Tooth Abcess and

I just wanted to share my experience because just maybe it will help someone on here reading through all the posts at 3 a.m. like I was. about 3 months ago I developed heartburn in the morning and the feeling as though something was stuck in my esophagus. It got worse and worse until eventually I ended up at the doctor and then urgent care for my severe GERD, I mean I was in tears. I had pain in my right ear like an ear infection and also pain in the palette of my mouth and sinus pain but I just wrote that off to the acid vapors getting into my sinuses and wreaking havoc. I was put on PPI, H2 blockers & Carofate and none of it worked, except for the Zantac. I was also starting to have some really bad sensitivity in my teeth, but because of my now extensive research, I discovered that this is not uncommon with GERD due to the errosive nature of stomach acid. So I headed to the dentist to have the sensitivity addressed and also try to figure out where exactly the tooth pain was coming from. Well, the dentist found sensitivity to pressure in tooth #31, which is the bottom right molar, farthest in the back and referred me to the endodontist. Endo X-rayed the tooth and saw some inflammation and recommended a root canal. I figured at least this might take care of the tooth pain and then I could address the GERD later. I had lost several pounds by now and was not eating anything other than kefir, eggs, veggies, etc. I had completely cut out caffeine, alchohol, bought a wedge, etc. etc. Well I was dreading laying in that reverse inclined chair for 2 hours to get the root canal let me tell you. However, miraculously as soon as the endo shot me up with the novocaine, the heartburn magically disappeared. I at first thought maybe it was a fluke, so I tested it later in the day with some real food. The next day I had coffee, then coffeecake, then wine, then bruschetta with tomatoes and slept like a baby that night, wedge free! It's like a miracle.

So, thank you to all on here as I found great encouragement and help by reading these forums. I never realized how bad GERD is or how it can effect your life in such an awful way. So, I hope everyone finds some relief somehow. I feel awful for those who are going through this. Nothing I found online mentioned any correlation between a tooth abcess and GERD symptoms and I still do not know if I had actual GERD or just referred nerve pain from the tooth. It really did feel like acid in my esophogus and got worse when I ate the "wrong" things. Maybe the bacteria from the tooth was affecting the LES not unlike H. Pylori? I don't know. But maybe this will be a clue for someone else.

Yes, my tooth didn't look that bad on x-ray either and I'm pretty sure I actually had heartburn and not just referred pain but I just don't know. I was schedule for endoscopy but cancelled it It's worth getting checked out. Good luck.

I'm hoping this is the key! I had root canal redone & crowned 18 months ago, shortly after (a few weeks) my tongue swelled up (and I had two days of fever)... dentist said all the x-rays looked fine and it wasn't my tooth.

As the tongue swelling when on for months & months I realized I was getting re-flux while I slept (mind you I'm young, thin, eat well, don't smoke, don't drink caffeine or soda, etc). I went on a few clean eating programs for sometimes up to 90 days and it would subside... so it got me thinking to the tooth again. What if it was infected and when I ate really clean it was helping my body fight off the infection?

I finally got fed up as the reflux got worse and worse as I went back to normal eating (still pretty clean, 80/20) and saw a new dentist to remove my root canal-ed tooth, I just wanted it gone. An oral surgeon had to remove it as it was a complex removal and probably touching my sinus cavity. Sure enough, ABSCESSED! The removal and tissue damage also left a hole in my sinus cavity that was patched up with collagen during surgery.

I'm less than a week post op and still getting the reflux, however it was gone the first two days after, I'm thinking when my body was happy it was gone. I'm hoping all the healing inflammation is what's still causing the reflux and as the socket heals, the reflux will subside.

Btw I take Lanzoprozole 15mg (doesn't touch the heartburn 4 days from 7), and buscapan daily. I am also on various other meds for bipolar and anxiety - yep pretty sure I rattle most days when I walk!

Thanks all for reading xx

For over 10 years I have been dealing with heartburn acid reflux and Gerd whatever else you want to call it. But five days ago I had my number 31 molar removed and I have not had heartburn at all. Coincidence maybe all I know is it’s been nice not having heart.