Scared... Tooth infection...

I feel I should add some things. This all started 2 months ago with head pressure. I scared myself silly. I went to 4 doctors, the er, and to the dentist. At that time I had 4 teeth (3 wisdom and a molar) that had cavities. At that appt. The dentist said there was no infection. Was going through a lot of stress, still am, and am really scared about my health all of a sudden. Saw my doctor on Wednesday and he said it sounded like anxiety. Dentist on Thursday, said I had a tooth infection. Freaked out, bc I know that this can spread to your brain. I've had a stye and a sinus infection, so now I'm convinced that it's spreading to my brain. My doctor said it's unlikely, so did the dentist. I'm taking an antibiotic and will be getting the infected tooth out next week. Possibly all 4... It's a top molar that's infected. Could you give me some kind of symptoms on what would happen if it did spread??? Since the head pressure started, I've had horrible health anxiety. As in, I've been researching online every waking moment, not doing anything I should be doing. I'm taking something for the anxiety, but the doc says it takes a bit to work. Is there any test I should be getting to see if it's spreading??? Would the dentist have been able to tell??? He said there's a "minor infection", and didn't seem concerned at all. Any help would be very much appreciated...

[birdie0907]

34 years ago, my new dentist told me that I had the biggest fillings he had ever seen. That occurred because my previous dentist was old fashioned and didn't Xray so I had infections all over the place but after proper treatment still have all my teeth.
I doubt you have anything to worry about from that tooth, since it has been looked at it, so relax and enjoy your short life.

[Amberjake12]

Thank you. I just feel like it's spread bc of all of the other stuff going on. I've never had anxiety problems before this, so it's really hard for me to say ok, it's anxiety. I don't know how long it's been there, but I'm so weirder out lately, that I think the first dentist lied about me having one... The second dentist also looked at the first x-rays and said their wasn't anything on them. I now have a headache on the same side, but I've web crying on and off... Do you know of any symptoms of it spreading??? Do you suffer from anxiety, by any chance??? Just want to feel normal again, and feel stuck. I keep thinking I should be at the er...

[onedayillbfine]

and this is exactly how i began i started with cavaties didnt take care of them my teeth started decaying didnt do much either financially it was impossible then i got an abscess tooth and it took about a year to get it pulled and with alot of google (never google) i began this fear like yourself of dying of the infection spreading to my heart and or brain i have had every test done available and im still not convinced i am healthy i have started the process of my teeth getting fixed and im still convinced im going to die its a scary feeling and i only wish i wouldnt have thought about it so much and realized i was ok best of luck your going to be fine it is a scary battle but again you will be fine

[Amberjake12]

Thank you for your response... This morning I woke up shaking (mostly on the inside) and feeling a sting pulse in my head... So damn scared... My palms and feet are sweaty... I just don't know what to do... I feel like going to the er... And demanding an MRI. I've never suffered from anxiety until this started... Did you have physical symptoms as well??? First I thought it was a brain tumor before I saw the dentist the 2nd time...

[Amberjake12]

Also, when blew my nose after crying there was one blood tinged mucous, which makes me believe that it's moved to my sinuses and is in my brain... I have had a knot behind my ear for 2+ years and now am thinking that it issedinately from my teethand I've waited too long. My pulse rate was so high this morning as well...

[onedayillbfine]

oh yes physical symptoms are crazy for me i would shake sweaty palms tunnel vision and when i was told my teeth were ok i immediately said then its a brain tumor and i would wake up everyday saying this is it im going to die have the phone incase you have enough time to dial 911 i was absolutely going crazy one day i broke down in tears and wantd to go to the hospital so they could find anything wrong with me I have learned It is this anxiety causing me to feel like this its all mental and i will win and i will be fine. I used to be a happy girl with a happy life and and anxiety came and i shut down but believe me when i say YOU WILL BE FINE YOU JUST HAVE TO FIND THAT INNER STRENGTH TO BELIEVE it is going to be tough im still fighting but every day i get a little better and realize im still here .Dont overthink things and realize your doctor knows best and if you feel somethings still wrong get a second opinion please feel free to ask me anything

[Amberjake12]

I can't tell you how much I appreciate this. I'm still freaking out, and have been in tears all day... On and off, but I'll just start crying while playing a game with my Lil one... I have to walk away bc he ant see me like this. I have a weird feeling in my head. It feels like shaking or throbbing in my head, usually when I wake up, but it's been happening a lot more today. I have seen 4 doctors, but everytime I think about what they say, I tell myself that I have a new symptom, and I wasn't able to tell them about it, so I should go back. Did you have an MRI? I'm convinced that this is the only way I'll get out of this. Also, how did your anxiety start??? Like I said, I've always been a worrier and have OCD, but never have I had such scary/ real symptoms and thoughts. Mine just came out of the blue, and I think that's why I'm so uncertain that it's "just anxiety"... If that makes sense. Hopefully you're still on, bc I think tonight there won't be much sleep for me. My headache is awful, and I feel like the side of my face/ ear is numb... So much just keeps appearing...

