Can dental infections cause abdominal pain?
 

I've been having unexplained abdominal pain for a few months now. They've ruled out everything so far with CT, ultrasound, endoscopy, colonoscopy, blood work for H. Pylori. MY CBC is also normal. I've had a tooth that my dentist has told me for some time now (years) may need to be re-root canaled, along with a tooth right above it that I had a cap put on, but it's giving me pain. I'm wondering if it's possible all this abdominal pain can be related to a tooth infection? As anyone ever experienced this?

Hi Millerproof,

Because the mouth is so vascular, the bacteria from an infected tooth travels through the blood stream to other areas/organs of the body. This triggers a "chronic" inflammatory process which could result in a bacterial infection elsewhere in the body. Sometimes, the bacteria is difficult to categorize because it can be of multiple strains and end up in multiple places.

A routine CBC can be normal if additional inflammatory markers have not been tested. Also, all of your medical testing has been concentrated on your abdomen because that is where you are feeling the pain. But have you mentioned to any of your doctors about your teeth problems?

In ancient (and current) chinese medicine...... it is believed that all of our teeth coincide with other various areas of our body. Here is a link to the tooth and body chart which shows the correlation. Keep in mind that when you look at the chart, the teeth on the left side of the page are actually your right side.... the teeth on the right side of the page are actually your left side. For ex: the teeth on your upper right starts with tooth #1 and goes over to #16 on the upper left. Then comes down to #17 on your lower left then over to #32 on your lower right. So #1 and #32 are above/below each other on the right side..... #16 and #17 are above and below each other on your left side.

http://www.toothandbodyconnection.com/Tooth_Organ2.pdf

Keep in mind that abdominal pain can be associated with many different organs including your kidneys and renal collecting system.

Do you know which teeth are giving you a problem? Let me know if you need help decifering this chart :)

Bryanna









You can have a normal CBC

Also Millerprof.....

I meant to add to my reply to you that just yesterday I had a 28 yr old woman dental patient who had a cavity/infection in tooth #4 for several months. Her physical complaints were.... a toothache and unexlained pain in her abdomen.

If you look at that tooth and organ chart from the link I gave.... you will see that tooth #4 coincides with the large intestine. Coincidence?? Maybe... maybe not!

Bryanna



QUOTE=Millerprof;644403]I've been having unexplained abdominal pain for a few months now. They've ruled out everything so far with CT, ultrasound, endoscopy, colonoscopy, blood work for H. Pylori. MY CBC is also normal. I've had a tooth that my dentist has told me for some time now (years) may need to be re-root canaled, along with a tooth right above it that I had a cap put on, but it's giving me pain. I'm wondering if it's possible all this abdominal pain can be related to a tooth infection? As anyone ever experienced this?[/QUOTE]

Wow, Thank you Bryanna! I'm not sure I quite understand the chart, but the tooth in question is #30 on the right side (and also the tooth right above it on the top; I'm not sure what number it is--#3??). It looks like it lines up with the pancreas, which is actually my concern. I'm scheduling an endoscopic ultrasound to rule out any small tumors that couldn't be seen by CT scan.

What other tests could I get done to look for inflammatory markers other than a CBC?

I'm also wondering what your thoughts are on root canals. I've heard they are really bad for your health. But the only other alternative would be losing the tooth!

Thanks for your help!!

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Hi Millerprof,

I think you do understand the chart pretty well actually!
Tooth #30 lines up with the large intestine and #3 with the stomach and precreas...... they both line up with other areas of the body as well.

If your concerned about your pancreas... here is a good link about testing for that...
http://www.labtestsonline.org/unders...c_insuf-2.html

ALSO......
http://www.pharmaceutical-int.com/ar...o-biotech.html

I'm in the dental field as a chairside assistant for 30+ years (FYI in case you hadn't read that here already) and my opinion on root canal therapy is simply this...... it is not a healthy option for anyone for any reason because the only outcome of this procedure would be to allow a person to retain a diseased tooth. The alternative option of removing the tooth is the only viable means of removing the disease. Teeth have millions of microscopic canals that contain nerve material. These canals are unaccessible which means irrelevant of how well or how thorough a root canal procedure is, the nerves inside of them cannot be removed. Live nerve material anyplace in the body that has lost it's blood supply becomes necrotic.... necrotic tissue means gangrene. So when you think of that process going on inside your tooth, inside your head.... it sure doesn't sound very appealing.

