Originally Posted by btdt

I have had ongoing issues with teeth...
Here is the routine I have sore gums feels like a tooth the teeth 3 in a row have root canals so they feel different than teeth without should they ache at all. I go to the dentist he takes an xray says it must be sinus I go to the doctor she gives me antibiotics nasal sprays containing steroids ...sometimes it has moved down to my chest and caused infection there. It goes around like this countless sinus lung infections. Then fallout from antibiotics repeatedly.

In March this year I did this same dance with one difference when I went to the dentist I had been on 3 courses of antibiotics that had not worked so was double checking teeth. Did the routine xray which was again fine. There was a tiny lump at the jawline so had the dentist check it. He was not sure so referred me - to a specialist who did not take my insurance.. so then to another specialist who did take my insurance. I had been on antibiotics from March to June by the time the tooth was pulled. Early June I think the 4th. The tooth almost fell out the specialist said it was a bad tooth or it would not have come out so easy. I had a different freezing that had to be done twice as a non freezing experience was in progress again the freezing was the one recommended by the drug allergy speciaist stated with an M still same family as lidocaine. It was a piece of cake ... the dentist was in the room 2-3 min. and gone.. I looked at the tooth as the assistant said I could it had a ball of puss on the end. The teeth behind still hurt... went back to this same guy later he said they were fine. Did not xray.
After this tooth was pulled withing 20 min had a pain in my shoulder that went down my back in a couple days later I was dx with a kidney infection and put on more drugs... when it looked it up it was for uti. After starting it I was very ill vomiting ect.. could not get up... next day felt better but my face swelled up.. went to emerg was sent home said I was being treated already let the med work. Went home finished med... severe back pain after med was gone went back to emerg... pain was in my spine... given different antibiotic and different pain meds went home slowly improved.
I did not want this again it seemed to me a pattern of infections and pain.. I had been 7 antibiotics from March to July. Aug I was sick from antibiotics over load treated that and avoided antibiotic therapy till Oct.. even tho I was not well. Feel like I am getting it all again now.
I pushed both my gp and dentist to find out why ... dentist finally said this is out of his field he can't do pathology and gave me a name of doc for my gp to refer me to. I finally got in Oct 14 it cost a lot of money for me... she said I had muscle spams in my jaw and took full mouth xray said it showed I had arthritis. Told me to try an muscle relaxant or accupuncture. That was a month ago I seen my doc Wed last wk.. got the muscle relaxant... they give me head aches even at a much lower dose than suggested... tapering off them now.
On Thurs I had a call from my gp saying I they needed an ok for a ct scan of my jaw as the radiologist from the hosp where I seen the specialist who said I had arthritis sent a report on Thurs saying my jaw was fractured and there is a piece of bone loose in there.
I am gobsmacked this one xray I could not seem to get until I travelled to another city... finally showed what may be my problem a broken jaw. MY doc was not in the office it was the nurse who called. I have not been able to talk to any doc as it is the wkend.
I would like to know if a broken jaw that went undiagnosed for who knows how long could cause all these infections I am experiencing?

I just don't know where to turn next the entire things is confusing to me. I have had to fight tooth and nail to get T3 from my doc so I can sleep at night all day I just put up with it. Some days are hell on wheels some days are better.

I feel let down and not well cared for I also feel unheard .. I don't know what other people do when they are in pain but maybe I am not presenting in a way to get the attention I need. I don't scream and cry when I am in pain... not in front of people... I say I am in pain and expect them to believe me. That is the rant part.

?
Can a broken jaw cause infection if it is let go indefinately? Will fixing the jaw stop the infections? This is what I really want to know secondary question how on earth did my jaw get broken but I doubt you can answer that.
Thanks for your time. B

Originally Posted by btdt

I still have no cavities and have had constant dental care with no breaks in 30 years... or more. I have no gum disease that is obvious to any doctor including a dental pathologist seen at hosp in Oct.
I asked my dentist for a cleaning as I have not had one in a long time he keeps putting me off saying let get things settled down before we go poking around bothering things... so the only type of care I have not had is a dental cleaning... I brush and floss daily even when it hurts I have an electric tooth brush that is supposedly good at beating plaque ... at a loss of what to do next .... I may have to wait lord up to 2wks or more for this ct scan....no idea where we go after that or how long it may take in the mean time I am getting sick again. grrr...
I did ask my doc to send me to an ent doc she said she did not think it was needed at that time as I had been already nothing was found.
Sometimes I feel like nobody hears a word I say and every doc is content to feed me antibiotics and pain pills to lecture me later on the over use of both... yet it is not affecting their lives just mine. I am ******.

