Sensitive teeth, but not sensitive. What could the problem be

[2kidsintow]

Have been to the dentists with toothache. Xrays fine. Old filling replaced which helped a little. I said I had sensitive teeth and the dentist checked it very thoroughly. With some extra cold spray stuff that was so cold it crackled when it touched my teeth. In the warm dentist's room, no reaction of my teeth to the cold.

Yet when my face cold, then my jaw/teeth start to complain again. What could be the cause if it isn't actually my teeth that are complaining?

When I was numbed the other day in the area around the same teeth, my jaw (and into my ear) was in agony!

Very confused. Happy that my dentist was very thorough, but still confused.

I had a tooth out a few weeks ago and wonder if it could be anything to do with the healing process/nerves in my face etc.

Go to the doctors?

Could be circulatory or a nerve or something to do with jaw or ear.

sounds more like neuralgia to me?

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trigeminal_neuralgia

Trigeminal neuralgia?

I've got a doctors appt in a fortnight for something else anyway. If it's an after effect of the extraction, it may have settled down by then, if not then I'm going to discuss it.

Is it one sided? What sort of pain is it? I had Trigeminal Neuralgia and it was hideous.. searing pain along my bottom teeth. It affects the facial nerve so can hit top or bottom and cold air or wind on my face would spark horrible pain. I had two teeth removed unnecessarily before my gp realised what it was. I was put on huge doses of gabapentin which sorted it for me but I am still on a lower dose as it comes back if I stop. Mine started after dental work...

It is one sided. I wouldn't describe it as searing though. More 'gnawing'. Which makes me doubt the trigeminal neuralgia.

It is more sensitive if my face is cold. And isn't localised to one tooth/area and will move along from my ear to under my jaw and back.

Update for those who were kind enough to post.

Thanks for the suggestions, they made me have the confidence to ask my GP if TN could be the cause. He agreed it could and has prescribed medication for it.

I think it might be making a difference.

What have they given you? Tegretol (carbamazopine) is usually the first line of attack but it made my vomit so Gabapentin has been my saviour.

I really hope it helps you. Mine has been quiet for 4 years then this week has flared up after simple dental treatment so I'm currently in a ramped up Gabapentin haze...

Yes, I'm on Tegretol.

On its own it seems ok. A few tiny moments of almost like being travel sick but fine the rest of the time. When I took it with co-codamol (also prescribed by the gp) I was very queasy and sick. Have ditched the co-codamol as it's pointless anyway.

It seems to be having some effect. It's not touching the constant tooth/ear ache, but has lessened the severity of the flare ups. They make me say ow, but don't make me squirm and cry!

I think my dose needs adjusting to be more effective, and have an appt in another week for that.

Sorry to hear you're suffering! But good to know that there are others out there. :) Thanks for replying.

Spotted your thread with interest, 2kids, and sympathy - glad your meds are helping, but still sounds ouchy!

I have a very similar thing, whereby I had a filling done a few weeks ago and ever since I seem to have had bouts of horrible tooth sensitivity to cold. Cold air (when I open my mouth outdoors in cold weather), cold water (when I brush my teeth).

I've been back to dentist, and cold makes little difference in his surgery

Dentist equally confused, as he has taken out old fillings and checked, and didn't think it was neuralgia either (can't remember why). He says it might be a hairline crack somewhere, making tooth more sensitive - but it's not just one tooth, it sort of moves around

I might go to GP and ask about TN anyway...

I would advise you to check if the bouts of sensitivity coincide with you being hormonal . I ask as I suffer with this sort of sensitivity and face pain when I am hormonal as do my daughters .

No clue as to hormonal - I'm on a pill that doesn't have any breaks or bleeds so no idea. I've never been particularly prone to being hormonal at any point anyway.

Elibean - the statement that 'it sort of moves around' rings massive bells.

This
www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=19&ved=0CHIQFjAIOAo&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rcseng.ac.uk%2Ffds%2FDocuments%2Ftrigeminal_neuralgia_2012.pdf&ei=QPb7UrvBD4mihgezkYCYDA&usg=AFQjCNHv2uUyod9d7zEdLAvHJtFDXbP4Dw&sig2=hUgAjQCcJhMxeSj_bTQSkA&bvm=bv.61190604,d.ZG4
made interesting reading as it was so like what I've been through.

Thank you

Mine is quite mild now, and is almost entirely teeth as opposed to face, so am hoping just (new) sensitivity and no other cause....but will read link with interest.

Really hope yours better now!

(ps past meno, no hormone effect here)