Dr. Steven Powell Partners with High-Risk Patient to Drastically Change Her Oral Health
*Patient name has been changed to maintain privacy
Sometimes, the deck seems stacked against you. Sometimes, it’s so stacked against you, it’s hard to believe that you can even sit at the table. The news from the dentist could not have been worse for Mary. 12 Crowns. 12. And, the dental issues were only the tip of the iceberg, arriving on top of high blood pressure, cancer, and pancreatitis. And, after this round of 12 crowns, what would be in store for her at her next dental check-in? It was time to make a change, but what would make a difference?
The Issue
The Situation: Dental visit revealed significant caries disease, resulting in the recommendation for 12 crowns.
Contributing Factors: Severe dry mouth caused by cancer, high blood pressure medication, pancreatitis, and autoimmune disease.
Steps Taken
Mary realized that caring for her other serious health conditions neglected her proper oral care habits which fell by the wayside. It had to change if she wanted a better outcome. The dentist who recommended 12 crowns had an exclusively drill and fill approach to dentistry. An approach Mary could no longer live with. Upon recommendation from her gastroenterologist, she approached the dental school at Loma Linda (California) for a recommendation to a dentist with a fresh approach. There, she was connected with Dr. Steven Powell, a practicing general dentist and faculty member of the school of dentistry at the University.
Dr. Powell introduced Mary to the importance of pH in her oral health. Over the course of two years, Mary worked to raise, stabilize and control the pH level of her mouth. He started her on the CariFree system with the CTx36 Kit to treat her pH imbalance and the CTx2 Spray to treat her dry mouth.
The new routine made a measurable difference. In fact, regular pH testing with pH strips showed that the CariFree products were raising the pH levels in her mouth. As Mary worked with her new dentist over the next two years, she did still need some restorative work, but she only needed a few crowns instead of the 12 she was initially told she would require.
Current Status
Currently, Mary is enjoying her greatly improved oral health and continues to use a variety of CariFree products to help maintain it. Despite the considerable risks going against her and with her other health risks, she has been able to make serious improvements in her oral health. She is so grateful to her dentist for his patience working with her and to CariFree for their cutting-edge work!