Wisdom Tooth pain and sore throat

One of the main problems associated with wisdom teeth is a condition called pericornitis. This is an inflammation of the gum tissue around the affected teeth, most often caused by an infection. The infection drains through lymph nodes, most of which are located in the neck. This can cause the neck and throat to feel sore. Try to keep the tissue around the tooth (or teeth) very clean because many times the infection is due to food becoming packed in the space around the tooth, very similar to a bad case of gingivitis you would get if you didn't brush your teeth for a while.

You may also want to consider seeing a dentist.

I had the same problem w/ my wisdom teeth and it got to the point where I had severe pain opening my jaw and eating. I went to the dentists and got some antibiotics and was fine within 48 hours.

not that it matters... wrote:

I've had some pain when brushing around one of my wisdom teeth and am also suffering with a very bad sore throat. Could these be related? The one doctor I saw just gave me a blank look when I asked and said it must be a virus, just take some Tylenol. The only problem is that I've been sick for almost 2 weeks (although the sore throat didn't start until about 4 days ago). Has anyone had an infected wisdom tooth that caused a sore throat?

Thanks for listening...

There's a very good chance they are related, here's some anectdotal evidence:

My wife would periodically get 'tonsilitis' which would be completely debilitating until the antibiotics kicked in, once she had her wisdom teeth removed it never happened again! A friend of mine had suffered from a similar problem and it recurred while he was on sabbatical in Brazil, he went to the doctor to get some antibiotic whereupon the Dr said "no wonder you're having problems you've still got your wisdom teeth!" Once he had his wisdom teeth removed the problem went away for good (that was one of the reasons that my wife had her wisdom teeth removed). I've heard of a couple more cases with similar results, if you've still got your tonsils I think there's a strong possibility that this is happening with you. The tonsils act as a sort of filter that intercepts bacteria etc. as a first line of defence against infection, if you have a problematic wisdom tooth right next to them they could end up being overworked. Definitely see a dentist, if it becomes a recurrent problem consider having the wisdom teeth removed (although traumatic it's far less so than a tonsilectomy).

SC slim.....sounds like a pretty accurate diagnosis, it sounds a lot like pericornitis. And yes it can cause a sore throat. I would see a dentist ASAP, yes there is a possibility he/she will put you on antibiotics but be aware that will only be a short term fix. Ultimately you will have to get your wisdom teeth removed. May I suggest that you have all of them extracted at the same time, and if IV sedation is an option I would recommend that also, pt seem to have a much better experience when they are sedated for the procedure.

Thanks for all the replies. I've previously asked my dentist about the sore throat and he wasn't impressed. I'll go visit him again...

not that it matters... wrote:

Thanks for all the replies. I've previously asked my dentist about the sore throat and he wasn't impressed. I'll go visit him again...

I visited the dentist again, he took x-rays and inspected inspected my mouth and he says there's nothing wrong with my wisdom tooth and it's not infected. He says that the sore throat isn't related... but he did offer to extract the tooth once I recovered from my "cold" or whatever illness I have. Anyway, I'm thinking of going to an oral surgeon to check out my wisdom teeth. Good idea?

well Id have to say if your dentist told you there does not seem to be any infection, then I would have to trust him and say it may be unrelated. Pericornitis is very visible, its not something that may look normal, usually the gums around the wisdom tooth are fire red, very painful, possible pus drainage. Not something you could mistake for normal healthy tissue. I don't see any harm in getting a second opinion from an oral surgeon though.

best of luck

the dentist

I'm not a Dentist but I saw a post above from a Dentist that suggested one should have all wisdom teeth extracted at once. I know to people who did that and they said they really regretted it and that they would have spaced them out over the year.

I had all 4 of mine out at the same time, and I would recommend doing it that way. You're going to be miserable for a few days afterwards no matter what, why be miserable 4 times when you can get it over with once?

It costs a shit ton of money to get all four out at once, which is why I haven't gotten mine out yet. But, I am having a similar problem as the OP. Sore throat, ear ache, sore cheek (which is strange). It only hurts on the right side of my face where my most troublesome impacted wisdom tooth is. It has to be connected, so I'd gladly get this tooth extracted, but definitely not all 4 at one time.

