If a nerve is dying in your front tooth, can you have pain on top of your head and pressure on the sides of your head. I am having a root canal on my front tooth because they think the nerve is dying. I've been having issues for months with this tooth (nothing bad is showing up on the x-ray though). I am really nervous about having a root canal done. Any info would be appreciated. Thanks!

Hi Alex,
We tend to think of our teeth as being separate from other areas of our body as if they were miraculously suspended in the jawbone. But the fact is that every tooth is anchored in the jawbone by a live ligament similar to an elastic band which cushions the tooth when chewing. Every tooth also has many bundles of nerves inside the tooth. Some of these nerves are large enough to see and others are microscopic. Some of these nerves branch out into the jawbone through a hole in the end of the root of the tooth. They are part of the anatomical structure of the entire mouth which is connected to other nerves outside of the tooth into the jawbone.... into the face... into the head. When a nerve anyplace on the body is infected or traumatized, it sends out a signal to the other nerves that something is wrong. That signal creates physical symptoms such as pain and or sickness which can be felt anyplace along the path of the sick nerve. So yes, a troubled tooth can cause pain in the head.

You mentioned that you were having issues with your front tooth... what kinds of issues are you having? If the xray is negative, what makes the dentist think the nerve is dying? Are you experiencing pain to pressure.. hot or cold sensitivity..... swelling... a gum fistula..... pain for no reason at all?

Bryanna

Well I had the root canal 2 days ago. How long can your tooth be sore from a root canal? My tooth is still sore and achy. All the sensitivity is gone, but the tooth still hurts. It hurts on the back of the tooth were they drilled and were the temp. filling is. But that is were my tooth was hurting in the first place, so I was wondering what is normal after a root canal.

They thought the root was dying in that tooth because of sensitivity to cold and hot (especially hot) and the tooth aching for no reason they could find. Plus I was accidentally hit in the nose 6 months ago which also made them think the nerve in the front tooth was dying. But there was no infection or anything like that in the tooth.

Thanks!

Sometimes they go below the gum line for certain reasons.

I just had an upper bicuspid done, and crowned. The back of mine was tender too. I used a rinse once a day called Peroxyl.
It took down the inflammation quickly. Also where they stick the needle when they numb it can hurt for a while too. That area of the mouth is pretty sensitive because of the nerve bundle under the nose. So there may be some nerve agitation too.

Have you tried some Anbesol or Oragel on it? That might help a little too.

Hi Alex,

A tooth that has been root canaled can sometimes be sore and achy indefinitely due to the chronic inflammation from the remnants of bacteria left in the tooth. Even with the best of efforts, it is not possible to sterilize a tooth or remove all of the bacteria in the microscopic canals. Sometimes the achiness is dull and inconsistent, other times it subsides completely if the tooth is taken out of occlusion. That means the biting surface of the tooth is shaved down so it is not hitting against another tooth. Taking the root canaled tooth out of occlusion is commonly done to help minimize any further trauma to the tooth and also to prevent the patient from complaining about the sore tooth. I know this doesn't sound very positive, but unfortunately it is the way it is and the only alternative to the root canal is an extraction.

The back of the tooth is overly sensitive because that was the entry hole to perform the root canal procedure. Therefore it is also the exit hole for any pressue/inflammation that has built up in the tooth. However, that opening is sealed off, so the pressure cannot escape.... concludes the tenderness and soreness until the inflammation subsides. A newly root canaled tooth has alot of pressure built up inside of it from the actual procedure and from the thick rubbery filling material melted inside of the large canals. It also has inflammation inside the microscopic canals that harbor bacteria that was not obtainable during the procedure. Were you advised to take an anti inflammatory medication like motrin, advil or aleve? These meds can sometimes help reduce the discomfort/pain. If at any time you experience a toothache and/or swelling regarding this tooth, that is a sign that infection has taken hold and is on it's way into the jawbone. So if that should occur at any time in the future even after the permanent restoration is done, do not wait to see your dentist.

In your case with an upper front tooth totally intact, there was no reason to go below the gumline for anything. The endo clip might have pinched the gumline a bit but that feeling goes away when the clip is removed. The palatal shots can initially sting and cause temporary soreness in the injection site but that would not have any impact on the back surface of your tooth as you described here. I think what you are feeling is from the pressure on the point of entry as I described above. Is your bottom tooth hitting that sore spot of did the dentist say he took the tooth out of occlusion? Biting against that sore spot will cause more soreness. It's like having a bruise and you keep rubbing it...... it gets sore and more sore until you leave it alone.

If you are going to rinse with anything, warm salt water would be the best bet. But in actuality, it is not something that an oral rinse can really do much for. If you think you are hitting it with your lower tooth, then see your dentist for a bit adjustment.

I know this has been a bit unnerving for you.... it's scary especially when it's your front tooth! Never hesitate to contact your dentist if you think something isn't right or you are unsure if something was done or not. Better to be proactive than to wait and see what happens.

Bryanna

Thank you for the response. That was some good information. The thing that makes me the most nervous is the tooth is more achy and sore now then it was before the root canal was done. Is that normal?

I am a little concerned as well that my bottom tooth might be hitting the root canal tooth (#8). But it sounds like I will just have to wait a few more days and see if the soreness subsides. I am taking Advil, but it is only helping a little.

Thanks again!

Hi Alex,

It would be common for the root canaled tooth to be very sore for several days after the procedure because the tooth is very inflammed. However, that soreness can also indicate a possible infection starting too. If your lower tooth is hitting #8 the soreness will continue to get worse, not better, and the tooth could become infected from the constant irritation. It is very important that #8 does not occlude or touch the bottom tooth. Perhaps a visit to your dentist is warranted to rule out infection and reduce the occlusion (bite) on #8. An xray could be helpful in showing if something is brewing or not.

I wouldn't wait a few days, I would have it checked asap.

Bryanna