Can dental/tooth ache be TMS?

Tabathafromnj

Tabathafromnj

Peer Supporter
I have just these past two days experienced some pretty serious sensitivity in one of my teeth and wondering if it could be TMS? I have been sharing that I have had stress related hair loss that I suspect is TMS and not so long ago had serious back pain which I treated - cured myself) by reading TMS books at the time. My hair loss is very recent and on-going and I think about it, share, about it and obsess about it constantly. It hasn't gone away, in fact is not much better but I have heard TMS can move around to other locations, so I am hoping this is what this is all about. It is very severe pain in my tooth when I have anything cold or hot to drink but it is intermittent, it doesn't happen every time I have something cold or hot. And it also came on very suddenly yesterday when I had a hot drink. It was like I got zapped with a nerve pain or something and it is on a tooth that I always worry about since I had work in it many years ago.

Emtionally, I have been going through an affair with a married man and thought that was the most of my problems. I recently found out I might lose my job and just a couple of weeks ago I got hit with some huge bills so now I can not pay for my mortgage much less anything else. I have had the financial stress for a while but forgot how bad it was since I was focusing on my affair and my TMS. For months I have been obsessing saying in particular I will okay financially as long as I don't have to go to the dentist since my dentist is very expensive and I pay much out of pocket since this one is not my insurance. I have an intense phobia of dentists so I can not even consider changing to a less expensive one.

Interesting I say it all the time, one of my biggest financial fears lately is having to go to the dentist. And now my tooth is in pain. A while ago I had a different tooth pain, after my back was cured of TMS and it went away promptly after seeing the dentist and being told I was fine.

I have also been trying to get the courage to finally stop with the married man. I have been focusing on that and trying to finally feel my feelings around that whole thing these past few days. It is very painful and sad to think of ending it, so for the first time in a long time I am really looking at my real feelings around it. I looked at an old journal yesterday where I wrote the painful truth about my feelings about this man and wonder if finally facing my feelings about him could also contribute to the tooth pain?

Anyone else have a theory about dental pain as TMS?
 
I have had episodes of tooth ache that were clearly related to TMS. The slightest cold set my front teeth to annoy me for hours. I later found out that I could lower this pain or even make it go away by treating trigger points in the surrounding muscles. It did not last however, but, as trigger points are mainly mindbody symptoms, it completely convinced me that it was nothing serious.
That said, there is always the possibility that it might be from a local infection, you can't rule that out.
If you can tell me which tooth/teeth are giving you problems, a small investigation of possible trigger points in certain muscles might give your mind some rest.

tooth-chart.gif


take care
 
Sweetness, yes tooth pain and dental problems can be tms. In medical parlance there is something called 'atypical odontalgia' which is widely believed to be psychogenic and therefore, by default is tms. Given your situation the likelihood is this is tms doing that wacky thing that it does, however it is folly to assume anything is tms unless and until a real problem has been ruled out. I suggest you ride it out for a few days and see if it settles. If not, do have it looked at. Flapping around in a state of pain and panic is not worth all the tea in China. I know you are frightened and have financial concerns but neither benefit from ignoring the problem. The wonderful thing about tms healing is that you become emotionally strong. Every time you face a personal demon you get to tick them off the list of bogeymen. That's one beautiful feeling. You will come out of this angel and you'll be better for it, and you know what, you'll also meet a man who you can give your heart to and who will fully reciprocate. Keep your faith, and let Gigalos help you. He knows a lot about trigger points and how they relate to tms.
 
and maybe all these symptoms are there to distract you from the emotional impact of the affair. Whatever happens, you need to deal with your bills/job - all the day to day stuff that keeps a roof over your head. Don't let symptoms trick you into losing the basics of life - it can happen so easily. I wish you luck.
 
I also think toothaches can be TMS. tabatha, you've got a lot going that would cause TMS so I suggest you try to
tune out everything and just find some way to enjoy the rest of the day. It might be hard to do, but try laughing it all away.
 