Sorry to be so blunt... but endodontics is a multi million dollar business in which people are routinely misinformed. With that said, it is a legitimate treatment option for anyone who has been well informed of what they will be left with and what the consequences can be systemically. I truly believe that everyone has the right to make their own decision based on their own needs.

Please keep us posted on what's going on.... and know that we're here if you have more questions or just want to chat about it....

Bryanna



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Thats a great chart!

Thanks for your info! I went to an appointment today to have the tooth assessed and as I thought, it's infected with a bunch of bacteria harboring. They offered me an apioectomy which didn't sound like a great option (besides leaving the diseased tooth, there's no guarantee it will even work, and if they got in there and found the tooth to be cracked, which I think it is, the tooth would have to go anyway). I've decided to get the tooth pulled Friday and get on with healing. I also started some antibiotics so I'm hoping that will make me feel a tad better. I had a terrible experience last year with a dry socket, so if you have any good tips on how to prevent this again I'd appreciate it. Not looking forward to Friday, but looking forward to getting the yuck out of my mouth!

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Hi Millerprof,

Very glad to hear that you did not do the apico.... you are right, it would not have cured anything irrelevant of the tooth being cracked or not. The most reliable option to remove the infection is to have the tooth extracted.

About the dry socket..... At your appointment, I would remind your dentist before he removes the tooth that you had a dry socket once before and do not want to go through that again. It's just a way to leave him with that as his last thought before he removes the tooth so he takes special care to help prevent that from occuring again.

Some things you can do to help prevent a dry socket are....

.....If you smoke, don't. At least wait until the gum tissue heals closed completely. Smoking causes a decrease in oxygen which inhibits the blood clot from forming properly and disrupts the healing process. When the blood clot is disturbed, the bony socket becomes dry and infected.
.....Do not rinse your mouth for the first 24 hours. Then at 24 hours begin gently rinsing with warm salt water about 4 times a day, every day for the first 3 weeks. Each day slowly get a little more aggressive with the rinsing.
....Do not rinse with anything other than salt water. No mouthrinse or mouthwash. Salt water is the best!
....Do not drink alcohol until the gum tissue closes over completely. Alcohol is a drying agent and it will prevent the blood clot from doing it's job.
....Drink plenty of water from a cup, don't use a straw.
....Make sure you eat a soft, nutritious diet.
... If you take vitamins, do not take them 24-48 hours prior to the surgery. Begin taking them again the night of the surgery. The reason to hold off is because some supplements thin the blood which can cause more bleeding than necessary.

I always encourage my patients to plan ahead as much as possible so that they don't have to think about it at the time. One less stress to worry about!

Please let us know how you are doing... ~'.'~

Bryanna






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Thank you, Bryanna! Any advice for tooth brushing (wait for a day or not use toothpaste?) So not looking forward to this, but it needs to be done!

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Post op quesitons
 

Bryanna, One more question--Should I keep the guaze in until it stops bleeding entirely? It's been all day and there is still bleeding (not gushing, but bleeding).

Also, I'm curious about something. When I arrived for my appointment, the surgeon said they could pack the opening with a bone graft and collagen membrane so that if I decide to do an implant the bone might be stronger. They used cadaver bone. They also said it was less likely I'd get a dry socket. I'd like your thoughts on this. I didn't have time to research it before the appointment (I didn't know it was an option), so I was nervous but I did it anyway, as I thought they'd otherwise need to do the bone graft later and that would be one extra step before an implant if I decide on that. When I had a tooth removed last year by a different surgeon I wasn't offered the graft (and there's so much bone loss I would need one in order to do an implant). I'm wondering why they wouldn't have offered it last time? I've also heard with bone grafts they often take the bone from the person themselves (like hip bone, etc.) Is this true? Should I be worried about cadaver bone (not like there's anything I can do about it now)?
Thank you!

