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Before anyone tells me to, I have had two dental appointments since the things I describe below began, and I will be making a GP appointment tomorrow to follow it up, but I would love some input in the meantime - from resident experts, or people who have suffered something similar.
For the last three months, I have had soreness on the left side of my mouth. It seemed tooth-related, but precise symptoms have been hard to pin down. At first, it was discomfort in the gums, then mild pain all over the left lower jaw. If I touched the underside of my lower jaw even softly, it felt as if I could pop my molars out. And through it all, I have had mild, ongoing bleeding from my gums - although I can't tell where exactly.
Now the mild pain is gone almost entirely, and the sensation of being able to pop my molars out has mostly subsided, but the gums continue to bleed.
I have been to the dentist twice about this since it began and he has been able to find nothing wrong. My teeth are in good shape, and other than some possible slight aggravation of the gums (for which has given me a special cleaning regime), there is no obvious problem there either.
I have played internet doctor and found nothing obvious, so I don't suspect cat aids or any such thing. I also don't have any other symptoms. There are no ulcerations in my mouth, and no spots or visible signs that there is anything wrong. Neither are the gums swollen. I have had gingivitis before, and this - although in some ways it feels like it - doesn't present all the same symptoms.
But I have to say: I am really tired of everything I consume tasting of blood.
So what would STW suspect and/or what would you do?
Scurvy?
Tooth Aids.... Nasty.
☠️
I have had gingivitis before
We probably all have.... She's a game gal!
Scurvy?
That's actually crossed my mind. 🙂
Not taking too many vitamins supplements are you? I think vitamin A poisoning looks like that.
It's late stage cat aids how did you miss the early symptoms?
Time to get your shit in order.
Please detail current bike situation, sizes, spec etc so we can sensibly divvy them up.
I’ve had a ear infection that caused bother with my jaw
I’ve had a ear infection that caused bother with my jaw
Hmm. Interesting. I did suffer labyrinthitis at the early stages of this current thing.
Serious answer: Dentist. If they can't find anything, and it persists (which it sounds like it is) ask them to refer you to the maxillofacial unit.
Long story short: A persistent mouth ulcer that the first dentist treated by filling my teeth down ended up in a partial glossectomy, selective neck dissection, 4 months off work and 5 years of surveillance. Luckily no chemo or radiotherapy.
On the plus side, it might just be cat aids.
...but get it checked out and don't stop until you have an answer. Make an appointment first thing tomorrow morning.
notwithstanding tillydog's important information, this sounds like a classic case of Forfüch's Ache to me. Have you had any other symptoms, such as waking up or perhaps feeling mildly irritated ? Ever been diagnosed as having cat aids ?
Mrs fadda is a hygienist and says:
Gingivitis is superficial and a reaction to plaque on your teeth, but you say be that it "feels" different and it wouldn't normally give jaw pain.
Has your dentist taken Xrays to see if it could be periodontitis? This may cause bleeding and might result in some bone loss, which could be picked up with probing, but Xrays would be better. A hygienist would deep clean any pockets found on probing, and occasionally you might need antibiotics to treat any infection.
The labrynthitis might be linked - an infection could run down through the nerve and result in the pain, but in that case the bleeding may be unrelated. The dentist would check by palpating under your lower jaw (mandible) and would refer as necessary.
Occasionally, people complain of earache and jaw pain if they grind their teeth - is this possible? It can happen while you're asleep
Going by 'the sensation of being able to pop my molars out' I would say abscess.
I have no medical training but I did once have an abscess.
I've had problems with my gums and have had to go and see a periodontist.
I was debating suggesting seeing a periodontist and then saw fadda's input from his Wife, which potentially backs up my suggestion.
Does your dentist check the pocket depth between your teeth, by sticking some kind of prodding thing in and calling out numbers?
This seemed to be the method my dentist used to decide I should get to a periodontist quick smart. I now have an intensive cleaning regime to keep my gums in good health, but have cramped teeth and apparently am genetically pre-disposed to suffer from gum issues.
