Almost a year of on again-off again pain with no diagnosis

[Soma]

For almost a year now I've had off and on discomfort in my upper back teeth/gums/cheek/ear/temple. My instincts tell me it's dental related, but I'm a hypocondriac so I can never trust my instincts when it comes to health issues.

When it's at its worst it feels like a unrelenting gnawing pain chomping on my face and gums up that goes up under my cheek bone. It gives me this primal anger at this point where I want to lash out against it and just rip every single tooth out of my head with a wrench. Like I'm legit a couple days from going to war with my mouth. The pain is not that bad, maybe a 5, 6 on the worst days. It's just when it flares up it's unrelenting. Over the counter pain meds don't really have any effect on it at all. I've seen my dentist 4 times this year for it, 3 x-rays were taken, multiple taps, pokes, bite sticks and stuff was done. He's convinced it's not dental related. I went to a neurologist and he couldn't really find anything. I don't even know what to do next at this point, I'm thinking an Endo is worth a shot?

There is no extra sensativity to hot or cold, no real bite pain, has occasionally felt slightly like biting on a bruise, no blood while flossing or brushing, gums look healthy, no bumps or bubbles. it tends to come in waves where it will bug me every day for 2 or 3 weeks then it goes away for a few weeks. I can't figure out what triggers it. No clue.

My fear is there is some secret abscess somewhere that is slowly leaking to my brain and I'll die before I ever know what's going on. Is this a real possibility? Can an infection hang around for a year and still not show any signs other than annoying discomfort? If so could it kill me before it would show any other signs?

Dealing with it is driving me mad, I'm so over it. I'm so sick of thinking about it and wondering about it and feeling it. I wish I would wish my teeth out of existence, they have been the bane of my life since I can remember and I'll never be free until the last one is out of my life.

Anyways...any advice would be appreciated, at this point I'm lost. Thank you.

 

[Deedee2604]

Sorry you are having this problem. It could be TMJ. It can cause the on and off pain you are describing.

 

[Soma]

Thank you for replying, Deedee. I do appreciate it.

I called an endo today and the soonist they can get me in to look at it is in 12 days from today. It will be an interesting 12 days. If they don't find anything I think I'll try to find a dentist to just start extracting one tooth at a time to process of eliminate. Life is too short to deal with this nonsense every day for months on end.

 

[Deck2015]

Hey Soma - Please consult with an Endo, more than one reputable General Dentist and a reputable Oral Surgeon (or two) in your area before you start asking anyone to pull your teeth. This could be TMJ related, it could be a nerve issue (have you had any recent dental work at all??), or it could be some issue with your sinuses or any number of other potential medical/dental conditions....my point is, I'd hate to hear that you pulled teeth when your teeth were sound and you *still* have pain. I've been in the same "neighborhood" as you are right now, and I pulled health teeth in desperation (turns out, I have a nerve disorder -- the pain just kept migrating to other teeth or it felt like I still had the extracted teeth and they still hurt). Pulling health teeth is something you'll regret. Nothing is as good as your own teeth -- and tooth replacement is incredibly expensive and even implants don't feel like your real teeth.

 

[Soma]

It's hard to tell if it's a specific tooth, it feels as if its the wisdom tooth, or the molar next to it. The molar next to it has been through a lot. I had a bad dentist fill it and the pain after was unrelenting, so I had a different dentist take a look at it and he said the first dentist left a space between the tooth and the filling. So he refilled it - but the tooth would not get full numb for the process. Not a good experience, but after he re-filled it it did eventually settle down. That tells me the nerve has been through trama. The good dentist who fixed it said it's a medium size filling and not too close to the nerve, not that that always means something. This all happened maybe 6 or 7 years ago. But other than those times it hasn't really showed any extra senstativty towards hot or cold or pressure. The source of the pain seems to move around a bit, sometimes it feels like its dirctly between my teeeth and the gum, like I want to poke at the spot but I can't because the teeth are blocking it and its' above the tooth. Sometimes it's in my cheek, or my temple. With my endo appointment so far away I'm just trying to ignore the discomfort because when I start to focus on it I floss it, swish it and check it in the mirror a hundred times a day, thinking maybe if I do it one more time I find the source, or fix it somehow.

My teeth have been the worst aspect of my life since before I had my permanent teeth. There have been/are times when suicide seemed like a better option than a lifetime of this. One less tooth, one less source of pain, one step closer to freedom. (No implants for me) So I'm not sure how much I would miss them. But I will go through a few more professionals see what they have to say.

Edit: to thank you for your reply, I appreciate it)

 

[elizv]

I am so sorry you are going through all this. I had very similar problems but they were eventually solved. The first took 6 months for an access to show on an X-ray. My neurologist was stumped too. The second they only discovered after they pulled it. I went to three endodontists in a course of over 8 months. Now I'm having another one hopefully pulled in a few days. It's tough but it does get better. I've been at this well over a year and am finally seeing a light at the end of the tunnel. Hang in there.

 

[Soma]

Thanks Elizv.

it sounds like you've been through quite a lot. I'm glad that they are finally finding the source and that you are on your way back to a less frustrating life. I'm trying to mentally prepare myself for the extraction that I just know is in my future. My fear is that if they couldn't get it numb for a filling how are they going to get it numb for an extraction, especially now that it seems infected. I just called my regular dentist (who pretty much hates me for going in every time I feel a twinge in my mouth) talked to the receptionist and explained my current issue and she's going to talk to him to see if he wants to see me. Otherwise I got my endo appointment moved to this coming Monday, a little less than a week from now. I'm praying they find a reason, but I'm equally terrified. I just want to fast forward life to a month from now when hopefully everything is worked out and over with.

