Stiff neck, dizzy-spells, minor headaches, foul breath.

Hello,

The past few months, I've been experiencing some symptoms which are starting to become troublesome for me.  These symptoms include stiff neck, slight headache, a swelling/lump sort of feeling in my throat, slight dizzy spells and confusion, and foul breath.  These symptoms started roughly 6 months ago.  Some days are better than others, and the symptoms seem to worsen throughout the day but are improved (lessened) from sleep.

The reason I posted this in dental is because, recently where I live, I read in the news of a young man dying from a tooth infection spreading to his brain and causing swelling.  Well, a while back while at the dentist, they found an infection, and said I needed to be put on anti-biotics, as well as get all 4 of my wisdom teeth pulled, and possibly a root canal on another tooth.

Unfortunately, I wasn't in a position to get the medication, as I didn't have healthcare at the time.  Now I do, and I wanted to follow up on this with other opinions.

Is there any chance these things could be related?  Anything else to look at?  Something else worth mentioning, I went in to the doctor for a general check-up recently, and had an STD panel done, which included blood work.  I asked them to check my blood for anything concerning because of my symptoms.  They didn't find anything in my blood other then a VERY borderline high iron count.  The doctor suggested this was nothing to be concerned about, as my diet could just have fluctuated this.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.  Of course, I need to consult a physician, which is the plan for tomorrow (dentist), and another general physician later this week, but I'd still like any feedback.

On one final subject, my symptoms regarding the dizzy spells/confusion... they're extremely difficult to explain to a physician properly.  I gave you all a very general generic description, but... how I worded it, well, it just doesn't seem to fit how it feels quite right.  Something just isn't right.

[Jerome Tsang, DDS]

I would see the dentist and get a prescription for an antibiotic if they feel that's the source of the infection.  Yes, a dental abscess can spread to your brain and kill you like you mentioned although its more rare today.  It can also spread to other parts of your body as well.  I don't mean to scare you but taking care of your oral health contributes to your overall health.  They're all attached together even if the insurance coverage doesn't seem to show that by keeping it separate.

[StopHammertime]

Also, I'm a 26 year old male, I eat fairly healthy as of recently, I drink socially (2 times a week), and recently quit smoking (one pack per week).  I do not exercise regularly.'

Thanks!

[StopHammertime]

Thank you, Dr. Tsang, I appreciate the feedback.  Have a great afternoon.