Tabatha....I am so sorry for all the pain you're dealing with. I commend you for facing your challenges head on to. Remember, you're stronger than you realize!

Re: dental pain - I've had some pretty miserable dental things so I can relate to the pain.

My one tooth story ended a little differently though. I was back and forth to the dentist with my problem tooth. (The tooth had been bugging me for a few years.) The dentist did fix a shoddy crown inlay but the sensitivity just continue growing until it would knock me onto the couch whimpering. Honestly...it was some of the worse pain I've ever experienced. (I was an upper molar so it would activate the trigeminal nerve and oh....it was bad...:eek: )

Dentist said it looked okay. But an x-ray doesn't show everything. I finally got the darned thing pulled....it had fractures right down to the root. (Cold is what would set the tooth off. Even a cool breeze.)

So while I think of TMS first and foremost with ANY new quirks or symptoms...but sometimes you do need to investigate.

Good luck and keep us posted...
 
After reading up on TMJ recently.. I came across a paragraph that stated that tooth pain can result from bad jaw joint.
After just a few tries of the exercises... my weird tooth pain that struck 4 teeth everytime my jaws were almost closed (teeth not touching)... vanished.. and my crooked uncomfortable bite that hits now and again.vanished also... Maybe coincidence... but thought Id mention it anyway..... Good Luck.
 
Hi Tabitha, there have been quite a few posts recently in threads dealing with grinding or clenching teeth, which might be worth looking at. I have one tooth that has played up for years every time I get stressed. I always run to the dentist who assures me the tooth is fine, but shows evidence of grinding. At this point the tooth has a crack in it, which I think is the result of clenching at night. Hot and cold really bother it too. In my case it is TMS, but the advice to get it checked is good. It might give you confidence it is TMS, then you can focus on the root of the problem (rather than the root of the tooth :)).
 
I'm as careful about dentists as I am about doctors.
I went to a dentist for a cleaning and he said I needed eight fillings.
I asked how much that would cost and he said, as I remember fro about eight year ago,
$100 or $125 per filling. I said I'd rather wait until I got a toothache and never had one since.

Lots of people are having root canals done because their dentist said so. They cost $1,oo0 or
more. I never heard of root canals until about ten years ago. They now seem to be recommended
by dentists to just about everyone.

I had all my upper teeth out when I was about 21 and haven't had a toothache since, and
I'm 83. I can bite into an apple with no problem.
 
Gigalos said:
I have had episodes of tooth ache that were clearly related to TMS. The slightest cold set my front teeth to annoy me for hours. I later found out that I could lower this pain or even make it go away by treating trigger points in the surrounding muscles. It did not last however, but, as trigger points are mainly mindbody symptoms, it completely convinced me that it was nothing serious.
That said, there is always the possibility that it might be from a local infection, you can't rule that out.
If you can tell me which tooth/teeth are giving you problems, a small investigation of possible trigger points in certain muscles might give your mind some rest.

Thanks for your reply. I'm very interested in hearing about trigger points. The tooth that is bothering me is a molar in the middle in the bottom left side where I had a crown put in years ago. The pain came up very suddenly with no incident before that, I was drinking a hot coffee and got like a zap of pain, now it is very sensitive to hot and cold.

tooth-chart.gif


take care
Click to expand...
 
hecate105 said:
and maybe all these symptoms are there to distract you from the emotional impact of the affair. Whatever happens, you need to deal with your bills/job - all the day to day stuff that keeps a roof over your head. Don't let symptoms trick you into losing the basics of life - it can happen so easily. I wish you luck.
Click to expand...
Oh this is so true. And since dealing with the basics right now are so frightening for me, I know that's why my symptoms come up. The real fear is that they are getting worse. My hair loss is anyway. All of the stressors aren't going away either, like money and financial fear so I doubly fear that since I cant change the ongoing stress from the life stuff I will get worse and worse with my symptoms. It is so hard,I have so much fear, especially of my hair loss/symptoms.
 
walt glenview said:
I also think toothaches can be TMS. tabatha, you've got a lot going that would cause TMS so I suggest you try to
tune out everything and just find some way to enjoy the rest of the day. It might be hard to do, but try laughing it all away.
Click to expand...
I like the idea of laughing it all away. Easier said than done sometimes however. Especially now because I am in panic mode due to financial fear.
 
