People with renal (kidney) problems may have a bad taste in their mouths, and they often have bad breath (halitosis). This occurs because the kidneys fail to remove urea from the blood and the urea breaks down to form ammonia, which is a foul-smelling substance. Bone changes also can occur because the body cannot absorb calcium properly. People with kidney problems can lose bone from their jaws, and their teeth may become loose and painful.

Many symptoms and complications of kidney disease can affect dental treatment. These include anorexia (an eating disorder), anemia (a blood disorder), high blood pressure and heart disease, as well as dry mouth (xerostomia), periodontal (gum) disease, loose teeth, tooth loss and inflammation of the mouth and salivary glands. Kidney disease causes some of these symptoms; others are caused by medications and other treatments.

Before you receive treatment, give your dentist a detailed list of your medications and their doses. He or she will take into consideration the medications you are taking before deciding to prescribe any additional medications. Some medications may worsen kidney failure and some may build up in the body until the next dialysis. Because this type of disease can affect your blood counts, give a copy of your most recent blood tests to your dentist as often as it is available.