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Hi Millerprof,

Firstly, brush your teeth with a wet toothbrush no toothpaste for tonight.

Do not keep putting the gauze in unless the socket is oozing blood. Slight bleeding is normal and you may have some on your pillow tomorrow morning, that is all normal.

FYI...... if the area is oozing blood..... "slightly" dampen the gauze before you put it in.......then bite down firmly without moving your mouth for 30 minutes... take the gauze out... if it is still oozing, repeat the above.

There are several different types of bone graft material. Yes, it can be taken from the patient if necessary. Sometimes the graft is put in at the time of the tooth removal and sometimes it's not. The socket of bone that held the tooth has to be healthy when the tooth is removed otherwise the graft will become infected. So that's why it's sometimes a separate surgery later on. Also, not all areas of the mouth require a bone graft. Most of them do, but it's an individual thing.

The collagen membrane is used like a bandade over the graft material. It holds the graft in place and then the sutures hold everything down. The bone graft starts to integrate with your own bone within several hours and the collagen membrane gets absorbed into the tissue. Yes, this can help prevent a dry socket from occuring so long as the bone was healthy and the everything was kept very sterile.

So I guess the extraction wasn't so bad?? Please let us know how you're doing tomorrow ;-)

Bryanna



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I'm doing great so far! Other than I accidentally poured scalding water over my had this morning as I was making oatmeal :eek:--I guess that's a way to take my mind off my tooth! Thanks for all your tips, Bryanna! I'll keep you posted on the tooth!

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Hi Millerprof,

Sorry about your hand.. ouch! But great to hear you're doing ok otherwise!

Please keep in touch :-)

Bryanna


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Thanks, Bryanna!

Question for you--Which do you think is a healthier option for tooth replacement--a bridge or an implant? Does a bridge weaken the teeth or cause problems? I would be shaving down healthy "virgin" teeth, and I don't want them to have problems. But at the same time implants make me nervous as they are so much more invasive and have higher risk of infection and potential problems?? And overall, as far as lessening the potential for bacteria growth in the area, which is a better option?

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Hi Millerprof,

A healhier option......... depends on the individual. Bridges need other teeth to support them and it is best not to cut down virgin teeth if you can help it. Implants are more invasive but they can last a lifetime and never have any negative affect on your other teeth.

As for the bacteria....... if a dental implant is done under very sterile conditions and the post operative healing goes well..... and the implant crown fits properly...... and you take excellent care of it with good oral hygiene...... bacteria is usually not an issue. All dental implants build up a certain bacteria around them in the jawbone. This is not necessarily a bad thing, it is just the body's way of saying... hey who are you?? Studies have indicated that titanium implants acquire a different strain of bacteria around them than zirconia implants. The zirconia ones were only being done in Germany but are now being done in the US. So this might be a good subject to discuss with your dentist as to which one would be best for you!

Bryanna ~'.'~


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Thanks, Bryanna! Would you have any concerns about someone with osteopenia getting an implant? Also, can bridges harbor bacteria also? And what's the difference in bacteria between the titanium and the zirconia implants (is one better than another perhaps or are they just different?)

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Hi Millerprof,

That is a great question and it brings up some important issues to take into consideration when doing any type of major restorative dentistry.

Osteopenia is a concern because it can be progressive if it is not brought under control... however, it is also a reversable condition. The most beneficial things to do for this condition are nutritional and physical, not with drugs in the bisphosphonate family. The drugs disrupt the natural process of bone breaking down and rebuilding which leaves the bone in a very unstable state. This disruption could prevent a broken bone from ever healing. In dentistry we see patients who are on these drugs and their extraction sites never heal or their periodontal condition worsens from bone deterioration. The drugs also have an undetermined skeletal life which means they remain in the bones for many years even after you stop taking them. These drugs carry a long list of unwanted side effects and have no nutritional benefit whatsoever.

