I’m trying to work out whether the symptoms I currently have are to do with my MS or the root canal I had a couple of weeks ago. I’d be really grateful if anyone could tell me if they have had similar symptoms.
When I cleaned my teeth yesterday morning I notied that the left side of my tongue didn’t feel quite right - a bit numb. It’s hard to say but I think the gum on the left may also feel a bit numb. MS wise I tend to get numbness in legs, hands & torso especially when I am tired. I’ve taken this week off work as I could feel that I was starting to feel a bit ‘wiped out’ and very tired so it’s possible it could be triggered by that.
On the other hand, I had root canal 4 weeks ago on a left molar and a temp filling put in. Then 2 weeks ago this was replaced by a semi-permanent filling and a bit more work. I’ve got to go back in 2 months to get the permanent filling done. I’m wondering if ‘killing’ my nerve may have done something.
Or, could it be a mixture of the two - infection in tooth causing MS numbness to flare up?
I’m not sure what to do. I’m don’t have 100% faith in my dentist to go back and ask her and so if anyone else has experienced this I would really like to know so I can decide whether it is MS or problem dental work.
YES! I get numb tongue and gums! Horrid. And pins and needles on tongue…
I think what might have happened is the trauma of the dental work sent it numb. Hopefully will wear off soon.
I dropped a full tin of baked beans on my bare foot (ouch!) a while back… within about 20 mins foot was numb and stayed that way for weeks. Nasty black bruise but NO pain!
Sensation to the gums is via the trigeminal nerve so if your gums are affected, it would be more likely to be MS if it’s the front 2/3 of your tongue that is affected, but not the back 1/3. (I say this because if the whole left side of your tongue is affected there would have to be more than one nerve affected, which is less likely at one time in MS.)
Apparently dental work can exacerbate underlying nerve problems so it might be that or, as you said, it could be the infection has caused it. Either way, it would be relatively short-lived.
in 6th week of relapse. mouth cut in half. right side like defrosting at dentist. have had to be fed-am desperate on something to bite like a cheese baguette!
I had a numb tongue two years ago as a single symptom. My gp sent off blood tests for b12 etc which came back clear and put it down to a mystery at time. When i saw my neuro and told her about previous numbness prior to my main relapse, she explained to two students sitting in on my diagnosis that she thought it could have been one of my first episodes because of what the nerve was attached to or something like that.(can’t quite remember the detail!)
Thanks for all your replies - much appreciated and reassuring that it is just another delight that is MS rather than something even more sinister. Just had an emergency appointment at the dentist and have been told there is no infection - so it can’t be that. The minute though I said I had MS she thought “it might be an adverse effect to your medication”. Seeing as I have been on Avonex for 9 years now and never had it before I don’t think it is!!
Hopefully, like some of you, it will come back as it is very wierd having rubbish sense of taste on one side.