[onedayillbfine]

I did have an mri a cat scan ive had ekgs done stress test blood work urinalysis and so on so forth,.My anxiety i can still remember the 1st day i felt a symptom i to am a worrier and im a mom aswell i was bathing my son and suddenly i had tunnel vision everything was closing in on me at first i didnt think to much and went on with my night this was 2 and half years ago. Then i started paying more attention to my health i ended up in the er at least once a month because i was so confused with these new weird symptoms i was sure i was dying then i started noticing what bad condition my teeth were in and again started to google and read about bad teeth can cause poor health so on and so on, and the day i had my first anxiety attack was this year on july 31. i was at the bar with my friend for her birthday had a little to much to drink and lost it i seriously thought i was seconds away from death i went to the walkin clinics and er's alternately so i wouldnt get noticed so much i worried my teeth were going to kill me. I would go and get antibiotics my anxiety would subside and a month later i "knew" my infection was spreading to my brain. Had all my test ran and normal and finally a walk in doctor said to me your not sick your depressed and you have severe anxiety. I was devastated because i knew i had something more. So i saved up enough money to get my teeth going on the process of getting fixed. and i mean i have broken teeth decaying teeth cavities i had gingivitis severe plaque buildup (i really took care of my teeth but bad teeth run in my family )and even then my dentist said your teeth aren't as bad as you think and are far from doing any damage. I thought id get better after hearing that but nope im still anxious.A typical anxiety attack for me is shortness of breath lightheadedness, severe fatigue, shaky hands , sweaty palms , tunnel vision, derealization, left part of my body feels tired weird itchy its hard to explain sharp short zaps in random parts of my head. It scares me to death but i know im ok im just afraid to leavr my baby behind your not alone but i can guarantee me and you are alot alike im up if you want to keep messaging me :

[Amberjake12]

Thank you so much. It just seems so strange that it can happen just like that. One day I'm fine, the next day I am diagnosing myself with the deadliest diseases and conditions. I wish it wasn't all symptoms to do with my head... I wish it was my toe or something!!! It just seems so serious. And 2+ months of sitting around researching is just taking a toll on my relationship with my fiancé, and I feel so awful for not spending more time with my son. Deep down it feels like something more than anxiety, ya know??? Like there is something... I feel like if I ignore it something awful will happen. Like I have to keep researching and going to the doctor or I will die... It sounds so awful, but true. I've always gotten stuck on things, like tracking stuff online, but never with my health. I freak out about my sons health, but I figured that's normal with being a mom. I just don't like feeling so anxious/ shaky/ feeling my pulse in my head everyday, especially when waking up... It's scary. that's where I start my day, and I start googling before I even get out of bed... Thank you so much for talking to me about this... I really do appreciate it... Everyone around me is pretty supportive, but just tell me to stop thinking about it... And that really hard.

[onedayillbfine]

well everything youre going through is all familiar because thats me all the way im a googler a hypercondriac i feel guilt because i do get aggravated more often with my son  and i dont want him to see my fear.My boyfriend and i are also in seperate ends right now he thinks i nuts i think im truly sick which is hard to explain how this is working out for me because i feel sick im convinced that im sick yet i am fully aware its all mental its hard but fight it fight it  fight it there is a light at the end of the tunnel and it is a slooooooow process but trust me you will have better days i was you i am you but im slowly understanding that i am and will be ok check out this website it has helped me understand my anxiety a little more because of all the symptoms it names  http://www.*************.com/anxiety-symptoms.shtml  it really eases you. dont feel bad that you feel this way.

[Amberjake12]

Hey... Got my 3 wisdom teeth and one molar pulled on Monday... Awful... I'm really hoping no dry socket or infections follow. I went to my pcp today, and he still says anxiety. I've been crying so much lately, and after my teeth were pulled I started getting dizzy, not spinning, but feel like I might fall over. Having a lot of sinus pain, especially in my cheeks, and headaches in my temples. Can't shake this feeling that something serious is wrong... My doc did a neuro exam today and said if it were something more than anxiety, there would be stronger symptoms and he would be able to find something on this exam. He denied an MRI for me! He said he really doesn't think I need one. Just curious if you have had any dizziness with tooth extraction. Still scared, but trying to calm down.

