Summary

The author's husband's chronic health issues, including fatigue and digestive problems, were eventually traced to a misaligned jaw caused by a leaning tooth that previous dentists had overlooked, leading to a diagnosis of sleep apnea and a plan for costly orthodontic treatment.

Abstract

For years, the author's husband endured a multitude of unexplained health issues that significantly impacted his quality of life. Despite numerous consultations with medical professionals and dentists, the root cause of his symptoms remained undiagnosed. It was only after seeking further dental advice that they discovered his symptoms were linked to a severe jaw misalignment, caused by an improperly supported tooth that had shifted. This misalignment was found to be the source of his digestive troubles, sinus and ear pain, and sleep apnea, which contributed to his exhaustion and weight gain. With this new diagnosis, the husband is set to undergo extensive orthodontic work to correct the issue, at a considerable financial cost. The author expresses relief at finally having an answer but also frustration and anger at the medical community for not identifying the problem sooner.

Opinions

The author is relieved to have a diagnosis after years of her husband suffering from unexplained health issues.
There is a sense of gratitude that the problem can be fixed despite the high cost of treatment.
The author is angry and feels that the medical and dental professionals they consulted with initially failed to recognize the obvious issue with the husband's leaning tooth.
There is a strong sentiment that her husband was not taken seriously due to his size, implying potential bias in the healthcare system.
The author emphasizes the importance of persistence and seeking multiple opinions when faced with unsatisfactory medical advice.
She is thankful for the dental professional who finally provided the correct diagnosis and is hopeful about the future health improvements for her husband.

My Husband’s Teeth Are Making Him Fat And Tired

No, Really.

For years my husband has been suffering from a myriad of nagging health concerns. Nothing life-threatening. Just bothersome enough to make him feel like absolute garbage every day of his life. EVERY. SINGLE. DAY.

Jaw pain and stiffness, ear pain, reduced hearing, feeling like his left ear was clogged, sinus pain and pressure, stiff neck and shoulders, bloating, stomach pain, acid reflux, trouble swallowing, feeling like there was a lump in his throat, all day, every day. Oh, and add in snoring and complete exhaustion despite a full night’s sleep.

I can’t count the number of doctors we went to in search of relief. He’s been given steroid sprays, decongestants and antibiotics. He’s been told it was nothing but anxiety and prescribed antidepressants. Nothing worked. We sought second and third opinions and were told they could find nothing wrong.

Nothing wrong. He was perfectly healthy, they said. Well, for a perfectly healthy middle-aged man he sure felt like crap.

We consulted a couple of dentists, thinking that maybe the problem originated in his jaw. Many years ago, he’d had 2 molars removed from the bottom left side of his mouth, leaving the molar between them alone and unsupported. That unsupported molar had shifted and lay at about a 50-degree angle pointing forward rather than standing upright.

We specifically asked if perhaps he might have a jaw misalignment. Both dentists dismissed the notion and further said the leaning tooth wasn’t a problem.

Yesterday, out of sheer desperation, we tried one last time. My husband simply couldn’t go on living this way any longer. We consulted with another dentist and this time, we hit the jackpot!

Yeah, that leaning tooth that wasn’t a problem? Turns out, it’s a problem. It’s a big problem. Guess what removing those teeth around it and its leaning has done? You guessed it, it’s caused a misalignment in his jaw. And that misalignment is the source of all his problems.

The digestive issues, his bloating, acid reflux and stomach pain are all a result of his not chewing his food properly and potentially swallowing air. Because his jaw isn’t lined up correctly, his bite is off and whatever he eats isn’t broken down in his mouth as it should be before swallowing it.

The sinus pain, ear pain, reduced hearing, ear pain and overall stiffness are all a result of the poorly aligned jaw.

But the scariest thing was the exhaustion and inability to lose weight. My husband’s a big guy. He’s almost 52. We had resigned ourselves to the fact that he was going to be tired and tubby for the rest of his life because that’s just what getting older is.

WRONG! Turns out he’s exhausted because he has sleep apnea (a disrupted breathing pattern during sleep). And, according to the dentist, that sleep apnea is caused by the jaw misalignment. Because his jaw doesn’t line up correctly when he sleeps, his tongue doesn’t lay in his mouth properly and can block his airway.

And sleep apnea can cause a whole host of serious consequences including diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease.

Oh, and weight gain and/or an inability to lose weight. It causes that too.

My mind has been reeling for the past 24 hours. I’m not sure how I feel about this. I have mixed feelings.

First and foremost, I’m relieved that we finally have an answer. It’s impossible to deal with something if you have no idea what it is. Knowledge is power. And just the simple fact of knowing has lifted a huge weight off our shoulders.

I’m also very grateful that my husband is essentially healthy and that this problem can, in time, and with proper treatment, be fixed. It’s going to take a whole lot of orthodontic intervention. And it’s going to cost about $10,000. But hey, it’s only money. I’d trade every penny I have for my hubby’s heath. Well, let's face it, I kinda am.

But I’m also really pissed off! This was something that should have been identified and dealt with years ago. We went to the right people. We asked the right questions. We did it over and over again and were rebuffed. My husband was treated like he was a raging lunatic freaking out over a stuffy nose.

I’m sorry, but seriously, how hard is it to notice that a tooth leaning at a 50-degree angle just might be a problem. They didn’t teach much dentistry at the law school I went to, but even I know teeth are supposed to be straight up and down, not leaning sideways.

My husband had next to no quality of life for about 5 years. There was absolutely no need for it. I have to ask myself why. It feels like more than simple incompetence. That many people couldn’t possibly be that consistently stupid across disciplines and cities. Was it because he didn’t look wealthy? Or was it because, ya know, fuck the fat guy he’s probably going to eat himself to death anyway? Yeah, you know what I mean. I’m livid! I’m seriously shaking as I write this.

All I can say is thank goodness we finally found someone who listened to us, who took the time to examine and diagnose my husband properly. Thank goodness we bit the bullet and dared try once more.

If you have symptoms like he did (and still does) like ear pain, sinus pain, digestive issues, exhaustion, stiffness in the neck, jaw and shoulders, etc. do seek medical advice. And if you’re not satisfied with that advice, get a second opinion. Get a third opinion. Find a medical professional that takes you seriously. The problem might not be your size. The problem might not be “just getting older.” The problem might just be in your mouth.

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