I'd go to see dentists Edgar Montano or Javier Morales in Tijuana, Mexico. Having wisdom teeth pulled there is almost pain free and recovery is fast. I was back to running the next morning. Including trip. motel, dentist, the cost is much less than dentists in the states.

http://www.biodentalstudios.com/

Chewing and drinking fresh ginger root blended with water will help you to get rid of sore throats, but you probably need to have the tooth pulled to get rid of the cause.

Or you could see Dr. Schopj in Ulaambaatar, Mongolia. I'm told that his clinic practices excellent infection control procedures. The office is open weekdays from 10 am until 5 pm. His clinic is just down the road from the Mongolian National Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The phone number is 976-7740-4488. If you don't live in the area, I would suggest staying at the Chinggis Khan Hotel. The Temuujin Restaurant, located in the hotel, is the only hotel restaurant in Ulaambaatar that serves a full American and continental buffet.

The office in Tijuana is a biologic dentistry. They don't use any toxic materials like mercury, nickel, copper, and they don't do root canals. Either the tooth can be filled, or it's pulled and replaced with a fitting.

They are very conservative, but when a tooth is dead then it needs to be pulled.

Dr. Schopj's clinic is very clean. His office is recommended by the US. embassy. Can your dentist in Tijuana say the same thing? The murder rate in Mexico is far higher than Mongolia. On balance, I choose Dr. Schopj. If you left JFK tomorrow morning you could arrive in Mongolia by Friday and be back in NYC before the end of the weekend. If you live in San Diego, you could easily be in Ulaanbaatar by Thursday morning.

I presume you are trolling, because (1) it would cost you big time to travel to Mongolia, and (2) their practice is based on the horrenduous U.S. technology, of course it would be recommended by the embassy.

I was nervous before going the first time, but received many recommendations from people who had been there from all over the world. I quickly became very comfortable in Tijuana, and have usually walked all over in between appointments.

I don't mind paying a little more for the best possible care. Finding a dentist you can trust is critically important. I'm prepared to go to Ulaanbaatar to see a dentist I respect. All things considered, the trip is hardly a huge inconvenience.

In your first message, you emphasized how much money you would save by going to Mexico for dental care. You seem very focused on saving a few dollars.

By the way, before a person decides to see a "biological dentist", he or she would be well advised to do a little research. Start by reading a paper written by Stephen Barrett, M.D. You can find it on quackwatch.com. It is entitled, "Stay Away From 'Holistic' and 'Biological' Dentists". What you call "horrendous U.S. technology", I prefer to call modern medicine based on the scientific method.

Canada81 wrote:

In your first message, you emphasized how much money you would save by going to Mexico for dental care. You seem very focused on saving a few dollars.

Yes, of course I am. There is no reason to pay more, for the horrenduous dental work that is done in the states, insuring only that you keep having more problems and paying more money. If you like that then fine, go to Mongolia and get the same type of care that's no better. Barrett is a quack, which is easy to see with a look at his website.

People are much better off to think for themselves and to make their own choices.

You state that some people say good things about your Tijuana dentist. Fair enough. A simple Google search reveals that a number of people are far less impressed with him.

You claim that Dr. Stephen Barrett is a quack. That "quack" graduated from Columbia Medical School and practiced real medicine for decades. He has won numerous awards for his consumer protection work. He taught at Penn State. He has been a strong advocate for many years against health-related frauds and myths. He is a scientific advisor to the American Council on Science and Health. He has written over 2000 articles and spoken at a large number of universities. What a quack. I'm sure your dentist from Tijuana is equally qualified. Speaking of his qualifications, is he currently board certified? By board certified, I'm not talking about some obscure holistic board. I'm referring to the Mexican Dentists Association.

Your rejection of modern dentistry is as interesting as your rejection of reasonable advice from the American embassy in Mongolia. Is the American government involved in yet another conspiracy? Is President Obama is a pod for the American Dental Association? This conspiracy may be deeper than you think. I believe the American embassy, for decades, has been referring Americans travelling abroad to dentists who use (to use your language) horrendous U.S. technology.

By the way, do you happen to have some connection to this Tijuana clinic that you have been opening promoting?

The difference is that you're just a troll and might as well be Barrett cause you're both the same and I have no use for either of you.