[birdie0907]

Take it easy. Anxiety is playing games with your body, per the doc. If he is correct in his neuro diagnosis, you don't have any physical problems.

[Amberjake12]

Hello again. It's been 4 days... I'm still having strange headaches, but I am also now having pain on one side where an upper wisdom tooth was extracted and an upper pre-molar. I went in today, but only saw a dental assistant. He flushed them all, and put a clove paste on the 3 wisdom teeth. I still can't eat regular foods, b/c it all gets stuck in my teeth... And I can't see the upper wisdom teeth holes bc they were turned towards my cheek... Ugh... I'm afraid that there is food getting trapped and I won't know it. The headaches are mainly in the temple region, and the right sided pain from my teeth, is only there when I lick my lips or move my mouth in a certain way. The dental assistant said no dry socket, but didn't mention anything about infection. Also, when they gave me my teeth, one of them looked almost crystalized around the root??? Would this be an abscess??? It wasn't the tooth that was infected and the dentist didn't mention anything. Still worried about infection. I have no fever, but I am sweating a lot... Which was happening before the teeth came out. Also, after the teeth were pulled I had dizziness 2 days after, it seems to have let up (knock on wood), but just wanted to know if this is typical.

[birdie0907]

I don't know much about infections, but she probably would have said something if there was one. Did they give you antibiotics after the tooth was pulled? If not then or after seeing the assistant, they must think it looks fine.

[onedayillbfine]

If anything serious was wrong the dental assistant would have told you right away you are fine just relax alot of the symptoms that persist are anxiety your body is reacting to your fear and worry . You are and will be fine. I know its hard to believe because you feel so crappy but again everything you feel is your body reacting.And even if that tooth they pulled out was an abscess its out now and you are on the road to recovery :) relax breath and understand you are ok. And as far as dizziness after a tooth extraction yes even getting fillings got me dizzy for about 3 days i was scared because i thought omg im gettng an allergic reaction to the novacaine but i tried to ignore it and eventually it went away and im still here alive and well you will be to. I understand its scary, especially with something so close to your brain trust your doctor relax and smile it will get better. One thing that has really worked for me is i used to get the same symptoms over and over again and i would still freak out but now i say i felt like this a million times before im healthy and im ok and i eventually forget about it try it

[DJ873]

i did the edxact same thing to myself a year-ish ago I was also super afraid of the dentist so double whammy. I waited until my face was so swollen my eye was a slit. I told my dentist of my fear of the brain thing, he said that was very very rare and the antibiotics should control that anyway. I finally, with the help of this forum, got the tooth pulled a year after the initial infection. You may have symptoms from the infection but i highly doubt it will get any worse since you are on antibiotics and getting professional care.

[birdie0907]

There is excellent medical advice from Gellia on the dental forum where Amberjake has posted the same question. It looks like Gellia is a health professional judging from her other postings.
http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Dental-Health/Scared-that-tooth-infection-ha-spread/show/1645071#post_7504555

[Krmom]

I could have written your posts!!! I'm in the same boat! I hate feeling like this. I will have myself convinced that I have a serious disease or a brain tumor or heart disease or anything else that I feel aches or pains in at that moment. My teeth are bad as well. I angling to the dentist this week and hope that will help this anxiety a little. I feel as if I need to have every sigle test that could ever be done just to rule out everything but I bet I would still feel this. I have anxiety over my health my children's health and finances. I remember being worried about dying and being kidnapped when I was little but it stopped for a long time and has come on full force with the birth of my fourth son 9 months ago. I to get numb in the face lip arm and have a bubble feeling in my throat that gets worse the more I think about it. I just want to feel normal.

[neenerd]

Hi there...
I know exactly how u feel...I am going through an abscessed tooth right now that is so sever my face hurts!!!  I have severe anxiety as well...but I breastfeed and don't take any meds for it yet...I always think I am going to die too...I know I have anxiety so that has given me some relief...but I still freak out everyday thinking something is going to happen...I am also scared of the dentist...I always think something will go wrong you know...I get the numbness all the time in my hands, face, and it feels like I am having a heart attack...But I tell myself that its anxiety and wait it out...I also get my hands where they cripple up and I can't move my fingers...but it eventually passes, You could talk to your doctor about anxiety medication...Im sure you will feel normal again soon...

[neenerd]

Hey I got this from a website...hope it helps


A brain abscess is a collection of immune cells, pus, and other material in the brain, usually from a bacterial or fungal infection.



News & Features
From Pierced Tongue to Infected Brain
AIDS Researchers Find Clues To How Virus Attacks Brain
Personal Health
.


Reference from A.D.A.M.

Back to TopAlternative Names

Abscess - brain; Cerebral abscess; CNS abscess
.