Thanks ks again for the replies.

 

[Soma]

Just updating. I just got back from having an endodontist examine my mouth. He took a few x-rays and went down the line from checking pocket depth, hot, cold, tap, bite sensitivity and found nothing of concern. All he had to say was I have a few big fillings and the floss gets shredded due to all the dental work. He thinks possibly it makes it difficult for me to clean the teeth properly, but personally I think I over clean, over floss. He said maybe try a night guard but those are expensive and don't seem to really work for anyone.

So I'm at square one again. My brain refuses to believe it could be anything other than dental. At what point do you start believing dentist that dental pain isn't dental pain? (That's more of a rhetorical question). I've read a lot of things about people believing they have a dental issue, the dentist saying it isnt' then the tooth getting extracted only to find it was infected all along. It's really hard to think it's anything but that at this point. I'll see what tomorrow brings.

 

[Suzie]

Hi Soma, just reading your thread and it feels very similar to what I'm getting at present. I've been told I have TMJ, I clench rather than grind my teeth and wear a hard night guard which helps when my jaw is particularly achy although I sometimes feel it causes me to bite on the splint at night even more which aggravates the issue.

Any way, I have been getting intense toothache type pain in the upper tooth next to an impacted wisdom teeth which comes and goes. it really was painful about 6 weeks ago, must have been a flare up which eventually settled. my dentist took an x-ray and couldn't see any abscesses or signs of infection, but pointed out the enormous wisdom tooth next to it with long roots lying horizontally.

I'm wondering whether its the impacted wisdom tooth that's causing the problem. It feels swollen and painful all along the top teeth on that side, the wisdom tooth is still in the bone so not sure what's happening. My dentists suggests a referral to the dental hospital specialists but I'm going to see if things settle as it has in the past. I'm hoping it's a little bit of muscle spasm. I use a hot water bottle wrapped in a towel when its painful and eat a soft diet as well as keep wearing the splint although I'm not sure it helps other than stop me breaking my fillings and teeth.

 

[lily]

Sounds like possible TMJ.

 

[lily]

Just updating. I just got back from having an endodontist examine my mouth. He took a few x-rays and went down the line from checking pocket depth, hot, cold, tap, bite sensitivity and found nothing of concern. All he had to say was I have a few big fillings and the floss gets shredded due to all the dental work. He thinks possibly it makes it difficult for me to clean the teeth properly, but personally I think I over clean, over floss. He said maybe try a night guard but those are expensive and don't seem to really work for anyone.

So I'm at square one again. My brain refuses to believe it could be anything other than dental. At what point do you start believing dentist that dental pain isn't dental pain? (That's more of a rhetorical question). I've read a lot of things about people believing they have a dental issue, the dentist saying it isnt' then the tooth getting extracted only to find it was infected all along. It's really hard to think it's anything but that at this point. I'll see what tomorrow brings.

Who says night guards don't work? I've had one for about six years now, and I think it's made a tremendous difference for me!

 

[Suzie]

I agree, they are effective. I've had one for about 6 years and have a few holes in it where I've chewed through. Iv'e glued it back together twice with super glue when the side snapped off and although Iv'e had another made, it just doesn't fit as well as the first splint.

Do you find your splint needs adjusting fairly frequently Lily?

 

[Soma]

I've pretty much exhausted the entire internet in my search for relief, a lot of which lead me to a multitude of forums regarding tmj and mouthguards, for some reason it stuck with me that people still suffer and complain about the price of the mouth guard. I'm sure like a lot of other things on the internet, the squeaky (unhappy) wheels are the ones to actually voice their opinions, as happy people have much better things to do than hang around forums discussing pain. That being said I assume even more people are happy with their mouth guards. I can't afford hundreds of dollars for one at the moment, but I do need to do something because this pain is chipping away at my sanity in a very real way.

Suzie, all I can say is if one doctor/dentist can't give you an answer you have to keep on looking for one who can. Wherever that leads you, I wish you luck. I hope you find relief sooner than later.

 

[elizv]

I'm sorry you didn't have much luck at the endodontist. They never seem to know what's wrong with me either. I can tell you that both myself and a friend did have nighguards made and it did solve the problem. I still wear mine but she doesn't. Another friend has to wear it every night or she feels pain the next day. All have been custom from the dentist. I looked online and it seems you can buy them online for cheaper but you have to do the impression yourself. My one endo told me to buy one at Walgreens or something and see if it helps. You just have to be careful because they can mess up your bite. But it won't hurt to try one for a week or so. Amazon had lots of reviews. But at least that way you'll know what the problem is.

 

[Soma]

Just an update that this is continuing on. It comes in waves. I'm about 5 days into a flare up right now and it's exactly the same as it was back in June when I made the original post. A maddening mostly dull warm gnawing sensation between my teeth and gums, radiates to cheek bone, behind my nose, ear, temple and eyes. I did have a routine cleaning (no x-rays though) 2 months ago and got a clean bill of health, granted I wasn't having a flare up at the time.


I did just get over a very bad case of the flu. I'm really wondering if when my immune system gets weak fighting something else - it gives weak spots in my mouth a chance to fester a bit. But still, nothing has ever shown up in any dental test to hint at any issues.

I still fully believe it's a dental infection of some sort. I'm tempted to cut my gums with dental floss to try to 'bleed out' some of the bad feelings in the area. When I floss there there is a very sweet intoxicating pain.