So Upset. Went to Dentist and I Have a Rotting Wisdom Tooth

[Marie79]

It's right up there on my left side where my T is and at the same place that when I clench my teeth I hear the T louder. The dentist thinks it is the cause of the T and even the ear infection.

I have to have this tooth out.

I feel like this is a death sentence. I am so petrified if they fuck up around there it will make the T louder and I cannot survive it being louder.

 

[DebInAustralia]

Ive had 3 root canals since t onset. No increase in volume whatsoever.

 

[linearb]

root canals are generally pretty safe, and if that is creating inflammation then getting the tooth out could even reduce the T. Do your homework, find a dentist you trust.

If you have a rotting tooth, you want it out of your head. Dentistry has become so routine that people forget that this stuff used to kill people left and right (when infections went untreated).

 

[JasonP]

That is a good question. I actually have my wisdom tooth half gone on the side of T and the tooth next to it missing. I was wondering if having the wisdom tooth pulled would make it better or worse. I just don't know. Has anyone else had experience with this?

 

[Marie79]

Yes guys but this might be the cause of my T. I am so frightened of them messing around up there.

 

[zombiechick]

I have had dental work too since T and never had an increase. Dentist just terrify me and I worry about being toothless like everyone in my family. I like my teeth where they're at but am missing more teeth than I care to. Bridges on either side. Ugh! Don't mess with your dental care. It will be worse if you can't eat, trust me.

 

[PaulBe]

Might be the cause, might also be the cure.

Don't see the problem.

 

[truesilence]

Yes guys but this might be the cause of my T. I am so frightened of them messing around up there.

A few months after getting T I had to have root canal. I thought the same thing, but it made no difference whatsoever to my T. Had a wisdom taken put a few weeks ago, and T is still with me.

 

[glynis]

You will be fine.
If you get a spike from the pulling and having your jaw wide open it will settle down.
Usually the injection if anything will calm your ringing down for awhile......lots of love glynis

 

[click]

Yes guys but this might be the cause of my T. I am so frightened of them messing around up there.

I understand exactly why you are scared.

I've put off dental work because, although I realise that it could get rid of the T (apparently unlikely but still a possibility) I'm worried that it will make my T worse. If my T is caused by damaged nerve endings, mixed up nerve signals, TMJ etc. etc. - who knows what effect the dental work will have. I even had an appointment with an anaesthetist (I have to have dental work at hospital as injections no longer numb anything!) and he said that he had T for a month and then it went away but it scared him a great deal because he didn't know if he'd have it forever. He understood my fears and agreed that having my jaw open that long /trauma/ etc. could make it worse permanently and that there are no guarantees.

It's easy to say that everything will be ok but it's a difficult decision because not everything always is.

I'd be really interested to know what you decide to do Marie.

click

 

[Marie79]

I understand exactly why you are scared.

I've put off dental work because, although I realise that it could get rid of the T (apparently unlikely but still a possibility) I'm worried that it will make my T worse. If my T is caused by damaged nerve endings, mixed up nerve signals, TMJ etc. etc. - who knows what effect the dental work will have. I even had an appointment with an anaesthetist (I have to have dental work at hospital as injections no longer numb anything!) and he said that he had T for a month and then it went away but it scared him a great deal because he didn't know if he'd have it forever. He understood my fears and agreed that having my jaw open that long /trauma/ etc. could make it worse permanently and that there are no guarantees.

It's easy to say that everything will be ok but it's a difficult decision because not everything always is.

I'd be really interested to know what you decide to do Marie.

click

How did you put off the work? My biggest fear is the nerve damage. Did your doctor say anything about them even knowing a thing on how that could affect T? apparently everyone is telling me I can't put the dental work off. I feel like the Jaw being open is a little more controllable

 

[truesilence]

How did you put off the work? My biggest fear is the nerve damage. Did your doctor say anything about them even knowing a thing on how that could affect T? apparently everyone is telling me I can't put the dental work off. I feel like the Jaw being open is a little more controllable

The dentist should take an X-ray. If he sees that the nerve is wrapped around the root of the tooth for example, he may advise against an extraction. Done correctly, wisdom tooth extraction should cause you very little pain. I didn't have to keep my mouth open for that long, maybe 10 mins. Most dentists know nothing about T and many do not see the connection. Get your teeth sorted otherwise it may lead to more serious complications.