Back to TopCauses

Brain abscesses commonly occur when bacteria or fungi infect part of the brain. Swelling and irritation (inflammation) develop in response to this infection. Infected brain cells, white blood cells, live and dead bacteria, and fungi collect in an area of the brain. Tissue forms around this area and creates a mass.

While this immune response can protect the brain by isolating the infection, it can also do more harm than good. The brain swells. Because the skull cannot expand, the mass may put pressure on delicate brain tissue. Infected material can block the blood vessels of the brain.

The germs that cause a brain abscess usually reach the brain through the blood. The source of the infection is often not found. However, the most common source is a lung infection. Less often, a heart infection is to blame. Germs may also travel from a nearby infected area (for example, an ear infection or a tooth abscess) or enter the body during an injury (such as a gun or knife wound) or surgery.

In children with heart disease or a birth defect, such as those with tetralogy of fallot, infections are more able to reach the brain from the intestines, teeth, or other body areas.

The following raise your risk of a brain abscess:
A weakened immune system (such as in AIDS patients)
Chronic disease, such as cancer or Osler-Weber-Rendu syndrome
Drugs that suppress the immune system (corticosteroids or chemotherapy)
Right-to-left heart shunts, usually the result of congenital heart disease
.


Back to TopSymptoms

Symptoms may develop slowly, over a period of 2 weeks, or they may develop suddenly. They may include:
Changes in mental statusConfusion
Decreasing responsiveness
Drowsiness
Eventual coma
Inattention
Irritability
Slow thought processes

Decreased movement
Decreased sensation
Decreased speech (aphasia)
Fever and chills
Headache
Language difficulties
Loss of coordination
Loss of muscle function
Seizures
Stiff neck
Vision changes
Vomiting
.


Back to TopExams and Tests

A brain and nervous system (neurological) exam will usually show increased intracranial pressure and problems with brain function.

Tests to diagnose a brain abscess may include:
Blood cultures
Chest x-ray
Complete blood count (CBC)
Head CT scan
Electroencephalogram (EEG)
MRI of head
Testing for the presence of antibodies to organisms such as Toxoplasma gondii and Taenia solium

A needle biopsy is usually performed to identify the cause of the infection.
.


Back to TopTreatment

A brain abscess is a medical emergency. Pressure inside the skull may become high enough to be life threatening. You will need to stay in the hospital until the condition is stable. Some people may need life support.

Medication, not surgery, is recommended if you have:
Several abscesses (rare)
A small abscess (less than 2 cm)
An abscess deep in the brain
An abscess and meningitis
Shunts in the brain for hydrocephalus (in some cases the shunt may need to be removed temporarily or replaced)
Toxoplasma gondii infection in a person with HIV

Antibiotics will be prescribed. Antibiotics that work against a number of different bacteria (broad spectrum antibiotics) are most commonly used. You may be prescribed several different types of antibiotics to make sure treatment works.

Antifungal medications may also be prescribed if the infection is likely caused by a fungus.

Immediate treatment may be needed if an abscess is injuring brain tissue by pressing on it, or there is a large abscess with a large amount of swelling around that it is raising pressure in the brain.

Surgery is needed if :
Pressure in the brain continues or gets worse
The brain abscess does not get smaller after medication
The brain abscess contains gas (produced by some types of bacteria)
The brain abscess might break open (rupture)

Surgery consists of opening the skull, exposing the brain, and draining the abscess. Laboratory tests are often done to examine the fluid. This can help identify what is causing the infection, so that more appropriate antibiotics or antifungal drugs can be prescribed.

The surgical procedure used depends on the size and depth of the abscess. The entire abscess may be removed (excised) if it is near the surface and enclosed in a sac.

Needle aspiration guided by CT or MRI scan may be needed for a deep abscess. During this procedure, medications may be injected directly into the mass.

Certain diuretics and steroids may also be used to reduce swelling of the brain

[Catrinariley]

Just wondering how you ate now as I am experiencing every symptom u have listed I'm convinced it because of my teeth but then again feels like sinus pressure it's taking massive toll on my life has not hone away for one second in over 3 months , hope u get this as last post was over a year

[Catrinariley]

Just wondering how you ate now as I am experiencing every symptom u have listed I'm convinced it because of my teeth but then again feels like sinus pressure it's taking massive toll on my life has not hone away for one second in over 3 months , hope u get this as last post was over a year

[birdie0907]

Since you are asking for advice for your own tooth problem, perhaps you will get more responses if you make a new thread. Lots of people won't post to a thread started a year ago. If you repost, and please do, can you advise if you have seen a doctor or dentist which is the first thing to do since we can't diagnose you on this board?