If periodontitis is the issue, it would be better to catch it sooner or you could start to lose teeth.
Have you made that appointment yet?
(Yours doesn’t sound like mine, but **get it checked**)
I am really tired of everything I consume tasting of blood.
Are some of your incisors unusually pointy? Do you dislike sunlight, and frequently cut yourself shaving?
Abscess??
When you break wind, does it make a sound like a Japanese motorcycle?
Wisdom tooth?
I've had symptoms like you describe a couple of times, one will start pushing it's way through, top of the gum "errodes" in the area then pulsing pains for a few days while it slowly makes it's way out (almost impossible to get any sleep), normally take a couple of weeks to settle back down...
It might be worth a trip to the gp for some blood tests and maybe a trip to the dentist again as well. If you can get a second opinion from a different dentist in the same practice then even better.
Broadly speaking, bleeding gums means inflammation in the gum tissue which is either just inefficient cleaning in an area or decent cleaning but an underlying gum disease (periodentitus) issue which your dentist should have seen easily by probing the gums and can confirm by looking at the bone levels around the teeth on x-ray. Are you 100% sure you are cleaning the area every day well? Using floss or brushes between the teeth as well as your toothbrush? You might find using corsodyl mouthwash for a short period of time will help too (suspect you have already been told this by your dentist)
Even proper gum disease is usually fairly painless most of the time and pain that is caused by the teeth or gums usually has fairly obvious signs to see in the mouth. Most proper dental pain is either related to hot/cold sensitivity or a dull throbbing ache that’s pretty well located to a tooth. If it’s the gum thats painful, it’s almost always obviously swollen when you examine it. It is possible to have neuralgia associated with the nerves in the mouth/jaw and this can give “odd” pains and can be triggered by touch like you describe. It’s possible the pain you had was something like this and the bleeding is unrelated.
Lastly there are some general health issues that can affect the gums which is why an appointment with your gp once a dentist has ruled out a proper dental cause could be a good idea.
Abscess??
Usually accompanied by signs that your heart grows fonder.
When you break wind, does it make a sound like a Japanese motorcycle?
I so hope someone takes your bait, I'd hate to see this one go to waste.
Ignoring the bleeding gums, I went to my dentist with something similar, only to have him diagnose sinusitis.Sure enough a pill or two later the incredible ache, which had manifested itself in my jaw in my opinion, had gone.
Obviously might not be this at all, but with sniffs and snivles around at this time of year, I figured my experience was worth sharing.
(That motobike gag is one of my favourites)
Teeth grinding can also be a cause of those symptoms. I suffer from this as a side effect of the anti depression medication I take. I never was a teeth grinder before, but it definitely causes these issues. Predominantly on the left side of my lower jaw is where the majority of the pain is.
I so hope someone takes your bait, I’d hate to see this one go to waste.
Took me a while to work that one out. Quality 🙂
Sinusitis wouldn’t really give pain in the lower jaw, it tends to give an ache in the upper jaw that seems to affect multiple teeth.
Grinding or clenching is a potential factor
Bleeding gums would be unrelated to both of those.
Really your dentist should have asked you some questions to rule these possibilities out already
Can someone help me out with the motorcycle joke...?
Go on then...
neil the wheel
Subscriber
When you break wind, does it make a sound like a Japanese motorcycle?
Why do you ask? Surely an abscess can't make his flatulence sound like that?
I get the same sort of thing without the bleeding, dentist took xrays and it turns out one of my wisdom teeth is pointing towards the tooth next to it. Every now and then it makes a bid for freedom and gets stuck under the other one. Everything in that area becomes extremely sore, red and angry. Last happened on Christmas eve. Kind of ruined Christmas Dinner.
I would also say sinus issues.
Do you suffer from cold sores when this happens? Can cause referred pain all over the face depending on the nerve it attacks.
Why do you ask? Surely an abscess can’t make his flatulence sound like that?
Abscess makes the fart go "Honda."
(Thank you.)