gum and jaw pain

I need a second opinion...

I am a little over 5 months pregnant. A couple of days ago I noticed my lower gums, the whole thing, both sides, was really sore, I couldn't eat anything but yogurt or bananas. I looked in the mirror and couldn't see anything except it was all red and puffy.

Then last night I noticed it was hurting even when I wasn't eating anything, I was just sitting there and it hurt.

This morning my entire jaw started to ache, like if I touch my face from the outside it's tender and sore, on both sides, all the way back to my ears. it's especially tender underneath my chin.

So, I called the dentist and they had me come in. She said she could see little clusters of sores on 3 different spots on my gums, one on each side and one in the middle. She said it was something viral, similiar to herpes, and gave me something called Magic Mouthwash.

When I asked her what was causing the jaw pain on the outside, she couldn't tell me. When I asked her what would cause me to just suddenly break out with a bunch of sores like that, for no apparent reason, she couldn't answer that either. When I asked her how she could be sure it wasn't an infection of some kind, she really couldn't answer that either. She just repeated what she thought it looked like.

What do you think?

Thanks

[Jerome Bogin, D.D.S.]

It is difficult to give you an opinion without seeing the sores. The sores can come spontaneously and can be associated with something in your system,from stress, or from your pregnancy. I think it is important that you get a definitive diagnosis from an oral surgeon. More than likely the sores will heal in 7 to 10 days no matter what you do but I still feel you should know what the sores are.

[mike1105]

this could very well be related to hormonal changs that go along with your pregnancy. If all you got was "I dont know" from your dentist, then in my opinion it is time to see another dentist.

[TJ]

If anyone has info on this I would love to know, I have had this same problem for years.  I will get a small cluster of blisters at the gum line, then they will break open, then I will have nerve pain on the outside of the of my check on the same side.  It is very sensitive to the touch and is very painful and makes you feel kinda achy all over.  

[inpain618]

A related discussion, please help was started.