I wonder if there are other people out there that have had TMS manifest as a tooth ache and sensitivity? The timing on mine leads me to wonder if it is TMS. Meanwhile my main symptoms of losing my hair are much worse this week. I guess it is a result of the financial stress. I can not stop the outside financial issues right now and worry all that stress will make my symptoms worse and worse. So much to deal with :(
 
Tabatha - This program on how to turn anxiety into calmness set me on the course to daily meditation. It's lengthy...1 1/2 hours...but worth EVERY minute. If you can't watch all of it, if you skip to the last 25 minutes, Dr. Rossman walks you through a guided meditation. It is POWERFUL.
I attribute the HUGE reduction in my anxiety levels to this 25 minutes discipline I practice every day. (I have an app with Dr. Rossman's stuff on it so I don't need youtube. ;) )
I have had huge stressors in my life...financial, family, special needs child...so I'm not saying these things lightly.
Hang in there, girl...there IS a light at the end of the tunnel and it isn't a gorilla holding a flashlight! :)
 
I remember a few years ago in 2001-2002 while I was suffering with symptoms I thought were related to a so-called "herniated disk" that when I did suffer from a tooth infection beneath a crown that my TMS condition seemed to amplify the pain and other symptoms associated with the infection until my life became a living hell of weird symptoms: chills at night, high blood pressure, frequent urination, sensitive gums, pain in my mouth on the left side (same side as the herniated disk), the list is nearly endless. It seemed as though what would have been a minor tooth ache was amplified by TMS until it consumed my whole body and psyche. So to answer your question: yes, I do believe tooth pain and other mouth issues can be exacerbated and amplified by an underlying TMS condition. Maybe TMS didn't directly cause my tooth ache, but it certainly took any sensation I was experiencing in my mouth and raised it up onto a higher level of pain and discomfort. It seems like the symptom imperative was also at work here because the pain in my mouth occurred just as the pain in my lower lumbar region was going down, so TMS might have piggybacked onto my tooth ache opportunistically because it was a probable and believable symptom that would distract me from the same underlying emotional conflict that started with a "herniated disk".
 
Tabatha, sensitivity in the lower molars is often due to trigger points in your masseter. If you do a search on google "trigger points masseter" you'll find tons of stuff.
for example: http://triggerpointrelief.com/headache/headache_referral_patterns.html
or
delany2_20283_1_1_9690.gif


Here is a guy demonstrating (it's the first technique) how to investigate this muscle
. Just pinch the muscle at different locations, in your case the lower part of it, and if there is a tp (or muscle knot as you will) in it, you will feel this not so much by feeling a knot but by noticing that it is a more sensitive spot. Don't do this for too long, because you might actually set more fire to it. Don't worry, this will disappear in time. If you find a tp, you might actually feel the molar become more sensitive. If you are successful it might eventually die down, but from personal experience I know this is not so easy and it will not be lasting. When you notice that the whole muscle is extremely sensitive, this also indicates that tp's are the source.

Again, use it as a tool to up your conviction that it is TMS and not something else. Don't think it will solve your pain for good. Investigate once and forget about tp's after that :)

good luck to you and take care
 
Thanks for all your replies everyone. It helps although I am havng a hard time believing that toothache, mine which is a real sensitivity to hot and cold, can be TMS. The timimg of it sounds like it is, but I cant be sure. It is really painful, a REAL physicial pain. Plus my other TMS symptom, my hair loss has not gone away so its not like one thing got better and another came . I am pretty much a hot mess lately between the hair and the tooth. More things that make me feel so unattractive amd want to stay away from everyone and hide from real life. So many challenges and my tooth is killing.
 