The upside of not taking these drugs is that osteopenia can be reversed through nutritional foods, supplements and weight bearing exercises. I'll try to find a good site that talks about that and post a thread. What are you doing for your osteopenia?

Without question any chronic health condition can negatively affect the long term outcome of major dental work. Repetetively, I see failing dental work in patients who are not heathly to begin with and/or who for whatever reasons cannot or do not take care of their teeth very well. Even more so.... I see failing dental work in patients who have crowns or bridgework done on teeth that are already diseased from root canals and/or periodontal disease. Permanent bridges are similar to crowns and they need to fit precisely and need to be kept very clean or bacteria/plaque will build up and the teeth holding the bridge will fail. Dental implants also have to be done precisely and the oral hygiene needs to be very good around the implant crown to prevent bacteria from entering below the gumline.

With regard to the bacteria around a dental implant.....
This is a very complex subject about pathological strains of bacteria that form around anything foreign in the body. Different species of bacteria will be attracted to different types of metals, acrylics, vinyls..... etc. Even breast implants and joint replacements have a wall of bacteria that grow around the implant. The species and growth of bacteria depend on the sterility of the surgical site, the material of the implant, the post operative care and the health of the individual.

I personally would chose a zirconium implant because for one reason I prefer no metal be used in my mouth and I understand zirconium to react more toothlike than titanium in the jawbone. Here are two great sites that talk about the zirconium implants. I believe the first one lets you download a flyer on the subject. Please know that I am not promoting either of these companys, just the information......

http://www.z-systems.biz/medien/pati...nflyer_USA.pdf

http://www.holidaydentistry.com/Natu...4-page0-b1.htm

Please let me know what you think of this information!

Bryanna




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Thanks so much for the info!!

Regarding the osteopenia; I had taken biophosphonates for about 3 months after diagnosis (about 2 years ago), and started hearing how awful they were and stopped. I'm only 39; they really didn't seem like a healthy option long term (or at all really, but doctors don't always give you that info!). I've found out I'm vitamin D deficient, so I'm upping the D and calcium and trying to get in more weight bearing exercise. Any other supplements helpful?

Another point of nervousness for me with implants is that I developed Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy after a surgical fixation of a foot fracture 3 years ago. This is a very complicated disorder and after a couple of years of intense treatments I was able to recover. I have not developed this again as a result of the tooth extractions, but I'm not sure my body can handle the trauma of drilling anything into a bone. I don't want to repeat the RSD experience ever again. But the whole idea of an implant sounds nice--if I had never had RSD It would probably be an easier decision for me to make.

What about something removable--what are my options there? Is there something that I can get that simply clips onto another tooth? Are there drawbacks to this option, other than the inconvenience? Is it a bit easier on the surrounding teeth compared to a bridge?

I really appreciate your responses, Bryanna--you are so sweet for answering all my questions!:)

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Hi Millerprof,

SO glad to hear you stopped those meds! More and more the medical journals are coming out with reviews stating to NOT prescribe a bisphosphonate drug for osteopenia. At 39 you have so many years left to reverse your condition nutritionally and physically. Kudos to you for following your instincts!

Most people in the US have a vitamin D deficiency and although this has been suspected for a very long time, conventional medicine has only just started to prescribe the proper serum test for it which is 25(OH)D. One source of excellent information is the vitamindcouncil.org.

I use a product by Biotics Research Corporation called Bio D Mulsion Forte and delivers 2000 IU's per drop. It can be purchased online ... one site that carries it is called totalhealthdiscountvitamins.com

Here is a piece if info from the vitamin d council..(this is also posted on another subject thread under vitamins and supplements, you may have already seen it)

Understanding Vitamin D Cholecalciferol

The high rate of natural production of vitamin D3 cholecalciferol (pronounced koh·luh·kal·sif·uh·rawl) in the skin is the single most important fact every person should know about vitamin D—a fact that has profound implications for the natural human condition.

