I too needed a root canal after I found my teeth were aching. I was examined by the MD who said it could be mild TN, but suggested the dentist first.

I know she has a lot on her plate right now, and a dentist trip isnt helpful, but if it doesnt calm down, you may need to go.

I went to my dentist the other day for my regular cleaning and check up. (missed it in January because of a cold and the MS screwing around with me)

I told her my jaw and teeth hurt sometimes too. She looked and said she didnt see anything going on that would cause that on the side I was complaining about. (right side of my jaw)

She did tell me that my last 3 amalgam fillings that I havent had done yet probably needed to be done soon. Two are high mercury and she says one of them is leaking mercury. (how she can tell that, I dont know) She's afraid that I might have some infection under the filling that's not showing up on the x-rays. She thinks my latest MS flare could improve if she works on my teeth.

I need to talk to my neuro about this. If there's infection under the filling, then I want antibiotics before and after the tooth gets worked on.

I want to get those amalgams replaced with composite fillings, but I've been so traumatized at having work done on the other 12 teeth that were full of amalgam that I just didnt want anyone digging around in my mouth for awhile. Now I have to work up the courage and energy to go get these last 3 done.

I'm just afraid that one of them is going to end up being a root canal. (had that happen about a year ago and that really sucked!)

My dentist did tell me that the reason she thought my jaw was hurting is because of neck pain and back pain that I have (which my neuro said is probably spasticity and partly because my muscles are still recovering from being out of commission during that last flare, oh and I did actually hurt my back this winter slipping on some ice.)

The dentist thinks that when my neck and back are hurting that I'm tensing my back, and possibly clenching my jaw, which is what's making my teeth hurt.

She noticed I have some spasticity in my jaw, (oh yay ) and wants me to get my teeth worked on before the spasticity gets any worse.

I've read many times that it can be perplexing trying to determine if we are having dental issues or MS issues. I've been told a lot of root canals have been performed and the issue is MS. I've been warned to be careful of expensive dental treatments because it could be MS.

Soooooo......how do you know?
I had right sided pain in my teeth. Dentist sees nothing wrong in the xrays (taken 3 times). Then it goes away......hmmmmmm.
I have a very old crown back there.....PERHAPS I would see some relief with replacing it....
Dentist says my molar roots are really close to my sinuses.......
I have a polyp the size of a quarter in that sinus..........sinus can cause tooth pain.
I also get an "ache" in my jaw (I always thought it was a strange kind of spasticity in the muscle there) Went to eye doctors for years thinking I was straining my face or something because I was not seeing well (barely nearsighted but refused to wear glasses half the time).

My approach to the subject is this:
Do like doctors do.....rule out everything else. If there is a chance it can be dental...then get the appropriate dental work done. If it still persists, then its MS. AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHhh!!!
Its just the nature of the beast.

Last year when I had my root canal (or was it the year before? it was traumatic, I'm trying to block it out) it was a dental problem. She showed me the x-rays. Problem improved after the dental work.

Some of my dental pain I think is from the nature of the composite filling. Some people can have more sensitivity with the composites (rather have sensitivity from a composite filling than mercury poisoning from an amalgam) I know when I eat ice cream, I have to pretty much bite my tongue to keep from screaming when the cold hits my teeth. Then after a few minutes, it calms down and I can go on slurping down the ice cream.

I think half the time, my dental pain is MS related, and the other half it's an actual dental issue. I had really bad teeth up until 2006/2007. (previous dentist was competent, but a jerk, the guy before that was a jerk and a crook and not very competent) I had/still have a phobia of the dentist and I avoided the problems till the MS showed up. Decided to get my teeth worked on in the hopes that it would help. (it did, for awhile)

Now I'm almost convinced that the dental problems (cracked teeth from badly done amalgam fillings) were the reason that my MS got mad and started picking on me a few years ago.

They key is to find a dentist that can help you feel at ease and is really good at "no pain dentistry".
When I was 10 years old, a dentist decided my teeth were too big and pulled 4 molars out. He just got in there....gave some painful shots, and yanked around til my whole head felt like it was going to twist off! (At least thats what the 10 year old me felt like)
I was scared of dentists for years!

Then I found a couple dentists over the years that even when they give shots, I don't feel it. Confidence slowly returned.
No one likes having major work done at the dentist! I hope you can return to dental care with less fear!
Anymore I just tell them up front.....don't you dare hurt me.
I even made sure my daughter got gentle dentistry so she was not ever scared like I was.

I hope you find some relief soon whatever the cause may be.

Leggzz...considering where you live and when you wrote the post... 1st ??? are you still in pain? If so, a dentist visit might be in order. If you are not by now... I'll tell you my tale. I am extremely sensitive to weather changes. With this big round of storms we had this weekend my teeth, bones, muscles, eyes, toes... just about everything ached slap to the bone.

Low and behold, as soon as this weather system passed through our area.. everything stopped hurting... even the teeth.

This stuff is so hard to figure out...

ERIN,

Your dentist would immediately lose their license if they found she was replacing your fillings and telling you they were the cause of your problems.

Too, you do not want those type fillings in molars for they will easily break. I had a dentist replace fillings as yours is doing and it was only for the money.

My dentist is NOT doing it for the money.

My mouth was in horrible shape when I first saw her. My teeth were cracking because the amalgams had been done so badly. I had infections in several teeth, my gums were always red and inflamed (and probably infected) I had/have a severe dental phobia because of my two previous dentists were both jerks.

My first dentist, when I was a small child was the worst. He was putting fillings in my mouth for money. My parents never went into the exam room with me when I was little. I was always alone. Big reason I have a dental phobia and claustrophobia is because that putz TIED me into a chair to do dental work on me. More than once. I have nightmares now of being tied down that still scare me to death.

Second dentist was just a jerk, kind of verbally abusive to his techs, and to some children that were his patients. Never tied me down like the first guy, but he also never waited more than about 20 seconds after injecting the novocaine before he'd start drilling. (my current dentist gives me about 15mins or more to get numbed) He was halfway competent in that he wasnt putting needless amalgam fillings in me, he was just fixing the crappy fillings that my original dentist screwed up. (not doing the greatest job of it either. He was cheap, used high mercury amalgam in his fillings too. Did one composite filling for me tho...which is failing now)

Since going to my current dentist, my mouth is no longer in pain. My gums are FINALLY healthy, and I dont have weird nightmares about my teeth falling out any more. She isnt doing it for the money. She's doing it for my health. I finally can go to a teeth cleaning without my gums bleeding all over the place.

Plus, she uses digital x-rays. Which I love, because the old dentist still uses film that has to be developed. Apparently the smell of developer is one of my triggers for my dentist/claustrophobia phobias. (my dad still uses my old dentist. I took him to an appt once, and had to leave because the developer smell was freaking me out.)

I'm just glad to finally have a dentist that doesnt scare the crap out of me (unless she's about to stab me in the gum with a needle of anesthetic. That scares the heebie jeebies out of me still)