Hi, I was diagnosed in May with smoldering myeloma found because of my osteoporosis. I don't have all my numbers with me, but I have what might be a crazy question, although I doubt any questions are crazy when you are suddenly involved in a cancer diagnosis.
I have recurring gum infections that my dentist says she doesn't know why, not tooth related, and my doctor who sees me for my myeloma says see the dentist.
I am just curious if anyone else has had this happen to them. I also have little jaw pains and my face hurts when the gums swell. Dentist keeps putting me on antibiotics. I don't go back to my cancer doc until August because I am in the "being monitored" stage.
Thank you for any info as I have no idea what to expect.
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Re: Frequent gum infections - do you get them too?
Hi Renata,
I would ask your oncologist for sure. I was having all sorts of weird infections leading up to my diagnosis. The immune system is impacted, so it could be an issue and it might just hit your body differently.
You might want to talk to both your doctor and dentist about dental care that is less intrusive to your mouth.
I would ask your oncologist for sure. I was having all sorts of weird infections leading up to my diagnosis. The immune system is impacted, so it could be an issue and it might just hit your body differently.
You might want to talk to both your doctor and dentist about dental care that is less intrusive to your mouth.
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mdeering - Name: Who me?
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Myself
- When were you/they diagnosed?: May 2015
- Age at diagnosis: 58
Re: Frequent gum infections - do you get them too?
G'day Renata,
Not sure if it's relevant but, although I didn't have gum inflammation, I do seem to always have a mouth ulcer or two. When I went to the dentist after about a ten year gap, he told me I had a gum disease, which I had treated by a periodontist. Soon after that treatment, my ulcers ceased. About two months later, I was diagnosed.
Maybe the gum disease bought on the myeloma? Point being, not all things are related, but a dentist should do more than antibiotics. Apart from the ulcers, I had no other symptoms of bad gums, like bleeding or swelling. I assumed the ulcers were just one of those things I was prone to. I have been getting them since I could remember. So maybe see another dentist also.
That's all, Vic
Not sure if it's relevant but, although I didn't have gum inflammation, I do seem to always have a mouth ulcer or two. When I went to the dentist after about a ten year gap, he told me I had a gum disease, which I had treated by a periodontist. Soon after that treatment, my ulcers ceased. About two months later, I was diagnosed.
Maybe the gum disease bought on the myeloma? Point being, not all things are related, but a dentist should do more than antibiotics. Apart from the ulcers, I had no other symptoms of bad gums, like bleeding or swelling. I assumed the ulcers were just one of those things I was prone to. I have been getting them since I could remember. So maybe see another dentist also.
That's all, Vic
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vicstir - Name: Vic
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Myself
- When were you/they diagnosed?: October 2013
- Age at diagnosis: 39
Re: Frequent gum infections - do you get them too?
Hi Renata,
Your question deals with a very interesting topic: Infections and their link to multiple myeloma (including smoldering myeloma and MGUS).
Not surprisingly, due both to the disease itself and to treatments for it, people diagnosed with symptomatic multiple myeloma are at a higher risk of developing infections than people in the general population. There's even research that indicates that myeloma patients are becoming increasingly at risk of developing infections. See, for example, the study discussed in this article
https://myelomabeacon.org/news/2013/01/11/infection-risk-multiple-myeloma-high-and-rising-ash-2012/
Also, if you spend enough time here in the forum, it won't take long until you notice that many of the smoldering myeloma and MGUS patients here mention having frequent infections. That's not a scientific sample; you can't tell how representative these postings are of the experience of all smoldering and MGUS patients. But the topic comes up a lot. See, for example, this forum thread:
https://myelomabeacon.org/forum/frequent-infections-smoldering-myeloma-t5294.html
I don't know of any research that shows that smoldering and MGUS patients are more likely to have infections than the general population, but I would guess that's the case.