Technically not a "vitamin," vitamin D is in a class by itself. Its metabolic product, calcitriol, is actually a secosteroid hormone that targets over 2000 genes (about 10% of the human genome) in the human body. Current research has implicated vitamin D deficiency as a major factor in the pathology of at least 17 varieties of cancer as well as heart disease, stroke, hypertension, autoimmune diseases, diabetes, depression, chronic pain, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, muscle weakness, muscle wasting, birth defects, periodontal disease, and more.

Vitamin D's influence on key biological functions vital to one's health and well-being mandates that vitamin D no longer be ignored by the health care industry nor by individuals striving to achieve and maintain a greater state of health.

Sunshine and Your Health......If well adults and adolescents regularly avoid sunlight exposure, research indicates a necessity to supplement with at least 5,000 units (IU) of vitamin D daily. To obtain this amount from milk one would need to consume 50 glasses. With a multivitamin more than 10 tablets would be necessary. Neither is advisable.

The skin produces approximately 10,000 IU vitamin D in response 20–30 minutes SUMMER sun exposure—50 times more than the US government's recommendation of 200 IU per day!

How To Get Enough Vitamin D:
There are 3 ways for adults to insure adequate levels of vitamin D:
•regularly receive MIDDAY sun exposure in the LATE SPRING, SUMMER and EARLY FALL, exposing as much of the skin as possible (being careful to never burn).
•regularly use a sun bed (avoiding sunburn) during the colder months.
•take 5,000 IU per day for 2–3 months, then obtain a 25-hydroxyvitamin D test. Adjust your dosage so that blood levels are between 50–80 ng/mL (or 125–200 nM/L) year-round.

Vitamin D's Co-factors:
Vitamin D has co-factors that THE BODY NEEDS in order to utilize vitamin D properly. They are:
•magnesium
•zinc
•vitamin K2
•boron
•genestein
•a tiny amount of vitamin A

Magnesium is the most important of these co-factors. In fact, it is common for rising vitamin D levels to exacerbate any underlying magnesium deficiency. If one is having problems supplementing with vitamin D, a MAGNESIUM deficiency could be the reason why.

I just looked back at that thread and see where you posted your negative experience with taking mega doses of a vitamin d. That reaction could have occured for any number of reasons (most likely it was the product itself), however, Bio D Mulsion is manufactured purposely to be readily absorbed. I took 50,000 IU's initially and had no problem whatsoever. My serum 25(OH)D increased remarkably within those first 3 months and I have been since able to take a maintenance dose of 2000-4000 IU's per day and still keep my levels where they should be. I've been on this supplement for a few years now!

I understand your concern about having a flare up of the RSD from placing the dental implant.... and it's impossible to know what would trigger that to happen. Tooth #30 is an important tooth to have to chew on. Also, if it is not eventually replaced with something then #31 will start to drift or tilt into it's place and that can lead to other issues. I think you may have some options other than a dental implant.

One option could be a removable appliance similar to a partial denture. It would be alot smaller and would replace only that one tooth. If you have teeth missing anyplace else on your lower jaw, other than wisdom teeth, it could also be made to replace those at the same time.

A second option for you could be what is called an onlay/inlay permanent bridge. This is done when the anchor teeth (#29 and 31 in your case) are virgin teeth (no restorations). The entire bridge is non metal and made of a porcelain or zirconium material the same color as your existing teeth. Instead of crowning the anchor teeth, they would have a small porcelain covering that was fitted into the biting surface of each of these teeth (similar to a small tooth colored filling) and the fake tooth replacing #30 would be attached to these two arms. It requires minimal drilling on the anchor teeth and it serves the same purpose as a conventional 3 unit/crowns permanent bridge. It is important to see a dentist that is familiar and comfortable in making this type of bridge because they are not done as often as conventional bridges simply because most people don't have virign molars!! This type of bridge is not difficult to keep clean. It requires daily brushing and the use of a floss threader to get underneath the fake tooth.

