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Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (Expert Forum)
Swollen lymph nodes from impacted wisdom teeth?
Answered by
Michael H Kirsch, DDS - Oral Surgery, Maxillofacial, Wisdom Teeth, Bone Grafting, dental implants
Dr. Michael H. Kirsch
Caldwell - NJ
Questions in the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery forum are answered by Dr. Michael H Kirsch and Dr.
Mario Tuchman. Topics covered include teeth extractions, wisdom teeth, dental implants, bone grafting, orthognathic surgery, facial bones realignment, facial trauma repair, jaw alignment, anesthesia , jaw cyst or tumor diagnosis, reconstructive jaw surgery, temporomandibular joint syndrome (TMJ) and TMJ surgery.
Swollen lymph nodes from impacted wisdom teeth?
by ceegunz, Jul 09, 2008 08:43AM
Hello,
I'm a 23 year old male. Several weeks ago I started feeling a lot of aching pain along the front and back of my neck, along what I now understand to be strings of lymph nodes. The pain varies between intense, achy, and none. The nodes do not hurt when touched. I went to my physician, who said I had "slightly inflamed" posterior cervical lymph nodes (I believe on both sides, though one seems to be larger than the other) but no other inflammation. She conducted a CBC and a Mono test--CBC all normal, the Mono test negative. She said it was a viral infection and that the swelling would go down.
A week later, I went to the dentist for a cleaning and x-rays. They took x-rays of my wisdom teeth, and apparently they are all very badly impacted (the hygienist seemed a bit shocked, actually). My wisdom teeth have been intermittently aching for at least six months. The hygienist then found that the lymph nodes below my jaw were "very inflamed". She and the dentist both attributed this to bacteria and things getting caught around my wisdom teeth area--the hygienist said she removed a lot of gunk (she used a different word) out of back there.
The swelling and achy feeling in my nodes has not gone down in several weeks. Could impacted teeth and the accumulation of bacteria (or whatever) cause swollen lymph nodes as I have described? I've tested negative for HIV, have no other symptoms of any other infection. I also have no particular symptoms of cancer (weight loss, etc) but if my wisdom teeth could not have caused these nodes, I think I need to have the doctors start looking for possible malignancies, since the swelling has persisted and no obvious infection is causing them. Your thoughts? Thank you!
I'm a 23 year old male. Several weeks ago I started feeling a lot of aching pain along the front and back of my neck, along what I now understand to be strings of lymph nodes. The pain varies between intense, achy, and none. The nodes do not hurt when touched. I went to my physician, who said I had "slightly inflamed" posterior cervical lymph nodes (I believe on both sides, though one seems to be larger than the other) but no other inflammation. She conducted a CBC and a Mono test--CBC all normal, the Mono test negative. She said it was a viral infection and that the swelling would go down.
A week later, I went to the dentist for a cleaning and x-rays. They took x-rays of my wisdom teeth, and apparently they are all very badly impacted (the hygienist seemed a bit shocked, actually). My wisdom teeth have been intermittently aching for at least six months. The hygienist then found that the lymph nodes below my jaw were "very inflamed". She and the dentist both attributed this to bacteria and things getting caught around my wisdom teeth area--the hygienist said she removed a lot of gunk (she used a different word) out of back there.
The swelling and achy feeling in my nodes has not gone down in several weeks. Could impacted teeth and the accumulation of bacteria (or whatever) cause swollen lymph nodes as I have described? I've tested negative for HIV, have no other symptoms of any other infection. I also have no particular symptoms of cancer (weight loss, etc) but if my wisdom teeth could not have caused these nodes, I think I need to have the doctors start looking for possible malignancies, since the swelling has persisted and no obvious infection is causing them. Your thoughts? Thank you!
Doctor's Answer
by Michael H Kirsch, DDS, Jul 09, 2008 09:20PM
, Jul 09, 2008 09:20PM
Any neck swelling in someone of your age which persists after two weeks needs to be critically evaluated. Jaw infections can cause lymphadenopathy.
I suggest the following....
See a Board Certified Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon who can help determine if the impacted teeth are causing your problem.
If not, then either an ENT or competent physician to consider ordering a CT scan of the neck.
Information contained within this reply is intended solely for general educational purposes and is not intended nor implied to be a medical diagnosis or treatment recommendation. This is not a substitute for professional medical advice relative to your specific medical condition or question. Always seek the advice of your own doctor for medical condition. Only your doctor can provide specific diagnoses and therapies.
I suggest the following....
See a Board Certified Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon who can help determine if the impacted teeth are causing your problem.
If not, then either an ENT or competent physician to consider ordering a CT scan of the neck.
Information contained within this reply is intended solely for general educational purposes and is not intended nor implied to be a medical diagnosis or treatment recommendation. This is not a substitute for professional medical advice relative to your specific medical condition or question. Always seek the advice of your own doctor for medical condition. Only your doctor can provide specific diagnoses and therapies.
