Hi everyone, and hi Bryanna! I think you will remember me from a couple threads ago, where I told my failed root canal story, and how I had two teeth extracted.

Well- my last extraction (the one we had talked about in said thread about two weeks ago) seems to have gone pretty well, and I hardly had or have any significant problems or pain afterwards. I also had a one week post surgery appointment, and the surgeon said all looked fine. He did say that usually, upper teeth, and especially that one (I think nr 5) are pretty easy, unless they border too close to the sinus cavity, which was not the case for me.

HOWEVER! I seem to have some very strange symptoms from my FIRST tooth extraction (fractured root canal) on my bottom left jaw! The extraction was done in late October last year, so about 3 months ago. The healing process was much more problematic and I did experience quite some pain, but not to the point where I needed to take anything stronger than maybe 2 or 3 advil a day for about a week. When I had my post surgery follow up for the last extraction, I told my oral surgeon about this, and that I was a bit worried that maybe something did not heal well, since it hurt so much more than the upper tooth extraction. He did an x-ray, and said, all looks good, the gum is healing well, no splinters (got a bone graft) or anything, all smooth. He said, it might take a while to feel normal, since it had been a big infection that had brewed there for about 2 years.
However, the pain I feel does not feel like the typical tooth infection or abscess pain, but more like a "pinched nerve" pain that can make my temple on that side, the area behind and below my ear, and the neck area on that side hurt. Also, strangely, I feel this weird nerve pain in my upper jaw, above the extraction. Not in the teeth, but more up in the gum area, not really localized to one spot. I am wondering, if something happened to my nerves? It can get pretty bad, and other days I don't feel it much at all. But it is very annoying, as it feels like these stabbing, pinchy nerve pains, and all I can do to feel better is, press certain acupressure points right under the occipital ridge or below the ear. What could this be??? I am at a loss as to where to turn, as it seems the oral surgeon, from his side, feels all is normal and there is no visible damage. Should I see my general dentist about this? Or another specialist? I mean, I don't even know what it could be- TMJ maybe? The surgeon did check my jaw before the procedure and said that it clicked when I opened and closed my mouth. But he did not tell me what that means, really, or what risks/ potential damage could come from that?

Anyways, I hope you can make anything from what I have said, and it is not too confusing- cause for me, it sure is very confusing, having no idea what could be the problem now

Thank you for your time and patience!
Meera- or, should I say, the witch with two gaps in her smile (just joking, I actually do not mind the gaps too much, even though I was so scared of how I would look hah)

Hi Meera,

TMJ pain can feel like nerve pain. I know because I have it. TMJ disorders are often misdiagnosed as neurological rather than joint. Because you stated that the OS did evaluate your TMJ and told you that you have clicking on the one side.... you may be one of these people who has some degree of chronic inflammation in the TMJ area (not uncommon) which could easily have been aggravated by the dental work that you have had done.

It is also common for the weird nerve like pain to occur weeks after the dental work is done. Why? Because as the site heals, the inflammation changes locations as it subsides in one area it inflames in another all of which is irritating to whatever bundle of nerves it is near or touching.

Anytime a root canaled tooth is extracted there is going to be some degree of post op nerve stimulation and irritation. Why? Because the chronic infection and inflammation associated with non vital teeth causes an ischemic reaction to occur in the area surrounding that tooth. This lack of blood supply contributes to inflammation of the surrounding nerves in the jaw bone. Because these nerves are intricately connected to widespread areas of other branches of nerves, the pain can be felt in the oddest of places that mistakenly seem to be unrelated to the original problem site. The pain can be severe, dull, intermittent, chronic, acute... permanent or temporary. All dentists are aware of this complication resulting from the ischemic reaction in the bone and it is one reason why they will often take a wait and see what happens approach. Because there is no way to know if it is permanent or not.

In your case, you may have had a previous TMJ issue (which could have originated from the rc that you had done on that upper molar) .... you also had additional traumatic dental work which was the second rc procedure/ozone injections and extraction of #5.... and now due to these missing teeth you are chewing and occluding (biting) differently. All of which is going to alter the alignment of your TMJ joint.

I would suggest that you see your biological general dentist for a complete evaluation of your TMJ. He may suggest a night guard to help relax and realign your occlusion which would take pressure off of the TMJ joint. Keep in mind that whatever you do to try and correct this problem will not correct itself over night. There are many contributing factors that created the problem and it takes time for everything to calm down and rejuvenate. He may also suggest other therapeutic modalities as well. Keep an open mind and ask him lots of questions about everything.

Hopefully the problem is TMJ related and not some form of neuralgia. It makes sense to have it properly evaluated by your bio dentist and begin with the least invasive, non medicated, treatments because to suppress the symptoms with meds when the problem may be physical, can only lead to further problems down the road. It is best to work with your bio dentist to see if the pain can be relieved or eliminated from a dental aspect first.

Bryanna

Thanks Bryanna.
All you said makes sense to me, and gives me some ideas as to what could be wrong, and I will definitely make an appt. with my holistic dentist and tell him what's been going on. I kind of remember that I had similar pain already before the extraction, just not to that extent. So it really might be TMJ related, and I hope it is, as opposed to a permanent nerve damage or something of that sort. And I agree, I want to try a natural approach to this versus suppressing symptoms with medications. As I am an acupressureist, I do treat myself a bit, and sometimes it helps. I also take a homeopathic remedy, Hypericum Perforatum, which I still had from my last tooth extraction. Not sure if it helps, but I bought it as it is supposed to help with post surgery nerve damage. I also do my best to nourish my body with a more soft diet, lots of fresh fruit and veggie juices, no sugar and processed food...
is it typical for TMJ issues to get better with rest and sleep? I noticed my pain goes away once I go to bed or take a nap... today, pain was gone and only came back in the afternoon. Some days there is no pain at all, other days it already begins in the morning. Pain also gets better with direct pressure onto the jaw (the area of the extraction side). Today, my ear feels also slightly "pressureized". But only a little bit.
Well- I will call my dentist tomorrow and see if I can get an appt. soon. He had mentioned a night guard before, but just causally, and had asked me whether I was aware of grinding my teeth at night- when I was a teenager, another dentist asked the same question, but then and now, I have never really noticed any grinding. Maybe sometimes I kind of clench my teeth at night, but as soon as I notice it, I make an effort to relax all my muscles in my jaw and face.

Well, will keep you posted once I know more. Until then, I am thankful for any suggestions or ideas and input as to how I could get some temporary relief until I see my dentist.

Thanks! :-)
Meera

Oh, maybe I should add this- after the first extraction (lower left jaw, where I now have the issues), I had this weird feeling for about a month, of my tongue being more heavy than usual. Speaking and articulating, especially of sounds like "s", felt more difficult to me. Not sure if this is common. It did resolve itself though, after a month or so....

Hi Meera,

Okay so you do have some history of clenching or grinding your teeth. When a dentist suggests a mouth guard, it is because they see a certain type of wear pattern on the teeth that indicates a bruxism habit. They may also notice a click in the jaw when you open and close... like the OS noticed.

As you know, acupressure can bring relief from muscular tension. When you clench or grind your teeth, the facial muscles including those around the TMJ joint become inflamed and tight. The muscle can actually get stuck in a spasm. This may be what is happening with you and why the acupressure and rest helps to ease the pain.

I think if you apply moist heat to the affected side of your face and then do the acupressure, you may get a deeper release of the tension.

I use Arnica Montana for initial pain and inflammation. Gelsemium for head pain, like tension headaches or TMJ pain and Hypericum Perforatum is very good for nerve pain. So based on the symptom at the time, use what you think is most appropriate.

Bryanna

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