Dental or sinus pain when only at 4 feet deep?

[DandyDon]

Sorry I missed this when you first posted. Hell I can always guess. :silly:

Sounds like a root canal issue. It doesn't take much to trigger terrible pain if you have a tooth root abcess. Minor temperature changes by breathing in cold air or minor pressure (from biting on the mouthpiece) can cause the nerve to fire.

If you previously had a root canal in that tooth, it might need to be redone, to make sure all nerves were destroyed. If you have not had one, have your dentist evaluate you for a tooth root abcess or other pathology.

An endodontist might be a good person to see... Don't listen to us, as we are not dentists.

I'm glad you said that. I was thinking it but only one of of us has been to med school, and it wasn't me.

What would you think of 2 grams ampicillin a day to see if it helped?

Have it pulled. I'm missing all 4 wisdoms, a lower molar, and an upper front tooth. Without the false tooth I look like I have an IQ of about 75, which is an improvement over my actual...but I can still eat, no problem.

Worked for me. I need to enlarge my collection, tho.

There's a good article about this in (I think) the most recent issue of Alert Diver (DAN's magazine). In it you will find that one of the more common causes is small air pockets within the tooth that, as others have suggested, are subject to squeeze due to pressure when submerging.

I had a very similar experience some 6 years ago. Excruciating pain when going below 15 feet. I also happen to have a crown where the pain was. I went to see an ENT and he diagnosed it as an infection in the sinus right above the teeth (sort of below the left eye) and its inability to drain due to a block where the sinus drains into the nasal passage. Antibiotics failed to do the trick. Eventually I underwent minor surgery to reopen that drain passage and all has been well since then.

I'm not suggesting that your situation is similar to mine but at this point, I'm sure you'll want to explore all possibilities.

Damn, I missed that, thanks!

 

[Hank49]

Worked for me. I need to enlarge my collection, tho.

!

I had two teeth root canaled (the front one just like this with a black spot in the middle) that had been broken in a motorcycle wreck. Both ended up getting pulled AFTER the $$$$ spent on the root canals. I lost my faith in dentists.

 

[halocline]

I
For over a year I have had bleeding every time I floss around the #12 tooth that my periodontist says is not gum disease, but he thinks the margin of the crown on that tooth is causing the bleeding irritating the gums. It is loose and I also complain of an electrical type response when I touch that tooth.

What's loose, the crown or the tooth? If it's the tooth, probably bone loss around the tooth and that usually means adios tooth. Don't worry, a bone graft, implant, and restoration is only about $4-5K. (sorry, I feel your pain literally as well as financially)
If it's the crown that's loose, I would suspect that you would want it off and re-done very soon. Of course, I'm not a dentist, so I have pretty much no idea what I'm talking about, but I certainly have helped a few pay off their dental school debts. If it were me and the situation is as you describe, my first thought would be to find another restorative dentist who can evaluate the situation and refer to the right specialists.

Good luck!

 

[russellt]

The tooth is what is loose. The periodontist says he can't see any problems making me think there are no bone loss problems. I need to get back in a pool and see if it went away on it's own then start following the suggesstions.

 

[KyMermaidDivr]

The tooth is what is loose. The periodontist says he can't see any problems making me think there are no bone loss problems. I need to get back in a pool and see if it went away on it's own then start following the suggesstions.

Hi, I'm Monica and am a Dental Hygienist. (for 21 years) First ... the mobility problem of your tooth, if it's not due to bone loss, could come from grinding/clenching of the teeth. Do you have a Biteguard or has this been discussed? If not, ask. We have ligaments that go around our teeth and the space between the tooth and the periodontal ligament can widen when we chronically grind or clencyh our teeth, if not protected by wearing an appliance at night when we sleep. You may already have one. Do you know your pocket reading numbers around that tooth? Are they greater than 3mm?