Let me know what you think!

Bryanna






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This is great info! I really appreciate it, Bryanna! I hadn't heard of the onlay/inlay before. I like that idea better than a crown, I think! I also appreciate the vitamin D info!

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[/QUOTE]
I too had a reaction to vit D I found this bit where you had a reaction but no specifics. Sleeplessness anxiety? Just curious as these are the things I had tho my D levels are low. I am a bit older 51.
I tried 1000mg of calcium with I think 400 mg D3. Heart pounding blinding head ache. Have not taken calcium since that scared me. Had a 24 hour urine test took as much vit D3 as I could tolerate for a month then repeated the test. At the end of the month my blood vit D was lower after taking it for a month.
first test D was 61 should be 75-200 on this test
second test 70
after a month of vit D as much as I could tolerate Vit D levels were 58
lower then either of the two previous tests????
The doctor says Vit D cannot cause the insomnia and anxiety so it is not that to keep taking the D but I can't and have not.

Calcium was low on one urine test which I must admit I don't understand the test results.

Blood work done before the vit D showed this
Bicarbonate bit high should be lower than 30 I had 31
Alt should be lower than 36 I had 41
Gamma Globulin low at 5 should be 6 -14

That is what was going on a year ago nothing since.
I have a diagnosis of osteopenia

Please tell me what your Vit D side effects were.
Any ideas about why I cannot tolerate Vit D or calcium. Note to self I will not take calcium since I hear it does prevent 3 broken bones in 1000 test subjects it CAUSES 6 heart attacks or strokes. I have had a mini stroke due to birth control pills when I was 18 I am not playing with this one.
I heard this information on the news this year I think a lot of people don't know it yet as women in my family knew nothing of it and were still taking calcium till I told them.

Teeth and Health
 

I am very impressed with this thread.
It was so good to see forward thinking views on the connection between teeth and health. I have always considered all areas of the body closely connected.

I just wanted to ask about such connections.
Most of the fillings in my body are amalgam, which has always concerned me.
I fear going to the dentist, as it seems most of the good tooth was always drilled out for this big piece of poison mixed with metal.
In 2005/6 I had my first root canals. I wanted to just pull them but was advised to get them filled. It was a private dentist and cost a fortune (it wrote off my savings) - here in the UK we have NHS dentists but there were non available at that time.
The root canals took OK. I have had a few health issues but they could be just coincidence. One is have 2 brain haemorrhages in the last years and a strange over-night arthritis (now gone). I am 39 years old, by the way.

I am presently having my teeth done (braved the issues I have with going to the dentist). I am told I have a fair amount of decay under some of the amalgam fillings. I have a very healthy diet and avoid sugar. It does seems strange but...
I just had the 2 top wisdom teeth deep filled with amalgam nearly 3 weeks ago, and ever since I have had bad intestine pains come and go (also had flu)
I was considering just having them removed, as I don't want extra mercury in my mouth, anyway. Both sets of wisdoms are impacted and the bottom set have grown sideways, causing most of the damage.
The present dentist I have has referred me to another to have composites done on the teeth that need refilling. I would prefer non-metal/non-mercury in my mouth but wonder about the best composites. Someone mentioned hormone issues with certain glues used?
I am also considering having the root canals removed (both next to each other). They are quite critical teeth for me but I do fear the health issues.
I was reading through the threads here and the overall advice seemed to be inserts.

Does anyone have any suggestions or advice?
I am very grateful for any advice.
Thank you

i have the same symtoms....a couple bad teeth and terrible abdominal pain..all the same test. but its been 3 years of fishing trying to figure this out with Drs..specialist, etc. i need to mention this and cant believe they haven't. I've been suffering a long time and even had gallbladder surgery, which didn't fix the problem. Wasted money, and that was the Dr's advise.

How did this end up for you? I'm having the exact same issues right now...

:Wave-Hello: Welcome Calichick.