What I am finding is it seems like it has my TN acting up. I feel that asking if a toothache can cause the TN to be overactive would be a silly question, but I would like to know if it is TN acting up more then normal, or can this toothache cause this much pain all over my face. The pain isn't constant in the tooth, nor does it always hurt each time I brush my teeth. Then others it sends unbearable pain. When the toothache pain feeling leaves, I still have the burning, achy cheek and lower jaw pain. The tooth I think is infected is on the top. I do have an appointment. So I will know for sure soon I suppose. I also notice that if I take some Ibuprofen, the toothache will go away, but not the face pain. I guess I know my answer, but sharing may answer someone else's questions. I also find that the TN acts up if I have a cold or the flu. So I am thinking this effects the nerve too. Any similar stories welcome. Thanks as always.
Hi Jess,
Sorry your going thru so much pain with your tooth and face. Yes I have been going thru the same thing now for 5 months ,just on one tooth the upper canine. The whole V2 branch has been affected and upper jaw pain. Its comfusing is it my tooth or the TN. I am always checking in with my dentist, to make sure its not a bigger problem like an abscess. This is a back and forth situation. It was to the point that I went tomdentist he thought I needed a root canl, sent me to the endontist he said no. His opinion was it was the TN not provlems with nerve root of the tooth. Four months later I abscessed. That infection irritated the branch of the trigeminal nerve root. I ended up having a root canal, then had to scrap the bone to clear the knfection. My Tn gives me pain in the upper gums when it flares up and my left side sinuses . Its such a difficult disorder ismit my tooth or is it my TN. Its crazy. Imalways ear on the side of caution and get checked by my dentist. i just cant decifer between the two anymore. Your doing the right thing and hopefully its not an infected tooth. I was to the point that I was happy I needed a root canal because thats where the pain was originating. I know its crazy but for me at least it was not the TN. Do the root canal pain gone right. Not for me still have TN pain in those places. Hope this helps Jess uou are not alone!
My Best
hi ya jess i was having very bad tn pain and tooth pain so i went to my dentist it took me 5 weeks on antibioc before i was able to have my top wisdom tooth took out i was thinking it would take my face pain away but unfourtenly it dident iam still getting a bit of pain in my face but iam not going to have all my teeth out cos i dont think it would make a diffrence ive never been to a dentist before cos i was always frightend of them she said i had good teeth except for the 1 wisdom tooth which was loose and very bad infected i take lyrcria 3 times a day and codine which i think iam addicted to them now so hope u have a bit of releif from yoyr pain xx
My TN started just over a year ago ... with the (totally wonderful) ER doctor who diagnosed me peering at my teeth saying she couldn't see any bad decay so she was sure it was TN ... then late last year I snapped a tooth in half while eating muesli for breakfast. Off I went to the dentist who x-rayed my face and showed me a big abscess above that broken tooth and all in my sinus that could of been there for months on end. He said he had seen cases of supposed TN that were cured after dental work and he wished me all the best that removing the tooth and having some antibiotics would stop my TN. Sadly it didn't, I expected it to be coincidental that I had an abscess and TN and I was right. Taking a NSAID like ibuprofen will work on a toothache but not the TN as it works on inflammatory processes in your body which TN pain isn't ... anticonvulsants are what you primarily need to stop those nerve impulses going nuts over your face. Is your burning 24/7 all the time there just varying in intensity?
Mimi, I have tooth pain when mine flares up. I went to the dentist and my tooth was not infected. I found a "cocktail" of ibuprofin 800, nyquil sinex and a vaporizer helps to keep the stabbing at bay. Good luck.