Meera,

It is not that uncommon to have post op numbness or odd sensations in the tongue, lip, cheek, chin... for several days or weeks after having a dental injection in the posterior region of the lower jaw. This problem can also result from the extraction of a lower posterior tooth... especially a root canaled or infected tooth.

The fact that it has gone away is a good sign that the affected nerves have healed. There is no guarantee that it won't come back if another tooth in that area were to become infected or be extracted. But hopefully you will never have to worry about any of that again.

Bryanna

Hi Bryanna and anyone else reading this!
I saw my Oral Surgeon the other day for my pain, and he said, my extraction sites looked very good, but he said I definitely have issues with my TMJ, he said, the muscle (I think), was very tight, and bulgy, way more than it should be. He suggested I go see my dentist and have him make a mouth gard, as I seem to clench my teeth at night. I did notice that I do that sometimes, not a whole lot, but I wake up sometimes with my jaw feeling kind of tight. During the day, I have no problems with clenching, as I have trained myself to consciously relax my jaw and face and my teeth don't even touch during the day when I am relaxed.

Well, I have an appt. with my dentist in a few weeks- since it's a proper evaluation, they did not have any openings sooner. So, I will have to wait- and waiting kind of drives me nuts, as I imagine all kinds of horrible things that could be wrong and causing my discomfort! I think, all these dental issues and extractions in the past few months left their traces in my mind and now, I am kind of paranoid about my teeth :-/

The pain in my temple and jaw and neck has almost disappeared after using an essential oil blend on these areas for a few days. But now, it seems, all the discomfort has "settled" in my upper left jaw, kind of underneath my nose. And it feels very strange- I have this constant "full" feeling in my left upper jaw and behind that same nostril, it does not really hurt, just feels full, almost like a sinus congestion, just without the mucus, sneezing etc. I am also feeling scared that now suddenly something is wrong with my upper teeth in that jaw, as it feels kinda similar to a tooth abscess (the fullness), just that there is no pain from eating or drinking, and I can't even tell which tooth it is, as the whole area feels weird. I have heard this is common with TMJ issues, but still, I am scared. I do not want to continue loosing more teeth, I feel like I deserve a break from all these dental issues for a while, for real! I am taking such good care of my mouth now, and I could probably write a book on home remedies for oral health, as I have done so much research and tried so many things in the past months.
Well, this is what is going on with me now. I am wondering if this weird feeling in my left upper jaw could indeed be from the TMJ. All other pain went away, but this strange pressure and full feeling, by my nostril, remains. I did also have this feeling in my ears for a few days and below my eyes, under the occipital ridge, but that is gone now, too.

Thankful for any insights and also suggestions for natural remedies to reliev TMJ symptoms? I have a prescription for muscle relaxants from the surgeon, but feel not sure whether I want to take these or not- maybe I could try and see if they help at all? Or maybe there is a natural alternative?

Thanks so much for all your help and advice :-)
Meera

Hi Meera,

I am glad to hear that the majority of your symptoms have subsided. I think you are certainly doing everything that you can to relieve the tension and inflammation.

I agree with the OS about having the night guard made. However, it would be in your best interest to get in to see your dentist as soon as you can rather than wait a few weeks. You have a chronic inflammation in the TMJ area that can get progressively worse which means it can then be more difficult to remedy. Wearing the night guard does not eliminate the problem right away, so there is additional time needed there also. Also because you are having pain in the upper left it is important that the dentist evaluate those teeth and sinuses and if you have not had recent xrays of that area, then it would be wise to do so to rule out infection. It's important to know that if you give the dental receptionist the impression that you can wait, then she will not try to get you in. But if you give the impression that you don't think it's wise to wait, then she will get you in.

The pain in the upper left.. sinus... nostril area could be referred inflammation from the TMJ. But it could also be bacteria brewing. So it is best to have that evaluated both clinically and radio graphically sooner than later. I know you don't want to deal with any more dental problems but at the same time, it's easier in the long run to deal with them before they become worse.

I really don't have any advice on treating that full feeling that you have in that upper left area because infection has not been ruled out.

Muscle relaxants might be temporarily helpful but they do have side effects. Taking homeopathic arnica as prescribed on the brand that you use may be just as helpful but without the side effects.

I came upon this informative website of a homeopathic medical doctor. This piece talks about sinusitis but it might be helpful with your current symptoms.

http://www.drhomeo.com/latest-posts/...hic-treatment/

Bryanna

Hi Bryanna,
Thanks for your answers, and I agree with you, I should get it checked out rather sooner than later, to make sure nothing more serious is going on! On a positive note, I slept with a rolled towel under my neck last night, and on my back versus my stomach, as I have heard this can help relax the jaw area. And lo and behold, woke up with almost no discomfort, apart from some muscle ache on my TMJ. The feeling of pressure next to my nose has gone as well. So I am hopeful, that it IS really just some not too major TMJ issue. I did have digital x-rays done just a few months ago of all my teeth, and had an overall evaluation and my dentist had said that, apart from the infection in my root canals (that have been extracted now) my teeth and gums looked actually very healthy- with that being said, I will call him tomorrow (they are not open Wednesdays) to schedule an appt.
I kind of have become a bit of a dentist phobic, not in that I am scared of dentists or pain of the procedures, but that I am ultra careful with my teeth now, almost maybe too much? But maybe, the amount of care and thought I put into my oral health will be good, and I will become more relaxed once I get to a place where I feel my teeth and gums are doing well, and the way I am taking care of them, actually works and keeps them healthy. I really do not wish to loose any more teeth in the next 50 years or, for the rest of my life! ;-)
One question I have, I am sure you know a great answer to this one, I have asked my oral hygienist and looked it up on google, but am still somewhat confused: how do I correctly brush my teeth, so I get them clean without hurting the enamel, and my gums? I use an ultra soft toothbrush since some months now, as I had been brushing wayyyy to hard before, brushing off some of the protective layer and making my molars sensitive :-(. I did not know better. Also, I have ditched conventional tooth paste and either use homemade powder with herbs, or a paste called earth paste, which contains only coconut oil, essential oils, healing mud. But I do have some receeding gums on my lower front teeth I noticed. It's not super bad, but I can see the neck of the tooth exposed, and the neck is also yellow-ish, while my teeth are white. My dentist did not mention that it was a big problem yet, but I do want to try and prevent it from getting worse! I try to brush gently, and also when flossing, try to not hit the gum (which, btw, I find difficult to do, as the floss seems to just hit the gum no matter how hard I try for it not to). Are there any tips you could share with me on this? I do oil pulling and also dab some myrrh powder on it since a few days, which apparently has great healing components. But is brushing not making the recession of the gums worse?
Thank you so much, Bryanna! It is SO great to be able to talk to someone as knowledgeable and open as you about oral health, and to get honest, open answers and suggestions!
Meera