There is, however, this very interesting study that shows that people eventually diagnosed with symptomatic multiple myeloma are more likely to have infections PRIOR to their diagnosis than people in the general population:
https://myelomabeacon.org/news/2013/10/22/infections-risk-of-developing-multiple-myeloma/
Since all symptomatic myeloma patients go through the MGUS and smoldering stages of the disease, often without realizing it, this suggests that, indeed, people with smoldering myeloma are more likely to have infections than the general population.
It also raises, however, an interesting question. Do the infections prior to diagnosis perhaps play a role in the development of multiple myeloma? Do infections, for example, weaken the body's immune system, making it possible for myeloma cells to take hold and reproduce?
All of this is a long-winded way of saying: Your smoldering myeloma could be making you more susceptible to infections, which, in your case, are manifesting as gum infections.
Hope this helps a bit. Good luck!
Your question deals with a very interesting topic: Infections and their link to multiple myeloma (including smoldering myeloma and MGUS).
Not surprisingly, due both to the disease itself and to treatments for it, people diagnosed with symptomatic multiple myeloma are at a higher risk of developing infections than people in the general population. There's even research that indicates that myeloma patients are becoming increasingly at risk of developing infections. See, for example, the study discussed in this article
https://myelomabeacon.org/news/2013/01/11/infection-risk-multiple-myeloma-high-and-rising-ash-2012/
Also, if you spend enough time here in the forum, it won't take long until you notice that many of the smoldering myeloma and MGUS patients here mention having frequent infections. That's not a scientific sample; you can't tell how representative these postings are of the experience of all smoldering and MGUS patients. But the topic comes up a lot. See, for example, this forum thread:
https://myelomabeacon.org/forum/frequent-infections-smoldering-myeloma-t5294.html
I don't know of any research that shows that smoldering and MGUS patients are more likely to have infections than the general population, but I would guess that's the case.
There is, however, this very interesting study that shows that people eventually diagnosed with symptomatic multiple myeloma are more likely to have infections PRIOR to their diagnosis than people in the general population:
https://myelomabeacon.org/news/2013/10/22/infections-risk-of-developing-multiple-myeloma/
Since all symptomatic myeloma patients go through the MGUS and smoldering stages of the disease, often without realizing it, this suggests that, indeed, people with smoldering myeloma are more likely to have infections than the general population.
It also raises, however, an interesting question. Do the infections prior to diagnosis perhaps play a role in the development of multiple myeloma? Do infections, for example, weaken the body's immune system, making it possible for myeloma cells to take hold and reproduce?
All of this is a long-winded way of saying: Your smoldering myeloma could be making you more susceptible to infections, which, in your case, are manifesting as gum infections.
Hope this helps a bit. Good luck!
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JimNY
Re: Frequent gum infections - do you get them too?
Hi Renata
Two years before the failure of a hospital to diagnose the multiple myeloma, leading to stage 3 disease and extensive bone damage. I had new crowns put on and had ongoing inflammation around the gums, but no other Periodontic disease as I have my teeth cleaned and assesed twice s year. It was my dentist who raised the possibility of blood cancer. But because with a little adjustment in time the gum swelling went. A few months later I developed symptoms which rather late were accurately assessed by a non oncology hospital with publicly advertised myeloma set up pathway. The hospital now knows its mistake.
As a healthy person previously I have been prone to serious infection during my first year of treatment and consider myself lucky to be alive, as my body could not take a transplant.
But I am treated with great thought at the specialist hospital unit I transferred to for initial treatment, and prophylactic measures taken to improve my counts due to treatment affects are ongoing. I am monitored more closely after a recent spell in hospital with yet another infection which thankfully did not develop into pneumonia as before.
My mouth is dry more and I do get mouth and throat redness and a little soreness, which with good mouthcare and frequent fluid intake / saliva replacement all keep things OK. My last dental check was in June and no problems noted. The only fear I have now is from Osteonecrosis of the jaw as bisphosphonate treatment has been started. Fortunately there is a specialist in my local hospital on this so I can get urgent referral by dentist, but hope with good dental care the problem will not arise.
The bottom line I would say is that the quality of supportive care is important in multiple myeloma because the blood system takes such a battering with three dose regimes.
