Hi all, I was diagnosed with MS in February 2019 & am currently on copaxone whilst ttc, on Tuesday I went to dentist with awful toothache, dentist couldn’t see anything wrong & gave me antibiotics as thought it was infection. The pain got worse in my gums & cheek so I went back to dentist yesterday & she did X-rays & still couldn’t see anything in area, she replaced two old fillings in case they were bad but said they were fine & said if still bad I need to go back Monday for extraction. She also gave me stronger antibiotics. I’m now thinking could this be an MS replace? I’ve read online about Trigeminal Neuralgia & it would explain why dentist can’t see anything wrong with teeth. Dentist isn’t aware I have MS, I hadn’t until this point even thought about telling them which is my own stupidity probably. I’ve rang MS nurses to get back to me Monday but I’m in agony, the pain is excruciating. Any advice at all? I’m taking antibiotics in case there could be an infection & also nurofen to try help the pain but I’m off work & cant go on like this. Thanks for reading. Kim.
Sounds like it could be TN…I do think it would be best to tell your dentist you have MS.
Hi Kim
I had very similar situation in November ‘toothache’ bottom back tooth kept coming and going. Next day different tooth so I was suspicious.
Paracetamol didn’t do anything. Went on for about 4 days but only a couple of hours a day.
Thought it may be trigeminal neuralgia. Went to the chemist and pharmacist gave me cocodimol and neurofen.
Didn’t take any as the pain suddenly just stopped!
Hasn’t come back.
You should mention your MS to your dentist. If it is TN then any amount of dental work won’t stop it.
Try cocodimol but carefuk of the dosage and don’t take for more than three days.
Hope pain stops soon.
Jen
I have been to my dentist 3 times with the same problem, however he does know about the MS and that I would not have an extraction unless absolutely necessary, tell your dentist it is unfair to them not to, may affect treatment, tell them about your medication. It is essential they have all the info. He never found anything wrong with mine, in fact just had an old complete filling replaced. Tell them about your dx, don’t really know what else to suggest you could try bongela on your gums,if they still sell it, it made my lips totally numb after I inadvertently got some on mine when my son was teething, many years ago!
Good luck, Alison
Bonjela not bongela!..well it has been 40 years!
You really need to tell your Dentist of your ms and also your medication. It maybe T.N. Toothache is the pits. I had excruciating pain when eating recently. A hairline crack was discovered by my dentist. Did not show on x-ray! You obviously need some attention to the offending tooth. I can only suggest if desperate, go to A+E. Go back to Dentist for further investigation?
Good Luck.
before you get any teeth pulled look up trigeminal neuralgia. can happen to people that have MS and pulling teeth will do nothing for it but have you miss teeth, it can be extremely! painful (its nicknamed the suicide disease for a reason) and sadly sometimes meds do not help : ( the nerves run across your cheek and can radiate pain in the gums/teeth which is why a lot of dentist think it could be a bad tooth when its not
This is exactly like I was 2 years ago as of now. I was backwards and forwards to the dentist and Dr , dentist couldn’t find anything wrong but gave me antibiotics just in case, things just got worse and in the end the Dr diagnosed TN, I asked for a referral to the Neurologist in the end and he also said definitely TN he changed the medications the Dr had put me on to Tegretol slow release and thankfully they helped. I’ve been in remission for nearly 18 months or so now, if your in pain keep going and ask to see the Neurologist, it’s very common alongside MS, if it is TN I hope you find a medication that helps, X
See your Gp, if he’s aware you have MS he will make the connection with possible TN.
Only medication that crosses the blood brain barrier will fix TN pain as it’s neuropathic, so that’s Tegretol, Gabapentin and a few others, over the counter stuff won’t touch TN.
The Gp would likely prescribe Tegretol as it’s the certified drug for TN and helps with the diagnosis, ie if it works it’s TN if it doesn’t it’s something else.
They usually start you off on low dose slow release and unless you have an allergic reaction side affects are minimal at low doses (bloods will most likely be taken at intervals to check for liver reactions), initially mine was fixed with 2 a day for around a year or so.
Unfortunately it can progress in frequency and also meds can have reduced efficiency over time which requires higher dosage.
I found it was transient to a degree, sometimes on a skin surface level for a few months then sometimes inter oral (teeth and gums) but always same side.
After 5 years mine became unmanageable on medication and I had 2 Gamma knife treatments in the last year to kill the nerve, the procedure was non invasive and painless and appears to be working so there is always something that can be done if things progress.
I do hope it’s not TN but if it is then Tegretol was my god send in the early stages.
All the best.
Yes you need to tell the dentist. i have had it twice. I couldnt touch my face the pain was horrible. It was one side of the face even the forhead and jaw. ugh i knew it wasnt teeth as i lost all them from an auto immune issue with my gums.
it went like it came thankfully. its a horrible pain. I have had an abcess and it was different pain.
I hope you get relief soon. i couldnt chew and talking too was hard work.
Hi there
I had this twice. For 2 weeks at a time. Someone above mentioned it is called 'suicide pain’s. My doc told me that too. I can fully understand why…
The first time was before diagnosis. Long story short. Back and forth to dentist. Nothing. A and E. Lovely trainee doctor said TN. I agreed. She wasnt listened to so I didn’t get the right treatment. Eventually put down to a blocked salivary gland!!! Even though that wasnt found on x ray. I was in agony for two weeks. If I sat perfectly still it was bearable. Once i moved the pain was excruciating.
Please tell all medical people you have MS. All the above advice is great.
I hope you find treatment soon and do let us know how you get on.
Good luck.
Anne x