may very well pay off in good overall health. Also, if you are willing to treat your chronic pain without any medication, physical therapy can treat any acute and chronic pain. Connect to https://cypress-pt.com/