Lengthly dental vent.
Ever since sometime last year, I've had almost nonstop dental work done. This is largely due to my ignoring my oral health badly for a number of years, on top of having bad genetics.
So, a year later we have three root canals, two crowns, and several fills under our belts, most of them on the left side. Then the dentist sees that I have intense gum inflammation, so he prescribes chlorhexadine gluconate for three weeks.
The ENTIRE three weeks the left side of my face hurts, primarily a tooth he filled several weeks prior that had been experiencing some sensitivity. We're talking bouts of intense pain, that hovers between the top and bottom areas of the left side of my face. This is also a concern because I'm a longtime TMD sufferer, and I'm sure that isn't helping matters.
So I go back in today and he pokes about. The good news is the rinse worked like a charm, but the bad news is he couldn't find the source of the pain. At all. No signs of infection, no questionable spots on the tooth. Some exposed dentin, but that shouldn't be cause for such intense pain.
So he sends me home, suggesting that the rinse might have set something off. To use Sensodyne for two weeks and pop Advil when needed.
And, well, it's 3:40am. I'm wide awake with throbbing pain radiating across the left side of my jaw. Ibuprofen is doing nada.
My dentist has been great this entire time, but I'm seriously considering a second opinion at the current moment.