Honolulu, HIJasmine had a clean bill of health from her dentist, not even a cavity in 54 years. But last year she had a wisdom tooth removed and her oral surgeon said she is suffering from “dead jaw,” which is a bone disease. Her dentist said that Fosamax is to blame.
“I had the tooth removed but the pain got worse,” says Jasmine. “I was getting migraines and a nasty sore throat so I went back to the oral surgeon. He gave me pain meds and antibiotics but it didn’t heal.”
Jasmine went back to her regular dentist after the six-week antibiotic treatment hadn’t treated the infection or the pain. He told her that the extraction hadn’t healed, and after several x-rays, he diagnosed her with osteonecrosis of the jaw (ONJ), which is a disease that occurs when bone tissue in the jaw does not heal after minor traumas such as tooth extraction or oral surgery.
“He also told me that Fosamax was the cause of this ‘dead bone disease’ and that was why my gum wasn’t healing,” Jasmine explains. “He went on to say that I would have more problems in the future. Then I had to go back to the oral surgeon: He concurred that ONJ is a Fosamax side effect and that this osteoporosis drug was the reason why the extraction wasn’t healing. Now bone is pushing its way out of my gum. I had the surgery last November 2012 and I have been on painkillers ever since. “
This reporter asked her own dentist about Fosamax. Did she know about its link to ONJ? Yes, she was very aware of Fosamax, and indeed warned her patients not to take the drug. And the oral surgeon she works with refuses to treat patients if they have taken Fosamax because he is concerned about the consequences of bone damage after surgery - and a potential medical malpractice lawsuit.
“I am having so much pain because a piece of my jaw bone is wedging up and into the area where my wisdom tooth was extracted, and since this surgery, I have only been able to eat on the left side,” Jasmine says. “After my dentist told me that dead jaw is one of many Fosamax side effects, including Fosamax fractures, I went online and couldn’t believe how many fosamax lawsuits have been filed. There should be warnings in dental offices not to take Fosamax, even if you have been prescribed it for osteoporosis.
“I started talking to (or I should say ‘warning’) my friends and co-workers about Fosamax, and was shocked to find out how many people are taking it. Even my boss was on Fosamax but stopped taking it years ago. When I told her about my wisdom tooth surgery, she rattled off the Fosamax side effects. Too bad we didn’t talk about it years ago…
“Nobody ever told me about the risks. No more teeth are coming out of my mouth, and as for my osteoporosis, that is going on the back shelf. I’m afraid to take anything for bone loss. I couldn’t believe that taking a medication for bone loss contributes to bone loss.
“Now that I have this information, and after my wisdom tooth ordeal, I don’t feel so wise. How could I have not known for all these years?”
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