Bryanna,

Thank you for your timely response. My appointment with the oral surgeon is set for this Monday and this information is most useful. I am so appreciative of this site and your willingness to help. I will use your format for response since it seems to work for you and I like it as well. Your response comments are in CAPS.

<<THE BLACK AREA IS A DEFINITE SIGN THAT THE TOOTH IS INFECTED AND THE BACTERIA HAS SPREAD INTO THE BONE THROUGH THE ROOT OF THE TOOTH. >>

Now that the tooth is extracted, will the body heal the infection in the bone?

<< OIL PULLING IS BENEFICIAL FOR THE AREAS OF A TOOTH THAT ARE VISIBLE AND ABOVE THE GUM LINE.>>

So is it safe to assume people who oil pull and say their avoided root canal either did not have infection or they are temporarily masking the issue?

<< THE INFLAMMATION FROM THE BACTERIA WAS AFFECTING THE PERIODONTAL LIGAMENT WHICH WOULD CAUSE THE TOOTH TO BE SORE.

Can an inflamed ligament repair and heal on its own? Mine did not appear to be happy.

<< IN YOUR CASE, THE BACTERIA WAS DRAINING THROUGH THE TIP OF THE ROOT AND THE MAJORITY OF THE PUS COULD HAVE BEEN IN THAT DRAINAGE.>>

What I don't understand is why was my body seemed to be handling the drainage and showing no signs of illness prior to root canal and then post root canal, headaches and systemic changes started?

<< IT IS BEST TO TAKE PROBIOTICS EVERY DAY, WHETHER YOU ARE SICK OR NOT.>>

Thanks for the education on probiotics.

<<THE LINGERING HEADACHES COULD BE DUE TO THE INFLAMMATION FROM THE INFECTION AND FROM THE ROOT CANAL PROCEDURE...SO YOU HAD LOTS OF INFLAMMATION GOING ON.

Yes. Saw cardiologist and he pretty much said what you noted above and that inflammation and the body fighting infection can present with elevated heart rate and possibly increased blood pressure. Funny, none of the dentists believed this. I am hoping headaches fully resolve soon.

<< THIS LEADS ME TO THINK THAT THE ENDODONTIST MAY HAVE PERFORATED THE TOOTH WHILE DOING THE ROOT CANAL PROCEDURE AND/OR HE INSTRUMENTED THROUGH THE FRACTURE AND THE DISINFECTANT AND/OR THE FILLING MATERIAL WENT PAST THE TOOTH AND INTO THE TISSUE AND/OR BONE.

He did. In fact when I spoke with him he said he goes past the tip of the root to stimulate tissue, break up cyst if forming, and promote healing. First I had heard of that. Could this have contributed to systemic responses I experienced?

<< PAIN SPECIALISTS ARE NOT WELL VERSED ON TOOTH RELATED PROBLEMS.>>

This is a clinic that has orofacial pain specialist and oral surgeons working together. My endo gave me referral to oral surgeon, but the facility decided I should see oral pain doctor first. I spent a month with him not even looking at my x-ray and ignoring my inputs. I was really disturbed by that level of service. I want to followup with but don't want to be labelled and run risk of oral surgeon not wanting to help me through the healing phase.

<< THE GRANULOMA TISSUE FORMS WHEN BACTERIA BECOMES ABUNDANT AND ALSO FROM THE IRRITATION FROM THE ROOT CANAL SEALER THAT IS NOT MEANT TO BE PUSHED BEYOND THE TOOTH. THAT OVERGROWTH OF TISSUE NEEDED TO BE REMOVED AT THE TIME OF THE EXTRACTION. YOU HAD A VERY BAD INFECTION IN THAT TOOTH, THE SURROUNDING TISSUE AND THE BONE. IT IS A GOOD THING THAT YOU HAD THAT TOOTH REMOVED. IT CAN TAKE SEVERAL WEEKS FOR THE AREA TO CALM DOWN. THE BONE WILL NOT FILL IN COMPLETELY FOR ABOUT A YEAR. SO A LOT HAS TO HAPPEN FOR THE SITE TO HEAL COMPLETELY.>>

He showed it to me when he finished. What I don't understand is this debridement that I read about? (shaving down the bone - my dentist did not do that) He got ligament, granulomas, and sealer material. He took an x-ray post extraction to insure no pieces of bone, sealer material was left. Now that tooth is gone will the bone heal? What if there is some residual infection/inflammation? Will it cause me issues? I assume if there was a periapical cyst that would have been removed upon extraction as well?

<<OTHER THAN THE DISCOMFORT AROUND THE GUM TISSUE, YOU ARE NOT HAVING ANY TELL TALE SIGNS OF AN INFECTION. THE GUM CAN BE IRRITATED FROM EATING OR FROM HITTING IT WITH YOUR TOOTH BRUSH. WHAT ARE YOU USING TO RINSE YOUR MOUTH OUT WITH? DO YOU EAT ON THAT SIDE OF YOUR MOUTH? DO YOU EAT SPICY OR SHARP FOODS, LIKE HOT PEPPERS OR CRUSTY BREAD?

I am rinsing with salt water. I do not chew on that side. The soreness is right at the top of the gumline connecting to jaw tissue. I have tried massaging the area with the belief if it is a tight muscle, I will get relief. It helps a little but it must be irritating a nerve because the right side of my tongue will burn or tingle after massaging the sore spot. The soreness actually is a little worse than it was a couple of weeks ago. I want to rule out signs of tissue infection, blister (doesn't appear obvious), or bone issue (since extraction there has been a raised lump over extraction site - dentist says that is bone and normal.

<<AT YOUR FOLLOW UP APPOINTMENT, ASK HIM TO TAKE A PERIAPICAL XRAY OF THAT AREA TO BE SURE THERE IS NOTHING LEFT IN THAT SITE.>>

I will. It doesn't seem from your initial response you sense a high level of concern and that helps me. Based on your response to this note I will be ready for followup visit and will ask the questions you suggest. I just didn't know what could be remaining that would make my mouth so sore in that one spot and would irritate nerves when I massage it? (possible nerve sensitivity??

Bryanna, I look forward to your response. You are awesome. You don't know how lonely and frustrating it can be when no one seems to listen to you and try to help. Bless you for taking time to make a difference.