Secondly, does the tooth hurt spontaneously or does it have to have that trigger of touching it with your finger or being underwater? What about flying? Do you have sinus problems? Your dentist can take a large xray called a Panorex and we can sometimes detect mucous retention cysts in the maxillary sinuses with these films.
I would ask for a endo referral ... I don't remember if you said if this tooth has had previous root canal treatment. I hate to sound like a broken record, but I've seen teeth that had no other reason for needing root canal, but the chronic grinding got the nerve so inflammed, that it needed one. I'm certainly not saying that's what's happening, but a thought. If the margins are poor around your crown, something could be going on under it that xrays aren't detecting. If it were me, it'd get a consult with an endodontist ... all you have to do is talk, nothing says you have to do anything. Discuss the alternative sinus issue and if he thinks you should see an ENT guy. Just do what's in your power to tx your tooth, if indeed that's the problem. If it's hurting, something's wrong ... ask about a endo referral from your perio guy or dentist. If everyone's still scratching their heads or you want to get your sinuses checked, go to an ENT, also. That all bases are covered. Don't forget to ask about the biteguard, if you don't have one. That will help keep other problems at bay in the future ... cracks, fractures. I'm a queen grinder, myself.

Hope some of this helps and makes sense ... it's late and I should be in bed. :yawn:

Let me know and feel free to email me @ mrrdh@insightbb.com. I'd like to know how youi're doing.

 

[russellt]

Hi, I'm Monica and am a Dental Hygienist. (for 21 years) First ... the mobility problem of your tooth, if it's not due to bone loss, could come from grinding/clenching of the teeth. Do you have a Biteguard or has this been discussed? If not, ask. We have ligaments that go around our teeth and the space between the tooth and the periodontal ligament can widen when we chronically grind or clencyh our teeth, if not protected by wearing an appliance at night when we sleep. You may already have one. Do you know your pocket reading numbers around that tooth? Are they greater than 3mm?

Secondly, does the tooth hurt spontaneously or does it have to have that trigger of touching it with your finger or being underwater? What about flying? Do you have sinus problems? Your dentist can take a large xray called a Panorex and we can sometimes detect mucous retention cysts in the maxillary sinuses with these films.
I would ask for a endo referral ... I don't remember if you said if this tooth has had previous root canal treatment. I hate to sound like a broken record, but I've seen teeth that had no other reason for needing root canal, but the chronic grinding got the nerve so inflammed, that it needed one. I'm certainly not saying that's what's happening, but a thought. If the margins are poor around your crown, something could be going on under it that xrays aren't detecting. If it were me, it'd get a consult with an endodontist ... all you have to do is talk, nothing says you have to do anything. Discuss the alternative sinus issue and if he thinks you should see an ENT guy. Just do what's in your power to tx your tooth, if indeed that's the problem. If it's hurting, something's wrong ... ask about a endo referral from your perio guy or dentist. If everyone's still scratching their heads or you want to get your sinuses checked, go to an ENT, also. That all bases are covered. Don't forget to ask about the biteguard, if you don't have one. That will help keep other problems at bay in the future ... cracks, fractures. I'm a queen grinder, myself.

Hope some of this helps and makes sense ... it's late and I should be in bed. :yawn:

Let me know and feel free to email me @ mrrdh@insightbb.com. I'd like to know how youi're doing.

Wow what a time consuming thoughtful response. Thanks for the time you put into that.

I have a major problem with grinding. With sleep apnea I used to use a mouth gaurd that advanced the lower jaw. I haven't used it for years though.

My pockets are all 3 or less I believe. the tooth never has spontaneous pain, has a very mild sensation but not pain when touched, is unaffected by flying. Underwater is the killer. I have very minor sinus congestion. The Periodonist remarked that the sinus cavity came all the way to this tooth. I have had recent anoramic x-rays but I believe it was months before this problem came up.

 

[russellt]

Since posting this 3 years ago I have had had a ct scan of the sinuses by an ENT. It showed no sinus pockets.

I went to a root canal specialist who gave me a 2 root canals in the region of the problem. It worked for a very short time then then it returned.

I am going to South Florida next week anyone have a specialist in mind that might look at it?