Hi dorynoel,

I am going to re post some of your thread and answer you in bold type.

<<I read a lot of the blogs here and the information you provided to others. I also read Dr Mercola's article and some others on the Internet. It was all so very overwhelming. I asked my PCP if my tooth could be the cause of my symptom flare up. She said definitely. She looked in my mouth and said my gums looked red and inflamed where I was having the issue. >>

I KNOW THE INFORMATION CAN BE OVERWHELMING ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU FEEL YOU ARE IN A CRITICAL SITUATION. IT IS ALSO VERY UNFORTUNATE THAT YOU HAVE TO SEE SO MANY "DOCTORS" TO BE ABLE TO MAKE A DECISION THAT CAN AFFECT THE HEALTH AND QUALITY OF YOUR LIFE. YOUR PCP IS WISE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE CONNECTION BETWEEN YOUR ORAL AND SYSTEMIC HEALTH AS THIS IS BASIC BIOLOGY THAT SHE LEARNED EARLY ON IN HER EDUCATION.

<< My podiatrist was interested in my Lyme story and we began discussing the tooth issues. She said the tooth could be the cause of all my nausea and increased symptoms. However when I told her about the root canal theory she didn't agree with it. She said that bone is porous and antibiotics are capable of clearing all the infection. >>

JUST STOP AND THINK FOR ONE MINUTE ABOUT WHAT THIS "DR" TOLD YOU. ON ONE HAND SHE ADMITS THE SYSTEMIC CONNECTION BETWEEN ORAL AND OVERALL HEALTH TELLING YOU THIS TOOTH COULD BE INCREASING YOUR SYMPTOMS. IN THE NEXT BREATH SHE NOT ONLY CONTRADICTS HERSELF BUT GIVES YOU 100% FALSE INFORMATION ABOUT THE ROOT CANAL ISSUE. SHE OBVIOUSLY KNOWS NOTHING ABOUT THE ANATOMY OF TEETH, WHICH IS NO SURPRISE SINCE SHE WAS NEVER TAUGHT ANYTHING ABOUT THEM. HOWEVER SHE SHOULD KNOW ABOUT THE PATHOLOGY AND ISCHEMIA ASSOCIATED WITH KEEPING DEAD BONE (WHICH IS WHAT THE RC TOOTH IS) ANY PLACE IN THE BODY.

<<She claimed to have 22 root canals. So this confused me. >>

PLENTY OF PEOPLE HAVE MULTIPLE ROOT CANALED TEETH IN THEIR MOUTH AND PLENTY OF PEOPLE HAVE CANCER, AUTO IMMUNE DISEASE, DIABETES.... ETC. SO FROM A SYSTEMIC HEALTH PERSPECTIVE, SHE IS CLUELESS.

<< She said to be careful of what you read on the Internet and to make sure it's from a credible source and has a reference list of peer reviewed research.>>

I AGREE WITH HER ON THAT! EVERYTHING I HAVE STATED ON THIS SITE IS FROM DECADES OF CREDIBLE SOURCES. SHE ON THE OTHER HAND SHOULD BE CAREFUL OF WHERE SHE IS GETTING HER (MIS)INFORMATION FROM AS HER PATIENTS ARE TRUSTING HER TO BE AN INFORMED PHYSICIAN.

<<I finally went to the dentist yesterday. He determined that the tooth still causing me pain is the root canaled one as opposed to the one behind it. He thinks the pain is radiating which is why I also feel it on the one behind it. So he said my options were to go to the oral surgeon and have it cleaned out and try to save it or to pull it. I decided to have it pulled. He said he can do it right then, so I agreed (didn't see your post yet about going to an oral surgeon). At this point I just wanted it out already. So I hope it's not going to be a problem.>>

I HOPE IT'S NOT GOING TO BE A PROBLEM FOR YOU EITHER.

<<So now I have 3 other root canaled teeth left in my mouth. I will look like a pumpkin if I take them out.>>

DECIDING TO REMOVE YOUR TEETH IS NOT AN EASY OR PLEASANT DECISION FOR ANYONE. HOWEVER THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER IS THAT SOMETHING OCCURRED, DECAY/TRAUMA/LACK OF DENTAL CARE, TO CAUSE THESE TEETH TO BE UNHEALTHY. THE CONSEQUENCES OF RETAINING UNHEALTHY TEETH CAN CONTRIBUTE OR CAUSE IRREVERSIBLE BONE DAMAGE, OTHER TEETH TO BECOME UNHEALTHY AND SYSTEMIC ILLNESS. NO DENTIST WANTS TO TELL THEIR PATIENTS TO REMOVE THEIR TEETH.... ESPECIALLY WHEN THE REPLACEMENT OPTIONS ARE LIMITED DUE TO FINANCES, BONE LOSS, INFECTION, COMPROMISED HEALTH...... ETC.

<<He said I can do an implant, a bridge or a removable denture. What do you recommend? >>

PEOPLE WITH LYME DISEASE MAY NOT BE GOOD CANDIDATE FOR DENTAL IMPLANTS DUE TO THEIR COMPROMISED IMMUNE SYSTEM. A BRIDGE MEANS HE HAS TO CUT DOWN OTHER TEETH PUTTING THOSE TEETH IN A COMPROMISED STATE. HOWEVER DEPENDING ON THE HEALTH OF THOSE TEETH AND THE SKILLS OF THE DENTIST, A BRIDGE COULD BE A WISE OPTION. ROOT CANALED TEETH SHOULD NEVER BE ANCHOR TEETH TO ANY BRIDGE AS THEY ARE NOT HEALTHY ENOUGH TO BEAR THE BURDEN OF THE BRIDGE. A REMOVABLE DENTURE IS NOT THE MOST PLEASANT THING IN THE WORLD ALTHOUGH MOST PEOPLE EVENTUALLY GET ADJUSTED TO THEM.

I PERSONALLY RECOMMEND THAT BEFORE DOING ANY REPLACEMENT WORK, THAT YOU HAVE A COMPLETE COMPREHENSIVE DENTAL EXAMINATION AND FULL SERIES OF X-RAYS. DISCUSS A TREATMENT PLAN WITH YOUR DENTIST TO TAKE CARE OF ANY DECAY AND/OR GUM PROBLEMS AND REMOVE ALL SOURCES OF CHRONIC INFECTION. ONCE YOU HAVE THAT IN PLACE THEN YOUR REPLACEMENT OPTIONS WILL NARROWED DOWN TO WHAT WILL WORK BEST FOR YOUR OVERALL SITUATION.