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Dental Health (Expert Forum)
Major Tooth problems, throat discomfort and chest pressure
Answered by
Jerome Bogin, D.D.S. - Dental
Questions in the Dental Health forum are answered by Dr. Jerome Tsang and Dr. Jerome Bogin. Topics covered include bridges, cavities, crowns, and x-rays.
Major Tooth problems, throat discomfort and chest pressure
by tampintina, Nov 07, 2005 12:00AM
I am 37, relatively fit and well exercised but I am besides myself with worry and fear the dentist and doctor so much I see now way out. I have a mouth full of decayed teeth many just having the root left. Over the last 8 months I have experienced a weird sensation in my throat. Not sore or painful just as if its not right. This comes and goes sometimes months apart. This last weekend I have experienced intense chest pressure, again not pain just a feeling of discomfort giving the feeling that I am going to stop breathing which is also in my throat.With these symptoms at their worst I also get a gas type feeling when drinking which repeats but have never suffered from indigestion or acid reflux. I would appreciate any comments because I am convinced my bad teeth have now given me throat cancer and this makes me even less likely to visit a doctor.I want nothing more than to get a diagnosis but a diagnosis of cancer would devastate me. I have suffered with anxiety also over the fear of death, and today this chest pressure and tight feeling in my throat and shoulders could come from anxiety, but it truly feels like I will stop breathing at any minute and this is awful. I chew lots of gum due to my breath sometimes being bad and am worried this has spread infection through my whole body. I have a professional career and visit customer sites weekly but this anxiety over this problem is killing me and making my life a living hell. If anyone has any suggestion as to what this could be, I would appreciate a reply. Thanks. Tina.
Doctor's Answer
by Jerome Bogin, D.D.S. , Nov 07, 2005 12:00AM
, Nov 07, 2005 12:00AM
Tina I am sorry you are suffering from this dental phobia. I think your situation is complicated. I do not think that you have throat cancer but I do feel that it is necessary that you seek both dental and psychological help.It is possible that the decayed teeth can cause infections else where in the body. Your anxiety is related to the whole picture of your fear of dental treatmemt and fear of dying.Modern dental treatment is by far much more oriented to the comfort of the patient. There are dentists that can render dental treatment under anesthesia that will make the treatment possible for dental phobics. In this day and age it is a sin not to have a healthy and functional mouth. There have been studies that relate dental disease and cardiac problems. Please get the necessary help.
Tina.
Tina.
wow...I thought I was the only one having the chest and throat pains!
I have a long story but to get to the point.
I have the same symptoms that come and go.
Since April of this year.
I want to hope and believe it is from a cracked root which caused a low grade infection in my tooth.. My dentist did not know of the crack until after I was still having severe pain after a root canal. And believe me I had major anxiety about having a root canal. I know it doesn’t help to say that it really wasn’t a big deal. The pain before (and after because of the crack) was the big deal.
My symptoms also include my left side of my neck swells
I get weird pain just below my ear lobe that follows along my jaw bone to the lower center of my throat area (this area really hurts)
I feel like it is the main artery in my neck. Then it continues to hurt where the seat belt hits between my neck and shoulder. And the area right over my heart area. When I breathe in deeply I can feel a hollowness (almost like a bruising feeling) in all these areas. Not so much lately but I did have the pulsing in my neck area like you had.
After having a CT scan of my neck and chest. And also an ultrasound of my neck. Everything came back Fine. My doctor put me on Augmentin which is an antibotic (antibiotic) for 6 weeks..
I did feel better. Until I had to have my tooth extracted…(this again was major anxiety for me. I went to an oral surgeon and was amazed of how quick and painless the procedure was…However the healing part wasn’t fun. (its only been 2-1/2 weeks)
They told me that having the infected tooth extracted would take care of all the problems I was having.
Well all the symptoms returned the second day after the extraction.
It did help me confirm that the problems were tooth related. ( I think)
But it does scare me to think that the infection has gotten to far into my lymph nodes.
Through this whole process I started to see a Chiroprator who adjusted my jaw and has helped to allievieate much pain and swelling.
He says the areas of my pain (neck, throat, collar bone area and chest). Is the area of the lymph drainage from the head…) My body is “getting rid of the infection”.
I am hoping that is the case…My ENT doctor put me back on another 6 weeks of anitbotics (which freaks me out being on antibiotics for so long).
I am also so afraid that I have lymphnoma. It is amazing how we can scare ourselves!!!
I have been on the antibotic (antibiotic) now for 2 days and feel better.
I am just praying that this is it.
Please stay in touch with me my email address is ***@****.
It is so nice to talk to others about this.
It is so good to hear that I'm not the only one that has these fears. I am so jealous of you as you have been able to go to get it checked out, but my main fear is actually going to the doctor and getting a fatal diagnosis. I lost my Mum to cancer at age 60 just 2 years ago, then my step-mum died in May 5 days before my wedding, so you can see how my experience with cancer has been. It terrifies me. I saw the strugle my Mum went through and fought for 2 years, that I just think that I'd rather not know. I know thats a stupid deduction to make and I should go and get myself checked out and give myself a fighting chance if I get bad news, but I just cant seem to do it. I cancelled a doctor apt for last Friday and one again for tomorrow. It's an awful feeling to be so terrified to be told bad news. If I could just get there, get myself checked out completely, then my life would be so much happier. My husband and I would like to start a family, but there is no way I can think about that until I know whats going on with me. Is it dental related, is it something else. He thinks I'm slightly mad I'm sure as he just expects me to be able to go to the doctor and dentist, but I just cant. I wish I had a magic answer for this. Tina.