Originally Posted by btdt

I am sick again back on antibiotics I told my doc the cat scan folks said I could maybe get in quicker if she called she said "they are just saying that it is not true" Hoping the antibiotics work quickly and continue to work we are trying one that usually does not unbalance my digestion too much but also required repeated use...
in the past the infection has stayed down for shorter and shorter periods of time with this drug my last use of it ended about 3 wks ago... hoping this course gets me to the cat scan date at least.. I find I can't think well guess there is nothing to say so there are no replies or maybe this is a rare thing that people don't know much about.
I see other people are talking here now for awhile I thought maybe this site was just dead. Thanks for posting something so I know it is not dead.

Originally Posted by Bryanna

Hi btdt,

I am so sorry you are going through such hell. But please know that this post is not dead. I am the only one here who can offer you professional dental information. I am only a volunteer here so I fit this into my schedule when I can.

Your case is very complicated for many reasons and one of them is because I think you have other dental issues that you are not disclosing here and/or that you are not aware of.

The repeated antibiotics are going to make you seriously ill. It is a huge misconception that antibiotics can be the cure all for all infections. The only way for an antibiotic to get to the source of the infection is to first kill off all of the protective healthy bacteria and in your case any healthy bacteria that you had is long gone and been replaced with additional unhealthy bacteria. The antibiotic also has to be specifically sensitive to the species of bacteria that is causing the infection. Otherwise, it will not be effective. The only way to know the species of infectious bacteria is to have a sample taken of the bacteria at the site of the infection and have it cultured.

I really don't know how to help you at this point. Early on I gave you suggestions and information based on the information that you had been providing here. I will re read all of your posts and see if I can offer you anything else.

I really feel badly for you. But as long as you are willing to keep accepting the same protocol from your dentists, this situation will only get worse.

Bryanna

Originally Posted by btdt

I left the dentist I had when I started this thread and have seen three other dental surgeons the new dentist sent me to a fourth dental specialist at a hosp who was a pathologist she looked in my mouth and did not see any sign of infection.
It is not that I have been accepting anything lying down... I have been trying. The fact that the dental pathologist did not see any reason for concern on examination says to me my new dentist is doing his best and whatever is going on is not a normal dental issue but something outside the box that is not obvious. At least at this point and perhaps since I have been seeing him.
I have not withheld or lied about anything... I had a car accident in 2012 may not have added that I also had surgery in 2013 unrelated to my mouth... but maybe ventilating caused a problem I can't say.
I had a fractured jaw broken in several places in a car accident in 1985... I am sure I said all this but maybe I missed something or did not think it relevant to a tooth extraction.
Even looking at my xray the pathologist at a major hosp did not see a problem except she said I had arthritis which i had been told before and which in my mind accounted for the jaw pain... she suggested muscle relaxants only.
It was a month after seeing here that a report came from the radiologist at this major hosp saying I had a fracture. It may be that the fracture is difficult to detect that only a person with precise training was able to spot it... I am not mad at the people who did not see it not yet... at this point I am just glad somebody seen it and hopeful it can be repaired.
I had no idea my issue was a serious as it now seems to be... I got use to the pain as thought it was arthritis but the infections were a problem I know the antibiotics are not good for me believe me I know better then you what they can and do damage in my body still when nothing else works they are the only game in town that I see just now. A bandaid for sure but one I can't live without as this affects my thinking and is very painful when the infection is there. I have been to emerg it got me no place... but sent back home on more antibiotics. I think it is best to follow up with people who are aware of my history then the hosp emegency room... where they are in a hurry and often just sent me home with pain pills.
I am not happy about this either but unless you know some way to make people in health care do what you want ... I don't know what else to do.
Thanks for taking the time to write I guess I was just hoping something would be obvious and it isn't simple, or common I guess. I have been stressed by the state of affairs for a long time and really don't appreciate you saying I am accepting... as I don't feel I have any choice at some points and have kept pushing to get this resolved or would not be where i am not... granted it is still not a good place to be... but better than not having any clue what is going on ...now there is a place to focus at least. Terribly sad it has taken so long I can't help it if people don't believe me pain is a very difficult thing to impress on others they either believe you or they don't. I can't make them... I am not a cryer I should not have to cry my words should be enough.... I feel like your blaming me in some way and that is unfair ... there said it straight up.
I have used this site as a source of information hope and stress relief when i am feeling panicked but think this is the end of the posts from me as I feel insulted.
I may or may not come back and tell you what happens it may depend or your response to this post or just my lack of humour over this entire situation.