Two years before the failure of a hospital to diagnose the multiple myeloma, leading to stage 3 disease and extensive bone damage. I had new crowns put on and had ongoing inflammation around the gums, but no other Periodontic disease as I have my teeth cleaned and assesed twice s year. It was my dentist who raised the possibility of blood cancer. But because with a little adjustment in time the gum swelling went. A few months later I developed symptoms which rather late were accurately assessed by a non oncology hospital with publicly advertised myeloma set up pathway. The hospital now knows its mistake.
As a healthy person previously I have been prone to serious infection during my first year of treatment and consider myself lucky to be alive, as my body could not take a transplant.
But I am treated with great thought at the specialist hospital unit I transferred to for initial treatment, and prophylactic measures taken to improve my counts due to treatment affects are ongoing. I am monitored more closely after a recent spell in hospital with yet another infection which thankfully did not develop into pneumonia as before.
My mouth is dry more and I do get mouth and throat redness and a little soreness, which with good mouthcare and frequent fluid intake / saliva replacement all keep things OK. My last dental check was in June and no problems noted. The only fear I have now is from Osteonecrosis of the jaw as bisphosphonate treatment has been started. Fortunately there is a specialist in my local hospital on this so I can get urgent referral by dentist, but hope with good dental care the problem will not arise.
The bottom line I would say is that the quality of supportive care is important in multiple myeloma because the blood system takes such a battering with three dose regimes.
Re: Frequent gum infections - do you get them too?
I had the same thing happening to me one 2,5 years before my diagnosis with smoldering myeloma (in May 2014). I was sent to a periodontist and have visited him twice a year ever since.
However, this time my gums started bleeding in three months and in a trip to Africa I got a gum infection and my gums were swollen. My periodontist could not explain the infection or why I got severe ulitis again, even though we are so careful.
When he said he cannot understand why my immune system is low, it raised an alarm that it may be linked to my smoldering situation. Now I am sure. Haven't told him about this, I thought it was something irrelevant, but I am going to discuss it with him next time I see him. My lab tests, however, were stable and slightly better than the previous ones, so this was quite a relief.
However, this time my gums started bleeding in three months and in a trip to Africa I got a gum infection and my gums were swollen. My periodontist could not explain the infection or why I got severe ulitis again, even though we are so careful.
When he said he cannot understand why my immune system is low, it raised an alarm that it may be linked to my smoldering situation. Now I am sure. Haven't told him about this, I thought it was something irrelevant, but I am going to discuss it with him next time I see him. My lab tests, however, were stable and slightly better than the previous ones, so this was quite a relief.
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eirini_ukl
Re: Frequent gum infections - do you get them too?
Hello Renata,
Before I had confirmed smoldering myeloma (thinking I had MGUS), I developed an ulceration on the very back of my gum. It was very painful and irritated at the time. I also have suffered from a life-long curse of fever blisters (lip) so I thought this was something related.
I went to the dentist after about 4 days of facial pain and inability to chew or brush on that side. She said she was going to laser it! Sure enough it was almost immediately pain free and gone in about a day. What a relief to know I could do that again if needed. Maybe your dentist can do the same thing?
Good luck.
Before I had confirmed smoldering myeloma (thinking I had MGUS), I developed an ulceration on the very back of my gum. It was very painful and irritated at the time. I also have suffered from a life-long curse of fever blisters (lip) so I thought this was something related.
I went to the dentist after about 4 days of facial pain and inability to chew or brush on that side. She said she was going to laser it! Sure enough it was almost immediately pain free and gone in about a day. What a relief to know I could do that again if needed. Maybe your dentist can do the same thing?
Good luck.
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loveparis - Name: loveparis
- Who do you know with myeloma?: myself
- When were you/they diagnosed?: June, 2015
- Age at diagnosis: 61
Re: Frequent gum infections - do you get them too?
I haven't had gum infections but starting last fall I've had two severe tooth abscesses. Each required a root canal / crown, and I have never had anything more than a basic cavity until this time.
