Blood failing to coagulate after dental treatment

[KAYMACK]

I had a strange situation after dental treatment (filling, plaque removal). In the evening, I felt something expanding in my mouth and, not concerned at first, found it was full of what seemed to be black gunk. I was worried that the filling had gone sceptic or something. Had to call the emergency dentist, went to him, but he said he was unable to stop the blood (not that it was gushing). So had to go to a hospital for them to stop it and then apply surgical dressing.

My dentist says I have to get this explained before I can get any more treatment. I have been noticing some strange things with my blood, but full blood test shows nothing out of the ordinary. The only thing is platelets have been slowly increasing from 289 in December to 324 in March and now 344 in April (norm is 166-308). I have been having a flushed red face (due to circulation, I feel, circulation is poor), twice I had an enormous red blotch on my whole torso. There were some small lumps (blood clots?) over veins in my leg, but they went away. I also had a bigger lump in my thigh (doctor said a lipoma), which then vanished! All that was a while ago, after an operation.

I am going to see a cardiologist and trying to get wider tests done beyond the basic full blood test (which also covered tumour markers). Just not sure what is going on or what caused the failure of the blood to clot. When I later went to get the aforementioned blood test, it stopped fine then.

I wonder if anyone has ever had personal experience of this problem?

Friend has this problem. After many years, she found out she had Ehlers Danlos Syndrome.

It sounds autoimmune rather than cardio - I'd ask for a referral to rheumatology

Not sure why you are going to a cardiologist and not a hematologist. This non-clotting can be a sign of various more serious things....
For example, my DD (19) was just diagnosed with Mild Hemophilia A (she's a carrier and it's a spontaneous mutation - no family history). The diagnosis came after 6 years of trying to figure out why she had excessive and non-controllable menstrual bleeding. We were told that it's a good thing she was diagnosed before she got her wisdom teeth out as one of the ways one finds out about this is non-clotting during a dental procedure. (The other one was giving birth!). She had had a special blood test for Factor VIII a year before and it didn't show up. Apparently her being on the pill would have likely masked it. Then her new OBGYN took her off all the hormones (for excessive menstrual bleeding) and did the test again 3 months later. It then showed up with Low Factor VIII. She was then referred to a hematologist who has just done some further tests (still waiting for some of the results as they take a long time) for mild Hemophilia to determine exactly what type she has so they know which medication to give her (luckily it's very treatable if you know that you have it). Apparently this condition is very very rare, but more common in white British people....I don't think they know why.

Another symptom is frequent unexplained bruising (which my DD also has).

I would get yourself a referral to a Hematologist as soon as possible and get tested for Factor VIII deficiency and Von Willebrand disease. (Don't worry...both are treatable these days.)

Just re-read your post....the lumps/clots are also a sign of mild Hemophilia.

Interesting. Can you tell me what the other symptoms were that helped the EDS diagnosis to be made?

Please get a referral to a haematologist. If you are in London, The Royal Free Hospital Haemophilia Department is first rate.

Got referred via gynae to haematology...have a rare blood clotting disorder! Turns out von willebrand in family and am a carrier for haemophilia.....it explained a few odd things that had happened...like bleeding after dental work.and exactly how you describe....not life threatening at all but odd
Ask for referral to haematology yourself....if not suggested ..mine is if no consequence except for surgery....made me slightly higher risk in pregnancy and needed platelets for c section but nothing any if the doctors batted an eye about..

Tranxemic acid can help with clotting so talk yo uour gp about that

I would present at doctors for blood tests this sounds like leukaemia I am surprised the hospital didn't do this

Hmm....Do you live in an area with a city dental hospital nearby?
Maybe your dentist could take advice from Oral Medicine or the Special Care Dept. They usually have very strong ties to Haematology depts.

Has Von Willebrands been ruled out?

All sorts of other things can affect clotting.
I hope you get this sorted out soon OP. Good luck.