What Every Chiari Patient Needs To Know When They Have Gum Disease

Dentist Articles

If you've been diagnosed with Chiari malformation and have gum disease, it's important to understand how Chiari and it's co-related conditions can affect the way you get dental treatment. One of the treatment options for gum disease is the use of a laser. However, there may be risks involved that your dentist will need to be aware of. Here's what you need to know. 

Swallowing Difficulties

Chiari 1 malformation is a progressive condition in which the cerebral tonsils are displaced into the spinal cord opening near the brain stem. One of the symptoms of Chiari is difficulty swallowing, which is also a symptom of gum disease. It's a good idea for you to keep a journal to list the various times that you experience difficulty swallowing so you can share them with your neurosurgeon and your dentist. 

Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome 

Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) is a condition related to Chiari malformation. With this condition, your blood pools in your lower extremities when you stand up from a supine position, which causes your blood pressure to get very low. When this happens, your heart starts racing to bring the blood back up. These changes in your blood flow can cause mitral valve prolapse, which is a valve that is located in your heart. 

When bacteria gets into your blood, it can get trapped in the mitral valve. Dental treatment and care that leads to bleeding of the gums can cause the bacteria in your mouth to get into your bloodstream. Therefore, laser gum treatment is preferred for gum disease in patients who are at risk of mitral valve prolapse. 

Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome 

Ehlers-Danlos (EDS) is yet another medical condition that is related to Chiari. Some doctors believe that some patients have Chiari due to having EDS. Chiari specialists typically call for their patients to be tested for EDS, which is done by a blood test from a geneticist. 

EDS is a genetic connective tissue disorder in which people with this condition due not produce enough collagen. It can cause the walls of cells in the body to rupture, which is the reason many people with EDS bruise easily. There are eight types of EDS, and EDS VIII is associated with periodontal disease. 

Due to EDS being a connective tissue disorder, wounds are easier to obtain and take longer to heal. For this reason, gum disease treatment should be done with as little bleeding as possible, which is why laser gum treatment is ideal for those who have EDS, especially EDS VIII. Be sure that your dentist knows if you have this condition so he or she is able to take any necessary precautions. 

Cranial Cervical Instability 

Cranial cervical instability (CCI) can be related to Chiari and/or EDS. Poor connective tissue can cause the neck to be unstable, which can be the cause of a Chiari in some patients. Sudden movements or incorrect posture can cause the Chiari malformation and/or other abnormalities in the area at the base of the skull to put pressure on the brain stem and/or block the flow of cerebrospinal fluid. 

Cranial cervical instability can be diagnosed by your neurosurgeon or neurologist through a series of MRIs. If you are diagnosed with CCI, it is crucial that your dentist takes great care in the placement of your neck and head while in the chair receiving your laser gum treatment. Speak with your neurosurgeon or neurologist about whether or not you need a neck brace to support your neck, especially when receiving dental care in which your head needs to be tilted back for the dentist to do their work. 

For more information, consider a website like http://www.neufamilydental.com. 

6 May 2016