Hi Im a brit living in Spain at the moment and would really appreciate some advice.
Just over a year ago I started having tooth pain, an upper right wisdom tooth, being me and scared of dentists I took painkillers and hoped. Obviously it didnt work, during this time I also had very sore burning gum pain\inner cheek\and the side of my tongue too... this was put down as a symptom of my bad tooth.But I did try to tell people I'd had the burning soreness on and off for years... just not that bad. I finally had it removed in France (we work through out Europe) it was a nightmare of pain and necrosis of the injection site.
However.... it did eventually clear up and things were fine again for around three months... when the burning soreness in my face started again.
To cut a long story short, Ive had CAT scans, two more teeth removed so I now have none at all in that side of my mouth, I endured horrific surgery just with injections to have a wisdom tooth that was impacted into the bone (completely laying down encapsulated by bone) removed and now again a few months later... Im having the pain again. Its not toothache, it never has been, its not neuralga its the whole inner side of my mouth burns and is sore enough to keep me awake at night, I can eat and press it as pressure doesnt cause any pain... paracetamol and such like has no effect at all... Im just so fed up with having all this treatment and still have the pain... ideas please...

I now have odd twinges of pain in my jaw joint, not much but a few, no real sleep for days.. it is only one side of my face, and centres around the site of my last op, which was for the impacted tooth. It healed well and Ive had no problems until now... someone help please!!!

Welcome Teacher1959.

Someone will be along to help.

Hi Teacher1959,

The first thing that stands out for me is your fear of going to the dentist. This may indicate that you do not have routine preventive care which leads to a build up of bacteria below the gum line even in spite of being a thorough tooth brusher. All of which leads to having various problems with your teeth and gums. These dental problems can cause all sorts of acute or chronic symptoms that make it difficult to pinpoint the exact tooth or teeth that are causing the problem... simply because the problem is more generalized than not.

The sore, burning gums and inner cheek can be due to a build up of bacteria that is causing an inflammation process to occur which sends out signals (symptoms) that something is wrong. It could also be due to a nutrient deficiency, an allergy or sensitivity to a food, medication, toothpaste, mouthwash or other substance, a hormone imbalance, or a auto immune disorder.

So perhaps the first thing is to have a comprehensive dental examination and full mouth series of x-rays. See what that uncovers. Then see an allergist or dermatologist about allergy testing. Then have your hormones tested. The most comprehensive hormone testing is done via the saliva as this tests the unbound (circulating) hormones giving a more accurate account of where your deficiencies and imbalances are. ZRT lab, you can google them, perform this type of testing. Some compounding pharmacies also offer this type of testing to their customers.

I hope this information is helpful to you.

Hi Bryanna.
Thank you for your reply, sadly you are correct in your assumption, my teeth are generally in a pretty bad state.
I assume I have gum disease, as I can see I have receding gums now..

Right, I dont think its a nutrient problem, I take a wide variety of supplements like magnesium etc...I am well past menopause and my hormones seem okay...
I have since bought a natural toothpaste to try ... early days but no real effect...I am salt water flushing three times a day, plus a bicarb rinse as well. I have a little (very) relief , its settled down to about a 6\10 instead of a 11...driving me crazy type pain...
At times it even calms enough for me to know where it seems to centre... which is up by my jaw joint, almost my ear... and Ive had the odd shooting pain across the face at that time. But generally I think its gum disease... or some kind of infection? Being in Spain, on a very low income and the dentist here would just laugh at the idea of the tests you outline... Im in a pretty difficult position... Im at my wits end and quite despairing
Thank you anyway....

Hi Teacher1959,

As I said, you can brush very thoroughly, but you cannot remove the hard deposits of bacteria that build up below the gum line. The longer it builds up the more likely it is to develop periodontal disease. This disease is a bacterial infection, it can damage the bone, result in loss of teeth and the bacteria travels through the bloodstream onto other areas of the body. It's important for you to know all of that.

Regarding the pain up to your jaw joint.... this could be due to a bruxism habit, either nocturnal or during the day... and the loss of teeth without replacement can sometimes contribute to a misaligned bite which puts a lot of stress on the other teeth, the gums and the muscles that surround the TMJ joint.

The tests I mentioned, allergy testing and hormone testing, are not done by a dentist and they are not something to laugh at. It is not abnormal for a woman past menopause to have an imbalance in hormones. In fact it is quite common. One of the symptoms of hormonal imbalance is burning in the mouth. Our hormones are not just something associated with our reproductive system, they are also affected by stress, infection, inflammation, and our diet. I suggested allergy testing because your oral symptoms could be in part due to an allergy.

Regarding the supplementation with nutrients.... supplements are not intended to be taken in place of proper nutrition. They are "supplements" meaning to enhance what is already in your diet. If the diet is lacking in proper nutrition because it consists of processed and refined food, sugar, alcohol, caffeine, etc... then supplements have very little helpful benefit on a nutritional level.

Be careful not to over due the salt water and bicarb rinses as too much salt can cause irritation to the oral tissue and cause it to slough off. So twice a day is adequate. Also please know that this rinsing will not get to the areas below the gum line.

I know you are having a hard time. I have provided as much information as I can based on your description. I truly hope you get relief soon.