Both infections began with an ulcer near the tooth which became infected. The infections resulted in fever, swelling, severe pain. The first, which took place 1 year ago, made it to the bone, but did not eat into the bone. There was a faint spot via xray that indicated it made it to the bone at the time of treatment, which the dentist said was a good sign that it was caught just in time before spreading to the jaw bone.
The second infection, which took place this January just a few months later, resulted in even more swelling, higher fever and the tooth was "pushing out" / lifting up due to the extreme swelling. This infection did make it to the jaw bone. Via xray, it could be noted that a portion of the jaw bone was "eaten into" by the infection (dark areas on the x-ray). This case, also like the first, took 2 rounds of a root canal and the jaw bone appeared to recover fully within 1 month, though I had recurrent fevers Jan thru the end of May.
I'm not sure if it's related or not, but last August when the first infection took place, my valid IgG level dropped below normal for the 1st time. (Valid IgG = total IgG minus my IgG kappa M spike.) Also, my IgM dropped for the 1st time at the same time to below normal (into the 20's), as my M spike also doubled from it's previous highest value since being tracked August 2010 (initial value at age 39 in 2010 was 0.100 g/dL), then it was in the 0.375 g/dL range as my bone marrow biopsy noted spring 2014 10% total plasma cell percentage, Fall 2014 M spike rose to 0.700 g/dL and has ranged 0.700 to 0.800 g/dL since then and IgM continues to drop slightly each time into the lower mid 20's.
I'm thankful that I've been clear of major dental infections since earlier this year and again I've never had dental issue my entire life until last fall. There's no way to know if the severe abcesses are linked to the MGUS / smoldering multiple myeloma, lower than normal valid IgG levels as well as low IgM. I would guess that, if the infections were related to the suppressed uninvolved immunogobulin IgM, that I'd continue to have infections, which luckily I have not had to deal with once the fevers ceased months following the second and very severe abscess.
Both infections began with an ulcer near the tooth which became infected. The infections resulted in fever, swelling, severe pain. The first, which took place 1 year ago, made it to the bone, but did not eat into the bone. There was a faint spot via xray that indicated it made it to the bone at the time of treatment, which the dentist said was a good sign that it was caught just in time before spreading to the jaw bone.
The second infection, which took place this January just a few months later, resulted in even more swelling, higher fever and the tooth was "pushing out" / lifting up due to the extreme swelling. This infection did make it to the jaw bone. Via xray, it could be noted that a portion of the jaw bone was "eaten into" by the infection (dark areas on the x-ray). This case, also like the first, took 2 rounds of a root canal and the jaw bone appeared to recover fully within 1 month, though I had recurrent fevers Jan thru the end of May.
I'm not sure if it's related or not, but last August when the first infection took place, my valid IgG level dropped below normal for the 1st time. (Valid IgG = total IgG minus my IgG kappa M spike.) Also, my IgM dropped for the 1st time at the same time to below normal (into the 20's), as my M spike also doubled from it's previous highest value since being tracked August 2010 (initial value at age 39 in 2010 was 0.100 g/dL), then it was in the 0.375 g/dL range as my bone marrow biopsy noted spring 2014 10% total plasma cell percentage, Fall 2014 M spike rose to 0.700 g/dL and has ranged 0.700 to 0.800 g/dL since then and IgM continues to drop slightly each time into the lower mid 20's.
I'm thankful that I've been clear of major dental infections since earlier this year and again I've never had dental issue my entire life until last fall. There's no way to know if the severe abcesses are linked to the MGUS / smoldering multiple myeloma, lower than normal valid IgG levels as well as low IgM. I would guess that, if the infections were related to the suppressed uninvolved immunogobulin IgM, that I'd continue to have infections, which luckily I have not had to deal with once the fevers ceased months following the second and very severe abscess.
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pinball - Who do you know with myeloma?: Myself
- When were you/they diagnosed?: 2010 MGUS, 2014 Smoldering
- Age at diagnosis: 39
9 posts
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