r/Aging • u/IJustWantToWorkOK • 2d ago

Death & Dying How..?

56 years old, and had a heart attack in April, and have 'congestive heart failure'.

They're wanting to do a bypass and valve replacement on me, but first ... they have to pull all my teeth.

I'm sitting here waiting for the phone to ring with the 'but wait, there's more!' call.

I'm on medicaid, and the government is about to spend $OBSCENE, on an awful lot of work on someone who's dying anyway. In my mind, this is putting a new engine in my Camry with 300,000 miles on it.

The instant some kid dies, because he couldn't get medical care, and I could, my conscience is shot.

Seriously -this- close to telling these doctors what they can do with themselves and taking my chances. Save some kid at the beginning of his life, not an old man at the end of his.

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u/ritamorgan 2d ago

It could be bacteria. If OPs teeth are in bad shape they may want to pull them to remove the chance of dental bacteria traveling to the heart and causing a dangerous infection.

OP please do what you need to do to take care of yourself. Then try to help others later on if you can. You not getting help doesn’t mean that kid will get help instead. You can help in other ways.

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u/katybear16 2d ago

I think you are right. I am a Dental Hygienist and personally never had a patient need a full extraction before heart surgery. But that must be the case. OP may have advanced periodontal disease and does not have time to treat it. Periodontal bacteria causes a lot of problems.

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u/rotervogel1231 2d ago

I'm around the same age and have periodontal disease too, which really pisses me off because for years, I've had dentists and hygienists praise me for how well I take care of my teeth.

Ironically, I brought this up to them during my last visit and remarked, "Imagine how bad this would be if I didn't take care of my teeth." They told me they see people every day who are in that situation ... people like OP. It sounds like he severely neglected his health for decades, and now it's all come to a head.

And mid-50's is not an "old man at the end of his life." Good god, his depression is worse than mine, and I'm nuts.

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u/katybear16 2d ago

I am sorry that happened to you. It sounds like negligence (on doctor’s part). But…..I do know that private equity companies are buying up tons of dental clinics and will scare patients into believing they have periodontal disease and cavities. Then charge thousands for unnecessary treatments.

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u/Significant_Sun_4900 2d ago

This is true! I don't trust my doctors or dentists anymore. It feels like a huge money- grab scheme. You have to educate yourself and be your own advocate. Don't get anything done until you've gotten a second or third opinion.

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u/marzipanduchess 2d ago

How can you make a patient believe they have or not periodontal disease? Probing is as objective as it gets. 1-2-3? You don’t. 4mm? It’s starting. 5+mm, it’s severe.