Hi, I've noticed for some time a rather unpleasant order between #30 and 31 when flossing. Both teeth have crowns and one has a root canal. The other night I woke at 1:AM with a toothache in that area. By morning it was gone and hasn't bothered me since. But what I did discover at 1AM as I was trying to figure out what was wrong and which tooth was bothering me was that this odor was/is quite strong and noticiable, particularly if I touch the area. I bought little tiny brushes to get in between the teeth and have been cleaning the area several times a day yet the odor persists. This is embarrassing to say the least. I know I need to say the dentist but 1) I am extremely dental phobic and 2) I have had some alarming neurological symptoms of late which makes sitting in a dental chair near impossible for me.

I have smelled a similar odor on others breath at times and am mortified to think that is what mine smells like. I am imaging the worst, that is horrible bone infection that is spreading throughout my body or a tumor under the tooth. My mind does run to worst case scenario so I'm nothing in reality neither of these are the case.

I'm wondering if anyone is familiar with what could be causing this oder and what needs to be done to fix it; what will the dentist most likely recommend? My pain and discomfort level is minimal, just a slight tenderness of the gum near the gum line, no tooth pain, no redness, no oozing.