 

[click]

How did you put off the work? My biggest fear is the nerve damage. Did your doctor say anything about them even knowing a thing on how that could affect T? apparently everyone is telling me I can't put the dental work off. I feel like the Jaw being open is a little more controllable

Hi Marie,

I've just left it & not yet had the work done. No - the doctor I saw said nobody can tell if it will affect T.

I'm certainly not advocating that anyone else should leave dental work - we all know that not having the work done can cause serious problems.

I'm still deciding whether it's worth the risk of louder T for me.

Hope it goes ok for you.

click

 

[Marie79]

The dentist should take an X-ray. If he sees that the nerve is wrapped around the root of the tooth for example, he may advise against an extraction. Done correctly, wisdom tooth extraction should cause you very little pain. I didn't have to keep my mouth open for that long, maybe 10 mins. Most dentists know nothing about T and many do not see the connection. Get your teeth sorted otherwise it may lead to more serious complications.

Oh thank you! So they can at least tell somewhat about your nerve? I have an appointment with a dental surgeon today so of course he can answer these questions but it makes me feel a little better to know they can see those things.

 

[truesilence]

Oh thank you! So they can at least tell somewhat about your nerve? I have an appointment with a dental surgeon today so of course he can answer these questions but it makes me feel a little better to know they can see those things.

 

[awbw8]

It's right up there on my left side where my T is and at the same place that when I clench my teeth I hear the T louder. The dentist thinks it is the cause of the T and even the ear infection.

I have to have this tooth out.

I feel like this is a death sentence. I am so petrified if they fuck up around there it will make the T louder and I cannot survive it being louder.

Hi Marie,

I saw you're going to go talk to the oral surgeon - that's great. I'm not a dentist, but mine told me that they generally can't diagnose anything/offer treatment without an x-ray. I'm sure if your wisdom tooth root is wrapped around a nerve they would see and and make appropriate recommendations - if it's touching a nerve there are probably concerns other than tinnitus as well.

That said, if I were you, I would be completely jazzed to get that bad boy out of my mouth. Definitely do not keep a rotting tooth/infection in your mouth - that is not going to go away on its own and having it gone could perhaps make the T better - leaving it there certainly will not make it better or save you from it getting worse. I've had dental work done since T and everything has been fine - no increase from drilling or numbness or anything. The sounds and smells etc. of a dentist's office can be scary, but I see you're in LA - that's a big city and I'm sure you have a great selection of people to choose from. Find someone who makes you comfortable and go for it. It will probably be a relief to be free of that tooth

Let us know how it goes!

 

[RB2014]

I think pulling this tooth out could only help with T. You might have a big spike after surgery, but I think in the long run its a good thing. Even if you T gets worst the brain adapts and eventually you end up at the same place or better, but you have a chance that this could be the cause of your T which is great. I'm thinking this is great news. You for sure don't want to mess with an infection from that tooth. I had a bad one once and things can go really bad really quickly. The fact that teeth are so close to our nasal passages is a bad thing. If you want to worry about T worry about how bad an infection from this thing will make your T spike, and let me tell you it can be bad. Get that thing out asap. Really, this is great great news.
Think of this like pulling out a thorn from your skin. There are no benefits to keeping it in. Get better.

 

[fishbone]

It's right up there on my left side where my T is and at the same place that when I clench my teeth I hear the T louder. The dentist thinks it is the cause of the T and even the ear infection.

I have to have this tooth out.

I feel like this is a death sentence. I am so petrified if they fuck up around there it will make the T louder and I cannot survive it being louder.

First of all, you can survive anything

My tinnitus is so so loud but i still manage to smile daily and live my life, you and all here can do the same. don't be afraid, things will be ok....

 

[Marie79]

I know I have posted a bit of this. I also know I can search the forum but many times I end up with horror stories. Can I get any stories on this? If it it isn't so great that is fine I am just trying to avoid finding terrible stories.

I have a non impacted simple wisdom tooth that has a simple root (dentist said it's like a carrot root instead of like a root that is all over the place and harder to pull if that makes sense).

It has a cavity and I am scheduled to get it taken out June 1st. I am only wanting to do local anastesia as I am afraid going under will make T worse.

The tooth is at the top of my jaw all the way closest to my ear with T.