Don't let it get the better of you. I started with neck damage and ended up having fibromyalgia for over 20 years! Really - just about every pain there ever was I have had at some point, including other symptoms like, some hair loss, gum disease, IBS, panic attacks etc. I went from a happy carefree 25 year old into an overweight, grumpy lump of pain in a wheelchair for years! Recognising it is TMS has given me my life back - I have got rid of 90% of the pain and fatigue as well as the gum disease etc. I am working every day on healing myself of the patterns of anxiety, stress and worry that characterise us TMSers. Just click on the Structured Educational Programme on the WikiTMS site and GO FOR IT!
1. Worry is wasted energy 2. This too will pass
 
A toothache can be a tough pain to live with. I did some research on hot and cold sensitivity in teeth
and learned a few things you might find helpful. I'm not a doctor or dentist, so I'm not advising you to do what
this research suggests. Just offering it as information.

Dentistry specialists say a change of toothpaste can help. Some toothpastes increase sensitivity, including whitening toothpastes that lighten
or remove stains from enamel, and tartar-control toothpastes contain sodium pyrophosphate. There are toothpastes made
specially for people with sensitive teeth. But they have to be used for at least a month before yu may notice any pain benefits.
You may get relief faster if you massage the special toothpaste onto your gums with a finger after brushing your teeth with it.

The specialists also suggest not to use hard-bristled toothbrushes or brush your teeth too vigorously because that can wear down the tooth's root surface and expose sensitive spots. If the toothbrush's bristles are flattened or point in several directions, you're putting too much pressure on your teeth.

Some sauces, foods, and drinks can aggravate sensitive teeth. Avoid foods with high concentration of tomatoes, oranges, or lemons, and sodas.

If teeth are highly sensitive to heat or cold for more than three or four days and react to both temperatures, it's advisable to see a dentist. The pain may be from a cavity or abscess that is not yet visible.

If you are diagnosed with sensitive teeth, your dentist may prescribe in-office treatments such as applying a desensitizing agent or a protective coating to the teeth. Or a take-home product.

If the tooth sensitivity is severe or persistent or can't be treated by other means, the dentist may recommend root canal treatment.

But who ever heard of root canal work before about ten years so? It may just be another unnecessary operation. It might be better to keep working on TMS causing the pain.
 
Tabathafromnj said:
Thanks for all your replies everyone. It helps although I am havng a hard time believing that toothache, mine which is a real sensitivity to hot and cold, can be TMS. The timimg of it sounds like it is, but I cant be sure. It is really painful, a REAL physicial pain. Plus my other TMS symptom, my hair loss has not gone away so its not like one thing got better and another came . I am pretty much a hot mess lately between the hair and the tooth. More things that make me feel so unattractive amd want to stay away from everyone and hide from real life. So many challenges and my tooth is killing.
Click to expand...

First off the bat, tms feels real. That's why it's such a ******* to deal with. It can reach the point where you feel like you're fighting a war with yourself, which in a way you are, because this is the joys of inner conflict
Check out your other thread, the one on avoidance, and read what Forest says. Forest IS the man because he's walked through the fire. He earned his spurs and then he created this place. He is the heat and cool you can rely on baby.

Has anyone had tooth pain and sensitivity? Hell yes. I have. It sucks. It is the pits.
Go here: http://www.tmshelp.com/forum
Search for wavy soul. She is the queen of tms tooth pain. She beat it and you can too.

Second, my darling, you need to soothe yourself. You are too wound up and worried by all this and that does not help you heal. From one who knows I implore you to take some time off to calm down and rest. Sleep. Read. Walk. Be very gentle with yourself. This is a time to let the storms pass, to let your nervous system calm down. Your pain levels will lower when you do this. It's *the* key to healing.

Unplug from the net and simply be angel.
You're going to be fine.
 
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