My Personal Testimony of the Health Impact of Dental Problems

In the last two months, I was in pain, more precisely, a range of pain: sharp, dull, throbbing, radiating, intermittent, acute, chronic; tooth, TMJ, sinus, sciatica, shoulder, head, neck, and last but not least, psychological and mental.

There were two visits to an urgent care clinic, numerous visits to my primary dentist, and one crucial visit to an endodontist before this ordeal was behind me.

An Innocent Bite

It all started when I, in the middle of a vacation, took a bite of yummy-looking mini pretzels in the hotel lobby.

As I chewed, the aging fillings in my lower back molar, in place for over a decade, suddenly fell out.

Oh! No!

The cavity in my molar was close to the nerve, which might call for a root canal. However the initial X-ray looked good, and together with other evaluations, my dentist recommended new fillings and a temporary crown put in place first, followed by at least two weeks of monitoring.

After the filling procedure, a persistent, yet subtle, dull ache around my temporomandibular joint(TMJ) began to bother me. This discomfort could be attributed to various dental factors, including the residual effects of the dental anesthetic, an incorrect bite alignment, or an underlying infection/inflammation.

Beyond dental considerations, there were also other potential sources for such an ache.

I have been grappling with chronic sinus issues. By coincidence, the weather in the last two months was unusually hot and humid, flaring up my sinusitis.

About a year ago, a physician already suspected me of having Temporomandibular Joint Disorder(TMD) upon going over my sinus symptoms. Later on, antibiotics cleared up all my discomfort and eliminated the possibility of that. However, it did show that a bad sinus could lead to TMD-like symptoms in me.

Such medical history rendered me indecisive about whether I should consult a physician or go back to my dentist about the lingering dull ache. One day my forehead suffered from an excruciating sharp pain to the point I decided to visit an urgent care facility. A physician confirmed sinusitis and put me on antibiotics.

My sinus situation complicated my dentist’ assessment of the need for a root canal. I was put on a longer monitoring period to ensure there was no undetected dental infection/inflammation.

And then more drama came along.

A Chain Reaction

In addition to sinus, I also have ongoing sciatica issues. I had completed physical therapy in February and since then, the numbness and tingling feeling in my legs had been minimal, until this dental ordeal.

Slowly over time, my body started unconsciously compensating for the dull ache around the TMJ while I was sleeping at night, leading to me waking up feeling all sorts of body aches, from my shoulder, and neck, down to my thigh. After three weeks or so, my sciatica condition regressed.

Apart from the pain originating from the TMJ/sinus/sciatica, the painkillers and antibiotics that I took also contributed to stomach pains and stomach upset.

Frustrations and stress grew inside of me every day!

By then I fully realized how unwise it was to regard my dental problem as a stand-alone medical issue. If I had received holistic treatment from the very beginning, things would have turned out very differently. I was never so overwhelmingly convinced that medical care needs a more holistic approach.

More visits to the dentist before he finally referred me to an endodontist for a root canal treatment. A few days before that, I had another visit to an urgent care facility due to strep throat. The cumulative effect of weeks-long pain had obviously taken a toll on my overall health.

Who would have thought a mini pretzel would cause so much havoc?

A Wake-Up Call

A big takeaway from this ordeal is: Never underestimate the profound impact your dental health can have on your overall health.

As I have experienced, dental problems could have a “rippling” effect and lead to a cascade of health issues. This serves as a reminder that all our different body parts are interconnected, and issues in one can significantly affect the rest. As a matter of fact, numerous research studies have drawn connections between dental health and overall health.

For instance, research studies reveal that people with gum disease were twice as likely to die from a heart attack and three times as likely to suffer a stroke. Some experts suspect that oral bacteria associated with gum and periodontal disease could enter the bloodstream and attach to blood vessels, contributing to cardiovascular disease.

Recently, there has been growing research evidence suggesting that gum disease and tooth loss are risk factors for Alzheimer’s. One study found bacteria associated with gum disease in the brains of individuals with Alzheimer’s.

More in-depth research is needed to better understand what oral bacteria would do to the rest of our body, yet do not wait till tomorrow to keep your gum and teeth healthy.

This article was first published on Medium, here is the link.