Hi Meera,

Thank you for the kind words ~'.'~

I am so glad that you are feeling better! I am also amazed at the effort you are putting in to help yourself get better. You are so committed to this and I have no doubt that you will reap the benefits!

Regarding oral care at home.... Yes, use a super soft toothbrush. Angle the bristles of the brush at a 90 degree angle where the teeth meet the gum. Gently move the brush in a circular motion along that gum line on every tooth and on both the front and back of all of your teeth. On the biting surfaces, hold the bristles flat against those surfaces and move the brush forward and backward. Ideally you should brush for 3 minutes.

Toothpaste is actually not necessary as it is the mechanical action of using the toothbrush that removes the plaque. But toothpaste such as what you are using as well as the oil pulling and myrrh powder all all therapeutic for the gum tissue. Most commercial toothpastes, those which are endorsed by the ADA, are actually toxic and too harsh on the enamel. Many toothpastes are marketed as tooth whiteners, etc. The fact is that when you use a tooth whitening paste every day, you slowly strip away the protective enamel surface due to the chemical abrasives in the paste. The best natural tooth whitener is aluminum free baking soda, it will not harm the enamel or the gum tissue.

Floss..... try some different types of floss and try to avoid the flavored ones. Again those flavors are derived from chemicals and should be avoided. Try the tape floss as that can sometimes be easier to slide into tight spaces.

The recession that you currently have will not progress...

**If you keep the plaque from accumulating along the gum line.
**If your clenching habit is corrected.
**If your occlusion (bite) is aligned properly.

The small yellow portion of those lower teeth that is exposed is actually part of the root which is suppose to be covered by gum tissue. These areas can be sensitive but if they do not continue to recede and you continue to keep everything clean, then the sensitivity can diminish over time.

A few other tips that you might want to try...

***Use an electric tooth brush. Oral B or Braun make very good ones. These tooth brushes are easy to use and actually do all the work of brushing for you. You just have to be sure to angle the bristles at 90 degrees along the gum line and just gently move the brush along. No need to maneuver the brush in any direction other than along the gum line. The bristles rotate in a circular type motion doing that job for you! Electric tooth brushes should never be used the same way as a manual brush as that action would be too harsh. Just angle is properly and let the brush do all the work ... again brushing for a good 3 minutes.

You can also try an electric flosser. These things are magical when used properly!

I also always recommend that people use a tongue scraper to clean their tongue once a day before bedtime. I personally like a "oolitt" tongue scraper because I can bend it to the shape of my tongue, it is very effective, can be cleaned easily and it lasts a very long time. People who scrape their tongue on a daily basis find that their breath is always fresh and their mouth just feels so clean! ;-)

Hope this info is helpful to you!

Bryanna

Hello there, I know this post is a bit old already, but for anyone who followed it and may be dealing with a similar issue, I would like to tell you the outcome of this situation for me- the pain and discomfort went away COMPLETELY within a few weeks, and both my dentist and I think it was TMJ related, as my jaw does pop sometimes and also because I seem to be clenching my teeth in my sleep- ESPECIALLY after dental work

Funnily (or not funnily) enough, I am dealing with a similar issue on my RIGHT sight now, where I just had dental work done as well (carlson bridge after extraction and bone graft). For the first two weeks, the bridge felt SO uncomfortable, as well as the teeth it was attached to. It almost felt like my whole right upper jaw was shifting. Then, one day, after having decided to go to the dentist as an emergency patient, the discomfort was almost completely gone, just like that! It has now been 2 and a half weeks since my bridge has been put in, and it still feels a bit weird and my jaw feels different on that side still, too, but MUCH better already. Anyways, it is interesting for me to see how this all happened, and to connect the dots. I got myself a cheap but very comfy mouth guard from Amazon (actually my dentist told me to try a cheap one first, as oftentimes they can work just as well as the really expensive ones, and it is a good way to find out if it even helps at all). It is made from BPA free material, and basically you put it in hot water and then mold it around your jaw- it works, and I think it helps. Another thing I do is jaw massage, and also I use diluted essential oils like Chamomile, Lavender, Clove. Other than that, I shifted my eating of hard foods to the other side for a while so my jaw could calm down, and now, I can already eat with my right side again, almost normally. I am confident, things will calm down completely with time, just like it did when I had issues on the other side. Obviously, I am also in communication with my dentist, and will go see him again next week, to make sure everything is okay on all levels.
I hope this information helps someone who may be dealing with similar issues than me! Seriously, I never expected TMJ to be causing all kinds of weird symptoms and aches, but now I know