Any stories? Don't hesitate even if the story is a bit bad with T. Again I am just wanting to avoid searching the forum.

I got T 2/1 from an ear infection.

 

[awbw8]

I know I have posted a bit of this. I also know I can search the forum but many times I end up with horror stories. Can I get any stories on this? If it it isn't so great that is fine I am just trying to avoid finding terrible stories.

I have a non impacted simple wisdom tooth that has a simple root (dentist said it's like a carrot root instead of like a root that is all over the place and harder to pull if that makes sense).

It has a cavity and I am scheduled to get it taken out June 1st. I am only wanting to do local anastesia as I am afraid going under will make T worse.

The tooth is at the top of my jaw all the way closest to my ear with T.

Any stories? Don't hesitate even if the story is a bit bad with T. Again I am just wanting to avoid searching the forum.

I got T 2/1 from an ear infection.

I know I wrote before about my own experience (went well), but if it helps at all and you wanted to get general anesthesia, I had that not long ago for another procedure and it did not affect my T at all.

Glad to hear you're getting it out and I hope everything goes smoothly for you

 

[LadyDi]

Hi, @Marie79, thought I had posted already here, but looks like it was on a similar thread recently. Below is a link to that thread. Also references a very extensive thread on dental work that includes advice about what do in these situations:
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/debating-dental-crown.15301/#post-181578

In a nutshell, I have had serious dental work done since I first developed tinnitus about three years ago. That includes ripping out an old crown and having a new crown installed. No problems.

You will see more in the above thread but basically: I discussed my tinnitus with my very compassionate dentist (her office manager has severe T) in advance of the procedures. She agreed to take short breaks, as recommended by the ATA, while drilling and doing similar noisy work. I wore noise cancelling headphones doing the procedures. And I took NAC one day before and three days after the procedure. In the beginning, I took a small hit of Xanax right before, to calm me down. Today, I don't need to do that any more. All is outlined in more detail in the linked thread.

Remember that when you start consulting Dr. Google, you end up with a lot of horror stories because those are the people who post. So stop! I would say the majority of tinnitus patients have no trouble with dental work. Some already have posted here on your thread. In the meantime, if you have a decaying wisdom tooth, it's got to come out. If you put it off, you will end up with an even bigger mess. I also have had an impacted wisdom tooth pulled (prior to tinnitus) and while it wasn't my favorite thing, it really wasn't that bad.

I would avoid general anesthesia, which isn't good for you, tinnitus or not. But that is a decision for your dentist to make and will depend on your case. Usually, dentists would rather do a local.

Good luck, take a deep breath, and it will all be over. I used to panic about dental work in the beginning of my tinnitus life. Now I don't even give it a second thought.

 

[ridgew]

Only wisdom teeth at the bottom of the jaw are located close enough to the facial nerve, so the possibity exists it could be damaged during extraction. You can confirm this with your dentist.

Also, i had top wisdom tooth removed - nothing happened, and two bottom ones removed as well with same result.

 

[Owen]

If you have a rotten tooth, it has to be removed. It isn't really a decision to make. Long term, the inevitable repeated infections could make you very ill and will require antibiotics and they too can cause or increase tinnitus.

Like a lot of people, I have had to have a wisdom tooth removed. I also had complications, but despite this, tinnitus was not a problem. Inflammation and swelling are known to cause and/or exacerbate tinnitus - it's one of the reasons that tinnitus often gets worse with a cold and settles down after.

 

[relax1]

Hi, I am due to have some dental treatment soon
And since I am afraid the dentist's drill will make my T worse
I have located a dentist in Chislehurst, Kent, who offers air abrasion dentistry
This uses a very strong blast of airborne micro-particles that take the rotten bits of teeth away
So, no noise at all and no risk of worsening the T
Good luck all at the dentists!
relax1

 

[Mike L]

How do they find out it was rotten?

Don't be scuurreed I was freaking out too when I got my cleaning with that high powered water thing that's loud ass all he'll and my T stayed the same. I went back again and got my teeth molded for invisalign and my jaw was wide open for 15 minutes and no increase in T.

If that's where your T is and the cause of your ear infections I would get that sucker out.

I had mine removed under anesthesia and it was no problem. I waited until I was 24 to get my bottom ones cut out.